michiel | 18 years ago | 11 comments | 8 likes | 9.4K views
estockia, Tester, Doodles and 4 others like this!
Lots of people are having problems creating the light beams effect. Here's a step by step guide.
First create a new show with the menu item FILE / NEW SHOW.
Select the light layer with the dropdown listbox above the play button. The light layer is layer 3.
Select the BEAM LENGTH property of the light layer with the dropdown listbox above the 3 sliders.
Change the BEAM LENGTH property by moving the first of the three sliders to the right, to a value of about 500.
Now select the POSITION property of the light layer with the dropdown listbox above the 3 sliders.
Now move the light to the other side of the text by moving the third slider to the right.
You can set the colour of the lightbeams with the BEAM COLOUR property. This example uses the value (137,87,30)
Since you have moved the light to the other side of the text you are now looking at the dark side of the text. If you don't like the dark colour you can apply the NotLightened.fx effect to the text (select the text layer and press the CHANGE EFFECT... button) Another option is to add lightbeams with a second point light layer and keep using the first point light for the lighting of the text.
That's it!
Download media files (689 bytes)answers.com...
I can only get the beams to emanate from the "L" and the "i" in the word "Light", no matter how much I play with the third slider in the last step. There are no other beams visible. My results look nothing like your example.
jla930, 18 years ago
Maybe you accidentally moved the light a bit upwards and to the left so that it is positioned right behind the first 2 characters: Li
With the first slider of the POSTION property of the light layer you can move the light horizontally and with the second vertically.
If this doesn't work I advise you to take a look at the light beams examples that come with the installer. You can find them in the LIGHT EFFECTS folder.
michiel, 18 years ago
Michiel,
Thanks for your reply. I didn't move any other sliders, but I'll try some experimenting. I did notice that the font in your example was different than the one I used in my trial, and when I changed it, it produced more beams, but still not like yours. I'll keep trying different things.
I wouldn't expect that changing the font would change the results, but I guess I'm not very surprised.
Thanks again. I just purchased the program yesterday, and I'm already VERY pleased.
jla930, 18 years ago
Michiel,
I just updated my video driver. That was the key! BEAUTIFUL! Nice effect! No problem now. My results look like your example. Thanks again!
Jeff
jla930, 18 years ago
My backlight appears very "blocky", in that there seems to be more light than "rays". I don't know how else to explain the result?? Not near as attractive as the image shown at the top of this string. I also cannot affect the colors - just white.
I have a ATI Radeon HD 4670 video card with 256 MB. Could this be the problem, or am I simply using the effect incorrectly?
jmarkt, 12 years ago
That helped with the "ray" effect, but how do you control the color of the text. When I attempt to adjust the text colour layer, it seems to make no difference?
jmarkt, 12 years ago
Your text is probably dark because you have moved the light to the other side: you are looking at the dark side of the text.
You can turn off the lighting of the text by applying the NotLightened.fx effect.
michiel, 12 years ago
None of the adjustments made a lot of difference in making the rays look attractive. Adjusting the Beam Colour helped some, but still not as good as your example.
The NotLightened.fx appears to have been created in August - 2009. Is that the most current??
jmarkt, 12 years ago
Yes.
I still think it's the BEAM COLOUR property you are looking for.
I have update the above step by step instructions and also included the show file for you to examine (click the DOWNLOAD MEDIA FILES button to download it)
michiel, 12 years ago
Actually, I think the smaller image above created some unattainable expectations. The image appears as though the beams are coming more FROM the text rather than from BEHIND. The beams also appear somewhat more "wispy" than when accomplished at 800 X 600. Also, even though I tried several fonts, the Arial text also made a difference.
Everything considered, I get it, and I really appreciate your time and help. Not the first time you've bailed me out over the last 6-7 years!!
jmarkt, 12 years ago
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About michiel
Michiel den Outer is the founder and lead coder of Outerspace Software. He lives in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
If he isn't busy improving BluffTitler, he is playing the piano or rides the Dutch dikes on his bikes.
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