topic Re: sun options in Documentation

sun options

Anonymous — Mon, 30 Dec 2024 12:27:17 GMT

Hello,
can anyone explain how this dialog works?
I can’t understand this and I work with it for 7 past year without understanding just play with value to get good effects
I have read the help and I know what the meaning of the option but usually its works in crazy way for me,
sometimes shadow appears black and sometimes very light
thanks

Re: sun options

Barry Kelly — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 01:21:30 GMT

From the Help Center...

https://helpcenter.graphisoft.com/user-guide/89407/

Here is my take on it (not sure if it is 100% accurate).

The sun is a single source of light (can be positioned).
The stronger it is, the stronger the shadows and the brighter the surfaces that are lit become.

Ambient light is a general all around light source, the brighter it is the less shadow you will get and all surfaces become brighter.

The sun can contribute to the ambient light.
Exactly to what effect it is hard to say - as you mentioned just play around until you get a balance you like.
They can all effect each other, so it is hard to say what is a perfect setting.

Adjusting the colours of the light will change the appearance of elements lit by those lights.
I was always told not to use pure white, but a very (very) pale blue or yellow (cold or warm).

Ambient light has no effect in OpenGL 3D or renders using Cinerender.

Barry.

Re: sun options

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 03:33:03 GMT

Barry wrote:
The sun can contribute to the ambient light.
Exactly to what effect it is hard to say - as you mentioned just play around until you get a balance you like.
They can all effect each other, so it is hard to say what is a perfect setting.
Barry.

Exactly What I was searching for ..
Because of normal understanding for how the the sun contribute the ambient area . The percentage of (contribution to ambient )is higher that should mean the shadows is lighter and the scene is bright.
That only works for the value from 0-50 % but form from 50-100% it becomes darker again.

I think it’s a bug

Barry wrote:
.

Ambient light has no effect in OpenGL 3D or renders using Cinerender.

Barry.

It works perfectly on OpenGL
I think you mean basic and cinerender. .(cineware in AC25 )

Re: sun options

Barry Kelly — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 03:49:48 GMT

Alammouri wrote:

Barry wrote:
.

Ambient light has no effect in OpenGL 3D or renders using Cinerender.

Barry.
It works perfectly on OpenGL
I think you mean basic and cinerender. .(cineware in AC25 )

Sorry I read that wrong in the Help Center article.

Note: Ambient light parameters affect only the 3D Window and PhotoRenderings created with the Basic Rendering Engine!

I read that as only works in the 3D basic (vectorial) window and renderings created with the basic engine.

So it will show in any 3D window in Archicad, basic (vectorial) or OpenGL, and with renderings made from the Basic engine.
Cinerender will just use the sun and any light sources you have added.

I think I have that correct now.

Barry.

Re: sun options

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 04:05:19 GMT

Thnaks for answering and correction .. but again I think you read it wrong or the help not clear enough .
Because it only affects 3d windows with OpenGl and basic render
The 3d basic windows is not affected by sun options from this options .it has own option inside 3d styles options ( where you choose Basic ( vertical )).the option is : SHADE SURFACE USING SUN and the shadows always grey

So these options only work for OpenGl and basic render

Thanks again for your time .

Re: sun options

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 08:23:44 GMT

Alammouri wrote:
So these options only work for OpenGl and basic render

Did you check your Cinerender Photorendering settings?

Also I would add to Barry's remarks, and thru my personal experience, that Ambient Light is the one that comes from the sky. In this case if it is an exterior clear sky scene, I use a soft blue light. For the Sun light I always use a soft yellow. The Contribution to Ambient is more like if the sky is cloud or not.
Hope this helps.

Re: sun options

Erwin Edel — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 08:50:14 GMT

The color setting only affect what you see in 3D window while 'working' there. Cinerender uses its own settings for sun and shadows (though it can use your sun position). In the dark ages of Lightworks, this was not true and that is probably what Barry remembered (Lightworks used the settings from this dialogue window too).

I would actually keep the sunlight and ambient light in this dialogue window pure white (255,255,255), since this also affects the preview of surfaces (they will get tinted) in other AC dialogue windows and you might not end up with the color output you would like.

I have sunlight at 100%, contribution to ambient at 75% and ambient light at 25% and this seems to give suitable bright enough 3D window where all surfaces look reasonably like the textures should look.