Light Baking
Baking refers to using a program such as 3ds Max to create a texture map based on some aspect of the scene. The image below shows a model with baked lighting (V-Ray complete map)
Baking refers to using a program such as 3ds Max to create a texture map based on some aspect of the scene. The image below shows a model with baked lighting (V-Ray complete map)
Realistic lighting is difficult to achieve in real-time, and when it is, it takes a lot of processing power. By letting 3ds Max calculate realistic lighting before hand on all non-moving (static) objects, none of that processing has to be done in real-time and the graphics card can display complex scenes with a higher frame rate. Moving objects (dynamic objects), however, still have to be lit by real-time lights. See the following tutorials for instructions on the baking process:
Realistic lighting is difficult to achieve in real-time, and when it is, it takes a lot of processing power. By letting 3ds Max calculate realistic lighting before hand on all non-moving (static) objects, none of that processing has to be done in real-time and the graphics card can display complex scenes with a higher frame rate. Moving objects (dynamic objects), however, still have to be lit by real-time lights. See the following tutorials for instructions on the baking process:
Complete Map
Complete Map
A complete map is a new texture for the model created from the original textures and lighting information.
A complete map is a new texture for the model created from the original textures and lighting information.
Complete Map Pros:
- Best overall results and blending of original textures with lighting.
- Not necessary for original materials to be Standard as long as the new baked material is Standard
Complete Map Cons:
- Bake needs to be done at a high resolution to maintain texture detail. This can cause model size to increase substantially. Suitable for small scenes (e.g. room interior) rather than large scenes.
Light Map
Light Map
Light maps are a record of luminance values. These values are multiplied against the diffuse textures to add lighting and shadows:
Light maps are a record of luminance values. These values are multiplied against the diffuse textures to add lighting and shadows:
Light Map Pros:
- Optimization. Original texture resolutions are maintained. Map size only affects the quality of the shadows and light effects. Lighting is mostly composed of smooth gradients, so it does not need as much close-up detail as a diffuse texture.
- Versatility. Lightmaps keep lighting separate from surface color, allowing you to change diffuse maps without needing to rebake the scene.
Light Map Cons:
- Less photorealistic than complete bake.
- Requires all source materials to be Standard
Global Illumination
Global Illumination
In the real world, direct light bounces off the environment, resulting in soft shadows, color bleeding, and dark areas that brighten up with indirect light. In 3D rendering, global illumination techniques take light bounces into account to create the same effects. Due to these calculations, they require additional processing time and power. Different renderers (e.g. Scanline, Mental Ray, V-Ray) have their own versions of global illumination.
In the real world, direct light bounces off the environment, resulting in soft shadows, color bleeding, and dark areas that brighten up with indirect light. In 3D rendering, global illumination techniques take light bounces into account to create the same effects. Due to these calculations, they require additional processing time and power. Different renderers (e.g. Scanline, Mental Ray, V-Ray) have their own versions of global illumination.