This page offers a quick starting point on working with image-based lighting, sunlight, and Cosmos HDRIs in Chaos Vantage.
Steps
1. Open your Vantage scene.
Load a scene or project in Vantage.
2. Import HDRIs from Chaos Cosmos.
Open the built-in Cosmos browser by clicking the Chaos Cosmos Browser (
) button in the top toolbar. From the HDRI section, choose a sky image (previously downloaded assets can be filtered using the Downloaded category) and either:
- drag-n-drop it in the sky
- using the import (
) button
Swap different HDRIs to explore different lighting scenarios.
Adjust exposure as needed.
3. Explore time of day variations.
In the Lights tab, switch the Environment mode to Physical sky.
Physical sky is only available if the loaded scene has been exported with a V-Ray Sun and Sky.
In the sun settings, switch the Sun position dropdown to Altitude/Azimuth to easily control its position in the sky by adjusting the Altitude and Azimuth parameters.
In the sun settings, switch the Sun position dropdown to Geolocation to get accurate sun position based on Latitude/Longitude coordinates and Time values.
4. Work with many lights.
Lights can be selected either in the viewport with the Select (
) tool or in the Objects tab. Instanced lights are shown as grouped marked with [G] in the light lister and share settings. Making changes to one parameter changes it for all of the lights. Instanced lights can also become unique (ungrouped) by using the checkbox.
5. Individual control of lights.
To make a change to a light select it either in the viewport or in the Objects tab and change its parameters. Shown parameters for lights can be folded or expanded by using the Expand All or Fold All buttons above the light lister. Additionally, available parameters can be displayed by switching between the Compact, Basic and Advanced buttons.
) option in the top toolbar.