The 'Environment Item' allows the user to set options related to the environments visibility and intensity in a MODO scene. When selected, its associated attributes can be edited within the 'Properties' viewport panel. Environments offer a quick, flexible way to fill a MODO background with colors, gradients and image maps. With the addition of an HDR image and global illumination, environments can also 'light' a scene providing an easy path to create stunningly realistic results. For more information on setting up IBL (Image Based Lighting) please reference the 'Image Based Lighting' page of the documentation.
The rendered rhino object; the background area is solid black as no geometry is visible nor has an environment been inserted.
Environments can give the impression of a much larger scene without adding additional geometry.
Also, keep in mind that since the Environment is just a shader tree item, they can have additional shader tree item layers added to them; lightprobe images can be added producing full 360° environments, or camera projected images can provide 'plates' allowing users to incorporate 3D elements into a filmed scene by simply adjusting the settings of the 'Texture Locator'. Procedural layers can be added and layered producing interesting effects. By RMB-clicking on the items effect column, different options can be selected producing a variety of different and interesting blending effects as materials are layered. More on Environment Effects can be found in the 'Environment Effect' page of the documentation.
Modo also allows for multiple Environments; additional Environment Items can be added to the shader tree by selecting in the menu bar 'Item > Create Environment' or by RMB-clicking the item itself and choosing 'Duplicate' from the popup menu. This allows the user the ability to specify an environment for reflections, refractions and the background itself, with a completely different version of the environment fir 'lighting' the scene.
Environment
Intensity: 'Intensity' acts as a multiplier, allowing the user a convenient way to control and modify the overall brightness of the selected Environment. This setting will have the greatest effect when global illumination is enabled, controlling to what degree the overall environment contributes to the lighting of the scene.
Visible to Camera: Toggles whether or not the selected Environment is visible to the camera when rendered. This setting is independent to the others, even when not visible to the camera, it can still contribute to the lighting of the scene providing users the ability to specify alternate images or textures for the background in an additional environment item.
Visible to Indirect Rays: Toggle whether or not the environment contributes lighting to global illumination. This setting will only affect scene that have 'Global Illumination' enabled.
Visible to Reflection Rays: Toggles whether or not environments have an effect on any reflective surfaces within a scene.
Visible to Refraction Rays: Toggles whether or not environments have an effect on any refractive surfaces within a scene.
