Instancing Spotlights
none01ohone
Posts: 862
I've just instanced spotlights, moved the instances into positions, rendered, but the instances don't show up and have no light parameters.
What I'm I doing wrong? Or doesn't instancing work with lights.
Also is there a way to move items or instances to other objects. IE create pointlight1 at 'object-alcove 1', etc. Then you could just tweak rather than having to move manually. I do use apply perspective view when dropping in new lights and cameras though.
I may be asking a dumb question (it probably won't be the last time. - doh), in which case, sorry I'm a noob.
Thank you.
Comments
Instancing is designed to lighten the memory load by reusing the geometry and textures, but lights don't have geometry and not all have textures - their main impact is in calculating shadows and illumination, which couldn't usefully be instanced. If you want to copy a light (or camera) just click the More options button at the bottom of the Create Light dialogue and choose the copy selected option (assuming the desired light is selected, of course).
Ah, that explains it. Thanks for the reply Richard. Didn't have the light selected in scene tab so the Copy options were grey'd out and not selectable.
Cheers
The reason I asked about instancing lights is because I'm adding lights to Disconsolation lamp posts as I cant get the scene lighting to work.. (loading !Pre_All and DS_Lights) hence the 'move to' query.
Thank you.
If you set one light up, and parent it to a lamp post, then turn Parent in place off (in the change parent dialogue or the Scene pane option menu) and unparent the light it will jump so that it is in the same position relative to the origin as it was relative to the light. If you then copy that and, with parent in place still off, parent the new light to another lamppost it should snap into place. Just keep copying and parenting until you have the full set done.
Thanks Richard, will use that technique next time.