CompuServe Messages

Suresh: I would first start with a long, cylindrical object to simulate a laser beam. Use transparency fall-off and self-illumination on the object for added realism. For the "core" of the beam, simply use a much thinner cylindrical object with 100% self-illumination. If you have the Image Processing IPAS routines, use GLOW on both objects. Attach a spotlight to the inside of the laser beam and make sure that the spotlight target is locked to the end of the beam. This way, when the beam hits an object, the light will also hit the object. If you're using R3, you've got tons of options available in the new materials editor for creating a "pulsating" effect. With R2, however, you'll have to use an animated texture map on the beams for a pulsating effect. I hope this helps!