Cineversity

So I’ve created a simple animation combining basic rectangles from cubes and grouping them together. Then I used the Bend Transformer to make them look like they are swinging in.  Simple and just what I wanted except for the lighting or shading of my textures.  As the objects bend upward they go bright white as if they are catching a light and getting over exposed.  As they bend back to normal they go back to their original colour of blue.  I have tried turning off the reflection on the textures and changing the colours but it didn’t matter and when I turn off the lights or adjust them in the scene that doesn’t make a difference either.  How do I stop them from going bright white as they swing in to frame?  Just not sure where this “light” is coming from.  I’ve attached the project and picture example

Thanks

Hi eliascampbell,

Thanks for the file. The answer is simple, they do not get “brighter”, the set up leads to move the “dark blue” away and let the “white” cubes show up completely.

Got to frame 120 (as well to frame 5 after the following set up) Set up the white cubes thinner, and the dark blue cubes in the opposite way, the problem will stop. This can be done by scaling all the cubes in S.Z (white to 0.75 and dark blue to 1.75 for example.

Scale to keep the shape more accordingly to the Fillets, but you might go with the cubes dimension Size.Z

Typically I would suggest to increase the Y Segments, but with the small difference in the “thickness” of the cubes, this would require a huge number. Perhaps adjusting both, Size. Z and Segment.Y will lead to a goo result. Keep in mind that the MoText will stay no straight as the cubes, so let me say this:

This will work on the symptoms—but not at all on the source. (see image.)

The problem is given that you try to bend the cube group but based on the settings, you like to keep the cubes flat. However, the Fillets will be deformed by the Bend Deformer. And that moves the “square” or non-fillet part of the cube. As “white” and “dark blue” cubes have a similar thickness, that is already enough to change the order of what is in-front at a certain point. If you play the animation as submitted here, you might see the “zebra/patch” like pattern showing up while you progress through time. This is the point where the “white” come into the front position.

Use the Search (Magnifying Glass) options in the Object Manager, to get the cubes quickly (Big and Inside, as search term) then you can adjust each group at once.

My suggestion:

The cleanest way would be to create the animation first with single “Polygon” objects, and use these then as “matrix/object” in a Cloner Object. This keeps the Bend “problems” out of the animation, and with that out of the cubes.

As an alternative, you could just use an Extrude [NURBS] and set the Endings to Filled Caps, and apply two Materials via default selection to it (C1, C2, R1, R2) in that way you keep an easily adjustable object, but you avoid the problem of two intersecting objects. :o) If adjustability is the key, otherwise a Polygon model with selection will do as well.

All the best

P.S.: I have set up your scene based on my suggestion that I called the clean version.

https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/share/KKaDJDUjsav5uMOPCNLV4BPfaeqLJxpU49vkY0qzc18

I have set the MoText to In-active, but with the Object-Manager search function you can get all ten and active them. (…or use the Selection Objects I have set up)

My best wishes

Ohhh that makes so much more sense! I knew I was doing something stupid;)  Really appreciate all your time as always.  Hopefully that saves someone else some head scratching in the future;)

You’re welcome, eliascampbell!

I believe in the forum and that each little “challenge” is supporting something else. I’m sure your question will work for others at one point. :o)

Have a great day.