lightning...y?

i thought i would do a little breakdown of the end of the spell at the moment. i am experimenting with the dynamic lightning built into maya, which creates a curve, introduces a noise/fractal into its structure, then applies a seed value on a per frame basis. this allows some variables to change the look and shape of the curve over time. by then extruding a tubular surface along it you can give it substance, and applying a shader with inbuilt incandesense and glow, you can get quite an electrical look.

I'd just like to bring up a point about PRESETS.

I hate PRESETS.

my honest opinion is whats the point. If i can get an amazing looking spell by using other peoples work, i dont want to use it. it would kill me for someone to highlight a preset in my work and i would have to own up. I also think it teaches you nothing to hit a button and click render. no point whatso ever. at the end of the film, autodesk would have to stand up and take a bow, you know.

BUT

i do understnd the value of taking a preset and breaking it down. for this lightning, i applied it, observerd it both in the view port and the hypershade, then looked at the node structure that goes into creating it. its not a special thing that you can only get by clicking the preset button, it can be built from scratch, and thats what I will be doing for the rest of the project. i think this method does teach you somthing because i see no difference in observing a preset (or copying or just clicking it in for that matter) to observing anothers painting if you are a fine artist. you cant just copy it, its plagerism, and the least satisfying feeling in the world. imagine just downloading an image and using it directly in your work.

not good enough.