Environment

Environmental Reflections for Best render

The Render > Environment subpalette allows you to globally reflect a single image or color on all the objects in the scene with reflective surfaces. The amount of environmental reflection is set in the Material palette for each material.

This effect can only be used with the Best renderer. For BPR see below.

Render > Environment sub-palette

Render > Environment sub-palette

Controls


Off: Turns off Color, Texture, or Scene reflections. Default = pressed (environmental reflections off).


Color: When on, lets you use a single color for global reflections. Pressing the Color button enables the Environment Color patch.


Txtr: Allows a texture to be used for global reflections. Pressing the Texture button enables the Environment Texture patch.


Scene: When on, uses the current scene as a source image for global reflections.


Environment Color (in the figure above, the blue square): When the Color switch is on, use this patch to selecte the environment color. Select a color with any of the color pickers and click on Environment Color, or click and drag from Environment Color to any part of the canvas or interface to pick a color.


Environment Texture (in the figure above, the small square showing a scene): When Txtr is on, click and hold on the Environment Texture patch to access the texture sub-palette and choose a texture.


Trace Distance: The trace distance is how far ZBrush will look to find a local object to reflect. Range = 0 to 100% of the current image size. Default = 50%.


Repeat: Controls how many times a reflective surface can reflect another reflective surface. The effect can be visualized by facing two mirrors at each other. Range = 1 to 5. Default = 1.


Field of View: Sets the field of view for environmental mapping and lights. A setting of zero degrees causes the point of view to be infinitely far away. A setting of 180 degrees places the point of view right above the canvas. Range = 0 to 180 degrees. Default = 0.

Field of View = 0

Field of View = 0

Field of View = 120

Field of View = 120

Field of View = 180

Field of View = 180

 

Environmental Reflections for BPR

Environmental reflections can be used with BPR by by creating a LightCap from the panoramic Background with the Reflect option turned on. For further details see the LightCaps section for the Background sub-palette.