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Rich Sedman
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The standard Blender renderers (Cycles and Eevee) aren't really suited to rendering the reflected volumetrics due to how the light paths are traced.

However, if you're only interested in determining the path of the reflected light - rather than an accurate volumetric render - then it might be better to use a particle simulation to achieve a similar result.

Start by adding the "reflector" (in the simplest case, just a plane - although shaped reflectors would work just as well) and in the Physics panel enable "Collision".

Next add a plane as the source of the particles - the single face of a plane will produce parallel "rays" of particles. Add a Particle system to it and, in the Particle settings "Field Weights", turn Gravity down to zero.

Adjust the particle system to adjust the emitted particles as desired to create a suitable "ray" of particles and direct it at the "reflector". In my example I increased the number of particles and their lifetime (so they last long enough) and also significantly increased the Velocity.

Run the simulation and the particles will be emitted and reflect off of the reflector, showing the path that light would take (without needing to render using volume scattering).

enter image description here

I suppose if you really want it rendering in a volume you could use the particle system to drive a Point Density texture in order to add a 'glow' within the volume where the particles pass through.

rendered fake volume scatter

In the above image I further increased the number of particles and added a material driven by a Point Density texture set to the particle system :

enter image description here

The standard Blender renderers (Cycles and Eevee) aren't really suited to rendering the reflected volumetrics due to how the light paths are traced.

However, if you're only interested in determining the path of the reflected light - rather than an accurate volumetric render - then it might be better to use a particle simulation to achieve a similar result.

Start by adding the "reflector" (in the simplest case, just a plane - although shaped reflectors would work just as well) and in the Physics panel enable "Collision".

Next add a plane as the source of the particles - the single face of a plane will produce parallel "rays" of particles. Add a Particle system to it and, in the Particle settings "Field Weights", turn Gravity down to zero.

Adjust the particle system to adjust the emitted particles as desired to create a suitable "ray" of particles and direct it at the "reflector". In my example I increased the number of particles and their lifetime (so they last long enough) and also significantly increased the Velocity.

Run the simulation and the particles will be emitted and reflect off of the reflector, showing the path that light would take (without needing to render using volume scattering).

enter image description here

I suppose if you really want it rendering in a volume you could use the particle system to drive a Point Density texture in order to add a 'glow' within the volume where the particles pass through.

The standard Blender renderers (Cycles and Eevee) aren't really suited to rendering the reflected volumetrics due to how the light paths are traced.

However, if you're only interested in determining the path of the reflected light - rather than an accurate volumetric render - then it might be better to use a particle simulation to achieve a similar result.

Start by adding the "reflector" (in the simplest case, just a plane - although shaped reflectors would work just as well) and in the Physics panel enable "Collision".

Next add a plane as the source of the particles - the single face of a plane will produce parallel "rays" of particles. Add a Particle system to it and, in the Particle settings "Field Weights", turn Gravity down to zero.

Adjust the particle system to adjust the emitted particles as desired to create a suitable "ray" of particles and direct it at the "reflector". In my example I increased the number of particles and their lifetime (so they last long enough) and also significantly increased the Velocity.

Run the simulation and the particles will be emitted and reflect off of the reflector, showing the path that light would take (without needing to render using volume scattering).

enter image description here

I suppose if you really want it rendering in a volume you could use the particle system to drive a Point Density texture in order to add a 'glow' within the volume where the particles pass through.

rendered fake volume scatter

In the above image I further increased the number of particles and added a material driven by a Point Density texture set to the particle system :

enter image description here

Source Link
Rich Sedman
  • 44.9k
  • 2
  • 107
  • 226

The standard Blender renderers (Cycles and Eevee) aren't really suited to rendering the reflected volumetrics due to how the light paths are traced.

However, if you're only interested in determining the path of the reflected light - rather than an accurate volumetric render - then it might be better to use a particle simulation to achieve a similar result.

Start by adding the "reflector" (in the simplest case, just a plane - although shaped reflectors would work just as well) and in the Physics panel enable "Collision".

Next add a plane as the source of the particles - the single face of a plane will produce parallel "rays" of particles. Add a Particle system to it and, in the Particle settings "Field Weights", turn Gravity down to zero.

Adjust the particle system to adjust the emitted particles as desired to create a suitable "ray" of particles and direct it at the "reflector". In my example I increased the number of particles and their lifetime (so they last long enough) and also significantly increased the Velocity.

Run the simulation and the particles will be emitted and reflect off of the reflector, showing the path that light would take (without needing to render using volume scattering).

enter image description here

I suppose if you really want it rendering in a volume you could use the particle system to drive a Point Density texture in order to add a 'glow' within the volume where the particles pass through.