Messages

1

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: CXR saving problem with Corona 12

« on: 2024-08-30, 23:51:44 »

Exactly Aram,

There are couple of  different issues I guess. But most frustrating one is with the deadline, all of the files are big (wrong sizes) and it really is a problem.

Thats why we are still on corona 11.

It is all well reported.
(Report ID=CMAX-1247)

2

General CG Discussion / Re: Need help in 3dsmax modelling

« on: 2024-08-28, 22:49:49 »

Hi,

Not sure how detailed you want it, but if you have the texture (its from top, great), try using it.
Here is very rough representation of what you can get from this texture and very little modeling.

If you want to model it (and get it as in the image), I don't see any other thing (not even topology tools) that would speed things up - model the piece one by one, inset/extrude them.

Hope this helps.

3

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: CXR saving problem with Corona 12

« on: 2024-08-28, 15:18:12 »

When I start batch render,
there will be 2 options to stop the render, you can see in the image1.

If I press stop, it would save as normal (1 big file, others are small) (correct sizes)
If I press cancel (the button named 2), it will save it as many big files (wrong sizes)

About the deadline, if we send the project the deadline, all of the saved files are wrong size, nothing is correct.

Hi,

I have found other details about this, but the most important one is:
In case of canceling batch render, there is no output expected (just like regular rendering). So the issue is not (only) that the output of CXR (other formats work well) is big for all elements, but that there is output.

4

[Max] Daily Builds / Re: Chaos Corona 13 for 3ds Max - Daily Builds Discussion

« on: 2024-08-26, 18:25:26 »

So, I started using Corona in 2018. I almost immediately complained that a Corona Light with direction set at .4 or above isn't properly visible in reflections/refractions.

This is still somehow a problem 6 years later.

Any plans to improve this?

Many thanks :)

Hi,

This is not quite v13 related.
It it because of POV, if a light source has some directionality, it is expected to not see if from some angles, same applies for reflections. You can use separate lights for lighting and for light source visibility.

5

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Slow VFB

« on: 2024-08-26, 14:29:06 »

No problem.

You can submit through: https://support.chaos.com/hc/en-us/requests/new

Please mention the forum thread also to keep better track of things.

6

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Slow VFB

« on: 2024-08-26, 12:37:52 »

On a production scene, with exact operators and values as you have, and with 4000x4000 resolution:

E.g. contrast operator turning on/off is not as fast as with lower resolution, but having curves enabled or disabled, with histogram, did not result in any change.

So this is either scene or hardware related.

Can you please tests and see if there is slowdown with lower resolutions, and with the default operator stack and then curves at the end?
Please try with VFB 1.0 too.
If there will still be a slowdown, I think we will need the scene to investigate it further. But I am not aware of many "slow VFB 2.0" reports.

7

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Slow VFB

« on: 2024-08-26, 11:15:00 »

Hi,

A video recording would really help.

Even with three curves operators expanded (there is a known bug for expanding similar operators), turning any (including curves) operators is fast as expected.
Please attach enough information to better understand the issue.

8

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Sun and Sky Issue

« on: 2024-08-26, 10:29:38 »

When you turn off the sun, you basically untie it from Sky - sky becomes independent from Sun (and so it becomes constant, not necessarily bright, it can become dimmer too).

So, if you want to have them connected, keep the sun on/enabled, so the sky changes based on the sun position, and change the sun's intensity, as Romullus mentioned.

9

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Corona 13 Color management problem

« on: 2024-08-23, 15:55:15 »

I think I have finished the tests. The whole topic is technical and complicated, and so were the tests, and details matter here.

Please be more detailed and attach all relevant information when sharing tests results - the output conversion (which may be set to automatic, and change from format to format, from Max version to version too) matters here. So here are the results with Corona 12 HF1 (nothing should have changed to color management since then), Max 2024 and 2025:

• PNG (low dynamic range) output from Corona VFB and Max VFB differ, if there is display/view transformation set (default) for output. Confirmed in a simple scene, for Max 2024 and 2025.
• PNG output from Corona VFB and Max VFB are the same, if there is no output conversion set. True for Max 2024 and 2025
• EXR (high dynamic range) output from Corona VFB and Max VFB, without output conversion, are identical for Max 2024 and 2025.
• EXR output from Corona VFB and Max VFB, if there is display/view transformation set (default) for output, will differ only for Max 2025 - now this is the tricky part:

Diplay/view/color transformation-conversions should be ignored for high dynamic range outputs (they should be set by viewing application, e.g. VFBs, and should not alter the original high dynamic range render when saved). Max 2024 did not ignore output conversion (bug) for high dynamic range outputs, and apparently so did and currently does Corona VFB.
But Max 2025 "fixed" it - saving out EXR with (1) or without (2) output conversion, from Max VFB, results to exact same image (correct). Saving EXR from Corona VFB, without output conversion (3), will be correct, as in 1 == 2 == 3. But when saving EXR with explicitly set output conversion, from Corona VFB, will take the conversion settings into consideration and result in a different output.

10

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Corona 13 Color management problem

« on: 2024-08-23, 12:21:50 »

While I was writing this reply, the results started changing, so I will be making more tests.

I can confirm partly what you wrote, but in the exact manner as you describe.
In the meantime, which application are you using for previewing EXR files?

