Ambient light is a phony.
Author
I''ve always wondered why it''s so commonly used, when it doesn''t acurately represent lighting. Is it because it''s a cheap way to brighten the whole scene? The only real use I can think of for it is emissive light sources. So, am I missing something, or is it not really an accurate description of real lighting?
How do you light your scenes without using an ambient light? I assume the non-lit faces in your scenes completely black. That isn''t very accurate, unless you are in outer space.
Ambient lighting is used because it''s a hell of a lot cheaper than radiosity calculations.
How appropriate. You fight like a cow.
How appropriate. You fight like a cow.
It''s just to compensate for the small amounts of reflective and matte lighting that would occur naturally in most scenes. For example, a house at night is not completely dark and ambient lighting can add it.
Brian J
DL Vacuum - A media file organizer I made | MM
Brian J
DL Vacuum - A media file organizer I made | MM
Pick a room in your house that does not appear to get any direct sunlight. A bathroom, bedroom with heavy curtains, or a room at the center of the house will probably work fine. Now, turn all of the lights off. In most cases, you will still be able to see (unless you picked a place with too little light such as a closet with door seals). Why is this?
Once you have answered that question, you have two options:
1-Simulate the real physics describing why there is still light in the room.
2-Approximate it using ambient lighting.
Trust me, #2 is easier.
[edited by - jeeky on September 2, 2003 8:22:31 PM]
Once you have answered that question, you have two options:
1-Simulate the real physics describing why there is still light in the room.
2-Approximate it using ambient lighting.
Trust me, #2 is easier.
[edited by - jeeky on September 2, 2003 8:22:31 PM]
Author
Thank's Jeeky, that was my assumption.
EDIT: However, couldn't diffuse lights where the windows are, or even projected textures, look more realistic?
[edited by - cowsarenotevil on September 2, 2003 8:36:29 PM]
EDIT: However, couldn't diffuse lights where the windows are, or even projected textures, look more realistic?
[edited by - cowsarenotevil on September 2, 2003 8:36:29 PM]
Author
quote:Original post by JohnBolton
How do you light your scenes without using an ambient light? I assume the non-lit faces in your scenes completely black. That isn''t very accurate, unless you are in outer space.
Try diffuse and specular lighting.
quote:Original post by cowsarenotevilquote:Original post by JohnBolton
How do you light your scenes without using an ambient light? I assume the non-lit faces in your scenes completely black. That isn''t very accurate, unless you are in outer space.
Try diffuse and specular lighting.
No thats what he''s trying to say! If there are no lights in a part of a scene, you just want them to be VERY dim, not black. Black is not natural due to the reasons stated above.
Author
Oh, I see what you mean. But ambient light still isn''t an accurate way of representing it, but yes, it works.
quote:Original post by cowsarenotevil
...still isn''t an accurate way of representing it, but yes, it works.
Is representing a human being with triangles accurate?
Point being- as programmers we must find the best shortcuts and use them like we are incapable of feeling shame.
Brian J
DL Vacuum - A media file organizer I made | MM
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