Sepheyer

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2020
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I am really struggling with the lights and I haven't found a useful guide about it. Some maps or items come with very, very low visibility and I can't use them.
Do upload a sample scene with weak lights, may be those lights can be improved on.

I mean, I am very good with lights and should be able to give you pointers. In real life, and in 3D modelling, the lights are a craft on their own. So, dont expect a fast fix tho. They require month to master.

HS2_2021-04-12-17-17-17-641.png
 

Antarah

Newbie
Jan 19, 2018
15
21
If what you like is fapping, the studio is still better.
I like fapping, but studio requires more time to get used to than I'm willing to devote to fapping. On the other hand, the game itself can get pretty stale very quickly, which is why I stopped playing it like a week after the first time I played it.

However, recently I discovered how to use the better animation plugin, and it really transformed the game for me. The animations in the original game can be pretty bland for the simple reason that the characters are too close and you can barely see the penis penerating anything. I guess that makes sense since the developers had censoring in mind.

But with this plugin I can make a lot of variants of any given animation. Better yet, it is super easy to save the edited animation for the girl I'm playing with. It makes possible to kind of role play, where I "train" a new girl in various positions. This increased replayability for me like 100 fold.
 

Lordroedor

Member
Mar 19, 2020
222
225
Do upload a sample scene with weak lights, may be those lights can be improved on.

I mean, I am very good with lights and should be able to give you pointers. In real life, and in 3D modelling, the lights are a craft on their own. So, dont expect a fast fix tho. They require month to master.

View attachment 1145589
For example, I am now trying to use the PH yard, a map contained in the better repack 3. I would feel stupid uploading it because there's nothing in there, I am just struggling with the light in the map.

If you try it you'll know what I am saying.

Another thing, the restaurants. The burger restaurant and such... right now I don't remember if they are items or true maps. But doesn't matter, they have a huge potential because they are pretty detailed, but two things:

1. They have ceilings... the trick seems to be to disable the rendering of the back of the ceilings, which requires time and effort. I don't understand why the author didn't remove them himself, it would seem like a big help.

2. No lights. What I do is adding a whole map light and giving it max impact and high bright, but the bright ruins the characters and the shadows keep existing... because of the ceiling. I need then to remove the shadows and without shadows, high bright and max impact, the entire map looks awful, pretty much unusable.

I am a bit confused. The authors who made them made a lot of great stuff, Hooh has some of those dark maps with ceiling I was talking about, or Ailegend, probably both. But then they add close to useless material like that. OR, and this is what I want to believe, I am too ignorant and I don't know what to do with those things.
 
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Sepheyer

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Dec 21, 2020
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HS2_2021-04-17-22-28-41-157.png

This is PH Yard here. Inviting all to join this discussion about lighting scenes.

So, my workflow comes from treating light as a story tool. Hence, light is a slave to composition and thus the composition gets chosen first. The composition is a slave to the story, so have a story ready. Thus obviously: if you change the story you change the composition, if you change the composition you change the scene's lights setup. Again: if you change the composition you change the scene's lights setup - so, light to a composition.

For this tutorial's story those twins are gonna get their door rung by a naked stranger. Hence, the composition is from home out, putting us into the shoes of the twins to focus on their guest. The map comes with good "practical lights" (the light sources native to the scene such as lit windows and street lights). The person that set up the map knew what he was doing, and did a really good job.

With subjects, story, composition, and the practicals in place, we switch to the actual lighting workflow:

Step 1: disable the camera light in the F5 menu, set up the lights folder. We'll be adding lights as needed:
- to fill subjects with enough lights so a viewer could see details of their clothing
- to add rim light so the subjects are separated from the environment

HS2_2021-04-17-22-06-44-067.png Our starting setup, with all the lights, but the practicals, off. No idea what those lights will look like, but that's the algorithm.

Step 2: keep lighting each character to meet the following criteria:
- enough fill light? The criteria here: barely bright to see details in clothes.
- enough rim light? The criteria here: confidently bright line separating character from the environment.

