Smudgy shadows

NuggetOG

Hey guys,

This question has probaly got a really simple solution but i have been ripping my hair out for hours now.

Why am i getting smudged/blotchy shadows?



Please help!

Thanks

DarthNater

What software are you using? I don't know about Maya anymore, but if you are using Max, what kind of shadows do you have you're lights set to?

Ott

Need to know software, what sort of lights you are using, a wireframe can help, what renderer / render settings you are using, smoothing group settings....just to name a few.

Mark Dygert

off the top of my head it looks like the shadow map size is too small.

r_fletch_r

If you are using final gather then increase the accuracy and or set the it to use the radius interpolation method.

If your not using mental ray then ignore this

Will Faucher

Possible smoothing group issues?

NuggetOG

[FONT=&quot]Hey guys thanks for your replies.
I’m using 3ds max 9.
In the scene I have x1 skylight and x1photometric light.
The material is a standard blinn material.
I don’t know much about lighting so I have probably got it all wrong.[/FONT]




[FONT=&quot]However I have done a new render using the daylight system and this seems to have removed or at least drastically removed the smudging.[/FONT]

DarthNater

I bet your photometric light had a shadow map res. That was too small. I think by default they are very low. I usually switch to ray traced shadows anyway, then you don't have to worry about that.

r_fletch_r

best thing you can do is post a max file. Strip your geo if you like. just make sure the error is happening. then people can fix it and report back.