topic Cine4d Strip Light in Visualization

Cine4d Strip Light

Anonymous — Thu, 11 May 2023 12:15:03 GMT

Does anyone know how to properly control the strip light option in Cine4d Archicad 18?
I am trying to replicate the look of a long LED strip light in my model, and while initially, it looks pretty good, there is always a center blow-out. I see no option to turn this off or move it or control it? Any ideas?

Does anyone have a different method for creating a long strip light like this in Cine4d? I've tried just using illuminating surfaces, but they don't have the ability to 'glow' and the light seems very difficult to refine.

Thanks,

Dave

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

Laszlo Nagy — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 01:24:07 GMT

Are you using the Area Light with the Line option?
This video give a few tips about its use:

http://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/videos/archicad/object-libraries/objects/light/archicad18-new-features-new-and-enhanced-light-sources-area-light/

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 01:40:29 GMT

Laszlo,

I have viewed that video several times, unfortunately other than announcing the existence of the line light in area light settings, it offers no understanding of control.

If I duplicate the process, I am able to create a line light but as soon as it is near a surface (as would be the case for an LED or fluorescent fixture of this type) it reveals this blow out at the very center.

I wish I could find away to turn it off or at least have it run the length of the light consistently.

Do you know if another way to create strip lights with 'glow' like this?

Thanks,

Dave

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

alemanda — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 06:36:47 GMT

I made some tests and up to now I was not able to have a good and usable effect of long led lights.
Wait for the GURUS of Cinerender ...

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 16:51:50 GMT

alemanda,

True, I may have to wait for the gurus.....any idea of idea how to summon them from on high?

Dave

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

Eduardo Rolon — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 19:28:16 GMT

Is this what you are looking for?
Using Morphs with a Illuminated surface and Glow on.

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

alemanda — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 20:25:50 GMT

Yes.
What are the settings to obtain an acceptable result without artifacts in an acceptable time?

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

Eduardo Rolon — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 22:13:25 GMT

Busy with other stuff but try:

• Sampling -> Stochastic -> Custom Sample Count -> 1280
• Discrete Area Sampling -> 1280
• General Options -> Global Brightness to 110
• and turn on Ambient Occlusion
-----
• For the Lights the settings are in the screenshot

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 23:13:58 GMT

ejrolon,

Yes, I have tried that method as well, but the quality of light is so poor, that in order to make it look good render time becomes an issue, especially when lighting an entire house. Since this is a visualization for a client and for publication as well good lighting is important. I don't mind creating glow and effect post process, but it seems odd that there inst a reliable way to create a LED or fluorescent light, particularly with IES data. I cant imagine why those lights are limited to squares or circles.
Regardless, I believe the line light could work, if only it had some level of control.

The difference between the two is pretty great. I attached a quick mock up using a similar rig and surfaces.
Illuminated surface on the left, light on the right. Getting decent light throw and washing the surface of the ceiling becomes difficult with the glow surface, as well the overall quality and look is poor.

Dave

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

alemanda — Fri, 10 Oct 2014 07:20:08 GMT

Thanks Ejrolon!
I'm new with Cinerender.
I tried and the results for me are acceptable. I need to improve wih Cinerender.
Up to now I made my rendering with Maxwell and/or Artlantis depending on the final purpose of the rendering.
One of the reason I upgraded to AC18 is cinerender. I hope to get similar results I can get with maxwell and artlantis in the same render times. The big advantage is to work always inside archicad.

One question more.
Is there any way to control the intesity of the illuminating surfaces in terms of watts/lumen? This would be great.

Re: Cine4d Strip Light

Anonymous — Wed, 15 Oct 2014 16:53:18 GMT

Eljoron/others,

I am replying again in hopes that someone might be able to continue this conversation.

Does any one know how to turn off the center light flare in the line light?

I have tried several renders with the surface as emitter, and I have to conclude that it is poor at best. the light is unpredictable, and uncontrollable and even bumping up settings to 3000+ there are still so many artifacts not to mention render time gets unwieldy to be sure.

I have also tried to use the area light as a strip and place it over the lights, though this fails when attempting to angle and skew the light as one would on the surface of a sloped ceiling. The light can be directed but only to a target surface, which makes it near impossible to align with the fixture geometry. As well, one you have angled or sloped the light it can no longer be adjusted for length or width in plan, which as you know ( a sloped surface will need to be longer to be the same length in plan) this leaves this tool pretty unusable in this regard. If you look through the tutorials on this tool (the scene by the pool) you can see that the are area lights they construct are also not matched correctly).

While the glow option is easily worked around in post process, the inability to get realistic light to act as expected seems close to insurmountable.

I am still confused as to how or why it is so difficult to create a usable light that would resemble a florescent or LED strip.

Any one run into this or figure out a work around?

Thanks,