PackageLumeLandscape Plug-in Name Mist
Plug-in TypePixel Filter/ Shader Screen Shot[LumeMist]

Mist

The Mist shader can create both a true layered fog and a realistic depth fading effect - superior to that of LightWave's built-in fog. In addition, it allows for increased control by providing the ability to specify directional variation with a texture map.

Perhaps Mist's most interesting application is on containers; applying Mist as a volume shader of a transparent object gives the object a murky interior, without adversely effecting rendering times.


Procedure

    To use as an atmosphere:
  • 1) Go into the "Effects" panel.
  • 2) Go into "Image Processing."
  • 3) Click in any PixelFilter selector.
  • 4) Select LumeLandscape Mist.
  • 5) Click [options] to load the interface.
    To use as a shader:
  • 1) Go into the "Surfaces" panel.
  • 2) Under "Advanced Options" select LumeLandscape Mist.
  • 3) Edit Mist's parameters.

NOTE: Transparent objects do not render correctly when applying the MIST Pixel Filter plugin. The Shader interface of MIST should be applied to those objects in the scene which are transparent and should use the same settings as the Pixel Filter interface. In this way, proper rendering can be ensured.


Parameters

Overall

Transparency controls the fog's maximum transparency. The fog will never become more opaque than this value. Low values give a more opaque fog, higher values give a more transparent fog.

Effect Alpha-Channel controls whether or not Mist applies itself to the alpha channel. With Effect Alpha-Channel turned off, Mist will not alter the alpha-channel value.

Color

The artist has two ways of setting the fog's color. With Solid, the artist chooses one color that is applied in all directions, while From Image changes the color depending on viewing direction, much like a reflection map. This is useful in situations such as a sunset, where the fog color is different when looking toward or away from the sun.

Layering

To get the appearance of fog covering a surface, Layering changes the fog's thickness as a function of height. Baseline controls the layer's vertical position, measured in LightWave units from the world center. Height controls how tall the transitional layer is, and thus how abruptly the fog varies from opaque to transparent.

Fog Height = 0.2 Fog Height = 2.0 Fog Height = 4.0

The following animation shows Fog Height animated using envelopes

Falloff

The Falloff settings control the rate at which the fog becomes opaque over distance.

Linear is the traditional method used by LightWave. At the Start distance, the fog is transparent, and at the End distance the fog is opaque. Distances between interpolate linearly.

Realistic uses an exponential function, similar to a true, natural fog. Where the Linear falloff has an abrupt end (as an object passes through the End distance, it almost seems to spring into view) the Realistic falloff is more gradual. With Realistic, the artist has no direct control over starting and ending distances, only the fog's overall thickness, controlled with Density.

Custom allows the artist to specify exactly what he wants as the falloff curve. At the Start distance the fog is transparent, and at the End distance the fog is opaque. At the Middle distance the fog is exactly halfway between transparent and opaque. Distances between are interpolated internally on a spline curve.