gradientMaterial not working with DirectionnalLight

[pichou]

Hey Guys I have an issue with gradientMaterial.

Here is a basic playground where everything is fine : https://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#2IFRKC#8

If I use a DirectionalLight instead of HemisphericLight, the material become much darker and the gradient is already almost not visible : https://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#2IFRKC#9

And if I change the sphere for a plane or a cylinder, the gradientMaterial become only dark : https://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#2IFRKC#10

Does this mean we can't use gradientMaterial with directionalLight?

Thanks Pichou

[jerome]

When you remove the hemispheric light ground color (the light coming from the sky "reflected" by the ground), your object is also darker, what is normal : https://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#2IFRKC#11

Now, let's give some z-value to your directionalLight : https://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#2IFRKC#12 and the object is lighter

So everything depends on where you put the lights knowing they all behave differently.

You could also use a point light always set at the camera position : https://www.babylonjs-playground.com/#2IFRKC#13

[pichou]

OK thanks @jerome for this explanation. This is just a matter of shadow and light direction/position then.

For your information in my scene I just add an hemispheric light that is opposite to my directionalLight so that the right color appears on the gradientMaterial I use.

Cheers, Pichou