Layout - Objects
Clear All Objects
This will remove all objects from memory that have been loaded in. This
will not affect lights or images, but merely user created objects.
Load Object
This option is used to load objects into the Layout editor. If an object
of the same name has already been loaded into the current scene, the newly
loaded object will be assigned a unique ID number. If surfaces are loaded
into the scene, their settings will be accessible by any other surfaces
in the current scene by the same name. These surfaces will become the settings
used by any surfaces previously loaded into the current scene by the same
name. If the user wishes to preserve the characteristics of objects of
the same name, the surface names must be changed to a unique name.
Load From Scene
This allows objects from a previously loaded scene to be loaded into the
current scene. A file requestor will open in the current directory. All
of the objects in the selected scene will be loaded. Optionally, the lights
from the scene may also be loaded into the Layout editor.
Save All Objects
This will save all the objects in the Layout editor to their original positions
on the hard disk. If there are multiple objects loaded from the same file,
only one object will be saved. To ensure that all objects are saved properly,
each must be given a unique storage file on the hard disk. This may be
done by using the Save Object button.
Clear Object
This will remove the currently selected object from the current scene in
memory. The object may be reloaded and used in the current or future scene
if necessary. If you do not wish to use the object in the scene, you may
save the scene using the Save Scene command in the Scene menu of the Layout_
Replace Object
Although similar to loading a new object, this will load an object and
copy it over an existing object. Normally when loading an object, the new
object appears as a second file with either a different name or a specified
ID number after its name if it has already been used. This will not create
an additional object but will instead take the place of the currently selected
object. This is useful when an object has been changed by a program other
than Lightwave and you wish to update its characteristics, if you want
to test the conditions of another object in the current scene, or if you
wish to temporarily replace an object while doing previsualization or storyboarding.
Save Object
This option is used to store an object as a file on the hard disk. This
will record the name of the object, the surfaces and their settings, and
the actual object. If a file by the same name already exists in the current
directory, it will be erased and the new object will be stored.
Save Transformed
This option will save the object, much similar to the Save Object option,
yet after the object has been modified by the Layout_ This includes new
location, size, and shape as altered by displacement maps or Layout functions.
If a file exists on the current directory by the same name, it will be
erased and the new object will be stored.
Clone Object
This will create a copy of the currently selected object. The object may
be copied any number of times. Along with the object itself, the characteristics
will also be duplicated. A window will open requesting the number of copies
to be made of the object. The new clone objects will be given ID numbers
in addition to the name of the object.
Object Motion
The activity of an object may be modified by giving it a motion characteristic.
The motions available are listed in a popup requester, of which any listed
motion may be used to affect the way the object behaves during that instant
of time. Motions of an object may occur over a range of continuous frames.
Object Skeleton
This is used to perform free-form deformations, using the 'bones' feature
of Lightwave. Once bones have been added to an object, they may be used
to alter the positioning and shape of that object. To use bones, an object
must be loaded into the Layout editor.
CLEAR ALL BONES
is used to remove all the bones assigned to the currently selected
object.
ADD BONE
adds a new bone to the current object, placing the new bone at the
origin. A name will be assigned to the bone, along with an ID number, which
may be modified using the RENAME BONE command.
CURRENT BONE
determines which bone is currently being affected. Each bone may have
its own positioning and attributes.
CLEAR BONE
removes the current bone from the current object, along with its attributes.
RENAME BONE
allows the name of the bone to be modified.
BONE ACTIVE
activates the bone.
REST POSITION
specifies the location where the bone has no affect on the object.
REST DIRECTION
specifies the direction where the bone has no affect on the object.
BONE REST LENGTH
specifies the size where the bone has no affect on the object.
Displacement Map
This is used to specify the texture used on a given object. The actual
object will be modified in shape in response to the displacement map applied
to it. In most cases, displacement mapping works best when the object has
a large number of polygons. Otherwise, displacements will not appear smooth
and may become indistinguishable from the original object. This will open
the Texture editor, permitting either Bump Maps or Projection Maps to be
applied to any given object. Custom bitmap images may be applied to object
do distort their surfaces. To use a custom butmap, it must have been loaded
into the Layout editor.
Metamorph Level
This specifies the percentage of metamorphing that has occured between
the source and target objects at the given frame. This may be entered in
the field as the percentage, or it may be devised using the Envelope created
using the Envelope editor.
Metamorph Target
This selects which object another object is going to morph into. The target
object may be selected from any of the objects currently in the Layout.
The target object should be as close as possible to the source object,
having the same number of points and the same size polygons.
Object Dissolve
This specifies the amount of transparency that an object has. If an object
were completely transparent, it would have a Dissolve value of 100% and
would not be visible when rendered. A fully visible object will have a
Dissolve value of 0%. Changing this value allows objects to be partially
visible, or permits fading in and out during an animated sequence.
Distance Dissolve
This sets the amount of transparency of an object based upon the distance
of the object from the camera. And object near the camera will be 100%
visible, while an object near the distance specified will be nearly invisible.
This allows for a smooth transition of transparency as an object moves
towards to away from the camera, such as might occur during fog or under
water. The distance at which the object is 100% transparent is specified
in the Maximum Distance field.
Maximum Distance
This field is used to specify the distance for which a Distance Disolve
object becomes 100% transparent. If an object is within a radius equal
to or less than this distance, then the object will be partially or completely
visible depending on its distance to the camera. As the object approaches
the camera, it will become more visible. As it approaches the Maximum Distance
from the camera, it will become less visible.
Polygon Size
This specifies the amount of surface area that each polygon will occupy
when it is rendered. If the amount of surface area in the field is 100%,
then the entire polygon will be rendered. If a lesser value is entered,
then the polygon will be rendered at an area equal to that percentage from
the center of the polygon towards the edge of the polygon.
Polygon Edges
This is used to draw edges around each polygon rendered in a scene. This
is in very many ways similar to a wireframe image with the exception that
the surfaces of the polygons may also be rendered. The color of the polygon
edges may be specified in the Edge Color field.
Edge Color
This field is used to specify the color of the edges used in the Polygon
Edges function. These edges will only be visible when the Polygon Edges
are being used. To change the edge color, click the Edge Color gadget to
open the color gun window. Then slide the gadgets until the required color
value for the Red, Green, and Blue bits matches the desired color. The
color defined by these settings is shown in a bar across the bottom of
the screen.
Self Shadow
This specifies that an object is to cast a shadow upon itself. While not
all objects are capable of casting shadows upon themselves, some objects
are made up of subgroups that are capable of casting shadows upon other
parts of the group. This does not necessarily mean that shadows will be
cast on other objects, unless the Cast Shadow option is used.
Cast Shadow
This specifies that the object is capable of casting a shadow onto another
separate object in the scene. This will not cast a shadow upon itself or
parts of itself unless the Self Shadow option is used.
Receive Shadow
This specifies that the object is capable of receiving a shadow from other
objects in the room. All objects that are capable of casting shadows may
potentially cast shadows upon this object, while those that do not cast
shadows will not have shadows cast upon this object.
Continue
This will close the current window and remember certain changes that may
have been made to the Layout and its objects or images.