This document provides instructions for modifying 3D objects in Lightwave. It demonstrates how to: - Load objects like a ground plane and triceratops model. - Adjust the camera and grid size to frame the scene properly. - Modify object properties like adding displacement maps to warp the surface based on images. - Use clip maps to make parts of the object invisible. - Adjust render settings to control how the object appears, such as making it matte, semitransparent, or changing edge highlighting over time.

1. Animation V
Modifying Lightwave Objects

2. Object Properties
 Properties dialogue
box
 Some neat tricks you
can do to your object
 Morph your object
into another object
 Change the way the
object appears
 Shortcut = p

3. Let’s Get Started
 Start up Lightwave 3D
 Select Load Object (+)
 In the Landscape
folder, select
Ground.lwo

4. Loading Objects
 Whoa, what
happened?
 When loading large
objects, Lightwave
changes the grid size
to fit the object on the
grid
 The camera moves
back so it can shoot
the large item

5. Scaling Things Back to Size
 Select the Camera
 Check the settings on
the numerics
 Grid size jumped to 500
meters!
 Camera is back from
center nearly 5
kilometers from center

6. Scaling Things Back to Size
 Select the View tab
 In the Grid section,
select Grid Size
 Type in 2 and press
OK
 Now the ground
really covers the
whole space

7. Bring the Camera Back
 Select the Camera
 In the numerics box
change the settings:
 X = 0 m
 Y = 1.75 m
 Z = - 8 m
 This is raise the
camera and back it up
a little from center

8. Let’s Look at Something
 From the Items tab,
select Load Object
 From the Animals
tab, select Triceratops
 Change your view to
the Camera view (6)
 Press F9 to see what
you have so far

9. Clean Up the Lighting
 Select the Light
 Switch to the Top view
(2)
 Using the Modify tab,
move the rotate the
light so it’s lighting the
dino better
 Do another test render
to see how he looks

10. How About Some
Background?
 Lighting is better, but
he needs a backdrop
 Select Windows >
Backdrop Options

11. How About Some
Background?
 Lighting is better, but
he needs a backdrop
 Select Windows >
Backdrop Options
 Turn on the gradient
backdrop
 Do another test
render

12. Modifying Object
Properties
 Under Objects, make
sure Triceratops is
selected
 Click on the
Properties button (p)

13. Modifying Object
Properties
 Select the 2nd tab
Deform
 Morphing
 Displacement map
 Enable Bump

14. Modifying Object
Properties
 Morphing
 Change your object into
another object
 Displacement map
 Warps your object based
on an image or texture
map
 Enable Bump
 Roughs up the surface of
your object

15. Add a Displacement Map
 Click on the T button
under Displacement
Map
 T stands for Texture
 Under Layer Type,
select Image Map

16.  Since our dino is
mostly a cylinder,
under Projection
choose Cylinder
 Under Image, choose
Load Image
Add a Displacement Map

17.  In the Reflections
folder, select
FractalReflections.tga
 Change the Texture
Amplitude to 0.5
Add a Displacement Map

18.  Do another test render
to check him out
 This displacement is
caused by an image and
doesn’t change over time
 Modify the
displacement by
choosing different
Texture Axis
Add a Displacement Map

19.  Render this frame (F9)
and Save the frame as
Displacement.jpg to
the desktop.
Take a Picture for your
Homework

20. Animated Displacement
 Change the Layer Type
to Procedural Texture
 Change the Procedural
Type to Ripples
 Press the Play button to
see how this
displacement map
changes over time

21. Animated Displacement
 Change the settings:
 Texture Value = 0.05
 Wave Sources = 1
 Wavelength = 0.5
 Wave Speed = 0.02
 As you change these
settings, watch what
happens to dino!

22. Decisions, Decisions
 Once you have your
settings the way you
like or don’t like, it’s
time to choose
 Use Texture
 Remove Texture

23. Reset the Board
 At the bottom of the
Displacement Map
dialogue box choose
Remove Texture
 This turns it off for
now, but you can go
back and turn it back on
if you like
 We are going to try out
some other tricks for
now

24. Render Tab
 Changes how the object
is seen on camera
 Or not seen if you like
 Options
 Change to a solid color
 Make it semitransparent or
invisible
 Make parts of the object
invisible
 Whether it casts a shadow
or can have a shadow cast
on it

