Mental Ray - Shaders

#501

Originally posted by visualboo
[B]Here’s a really simple scene I just did to test a simple case of displacements in MR. But what’s up with the artifacts? The map is a procedural checker so it’s not that the map itself is imperfect.

It’s due to aliasing of the mesh with the map – you simply have to increace either/or both the detail (edge length) and levels.

[edit] Oh I forgot Mark, I’ll post some normal map stuff in a bit once I get it all organized. [/B]

Yes please – we could use anything on normal maps in mr ASAP.

thx

PS. I’ll think about what we can release in the way of rendering tips and mr techniques in specific. At present we are doing some very unique things in the area of lighting that’s giving us a real edge in the film rendering area – perhaps as the project comes to a close in 5 months time or so we will look at releasing info. I will certainly post samples of work with render times shortly.

#502

It’s due to aliasing of the mesh with the map – you simply have to increace either/or both the detail (edge length) and levels.

Well actually I tweaked some settings pretty high and it really didn’t look to much better, but the render times went way up. But if I understand you correctly that doesn’t explain the artifacts on the flat spots of the mesh.

Here’s the scene if anyone wants to play with it. I think the settings in the files I saved were 1.0 edge length/6 max levels. I tried .25 for EL/7 levels but it wasn’t that much better.
Scene file

#503

I must agree MR displacement is way better than max’s default …

I did a little test of some hoses I am making for a model of mine …

Render , it took 1 hr 3 mins

Here are my settings

#504

Try rendering out the checker map with some blur to soften the borders a little (eg blur=10) to a file and load it back in as a bitmap texture to your displacement slot, I used 1024x1024 (For some reason the blurred checker map isn’t getting translated properly across to mental ray directly.) Then render with edge_length = 0.5, max displace=1.0 and max_level=3 or 4. Renders in approx 50s on my dual proc 2GHz xeon machine. Less artifacts, and renderable in a reasonable amount of time albeit softer.

Originally posted by visualboo
[B]Well actually I tweaked some settings pretty high and it really didn’t look to much better, but the render times went way up. But if I understand you correctly that doesn’t explain the artifacts on the flat spots of the mesh.

Here’s the scene if anyone wants to play with it. I think the settings in the files I saved were 1.0 edge length/6 max levels. I tried .25 for EL/7 levels but it wasn’t that much better.
Scene file [/B]

#505

Hi everyone,

this thread plainly rocks! Thx a lot all you ppl for all your contributions…will see if i can come up with some things to contribute myslef.

Just a quick question, anyone knows a link with descriptions of all the standard mr shaders that come with max ?

like the dielectric material and what exactly the properties mean ?

the mr manual that comes with max is rather confusing and focusing on scene description language and the apis…

a more basic intro would rock…or a plain list of the shaders and their parameter meanings…

thanks in advance!

Thorsten

#506

Hi Jeff, ever used the Adjustment Lume? I won’t have a chance to test for a couple of days, but I was thinking it may be a good way to affect contrast etc in the carpaint material for example. Any ideas or experience? Sorry I haven’t updated, need a little time away from the project hehe

Todd

EDIT: Instinct, might want to try google on that, I believe there are explanations-they may be maya related, but I am sure they apply to max:thumbsup:

#507

Adjustment Lume: I’ve had no luck using the “region specific” parameter. So it adjusts the whole image. If we could figure out the “TAG” that it’s looking for it may work great for adjusting the levels of a specific object in the scene.

It may be easier to render it out as a .tga file and adjust the levels with photoshop though.

Jeff

#508

hey folical9, this is really a great thread, lots of stuff to learn here :thumbsup: . i’m trying to creat that blurred metal you posted on the beginning of the tread.
i’m modeling a camera and its too reflective right now,
i’m using max6. thanx

#509

make the material a mental ray material, them make the surface a metal (lume), then under the settings for the metal turn on surface blurring. then you can adjust the strength of the blur. Don’t forget to turn up the sampling of the material or it will produce a grainy look to the surface.

Hope this helps,

I also would like to see some stuff about normal mapping and understand how to animate while using normal mapping.

Thanks for all the help.

#510

make the material a mental ray material, them make the surface a metal (lume), then under the settings for the metal turn on surface blurring. then you can adjust the strength of the blur. Don’t forget to turn up the sampling of the material or it will produce a grainy look to the surface.

