3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [239]
FIGURE 19.9
For the Motion Blur effect, you can set the number of frames to include.
The Display Passes option displays the different frames as they are being rendered, and Total Passes is the number of frames that are included in the averaging. You can also select the Duration, which is the number of frames to include in the effect. The Bias option weights the averaging toward the current frame. Higher Bias values weight the average more toward the latter frames, and lower values lean toward the earlier frames.
The remaining options all work the same as for the Depth of Field effect.
Tutorial: Using a Motion Blur multi-pass camera effect
The Motion Blur effect works only on objects that are moving. Applying this effect to a stationary 2D shape does not produce any noticeable results. For this tutorial, you apply this effect to a speeding car model created by Viewpoint Datalabs.
To apply a Motion Blur multi-pass effect to the camera looking at a car mesh, follow these steps:
1. Open the Car at a stop sign.max file from the Chap 19 directory on the DVD.
This file includes a car mesh (created by Viewpoint Datalabs), a camera, and a simple stop sign made of primitives. The car is animated.
2. Click the Select by Name button on the main toolbar to open the Select by Name dialog box (or press the H key). Double-click the Camera01 object to select it.
3. With the camera object selected, open the Modify panel. In the Multi-Pass Effect section of the Parameters rollout, click the Enable check box and select the Motion Blur effect from the drop-down list.
4. In the Motion Blur Parameters rollout, set the Total Passes to 10, the Duration to 1.0, and the Bias to 0.9.
5. Drag the Time Slider to frame 57. This is the location where the car just passes the stop sign.
6. With the Camera selected in the active viewport, click the Modify tab in the Command Panel to reveal the Camera's Parameters rollout. Click the Preview button under Multi-pass effects.
Figure 19.10 shows the results of the Motion Blur effect. This effect has been exaggerated to show its result. Notice that the stop sign isn't blurred. The only problem with this example is that, with the Motion Blur effect enabled, you can't make out the license plate number, so you can't send this speeder a ticket.
FIGURE 19.10
Using the Motion Blur multi-pass effect for a camera, you can blur objects moving in the scene.
Summary
Cameras can offer a unique look at your scene. You can position and move them anywhere. In this chapter, you discovered how cameras work and how to control and aim them at objects. With multi-pass camera effects, you can add Depth of Field and Motion Blur effects.
In this chapter, you've accomplished the following:
• Learned the basics of cameras
• Created a camera object and view
• Discovered how to control a camera
• Aimed a camera at objects
• Changed camera parameters
• Learned to correct camera perspective with the Camera Correction modifier
• Used a multi-pass camera to create a Depth of Field effect
• Used a multi-pass camera to create a Motion Blur effect
Although the director typically says, “Lights, camera, action,” you've switched the order to be cameras and then lights (action comes with animation later in the book). You just finished cameras, so next you move on to lights.
Chapter 20: Using Lights and Basic Lighting Techniques
IN THIS CHAPTER
Learning lighting basics
Understanding Max's light types
Creating and positioning light objects
Viewing a scene from a light
Altering light parameters
Using the Sunlight and Daylight systems
Using the Volume light effect
Using projector maps and raytraced shadows
Lights play an important part in the visual process. Have you ever looked at a blank page and been told it was a picture of a polar bear in a blizzard or looked at a completely black image and