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# Area_Shadows : Shadow

    Area_Shadows - superclass: Shadow; super-superclass:MAXWrapper - classID: #(388051038, 1754550945)

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This shadow generator class can be used to simulate shadows from an area light source.

Constructor

    Area_Shadows...
    'Area Shadows'...

Properties

    <Area_Shadows>.shadow_Mode Integer default: 1 -- integer

Controls the way the area shadows are generated

0 - Simple

1 - Rectangle Light

2 - Disc Light

3 - Box Light

4 - Sphere Light

    <Area_Shadows>.twoSidedShadows Boolean default: false -- boolean; Two_sided_Shadows

When on, backfaces are not ignored when calculating shadows. Objects seen from the inside are not lit by lights from the outside. This costs a bit more render time. When off, backfaces are ignored. Rendering is quicker, but outside lights illuminate object interiors.

    <Area_Shadows>.pass1 Integer default: 2 -- animatable; integer; Shadow_Integrity

The number of rays cast from an illuminated surface.

    <Area_Shadows>.pass2 Integer default: 5 -- animatable; integer; Shadow_Quality

The number of secondary rays cast from an illuminated surface

    <Area_Shadows>.blur Float default: 1.0 -- animatable; float; Shadow_Spread

The radius, in pixels, to blur the antialiased edge.

    <Area_Shadows>.ray_bias Float default: 0.5 -- animatable; world units; Shadow_Bias

The minimum distance from the point being shaded that an object must be to cast a shadow. This prevents blurred shadows from affecting surfaces they shouldn't.

    <Area_Shadows>.jitter_amt Float default: 1.0 -- animatable; float; Jitter_Amount

Adds randomness to the ray positions.

    <Area_Shadows>.aa_threshold Color default: (color 25.5 25.5 25.5) -- RGB color; Antialiasing_Threshold

The maximum color difference allowed between transparent object samples before antialiasing is triggered. Increasing the value of this color will make the shadow less sensitive to aliasing artifacts and improve speed, decreasing the value will increase the sensitivity, improving quality.

    <Area_Shadows>.shadow_length Float default: 10.0 -- animatable; world units

Controls the length of the area shadow.

    <Area_Shadows>.shadow_width Float default: 10.0 -- animatable; world units

Controls the width of the area shadow.

    <Area_Shadows>.shadow_height Float default: 10.0 -- animatable; world units

Controls the height of the area shadow.

    <Area_Shadows>.shadow_Transparent Boolean default: false -- animatable; boolean; Transparent_Shadows

When checked, transparent surfaces will cast a colored shadow. Otherwise, all shadows are black and calculate faster.

    <Area_Shadows>.suppress_mat_aa Boolean default: true -- animatable; boolean; Suppress_Supersampling

When checked, only Pass 1 is used during 2-Pass Antialiasing when shading a supersampled material.

    <Area_Shadows>.suppress_reflt_aa Boolean default: true -- animatable; boolean; Suppress_Reflection_Antialiasing

When checked, only Pass 1 is used during 2-Pass Antialiasing when shading reflections or refractions.

    <Area_Shadows>.skip_coplanar Boolean default: true -- animatable; boolean

Prevents adjacent faces from shadowing each other. This is of particular concern at the terminator on curved surfaces such as spheres.

    <Area_Shadows>.coplanar_threshold Float default: 0.9 -- animatable; float

The angle between adjacent faces. Range is from 0.0 (perpendicular) to 1.0 (parallel).

#### See Also

- ShadowMap : Shadow

- RaytraceShadow : Shadow

- Adv__Ray_traced : Shadow

- MAXScript FAQ:How do I change the Shadow type of a Light?

- MAXWrapper Common Properties, Operators, and Methods

- Value Common Properties, Operators, and Methods