Hi, the ambient color of my materials doesn't work. It doesn't seem to affect the material at all.!????

render>environment>ambient.
sets the colour of the ambient light in your scene.

you have set how your materials will respond to this.
good luck.
Te Anau

I'd avoid using ambient color though. This is a trick that's supposed to help your simulate bounce light, but instead tends to flatten out your scene since ambient light comes from all directions equally. Try faking bounce light with omnis set to low values.

- Neil

here here, i agree.......
at least, set the ambient value last.

ive seen heaps of people adding 1 spot light (this removes the default light) then try to make up the difference with ambient light. from then on they wonder why they never see dark rich shadows in there work.

same goes for self illumination, im not sure why, but it gets used as an easy fix early in the creation of a scene.

Lighting takes time remember to consider it early and allow time to fine tune it. Infact elegant use of light can actually save time later if not treated as an after thought.
jolly good
Te Anau