There are schools and practices for criteria, which are further divided by production's genre: comedy, horror, etc, etc. To cut through the chatter and noise, imagine that you are on a budget and you have 2 lights per character: one fill, one rim. The light stand heights are fixed around just above the subject heads. So you keep it simple, by the book:

- The hosts get their fill light first. Criteria: if you don't have time for anything else, and the director is about to yell "action", you must get the fill on the hosts:

HS2_2021-04-17-22-15-46-624.png The fill light on the hosts comes from the most reasonable direction - from the hallway. You put a spotlight into the hallway, direction out and slightly down, adjust for brightness and temperature. This looks good enough already and technically you can capture this scene and move on. Since for a relatively little effort we can improve on what we have let's take a few more steps: separate the subjects from the surrounding using rim lights.

Step 3:

Now each character gets a slight rim to their side. We keep it simple and rim only one side. One photographer for Playboy bragged he brings 56 lights to the set and uses at least 30 of those as rim lights -- just so you can see how far you can go with it.

HS2_2021-04-17-22-18-06-072.png Now, the brain doesn't see the rim light at all - most people never question where this light comes from so never have to explain or justify your rim light. But since most people are used to see this light in all professional productions, lack of this light screams "amateurs".

Technically, we are really done after "step 3".

Step 4:

In the beginning of this post I wrote about light being a story tool. So, we take a "key" light and throw emphasis on what our story actually is about. In this case the story is the stranger.

HS2_2021-04-17-22-26-05-931.png We emphasize her with a key. Naturally you can have more than 1 key light: this has dilution effect on the scene. One could make an argument that this key light is a fill light held to a different criteria. Well, since the purpose of the light is not to show the details but to show a key element of the scene, the light is a key light.

Now, let's talk about the technical aspects of the lights used:
- for the scene setups use spot lights. In the HS2-context they show better resolution.
- scene's fill light has low intensity
- scene's rim lights have high intensity
- all spot lights are wide enough just to cover the subject with their spot from head to toe. For the same reason the lights are relatively far away from the subjects - the further they are, the smaller the angle, thus smaller footprint. The only exception is the key on the guest - that one is super close to her to avoid burn effect on the fence.

2021_0417_2228_11_513.png HS2ChaF_20201004195340430.png HS2ChaF_20201003203610472.png HS2ChaF_20201013221737743.png Here is the scene and the actresses so you can check light's effects by clicking them on/off.

Finally, light setups require weekly practice, so, the more you do, the better you get.

Any questions - let me know.
 

osnoflax

Member
Oct 16, 2020
186
410
This is PH Yard here. Inviting all to join this discussion about lighting scenes.

So, my workflow comes from treating light as a story tool. Hence, light is a slave to composition and thus the composition gets chosen first. The composition is a slave to the story, so have a story ready. Thus obviously: if you change the story you change the composition, if you change the composition you change the scene's lights setup. Again: if you change the composition you change the scene's lights setup - so, light to a composition.

For this tutorial's story those twins are gonna get their door rung by a naked stranger. Hence, the composition is from home out, putting us into the shoes of the twins to focus on their guest. The map comes with good "practical lights" (the light sources native to the scene such as lit windows and street lights). The person that set up the map knew what he was doing, and did a really good job.

...........
This is a whole tutorial on lightning, thank you very much!
I myself am not good at lightning so I find it quite useful... In fact, I think it deserves to be at StudioNeo2 forum, however, I don't know if hun hunter, who founded it, are still there and can add it to the tutorials...
 

osnoflax

Member
Oct 16, 2020
186
410
1. They have ceilings... the trick seems to be to disable the rendering of the back of the ceilings, which requires time and effort. I don't understand why the author didn't remove them himself, it would seem like a big help.
About ceilings (and also walls or objects) there is an option at system->screen effects->HS2_StudioSceneSettings (at the bottom) which lets you avoid rendering in near (or far) planes at will. It's a little tricky too, but it could be of some help. And remember you're not limited by sliders values: if you introduce any value directly in the box, it will work.
 
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osnoflax

Member
Oct 16, 2020
186
410
Completely honest, about your question: Not sure. I feel it's possible because there are options like "routes", and scripted items, but if it's possible, it's not simple at all or I am very lost. It's one or the other.
I also think it is possible, but it requires time and effort. You will need to chain one animation to other and it looks they are not designed to this. Even if you loop one animation, most times start and end doesn't fit and there is a noticeable jump in animation.

