Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual page 190

Ambient (nondirectional) reflectivity of the layer. 100% specifies the most reflectivity; 0% specifies no
Ambient
ambient reflectivity.
Diffuse (omnidirectional) reflectivity of the layer. Applying diffuse reflectivity to a layer is like draping a
Diffuse
dull, plastic sheet over it. Light that falls on this layer reflects equally in all directions. 100% specifies the most reflec-
tivity; 0% specifies no diffuse reflectivity.
Specular (directional) reflectivity of the layer. Specular light reflects from the layer as if from a mirror.
Specular
100% specifies the most reflectivity; 0% specifies no specular reflectivity.
Determines the size of the specular highlight. This value is active only if the Specular setting is greater
Shininess
than zero. 100% specifies a reflection with a small specular highlight. 0% specifies a reflection with a large specular
highlight.
The contribution of the layer color to the color of the specular highlight. 100% specifies that the highlight
Metal
color is the color of the layer. For example, with a Metal value of 100%, an image of a gold ring reflects golden light.
0% specifies that the color of the specular highlight is the color of the light source. For example, a layer with a Metal
value of 0% under a white light has a white highlight. (If you are using OpenGL, the Metal value is temporarily set
to zero during an interactive preview.)
See also
"Working with 3D layers" on page 174
"Create a light and change settings" on page 181
Specify resolution to use for rendering shadows
The Advanced 3D rendering plug-in is used to render compositions containing intersecting 3D layers. To render
shadows, the plug-in uses shadow maps, which are images rendered from the point of view of each light source.
Normally, a shadow's resolution is computed automatically based on the composition resolution and the layers'
quality settings. If normal resolution doesn't create the quality you want, or renders too slowly, you can adjust the
shadow map resolution. For example, if shadows are blurry and the Shadow Diffusion material option is set to 0,
increase the shadow map resolution. Or, if shadows render too slowly, decrease the shadow map resolution.
When a shadow-casting layer intersects another layer, sometimes there is a small gap behind the intersection that is
supposed to be shadowed. To decrease the size of the gap, increase the shadow map resolution.
1 Choose Composition > Composition Settings, click the Advanced tab, and click Options.
Choose a value (in pixels) from the Shadow Map Resolution menu.
2
Choose Comp Size or a resolution larger than the composition size for best results. Lower resolutions may result in
shadows that appear blurry.
AFTER EFFECTS CS3 184
User Guide