Octane Spotlight, with no 'hack'.

Maxon Cinema 4D (Export script developed by abstrax, Integrated Plugin developed by aoktar)

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jeremyshin
Licensed Customer
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu May 04, 2017 5:59 pm

Hello,

I was recently watching a video of Woosung Kang at The 3D and Motion Design Show and he was showing how he created some spotlight animation for Odesza, in Redshift.
https://youtu.be/14rAMg29vaw?t=675

I tried to apply the same technique and see if I could do it in Octane, as I do not use Redshift.

Wether I used the Spotlight object OR the Spotlight distribution node, I couldnt get rid of the noise at the light source (see attached image).
If you see Woosung's presentation we can see that Redshift is able to clean very easily the light, even near the emission source.
Why can Octane still not do it in 2023? If it is me that is not using it properly, I would love somebody to show me how it is achievable. When I look at Spotlight in Blender, it seems so... easy...

Also, why can't we have a functional Spotlight object? Something easy to control in C4D viewport with fall off adjustment and with a visible light source, because in reality a spotlight is amitted from a circle source that should be visible, especially in the reflections.

Please can somebody clarify this subject that has been an enigmna for many years to me.
Thanks
Attachments
octane_spotlight.jpg
elsksa
Licensed Customer
Posts: 784
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 1:06 am

Hi,

It's nothing impossible or difficult for Octane. I don't know what was your approach. Could that blurry + sampling noise be coming from DoF? Inappropriate scene scale?

I have a demo close to a "scene stage spotlight" here (Spotlight Distribution | Light Directionality/Spread), but in an interior scene which in spite of that, doesn't struggle to sample.

I'd suggest to also consult the Octane Settings page.

Octane's Spectron Spotlight Spotlight Distribution + Volume container.
This page clarifies on the ambiguous Octane Spotlight Volume options.

Feel free to update this thread in case you are struggling achieving the spotlight scene. I will demonstrate it or send an ORBX if needed. But first, I insist on consulting the aforementioned links as everything needed should be covered.
jeremyshin
Licensed Customer
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu May 04, 2017 5:59 pm

Thank you Elska for answering.

Im not sure that you understood what I was talking about.

If you check the youtube link video I shared in my first post you will see how a spotlight can be achieved in Redshift. From a rectangle or disc area light, it seems possible to direct the light like a spotlight while keeping the shape (visibility and size) of the light emission source.

In Octane, spotlights are always 'infinite points' at the source, which is unrealistic (of course it may be what one would like to achieve in certain scenarios) because in real life spotlights always have a source diameter.

With the Spotlights object, the source is a point, so not realistic... (I can see it clearly on the render on your website under the Spotlight Distribution part). Also I dont like that the volume is built-in, I prefer to use a FOG Volume object over my scene.
With the Spotlight distribution node, even applied on lets say a disc area light of 10 cm, the light disc source will be hidden, which is not realistic.

In order to get a realistic spotlight I always have to:
- Create an area light, set it as a disc.
- Use the Spotlight distribution node on this area light (by the way a bit annoying to dive into the node to be able to dial the look, would be nice to have controls in C4D viewport). Disable all its visibility.
- Duplicate that area light, put it slightly in front of the first one, disable on diffuse, shadow and cast shadows.
- Put them all under a null to be able to rotate the null as a Spotlight.

You can see the c4d file attached to understand what I am talking about.

Sure I can save it as a scene and use it whenever I can but why cant something like this be coded for Octane plugin?
Attachments
octane_spotlight.zip
(127.69 KiB) Downloaded 61 times
elsksa
Licensed Customer
Posts: 784
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 1:06 am

Thank you for elaborating.
jeremyshin wrote: With the Spotlights object, the source is a point, so not realistic... (I can see it clearly on the render on your website under the Spotlight Distribution part).
It's not a point but an actual physical thin geometry surface. I believe I made it quite small in my demo (⌀10cm to ⌀30cm, IIRC) and the camera was quite far to show most of the "light beam". I'm solely using the quad light + spotlight distribution "combo" (or the equivalent using a disc geo-primitive). I made a Spectron demo in another section.
jeremyshin wrote: Also I dont like that the volume is built-in, I prefer to use a FOG Volume object over my scene.
That's the "Spectron" spotlight, not a regular "hand made" spotlight (area light or geo-prim + distribution).
jeremyshin wrote: In order to get a realistic spotlight I always have to: (...) Sure I can save it as a scene and use it whenever I can but why cant something like this be coded for Octane plugin?
A script would likely speed that up. I am unable to answer that question, which is intended to Aoktar.

I'm exclusively using Standalone but it should be the same approach and options in Octane C4D. Feel free to provide screenshots in case I'm missing anything.
jeremyshin
Licensed Customer
Posts: 106
Joined: Thu May 04, 2017 5:59 pm

elsksa wrote:It's not a point but an actual physical thin geometry surface. I believe I made it quite small in my demo (⌀10cm to ⌀30cm, IIRC) and the camera was quite far to show most of the "light beam". I'm solely using the quad light + spotlight distribution "combo" (or the equivalent using a disc geo-primitive). I made a Spectron demo in another section.
Spotlight Distribution makes the source geo invisible when the camera is pointing at it, the area light source visibility disappears.

Also I still need a lot of sample to clean the light nearby the emission source. I am not new in Octane so I know how to properly setup my kernel to avoid noise usually. You said you had a scene covering this point but I couldnt find it. I do not use standalone just to let you know.

Thanks a lot for your time!
elsksa
Licensed Customer
Posts: 784
Joined: Sat Jul 24, 2021 1:06 am

jeremyshin wrote: Spotlight Distribution makes the source geo invisible when the camera is pointing at it, the area light source visibility disappears.
All renderers behave that way, unless a workaround or different spotlight implementation was added to the renderer (I remember at least one, may be two, renderers).
jeremyshin wrote: Also I still need a lot of sample to clean the light nearby the emission source. I am not new in Octane so I know how to properly setup my kernel to avoid noise usually. You said you had a scene covering this point but I couldnt find it. I do not use standalone just to let you know.
Which one? The scenes are typically sections on the pages. I've only recently uploaded direct download ORBX.
Is that "noise" possibly coming from the diffuse material "albedo" being white/grey by default instead of pure black? I do have a section on the Octane Lighting page about it.
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