Opening the tutorial file (optional)

If you successfully completed Part 7, you can proceed directly to the next step, Shading the view.

If you were not successful in part 7, open the file called joystick_part8.wire, located in the wire directory of the CourseWare project. This file contains the completed model from Part 7.

Watch Part 8 of the tutorial.

Shading the view

In the previous desk lamp tutorial, Diagnostic Shading was used to visualize the model. In this tutorial, you will use Hardware Shade. Hardware shading allows for more visual effects and introduces you to the techniques you will use for rendering in later tutorials.

You will start by making the cable surface pickable, so it can be shaded.

1. On the Layer Bar, press and hold the on the Cable layer, choose Set State, then Pickable to make cable surface active.
2. Tumble the view until you get a good view of the joystick and cable. Hold down the and keys and use the to tumble the view.

   

3. Choose WindowDisplay > Hardware Shade.

   

   The model is shaded in the default colour.

4. Choose WindowDisplay > Hardware Shade r to open the option box.

   

5. In the Enable Environment Effects section:
   • Click the Ground plane check box to turn on the ground plane effects.
   • Click the Edit Environment button to open the Environment window.

     

6. In the Environment window, set the following options:
   • Open the Ground Plane section by clicking the small arrow next to it.
   • Set the plane Height. Type in -0.5 and Enter to drop the shadow slightly below the base.
   • Ensure the Shadows box has a check mark so that shadows are turned on.
   • Change the Shadow Blur. Type in 0.2 and Enter to soften the shadows.
   • Change the Shadow Position. Click and hold the on the Shadow position menu, which is set to 45 DEGREES RIGHT by default. Choose DIRECTLY ABOVE and release the mouse button.

     

   A shadow appears underneath the joystick and cable.

   TipIf your screen shows the wireframe view, choose the Shade On button at the bottom of the Hardware Shade Settings box.

   

   To view the design more clearly, you will now turn off the wireframe and grid.

7. In the title bar of the modeling window, click the Show button to open up the menu and select Model (to remove the check mark). The wireframe lines are turned off.

   

8. In the title bar of the modeling window, click the Show button to open up the menu and select Grid (to remove the check mark). The grid lines are turned off.

   The joystick design is displayed in shaded mode, with no model lines or grid lines showing.

   

9. Select Show > Model and Show > Grid once more from the window’s title bar to bring back the check marks.

   The scene returns to a wireframe view with grid.

10. Close the Hardware shade settings option box by clicking the cross in the top right corner.

    

    

    Now that the Hardware Shade is set up, you don’t need to go into the option box the next time you want to shade the model. Just choose WindowDisplay > Hardware Shade to toggle the shading on or off.

Save your work

1. Choose File > Save as to save the current scene.
2. Save your work in the wire directory of the Lessons project.
3. Name your file myjoystick8.wire.