Animation and light effect help

[Hiraghm]

I created this guy some time ago, and finally got around to rigging him. I still need to do some work on the weight maps.

What I want to do, however, is to have a light projecting from his screen, based on what his screen is displaying. I'd also like to have it cast an image of whatever is currently on his screen on other objects in its path. Preferably an animated image.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how I could accomplish this?

[HowardM]

yeah thats easy, use a spotlight and project the image/animation...use volumetrics and you can have 3d beams made by whatever your animation is....

[lardbros]

...and just a quick little tip....

DON'T forget to turn volumetric lights on in the 'global illuminations' panel!! I spent ages wondering why mine weren't appearing when i'd left the box unchecked!!!

(then again, most people aren't that bloody stupid... i just thought it seemed strange that u gotta check quite a few boxes to turn them on)

[Hiraghm]

lardbros.. doh! I think that actually might have been part of my problem.

How do I project an animation, Howard? Do I use an avi for the volumetric texture map/projection map?

[HowardM]

I believe you can, but youre better off using frames with alphas....

[Hiraghm]

frames with alphas? I don't understand. :(

[HowardM]

frames, avi, whatever you need to get the sequence in...alphas will allow you to have a cutout of the seq if you wanted...like if your characters screen had the LW logo and thats all you wanted projected....youd have the logo and an alpha to cut it out....

there are plenty of tutorials, just search here, flay, everywhere!
:)

[lardbros]

Yeah, it was my problem too, for way too long!!!

I realised i hadnt ever used the volumetric option EVER, and realised that i'd never figured out how to actually get them working!!....


I HAVE NOW, AND WILL NOT FORGET!!!!

[Hiraghm]

Yeah, it's something I knew about way back when. That's the problem with trying to learn so much so fast; your knowledge can be broad, but not deep.

Now I'm trying to learn GoLive and LiveMotion to update my website. I'll never complain about the LW user manual again :rolleyes: