There are some notes I shoould have added to my explanation of my method for using the LDP2 skies in D4 4/4.5, both for less experienced users, and also more experienced users who may be being as doppy as I was when I first tries this system.
1 When adding the Sunlight and the UE2 Bounce Light (GI), when adding the second one make sure the loading of the light is set to ADD the light, and not REPLACE. If you are set to ‘replace’ by default, then when you go to load the UE2 Bounce Light (GI) or sunlight, load with a CTRL-double-click, which will open the option dialogue where you can change to adding the light rather than replacing. (You can also change the default action there between the options of Add, Replace All and Replace Selected, using a CTRL-double-click on a light preset any other time you want a different option to what’s set, or to change the default again.)
2 A very obvious one this, once you’ve finally thought of it, but you’d be surprised how long it took me to notice what the problem was when I first tried this ..... If you’ve saved the default LDP2 skydome as a prop from LDP2 in DS3, and all the sunlight presets just as they load up in LDP2 in DS3, you need to notice that when you then load up the skydome and a sunlight in DS4/4.5, the sunlight loads up just OUTSIDE THE SKYDOME - just above where the sun is on the matching skydome texture, pointing in at the middle. It is therefore VITAL that you set the skydome prop to CAST SHADOWS = OFF in its properties in the parameter tab (display subsection of the properties). As the sunlight is outside the skydome, if the skydome is set to cast shadows on ... the skydome itself will block any of the light from the sunlight reaching your scene because it is shadowing the entire scene! So if your skydome prop loads set to Cast Shadows On, turn them off, and then save the skydome again like that so you don’t have to remember to turn of the shadows on the skydome each tiem you use it.
3 If you want to rotate the skydome to get a different bit of the sky in view when framing the render or to get the light coming from a different direction, just parent the sunlight to the skydome, then rotate the skydome, to keep the sunlight coming from the right direction to match the sky texture.
4 Note that the Azure Skies product is from a third party, not Dreamlight, and comes with DS UE presets for an Environment light to match the skydomes. So with those, you can opt to use an IBL light to go with the texture on the skydome, rather than a sunlight with UE2 Bounce Light.
(Sadly I probably won’t be able to post again, if there are any questions, for a few days. Other days are hit and miss, but I’m always completely incapable of doing anything on Wednesdays after my Tuesday night weekly change of my pain med patch.)
