Softshadows under lightwork rendering engine.....ok, but how

[Anonymous]

Hy to all!
i'm a design student, and i'm starting using the lightwork rendering engine...well, it works great for materials, absolutely (i'm experienced in alias studio tools 10)geat! But anyway i've a problem.....that's it:
Since the exporting to .lp (lightscape) is not good at all (no windows,doors, bad surfaces.....etcetc) i'm triyng to get soft hadows from archicad.....i'm using a "sun lamp" and a "skylamp", setted on 50 as intensity and midway as quality (latitude and longitude shadow quality(sky) sources (sun)) but still now i've not benn able to get a good shadow, always.............how can i describe....seem more shadows close togetherbut not "blurred together".....i'm not sure about my clearity
i'll try to attach an image.......
any help is really wellcome, i'm in trouble with an exame

[Anonymous]

Here comes a closeup shot of the problem.....as you can see is not even closer to the image on the online manual! wich are the parameters that controll this shadowquality output ??? (i've no camera/sun light on, only lamps(sky/sun) and ambient).i've tried to play with: shadow quality, number of source lights, shadow definition and so on, with no results

[Anonymous]

another point achieved......the light in the last shot is coming from the lamp "sunobject", here are the settings: intensity 50, sources 10, diversion 5°, cast shadow on, show on own story only, no difference between sunrise/set. the color is light blue........what's wrong with it???i thing those "multiple light areas" are generated each one from one of the sources of the sunobject......is it possible?solutions?
thanks to all of you!

[Anonymous]

making steps ahead!!!!!
well, the problem cause is the "diversion angle" of the sun object, if set to zero the problem disappears but shadows are extremely defined and hard . under render options, environment, sun the settings are shadow sftness 4.0, shadow resolution 4040, shadow quality 5.......
(the result is shown below)
i don't know where to set this kind of things, it seems that shadow settings mentioned above are uneffectively, no changes from 2->5 quality and from 600->4040 resolution .

[Dwight]

very busy right now, but quick reply is to use window light object placed on outside of window opening for soft window light.

Pros use it aimed down from ceiling for ceiling emanation, too.

Lots of problems with sun convergence on interiors - but does emulate scummy multi-layered glass okay - as found in your more Northerly lattitudes.

[Anonymous]

thanks a lot, i'll try tomorrow (my eyes closing!).
anyway i'll post the results!
(i've tried light from "window light objects" in another part of the building, but with no luck, i'll try the roof light!)
thanks a lot!!!!

[Anonymous]

i'm back after a good sleep
no way with window lights.......windowlight object at 6 shadow quality and 80 intensity and 3 resolution........still hard light on walls/paving ....how was achieved the result shown in the help file???(the one of the corridor of a chinese-style house, expecially the shadow of the column on the floor......it is great and it is what i'm aiming at!)

[Dwight]

I've got problems with the window elements in the file you sent so I won't be playing with it any more.

If you want soft shadows, turn off the sun object and use the window light object. This window object stands in for the lights movie makers use to softly fill spaces left dark by key lights.

These tools closely emulate how real light behaves without radiosity - so it is all fake - and we must cope with fake tricks.

How is real soft sunlight created in the movies? some sort of scrim. If you modulate sunlight through your windows with translucent curtains or blinds, the sunlight will interact with those elements...

Tight convergence of the multi-sun seems to be all we can do for now.

[Dwight]

and when is sunlight ever blue?

[Anonymous]

ok for the color !
wich problem have you had with windows?is mine mistake or a software fault???
ok, understood how to do the job, abit of sunobject,a spread of window light and that's what! , i'll try to get the best result and then post it!