Autodesk 12812-051462-9011 User Guide 3 - Page 1038

Mode The shadow mode can be Simple, Sort, or Segments. Default=Simple. ■ Simple Causes the mental ray renderer to call shadow shaders in a random order. ■ Sort Causes the mental ray renderer to call shadow shaders in order, from the object to the light. Sort applies to third-party, external shadow shaders on page 8123. ■ Segments Causes the mental ray renderer to call shadow shaders in order along the light ray from the volume shaders to the segments of the light ray between the object and the light. TIP Choose Simple for regular shadows, Segments for volume shadows. Shadow Maps group These controls specify a shadow map on page 8126 used to render shadows. When you specify a shadow map file, the mental ray renderer uses the shadow map instead of ray-traced shadows. To stop using a shadow map and use ray-traced shadows, delete the map's name from the file name field. Enable When on, the mental ray renderer renders shadow-mapped shadows. When off, all shadows are ray-traced. Default=on. When Enabled is off, the other controls in this group are unavailable. If shadows are enabled but shadow maps are not enabled, then shadows for all lights are generated using the mental ray ray-tracing algorithm. If shadow maps are enabled, then shadow generation is based on each light's choice of shadow generator: ■ mental ray Shadow Map Shadows are generated using the mental ray shadow-map algorithm. ■ Shadow Map Settings on the Shadow Parameters rollout are translated into a mental ray equivalent before shadows are generated. The quality of shadows generated this way might not always meet expectations. ■ Area Shadows, Advanced Ray Traced Shadows, or Ray Traced Shadows Shadows are generated using the mental ray ray-tracing algorithm. Motion Blur When on, the mental ray renderer applies motion blur on page 6248 to shadow maps. Default=on. mental ray Renderer | 6293