dynamic character in a baked environment (volumetric light samples not accounting for occlusion)?

[noicevstime]

Hi all,

I ran into an issue when integrating a dynamic, talking character in an environment of baked lighting.
When the character is standing in front of a window inside a room where the room lighting is all static and baked, the baked volumetric light samples (VLM) would affect the dynamic character accordingly and I observe proper light fall-off on his face. The issue is when the character opens mouth to talk, the gum, teeth, and tongue are affected/lit by the volumetric light samples as if there is no shadowing or occlusion from the surrounding geometry. It results in over-exposed gum, teeth, and tongue where their materials are properly look-deved and balanced for dynamic lighting rigs.

How would you typically solve this issue or do I miss something?

A) bake occlusion into mouth, gum, and tongue textures?
B) screen space occlusion?

I am hoping to not go either of the above route and solve it in lighting.

[Bits360]

@noicevstime

Hi all,

I ran into an issue when integrating a dynamic, talking character in an environment of baked lighting.
When the character is standing in front of a window inside a room where the room lighting is all static and baked, the baked volumetric light samples (VLM) would affect the dynamic character accordingly and I observe proper light fall-off on his face. The issue is when the character opens mouth to talk, the gum, teeth, and tongue are affected/lit by the volumetric light samples as if there is no shadowing or occlusion from the surrounding geometry. It results in over-exposed gum, teeth, and tongue where their materials are properly look-deved and balanced for dynamic lighting rigs.

How would you typically solve this issue or do I miss something?

A) bake occlusion into mouth, gum, and tongue textures?
B) screen space occlusion?

I am hoping to not go either of the above route and solve it in lighting.

Simply, baked lighting is a nightmare. Your best option is, unfortunately as far as i know, going stationary+csm or putting it in diffuse/specular/etc.

[noicevstime]

@Bits360

Simply, baked lighting is a nightmare. Your best option is, unfortunately as far as i know, going stationary+csm or putting it in diffuse/specular/etc.

Yeah, that’s what I was concerning. Stationary lights are probably not an option for me for performance reason and I am trying best to not touch the materials for consistency.

[darthviper107]

You’re not going to get good lighting for dynamic objects if all you’re using is static lights and trying to rely on the volumetric lightmaps.

[noicevstime]

@darthviper107

You’re not going to get good lighting for dynamic objects if all you’re using is static lights and trying to rely on the volumetric lightmaps.

There are character light-rig with dynamic lights. I am trying to address the issue that came with baked lighting on the character, particularly inside of the mouth.