Yup, just as he said. Also, if you have problems with the material casting or receiving shadows please let me know.

Ok, I have been unable to get a solid answer from the powers that be regarding posting the edited MI files. Most say it shouldn’t be a problem so I’m posting them. This should fix any problems with rendering the SSS shader. These files have the “hidden” tags removed as well.

USE THESE AT YOUR OWN RISK. PLEASE MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR MENTAL RAY FOLDER BEFORE REPLACING THEM WITH THESE FILES (just in case)!

Download mi files

#511

thx folical9 for the file :bounce:
Just what i need :thumbsup:

#512

:thumbsup: hello all

Lots of cool stuff going on here as usual, and i must say everyone has been brilliant in there input to this discussion group, especially the time folical9 has devoted to helping others with problem areas. Congrats to all !!!

I’ve been trying to use the illumination shader unlocked from the lume.mi file. as it comes under the light catergory i guess this is used as a light shader.
Every tome i apply this shader it works, to brighten the scene, but turns things red. It wont let me use it with photons for that specific light active, mr regects the photon emission.
In the lume help files it is said to use this in conjunction with the glare shader to get realistic exposure effects, but this doesn’t alter the problem with the illumination shader turning the scene red !
I thought about adding a coloroption to the shader but i’m not sure if this will then load, but i’ll give it a whirl.
I’m gonna do an example image and post asap.

Btw, does anyone know how i can put a nice image under my name, like everyone else has when they post. I’m feeling like a new born baby with a number, not a name, Thanks.

Philip Bruton :cry:

#513

Hi Philip,

Thanks for the kind words. I’ve tried the illumination shader and it always turns everything red just as you have found. The ONLY way I have found to fix the color is with the adjustment lume shader. However, I can’t figure out how to have the adjustment lume only adjust the color of a single object in a scene. It’s looking for a “tag” on the objects.

I suppose this is why Discreet “hid” these shaders. It will take quite a bit of research and testing to get them to work (IF they will work). Some of the Maya or XSI folks could probably help us out on figuring all this out.

PS - To put an avatar under your name go to “my profile” at the top of the page. Then go to edit options and you can add the avatar there.

Jeff

#514

Originally posted by visualboo
[B]Well actually I tweaked some settings pretty high and it really didn’t look to much better, but the render times went way up. But if I understand you correctly that doesn’t explain the artifacts on the flat spots of the mesh.

Here’s the scene if anyone wants to play with it. I think the settings in the files I saved were 1.0 edge length/6 max levels. I tried .25 for EL/7 levels but it wasn’t that much better.
Scene file [/B]

I’ve try length 0.2 and Level 6:

here the scene:
the scene fixed
No?

#515

BigRanS123, thanks alot for helping me out with that blurred metal. its really did the trick, i’ve posted the updated render over at the camera WIP tread if you want to check it out. thank you too folical9.

wip: digital camera

#516

Originally posted by Mark.Snoswell

PPS. We are using Dirtmap for ambient occlusion along with custom mr shaders we have written for A Sound of Thunder (movie) – big budget Hollywood feature film being done in 3ds max and rendered with mr.

dirtymap for ambient occlusion. details?uasge?

#517

i don’t know if this has been discussed yet, but how do i get spec/glossiness when using glass/metal suface shader, my scene lights just don’t effect the model anymore, even if i change the light’s color.

i’ve tried different lights, and a few different shaders.
i’m looking mainly at glass and metal for the moment

plus, most of you guys all seem to use raytrace material, any particular reason?

thx
|jason

#518

I’ve added some new materials to the .mat file. Metal flake paints and another metal and tire/rubber texture.


#519

hi!

I don’t know If someone tested mr_subscatter this way, I think, it just ROCKS!

render time: 42 secs.

no GI
no final gather

Hand is skin shader provided by you
shellac inside first shellac is deleted (the 2 materials inside too, of course), then add raytrace material as shellac to the first shellac material, and mr subscatter at the surface of the mental ray connection…touch settings…make only affect the light you want subscatter…first colour red…excinction 0.2
shellac value: 94

I don’t know if it’s a good contribution but i like the result.

#520

Thats awsome, DDS!
Maybe post the material for visual reference?
Nice rendertime too. :buttrock: