#Lightwave Question
2 messages in this thread
Hi,
I'm new to the forum AND the Video Toaster. I've learned so much about
the Toaster 4000 in the last week that I'm dying to learn more. I've just been
made A/B Roll editor at Channel 10, a public access station in Fairfax County,
VA.
Anyway, I was playing with lightwave trying to build a simple text oblect.
I wanted to write the word GMU in a gold surface, a green marble bar under it,
and the word JAM under that. I got the object built but can't figure out how
to give the bar the different surface. Do I load them as three separate
objects, giving a different surface to each and then PARENTing them together
(if I wanr it to move as one object)? Also, how can I make an object whose edge
is a different surface than the face? (Kind of like green marble letters
surrounded in gold trim).
While I'm on the subject of surfaces, how can I get more? Do you build
them
or do you buy them? A whole new world is opening up in front of me and I have
a thousand questions <g>.
I'd appreciate any help.
Lance
Lance,
Objects can have many surface attributes. You just have to give the parts
of the object (the polygons) their particular surface names within
Modeller, then return to Layout and enter your surface parameters for
each.
You could also save each piece (text, graphic, etc.) as a separate object,
load them all in, and parent them. But they could also constitute a single
object file, though their respective positions would have to be chosen in
Modeller. It's your choice. If they're separate, you can then place them
to your liking, and make changes, in Layout before parenting and
rendering.
To give an object a different edge surface, simply choose those polygons
that make up the edges in Modeller and rename them. Then, go into Layout
and alter the surface attributes for the new edge surface.
Surfaces are complex. It took me quite a while to get the hang of them.
There are so many options. But the time spent experimenting is well worth
it. You will find that once you've gotten a good idea of what specularity,
diffusion, etc. really do, you'll have fantastic control over the realism
of your imagery. You might benefit from the many tutorial tapes floating
around. I here that the Lee Stranahan series (of Video Toaster User
Magazine fame) is one of the best. Consult this forum, and the AmigaArts
forum, for discussions on these tapes.
You can, I suppose, buy surfaces. The quickest way to acquire them,
however, is to try a Toaster Specialty BBS. Many have specific Surface
sections with a variety of ones from which you can choose. Also, any
objects you load into Lightwave will have surface attributes that you can
save as another name and re-use on other objects if you like. Remember,
when you save an object from Layout, you save its surface parameters
(images to map, all colors, reflection settings, etc.). Therefore, when
you load an object, these surfaces automatically load with it. They are
married to the object, but can be changed and saved.
Hope this helps. Try Obstacle Illusion BSS (616) 791-2109 or Studio Amiga
(817) 557-2111. These are two hot Toaster BBSs that come to my mind.
Steve
Stephen Bailey
Sawyer & Bailey Film and Video CIS # 72773,2451