If you want to produce it in video format, you can use a simple sceen capture program or the Export video plugin included in the repack, but anyway you must be very skilled with keyboard to change views and animations or (better) to edit the video later with some video editing program. (A trick I use to use is to insert views of something related -as faces from the public-, so the changes were not that obvious...)

If you want to work inside StudioNeo2 strictly, you will need to use something like the VNGE plugin (also included) to manage different views, but I couldn't still advice at that, because my knowledge is not enough at this point. Wish you good luck.
 

Sepheyer

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2020
1,600
3,830
...something like the VNGE plugin (also included) to manage different views...
So, VNGE is completely, totally worth it. I did spent a day tinkering with it, one of the best investments ever :)

I needed a scene video-captured that was very effort-expensive using SNV's paradigm. VNGE handled it like charm. Namely needed 4 green lights to switch to red, one at a time as I pressed a key. VNGE's SSS is where it is at.

Similarly, needed a character to lower her arms - VNGE's Clip Manager is where it was. Much faster workflow than what Node Constrain offers.

If you do use SNV for video capture, then VNGE will significantly improve your workflow.
 
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xcert

New Member
Apr 5, 2020
4
2
I updated this recently and I've got some missing mods now. [re_toptoinner_v] and [re_biggerjacket]. Any ideas where I can find them?
 

Lordroedor

Member
Mar 19, 2020
222
225
View attachment 1147264

This is PH Yard here. Inviting all to join this discussion about lighting scenes.

So, my workflow comes from treating light as a story tool. Hence, light is a slave to composition and thus the composition gets chosen first. The composition is a slave to the story, so have a story ready. Thus obviously: if you change the story you change the composition, if you change the composition you change the scene's lights setup. Again: if you change the composition you change the scene's lights setup - so, light to a composition.

For this tutorial's story those twins are gonna get their door rung by a naked stranger. Hence, the composition is from home out, putting us into the shoes of the twins to focus on their guest. The map comes with good "practical lights" (the light sources native to the scene such as lit windows and street lights). The person that set up the map knew what he was doing, and did a really good job.

With subjects, story, composition, and the practicals in place, we switch to the actual lighting workflow:

Step 1: disable the camera light in the F5 menu, set up the lights folder. We'll be adding lights as needed:
- to fill subjects with enough lights so a viewer could see details of their clothing
- to add rim light so the subjects are separated from the environment

View attachment 1147211 Our starting setup, with all the lights, but the practicals, off. No idea what those lights will look like, but that's the algorithm.

Step 2: keep lighting each character to meet the following criteria:
- enough fill light? The criteria here: barely bright to see details in clothes.
- enough rim light? The criteria here: confidently bright line separating character from the environment.

There are schools and practices for criteria, which are further divided by production's genre: comedy, horror, etc, etc. To cut through the chatter and noise, imagine that you are on a budget and you have 2 lights per character: one fill, one rim. The light stand heights are fixed around just above the subject heads. So you keep it simple, by the book:

- The hosts get their fill light first. Criteria: if you don't have time for anything else, and the director is about to yell "action", you must get the fill on the hosts:

View attachment 1147221 The fill light on the hosts comes from the most reasonable direction - from the hallway. You put a spotlight into the hallway, direction out and slightly down, adjust for brightness and temperature. This looks good enough already and technically you can capture this scene and move on. Since for a relatively little effort we can improve on what we have let's take a few more steps: separate the subjects from the surrounding using rim lights.

Step 3:

Now each character gets a slight rim to their side. We keep it simple and rim only one side. One photographer for Playboy bragged he brings 56 lights to the set and uses at least 30 of those as rim lights -- just so you can see how far you can go with it.

View attachment 1147231 Now, the brain doesn't see the rim light at all - most people never question where this light comes from so never have to explain or justify your rim light. But since most people are used to see this light in all professional productions, lack of this light screams "amateurs".

Technically, we are really done after "step 3".

Step 4:

In the beginning of this post I wrote about light being a story tool. So, we take a "key" light and throw emphasis on what our story actually is about. In this case the story is the stranger.

View attachment 1147234 We emphasize her with a key. Naturally you can have more than 1 key light: this has dilution effect on the scene. One could make an argument that this key light is a fill light held to a different criteria. Well, since the purpose of the light is not to show the details but to show a key element of the scene, the light is a key light.

