Sky Light
Updated: 3 Mar 2025
Add a dome of light to provide lighting from every angle. Best used with an enviroment image.
Sky Light
Method #
This node simulates a dome/sky light by surrounding the scene with a large number of shadow-casting spotlights positioned on the dome pointing inwards. This allows the skylight to be rendered efficiently, although it may still be too slow for real-time use in many scenes. To increase efficiency the spotlight shadow maps can be cached and only a subset updated per frame. This reduces render time significantly but reduces responsiveness to animation.
All nodes connected to this node are treated as if flowing to the parent node, and inherits any transformation changes along the chain.
Parameters
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
Parameter Details Position X
The objects position along the local x-axis.
Position Y
The objects position along the local y-axis.
Position Z
The objects position along the local z-axis.
Rotation Heading
The objects rotation around the local y-axis.
Rotation Pitch
The objects rotation around the local x-axis.
Rotation Bank
The objects rotation around the local z-axis.
Scale X
The objects scale along the local x-axis.
Scale Y
The objects scale along the local y-axis.
Scale Z
The objects scale along the local z-axis.
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
Parameter Details Position
Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent.
Rotation
Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent.
Scale
Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent.
World Position Only
Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties.
Inherit Time
Toggle inheritance of time from the parent.
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
Parameter Details Omnidirectional
When enabled, light emits from all directions inward. When disabled, light only emits from above.
Brightness
Brightness of the light emit skylight.
Sky Dome Radius
Radius of the skylight.
Visible Dome Brightness Scale
Brightness of the visible skylight dome.
Apply Diffuse
Enable / disable diffuse lighting for a Sky Light.
Apply Specular
Enable / disable specular lighting for a Sky Light.
Apply Refracted
Skylight Rays can move (refract) through translucent surfaces.
Scattering Intensity
How much the light is scattered by the light, creating a simple fog around it.
Translucent Raytraced Shadows
Allows translucent shadows to be generated by Glass Materials.
Visible Sky Dome
Generates a visible sky box around the light scene.
Lock Visible Sky Dome To Camera
Locks the rotation of the sky dome to the active camera.
Inputs
These properties control the 3D transforms of the node. Transforms will generally be inherited by child nodes, although they can be ignored through the Inherit Transform Channels attributes.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position X | The objects position along the local x-axis. |
| Position Y | The objects position along the local y-axis. |
| Position Z | The objects position along the local z-axis. |
| Rotation Heading | The objects rotation around the local y-axis. |
| Rotation Pitch | The objects rotation around the local x-axis. |
| Rotation Bank | The objects rotation around the local z-axis. |
| Scale X | The objects scale along the local x-axis. |
| Scale Y | The objects scale along the local y-axis. |
| Scale Z | The objects scale along the local z-axis. |
Control the inheritance of the transforms from the parent.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Position | Toggle inheritance of the Position from the parent. |
| Rotation | Toggle inheritance of the Rotation from the parent. |
| Scale | Toggle inheritance of the Scale from the parent. |
| World Position Only | Inherit the world position from the parent only, rotation and scale will be ignored. Overrides above properties. |
| Inherit Time | Toggle inheritance of time from the parent. |
These properties control the core behaviours of the node.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Omnidirectional | When enabled, light emits from all directions inward. When disabled, light only emits from above. |
| Brightness | Brightness of the light emit skylight. |
| Sky Dome Radius | Radius of the skylight. |
| Visible Dome Brightness Scale | Brightness of the visible skylight dome. |
| Apply Diffuse | Enable / disable diffuse lighting for a Sky Light. |
| Apply Specular | Enable / disable specular lighting for a Sky Light. |
| Apply Refracted | Skylight Rays can move (refract) through translucent surfaces. |
| Scattering Intensity | How much the light is scattered by the light, creating a simple fog around it. |
| Translucent Raytraced Shadows | Allows translucent shadows to be generated by Glass Materials. |
| Visible Sky Dome | Generates a visible sky box around the light scene. |
| Lock Visible Sky Dome To Camera | Locks the rotation of the sky dome to the active camera. |
| Name | Description | Typical Input |
|---|---|---|
| Objects | Select which objects should be affected by the skylight. | 3D Object |
| Environment Map | Add an environment map to control the colour of the skylight. | Environment Image |
| Transform Modifiers | Apply the transforms of another node to this node. | Null |
| Target Node | Modifiy the rotations of the node to always direct the z axis towards the input. | Null |
| Local Transform Override | Apply the transforms of another node to this node, relative to its parent. | Null |