25. Clip Map
 Makes parts of the
object invisible based
on an image or texture

26. Make a Clip Map
 In the Render tab,
select the T button for
Clip Map
 Under Layer Type,
choose Image Map
 Under Projection,
choose Cylindrical
 Under Image, choose
FractalReflections.tga

27. Make a Clip Map
 This effect you can’t
see until you render
 Press F9 to check it
out

28. Take a Picture for your
Homework
 Save a JPG of this
render to the desktop
and call it
ClipMap.jpg

29. Make a Clip Map
 Change the Texture
Axis to Y and X and
render those versions!
 Like the displacement
map image, these will
not change over time

30. Make a Clip Map
 If you want them to
change over time, use
an animated texture
like ripples

31. Render Tab
 Matte Object
 Turns your object into
a solid matte color
 No shading or
highlights to the object
 One flat color
 Interesting effect
with a clip matte

32. Make a Matte
 Turn off the Clip Map
texture if needed.
 In the Render tab select
Matte Object
 Click on the black
square and select a
color
 Render the frame and
check it out

33. Render Tab
 Object Dissolve
 Turns the whole object to
whatever opacity setting
you would like
 Opaque
 Semitransparent
 Invisible
 Distance Dissolve
 Makes the object become
completely invisible as it
moves away from the
camera
 Kind of like in a fog

34. Make a Ghost
 Turn off the Matte
Object
 In the Object Dissolve
window, drag the
arrows until you have
a setting @ 50%
 Render the frame and
check it out

35. Take a Picture for your
Homework
 Save a JPG of your
render to the desktop
and save it as
Dissolve.jpg

36. Using an Envelope
 Allows you to change
parameters over time
 Key frames for
parameters, rather than
for the object itself
 Any time you see an E
box, that setting can
change over time

37. Make Dino Vanish
Over Time
 Set the Object
Dissolve to 0%
 Next to the Object
Dissolve box, click on
the E to open the
Envelope
 The Graphic Editor
opens up
 Looks complicated, but
it’s pretty easy

38. Make Dino Vanish
Over Time
 Click on the Key icon
just under the chart
 At frame 120 click on
the line
 This sets a keyframe for
Dino at 0%
 No transparency

39. Make Dino Vanish
Over Time
 Click another key
frame at frame 60
 Switch to the Drag
icon
 Now we are going to
change this value

40. Make Dino Vanish
Over Time
 Drag this key frame up to 100 %
 You should see the opacity ramp up from 0% from
frame 0 to 100% at frame 60, then back down to 0% at
frame 120.
 If not, use the drag tool to make these settings

41. Make Dino Vanish
Over Time
 Drag the Timeline
slider and notice how
your object fades out
to nothing and then
reappears
 Scary!!

42. Turning Off Envelopes
 Not as easy as
Textures
 Hold the Command key
and then click on the E
box
 Choose Remove
Envelope
 You can turn it back on
by clicking on the E
again if you want

43. Make Dino Vanish
Over Time
 Hold down the
Command key and
click on the envelope
box
 Choose Remove
Envelope
 Drag the Dissolve
slider back to 0%

44. Other Render Settings
 Unseen by:
 Makes the object
unaffected or unseen by
various effects
 Can even be hidden from
the camera
 Shadows
 Turn on or off the ability
to cast a shadow or
receive a shadow from
something else

45. Edges Tab
 Polygon Size
 Changes how big the
polygons APPEAR to
the camera
 Too small or too big =
interesting effect
 Edges
 Highlights different
lines that make up the
object

46. Tinker with Polygon Size
 Drag the Polygon Size
slider to 50%
 Render the frame and
check it out
 Notice that you can
envelope this effect to
have the polygons
change size over time

47. Tinker with Polygon Size
 Select over 50% and
change the size to
1000%
 Render the frame and
check it out
 Polygons are too big
making Dino chiseled

48. Bring the Polys Back to
Normal
 Drag the Polygon
slider to change the
size back to 100%

49. Paint the Edges
 Check the Silhouette
Edges box
 Under Edge Color,
choose a color
 Render a frame and
check it out

50. Paint the Edges
 Uncheck Silhouette
 Select Other Edges
 Change the Size to
Medium
 Change the color and
render a frame to
check it out

51. Just the Edges
 On the top change the
polygon size to 1%
 Render the frame and
check it out

52. Take a Picture for your
Homework
 Save your rendered
frame as a JPG to
your desktop and call
it Edges.jpg

53. Animation V
Modifying Lightwave Objects