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I want to make a convinceable model of an IN12B Nixie tube. The model should render with eevee. I added an example file.

enter image description here enter image description here

Two problems: The glass looks somehow "plasticy" and is a lot of settings hacked together awfully in a mess. The "neon glow" isn't what it should be: Neither there is a reflexion of the glow on the glass or the plate nor it there this distinctive faint glow of the neon gas around the wire.

Here is an image, how it should look like: http://danyk.cz/digitrony_en.html and search for "Soviet nixie tube IN-12B" (sorry, there are too many example on that page).

How can I acchieve more convinceable materials and effects?

Here is a rendering from the 3DView:

enter image description here

mcc
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1 Answers1

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Eevee can handle all this quite well with basic materials.

  1. Glass BSDF (or Principled BSDF) for glass
  2. Emission shader for the light
  3. Check ✓ Bloom to simulate the neon gas volumetrics

enter image description here

jachym michal
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  • Is it possible to restrict "Bloom" to the tube? Otherwise the complete scene would be affected, which is not wanted. – mcc Jan 26 '21 at 10:58
  • Hey :). I don't think you can limit 'Bloom' to a specific area. But the Compositor has a 'Glare node' which gives a similar effect and can be masked. – jachym michal Jan 26 '21 at 12:38
  • The pictures you show above are your test renders, aren't they. Would you mind to add them? It is due to the second problem I have with all this (see above): The neo is glowing, if you look at it directly...but there is no reflection of the emitted light from the glass tube or off the tube inner parts, which are simple dull metal surfaces -- as shown on the page I linked in my initial post. Turning up the emission power follows the color changes of hot metal (it become more white when glowing stronger). Neon only has two promiment emissison liness in the sprectrum and stay at the same color. – mcc Jan 26 '21 at 13:22
  • Hello :). Eevee has some unfortunate limitations on mesh lights and also limited reflections. If you're going for realism, Cycles might be a better choice. – jachym michal Jan 26 '21 at 13:39
  • You can also hit me up on our SE chat https://chat.stackexchange.com/users/433213/jachym-michal – jachym michal Jan 26 '21 at 13:41
  • Knock, knock, Neo? I am there (at the chat room)... :) :) – mcc Jan 26 '21 at 13:59