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How to display character shadow on ground plane?

dgimness_2afcafb311dgimness_2afcafb311 Posts: 0
edited December 1969 in New Users

Hi,

Newbie question:

I have a character standing on a ground plane with an overhead distant light.

Looked through the Daz 3D user manual and made sure my shadows were active, though when I go to render, the character isn't casting a shadow on the ground plane. What do I need to enable? I'm using ray trace render as well.

Thanks,

Dan

Comments

  • SloshSlosh Posts: 2,391
    edited April 2013

    Hi, Dan. I just created a simple scene using the setup you described and the shadow rendered with no problem. So, my question is whether you used a DAZ primitive plane as your ground plane, or did you import it from somewhere else? Also, if you used the DAZ plane (Create:Primitive:Plane), did you by any chance change from the default material? It is possible that the material you are using on your ground plane, whether it be DAZ or imported, does not have receive shadows turned on. The default DAZ Studio material does not have this setting, it is on by default, but if you changed the material by selecting a different shader, then shadows may have somehow been turned off.

    Edit: Just a thought, is your character actually standing on a plane object, or are you simply referring to the floor grid that loads with a new scene? The floor grid is not geometry, so it will not receive a shadow. Just a thought, not trying to infer that you hadn't considered that yourself.

    Post edited by Slosh on
  • dgimness_2afcafb311dgimness_2afcafb311 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Hi Brian,

    Thanks for the tip! I originally used a DAZ primitive light plane. I had it set to receive shadows, though for some bizarre reason, the Light Plane and Environment Sphere would not let me render cast shadows from my character.

    I did use a Prop from Architecture > Aikanaro, and that let me render a cast shadow. Go figure...

    Dan

  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 96,825
    edited December 1969

    The sphere created with the uber Environment is set to be invisible in renders - it's there purely as a guide to placing the light. I'm not sure what you mean by a light plane - a primitive plane (Create>New Primitive) should have no trouble accepting shadows.

  • SloshSlosh Posts: 2,391
    edited December 1969

    dgimness said:
    Hi Brian,

    Thanks for the tip! I originally used a DAZ primitive light plane.

    Dan

    I think, therein, lies your problem. A light plane is actually used to create a light source within your scene, and I think it also requires use of a special camera. It would not have been the correct choice for a floor plane. Just make sure, next time, to choose a plane from the Create menu. Choose Create:New Primitive then in the dialog box that pops up, choose plane. A 10m x 10m size is not too bad for just a shadow catcher under a single character.

  • dgimness_2afcafb311dgimness_2afcafb311 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thanks Brian!

  • SzarkSzark Posts: 10,634
    edited December 1969

    Slosh said:
    dgimness said:
    Hi Brian,

    Thanks for the tip! I originally used a DAZ primitive light plane.

    Dan

    I think, therein, lies your problem. A light plane is actually used to create a light source within your scene, and I think it also requires use of a special camera. That is not entierly correct you don't need a special camera to use Area Lighting (light plane etc) in Daz Studio here is a tutorial about Area lighting in Daz Studio http://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/14536/

  • dgimness_2afcafb311dgimness_2afcafb311 Posts: 0
    edited December 1969

    Thanks Pete!

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