[Hanswors]

Hi all

I was wondering - how do I get the reflections on a texture of say, text to move? Can I use a video source rather than a still? How could I do this?

For instance, say youve modeled a car and you want it to drive somewhere, obviously the reflections has to move.

Or in my case, I've got text that's quite reflective and Im comping it into a video scene. One for instance, is a cloudy time-lapse. Would love for the reflections to have the clouds moving over it, rather than just the still way I'm doing it now.

By searching for this, I've also realized how little LW resources there is available for composition. Every other aspect is covered except that...

So moving reflections... anyone?

Thanks!

[juniordebo]

This usually take place in After Effects or Digital Fusion. It is easier to create the reflection on the car through masks and reversing the reflection. You will have more control over the reflection than trying to do it in Lightwave.

In Lightwave you would have to load an image sequence and make sure that it is set to sequence when loading. This will give you an animated texture.

Personally, I would create a mask in After Effects using a Solid and then apply my reflection to that.
Glen

[juniordebo]

Are you looking to do this on a car or across Text?
Glen

[Hanswors]

Originally Posted by juniordebo Are you looking to do this on a car or across Text? Glen

Hey Glen

For now, text. I've got big bold text, that's very reflective, almost like chrome, within a time-lapse scene. Its easy to comp it into the scene with the front-projection mapping technique (which seems to work well for stills), but it does look a bit fake, only reflecting a still image, rather than reflecting the clouds rushing by overhead.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll see if that works.

[rwhunt99]

While normally you would use a external compositor, you can use LW for nearly everything except sound.
What are you using to reflect with, is it a background image? then you would need to project an animation onto a poly, just like you would do with a background, using an animation instead of a static image.
For example if you would like to show flames reflecting on your text. you would put a poly facing the text and on the surface you would apply a sequence of an animated flame. The secret is to get it to integrate into the scene, what is in the scene should reflect in your text.
hope that helps some

[Hanswors]

Hi there

Yes, I exported a still from the scene I put the text in as the background and for reflection. I did it via the typical front projection method.

Thanks I will try your suggestion. It makes sense. How would I project the video onto the poly? Can this be doen through the texture editor?

Thanks a lot! I'm getting closer to it!

[rwhunt99]

Yes. go to the image editor and load your image sequence, you can just select the first image and in the image editor select sequence (default is image).

Then in the surface editor, usually in color, click the T and as the default is image, go below the planar button and click on image and select the name of your sequence.

You will have to experiment to see what size to make your reflector poly to get the results you want, just put it in front of your object to reflect on and be sure your camera is in front of the poly.

As an optional idea, you can try just just using your text object, I am assuming it is highly reflective and in the surface editor, under the environment tab, click on reflection options and choose spherical map, below that, choose the image sequence and try that, I don't think it will work quite as well, but is is an option.

[Hanswors]

Originally Posted by rwhunt99 Some great insightss

Oh thank you!!! I didn't realise that you could load an image sequence. This has opened a new world for me!

Off to go an experiment with my new-found knowledge...

Thanks again! You are my hero!

[rwhunt99]

You can do it with any poly, for example, you have a TV screen in the scene, you cn put up an animation right on the TV, Have fun!

[Hanswors]

Originally Posted by rwhunt99 You can do it with any poly, for example, you have a TV screen in the scene, you cn put up an animation right on the TV, Have fun!

Thanks for the help! I love this site for the help one can get when starting out!

Many thanks for your help rwhunt!

[libra66]

Thanks for the information guys. For my purposes, setting up the texture as an image sequence worked just fine. I believe the guys making the game might've found a solution, but I'll definitely throw these tips their way. Thanks again.