Tv/LCD screen

[Aquanaut]

Hey GA. I'm new to Maya and could use the advice from the many great artists I see on this site. I need to know how to turn geometry into a light that emits photons for global illumination. I am trying to make a Tv screen and LCD monitors for this scene:

http://www.kingsleyharden.com/images/temp/medium_living_room.jpg

Thanks!

[Aquanaut]

If it helps I can tell you what I've tried. I've applied a blinn material to my mesh and cranked up the incandescence value (30-500+). Then I turned on Final Gather. All it did was make my geometry white but it didn't emit photons.

I tried putting a light inside a hollow tv with a screen in front. The effect didn't look like a real tv.

[Frump]

It would be easier just to create an area light, size it to the screen size and put it in front slightly. If you have final gathering and such on, it will have the same effect, or better as geometry that is emitting. There are a lot of tutorials on this stuff out there. Just remember that you don't have to get lost in the technical detail, when a simple light will do the same job.

Also Final Gather does not deal with photons, Final gathering is simulated global illumination and smooths your lighting out adding a level of ambiance. To work with photons you have to have global illumination on and then tweak all of its settings in the mental ray options. However, I believe you can still make a mesh emit just using Final Gathering. I can't remember the specifics I haven't bothered with fancy Mental Ray renders in a while.

Good luck with your scene.