11

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Corona 12 Crash

« on: 2024-08-22, 12:49:21 »

Done!

Another thing that I've noticed regarding chaos scatter. If I open the scene with scatter present ( edge trimming turned on in  the roll out ) and start rendering: If I'm rendering in IR mode, It crashes, In normal render it stucks in parsing mode, with max render windows missing at all.

Then, if I turn edge trimming off and on, it will render normally in both modes.

This can be yet another very good finding!
If that is the case for the scene you have attached, feel free to add that information in the ticket too (if you have not done it yet).
Support guys will process it further for QA.
Thanks.

12

[Max] I need help! / Re: material editor SLOW - i think its a CORONA issue?

« on: 2024-08-22, 12:47:44 »

This is due to the fact that Autodesk ported (almost) all of their UI to Qt, while Corona still uses the win32 UI framework, so any materials from Max will display its UI faster.

Vray rewrote their UI to Qt, see the blog post here:
https://www.chaos.com/blog/the-qt-fication-of-v-ray?srsltid=AfmBOooGKkMEzBLEyVe5Ma_jz6IcgspWyJhZO02MDPrmk3QyDbe6-AN9

The upside of a UI port to Qt is a much snappier UI. The downside is that it takes effort and time and can get complicated.
Corona has avoided porting the UI to Qt for some reason (only VFB2 uses Qt right now as far as I know), probably due to the fact that supporting old max versions would force them to take care of two UI frameworks for each release and UI component. Still, a switch to Qt is long overdue.
Autodesk started porting to Qt in 2016 if I'm not mistaken and finished porting most UI elements in 2019/2020 (with some exceptions though that still make Max slow at redrawing the UI).

tl;dr - unless Corona doesn't port their UI to Qt you will not see any improvement.

This is the all info you need in regard to this.

I will just add that when switching from same type to same type (e.g. from CoronaPhysicalMtl to another CoronaPhysicalMtl, or from CoronaColor to another CoronaColor), the change should be instant or much faster than switching to another type (at least for SME, I have declined to use Compact material editor straight from from Max 2011).
I have also noticed that the longer 3ds Max is open between sessions/scenes, the slower it can get. To get the best performance, you need to restart 3ds Max (it will still not be as fast as Physical or VRayMtl).

13

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Corona 12 Crash

« on: 2024-08-21, 12:01:40 »

Stupid question, how and where do I upload the scene?

You can submit a new ticket at: https://support.chaos.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
and attache the scene.

You can also specify this forum thread in the ticket to keep better track of things.

14

[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Corona 12 Crash

« on: 2024-08-20, 16:05:57 »

Hey, had similar issue, when corona 12 either not rendering or crashed in IR render. In my case - in one of the scenes, I had corona scatter with edge trimming enabled on the chaos scatter rollout. And one of the instanced object that was used for scattering had edge trimming map in opacity slot. Even tho it was disabled in material, it still would crash. Once I've removed the map - it started to render without the problem.

In 2nd scene I as well had chaos scatters, tho I did not had time to check if any of the scatter objects had trimming map, removing chaos scatter for good helped.

UPDATE:

In 3rd scene, I did not had any scattering at all. The scene crashed as soon as I've opened material editor or started IR render

Im noticing crashes running interactive with an object that uses a path deform modifier. If I disable or remove the object using path deform I dont crash.

Both of these cases will be worth to investigate, and seems you did great work identifying where the issues may be.
Please, if possible, submit the scenes (or trimmed down versions of them) for us to have a look. Thanks.

15

[Max] Daily Builds / Re: Chaos Corona 13 for 3ds Max - Daily Builds Discussion

« on: 2024-08-19, 16:50:07 »

Okay, sorry about that. I'll try to be more clear. I just meant this (render history A/B comparison). When I use DR, it no longer saves the CXR file. But without DR it saves it.

Hi,

I have finally found time to conduct some tests for this. Corona 12 fh1, Max 2024:

• When rendering a single frame, with DR, the history autosave works as expected - file is saved on the master. Nodes do not save anything (it would be incomplete anyway). If confirmation window for deletion appears, OK-ing it will remove some file(s) and save, if cancelled, output will be saved without any deletion (this means confirmation window will appear on the next round of rendering too, as file count/size is reached)
• When rendering sequences, Max will throw a warning message, that only the last file will be saved, prompting for output. History autosave (not output autosave) is expected to not work here, which is fine with the tests too.

If you have a scene where rendering with DR does not do history autosave, please send it over and we will test it.

For the rest:
• Stopping (but not cancelling? any thoughts on this) IR should make history autosave. Currently it doesn't, only when pass limit is reached - this will be reported.
• Output autosave (the one made for full, complete renders by design), worked as expected in any scenario - single or sequence rendering, with or without DR. It automatically overwrote oldest files.

My suggestion is to use history autosave for IR (iterating over design, local rendering), and for complete frames use Output autosave, that is given you have not explicitly specified output for renders in Max.
The main difference is that history autosave automatically adds history items for convenience. But you can still load CXR from output autosave into history.

Another suggestion:
Output autosave automatically overwrites old files to store new ones, without any confirmation window.
Does it make sense to implement the same behavior for history autosave too?

Hope this clears things out.