Animated Cop Car Light?

Imatk

So how would you guys approach this?

I'm thinking of just an animated spotlight controlled with matinee, but I wanted to see if there's another way people are doing this.

Thanks for any help!

ZacD

First off is the cop car moving or stationary? because if it isn't moving you can bake the lights and then animate them and loop them in matinee and kismet.

Imatk

It is stationary

sprunghunt

I'd put in an omni light with a light function on it that has a panner. Although the animated spotlight would probably give a similar effect.

The big advantage of doing it in matinee is that you can synch it up with other elements. Like an animation on the light. But the light function would be more portable.

Xoliul

Light functions are pretty much meant for this sort of thing.

ambershee

I'd use attached spot lights; the lights won't overlap so you're not incurring as much of a cost as by using a light function. Hard attach them to something that rotates. Matinee isn't required, but if it's static you won't need to animate the mesh.

ZacD

You don't really need rotating lights, just toggleable lights turning off and on. Cop lights haven't rotated in a long time.

Imatk

Yeah I wound up using a light function with a panner node... worked out pretty well.

Thanks for the help guys!