CGTalk - Parti_Volume Woes

shikijiyu

05-24-2010, 06:51 PM

I did the Floze tutorials when they came out, and eventually started using a linear lighting workflow. One thing I NEVER got to work was the parti-volume from the underwater render.

I have been screwing around for HOURS now, trying to get it to work in the simplest possible scene, and no matter WHAT I do my render is always pure black.

I am using Maya 2010.

Can anyone walk me through the simplest possible setup that would produce visible light beams in an empty box room or something? I'm thinking something like looking into a cube with light shining in through some simple window holes.

shikijiyu

05-24-2010, 08:32 PM

Well, I figured it out. Turns out some things are compatible with parti_volume, and some things are not. From some generic testing this is what I discovered:

* The light will NOT work if it is directional.
* The parti_volume WILL work even if the camera is inside the container.
* The parti_volume WILL work even if the light is outside the volume container (provided the container is set to NOT cast shadows).
* Without a mr light shader plugged in you will get light fog, but no shadows cast by objects within the fog.
* You do NOT need "auto volume" to be turned on in the render settings.

So... yea. Turns out I was trying to do it with a directional. Even if you attach a mr infinite light to the light shader it won't work with a directional light...

vg1

05-25-2010, 06:18 PM

ya, stick with spotlights. Turn on Auto volume to get the camera to work inside the container.

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05-25-2010, 06:18 PM

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