Now, let's talk about the technical aspects of the lights used:
- for the scene setups use spot lights. In the HS2-context they show better resolution.
- scene's fill light has low intensity
- scene's rim lights have high intensity
- all spot lights are wide enough just to cover the subject with their spot from head to toe. For the same reason the lights are relatively far away from the subjects - the further they are, the smaller the angle, thus smaller footprint. The only exception is the key on the guest - that one is super close to her to avoid burn effect on the fence.

View attachment 1147250 View attachment 1147254 View attachment 1147255 View attachment 1147257 Here is the scene and the actresses so you can check light's effects by clicking them on/off.

Finally, light setups require weekly practice, so, the more you do, the better you get.

Any questions - let me know.
Completely honest: I am lost from the start. I didn't even know about the f5 menu. I was trying to do stuff with the screen effect option. And everything I read in the f5 menu seems alien.

Then I don't know how you get the stuff on the workspace. I try to turn on and off the lights in the f5 menu but then I can't even hide it. I keep trying to press escape or f5 to close the window but it won't happen.

Your tutorial is for people that only need to worry about the composition, the art. I am struggling with the system, the program. Your advice is too advanced for me :(

But thanks anyway. Really.
 
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Sepheyer

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2020
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I try to turn on and off the lights in the f5 menu but then I can't even hide it. I keep trying to press escape or f5 to close the window but it won't happen.
To hide the F5 menu: move the mouse pointer out of the F5 menu and press F5. The menu won't close as long as the mouse pointer is within it.
 

Sepheyer

Well-Known Member
Dec 21, 2020
1,600
3,830
Then I don't know how you get the stuff on the workspace.
If you are interested here is a simple exercise to help you learn the workspace. I attached a scene.

In the scene do delete and rename folders in the workspace:
- click on the "delete" folder and hit delete button.
- have the "animation" menu active, then click on the "rename" folder and type in the "animation" menu word "lights", hit "enter".

Then move the production lights into the "lights" folder by parenting them:
- click on the parent first (the folder)
- then hold control and click the child (one of the lights)
- then click the parent button

2021_0418_0202_43_050.png
 

osnoflax

Member
Oct 16, 2020
186
410
So, VNGE is completely, totally worth it. I did spent a day tinkering with it, one of the best investments ever :)

I needed a scene video-captured that was very effort-expensive using SNV's paradigm. VNGE handled it like charm. Namely needed 4 green lights to switch to red, one at a time as I pressed a key. VNGE's SSS is where it is at.

Similarly, needed a character to lower her arms - VNGE's Clip Manager is where it was. Much faster workflow than what Node Constrain offers.

If you do use SNV for video capture, then VNGE will significantly improve your workflow.
Yes, I have heard (well, read) great things about VNGE, but also that it is not easy to manage... It's one of the things I have on my agenda, (and I know I will end using it) but I'm still preparing my mind to it.
By the way, I know it must be obvious, but what does SNV means?
 

osnoflax

Member
Oct 16, 2020
186
410
Is there any way to delete unwanted piece of clothes ?
Yes, but...
You have to delete (or better rename or change its location, just for the case) the .zipmod file that contains the piece, which is usually at the folder Sideloader Modpack, inside the folder mods of the game. However, rarely such files contains only one piece, so, if you delete it, it is almost sure you are erasing some other pieces at the time.
You can do the same thing through the program KKManager, included in the repack, with the difference that the file desired it is not deleted, but prevented to load when you load the game and the thing could be reverted at any time. But the problem I mention persist anyway.
 
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Zeromus

Newbie
Oct 21, 2017
75
76
Yes, but...
You have to delete (or better rename or change its location, just for the case) the .zipmod file that contains the piece, which is usually at the folder Sideloader Modpack, inside the folder mods of the game. However, rarely such files contains only one piece, so, if you delete it, it is almost sure you are erasing some other pieces at the time.
You can do the same thing through the program KKManager, included in the repack, with the difference that the file desired it is not deleted, but prevented to load when you load the game and the thing could be reverted at any time. But the problem I mention persist anyway.
Thanks i will try this KKmanager.
 
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