Messages

61

[Max] I need help! / Erratic Behaviour of mParticle Position with 360 Degree Camera

« on: 2020-05-30, 23:16:43 »

I have rendered a 400 frame 360 degree stereoscopic medical animation that consists of a boxfull of mParticles. (See attachment)
Particles represent 3 particles in the blood. (Neutrophyl, Macrophage and Natural Killer Cell) My camera is in the middle of the box, surrounded with a collision sphere so that particles don't come very close to the camera. Scene is rendered perfectly.

I need to add the names of these three different particles on one of each type over the rendered frames.

As the viewport is not capable of correctly previewing 360 degree projection, it is very hard to place the text in the correct position.
I noticed -however- that Interactive render somehow moves the particles to the correct position in the viewport. (Just as in the rendered image) I determined the particles which I'll link the texts to, displayed their particle IDs and linked the texts to three particles by using Script Controller.

When the Interactive render window is active, (After moving the time slider one time) I see the texts perfectly aligned throughout the entire animation. Texts move with their corresponding particles. They are in the middle of the rendered image as they should be.
If I start production render the texts move to the lower left corners of the stereo pairs, totally incorrect place.

Only moving the time slider in IR mode updates the text positions to the correct place. (See the attachment with region render)
I'm literally out of ideas. What might it be, that updates the text and particles during interactive rendering, but not in the final rendering?

Edit: I ve attached the 2020 version Max file file for those who are interested in. It is originally created with Max 2020. (Saved from Max 2021 though) Didn't include the maps as they are only background files. I tried to convert it to the oldest version possible to make the file available to more folks around here, but the  particle positions change completely when converted to version 2018, so the oldest version I could save was 2020.

62

[Max] I need help! / Re: Camera Clipping / Slicing

« on: 2020-05-20, 09:33:21 »

Have you considered using the Slice modifier? It is a simple plane that can cut the model into two regions any of which can be made invisible by selecting Top or Bottom options. The plane can be moved or rotated in sub-object mode.
The modifier can be applied to a set of object as instances so you can just select the necessary objects and apply the modifier, adjust the position and orientation, select Remove Top or Bottom, then as a last step, use the Cap Holes modifier to cap the ends.

Hope this helps.

Edit: You can also consider excluding the shadow casting roof and necessary models to illuminate interiors. I don't know if there is any way to exclude illumination of environment GI, but you can try placing a sphere with a light material assigned to it, then you can assign your HDR to the light material. You might have to invert the normals of the sphere to illuminate inside it. Although it seems possible, I see a very apparent firefly type of grains with HDRs. I'm not sure how to manage that.

63

[Max] General Discussion / Re: Max 2021 install soon?

« on: 2020-03-26, 16:24:01 »

I've heard about plugins compiled for 3dsmax 2020 being usable directly for 3dsmax 2021, but upon copying 3dsmax 2020 files into 2021 folders manually, Max started crashing when it accesses CoronaMax2020.dlr.

I didn't uninstall the previous installation though. Just saying.

64

[Max] I need help! / Re: How to use a video file as texture?

« on: 2020-03-20, 09:03:55 »

Mp4 normally doesn't work and it is hard to find a non-problematic avi-codec that works for 3dsmax. Start frames get mixed up and you can't sync video. It is best to use sequence files via a text file created from bitmap selection dialog. When you select the first frame of a sequence of frames and check Sequence in that dialog, 3DSMax creates a text file with IFL extension that contains your file names in an order. That's the native method.
There is also a FFMPeg plugin for 3DSMax created by a Chinese guy, which worked brilliantly, But the last version I have the plugin is for 3DSMax 2018. No new versions as of my last search. MP4 Import is a real need for a 3D artist.

65

[Max] I need help! / Re: Help on Constantly Crashing Scene

« on: 2020-03-18, 09:56:26 »

Something interesting has happened: After frame 2074, the PC managed to render more than 150 frames. :) It was still rendering at 8.00AM. Crashed around 9.00. :D This scene is about to be completed but I'm still curious about the reason of these crashes. Any developments?

66

[Max] I need help! / Re: Help on Constantly Crashing Scene

« on: 2020-03-17, 18:27:33 »

You'd better watch it on an Oculus Go. It is way more exciting. :) I'll share when it's done.

Just hit render for animation starting from frame 1500-2350. Expect the crash in a few frames. As I've stated in the first message,  I have managed to render 50 frames at a time at its best, but more often it crashes in less than 20 - even 10 frames.

I have deleted the omni lights with their corresponding volume light effect - as it is known to cause problems in Corona Interactive- but it didn't help.
There is also smoke in the air assigned to the Direct Visibility Override slot. I have never considered deleting it.

I've just restarted after a crash from frame 2074. Previously started at 2051. Crashed in 23 frames.

Sorry I forgot to tell, the crash occurs at Parsing Scene phase. I've tried not using the denoiser just before that, to see if it helps, but nope!

67

[Max] I need help! / Re: Help on Constantly Crashing Scene

« on: 2020-03-17, 15:43:36 »

Here you are. :)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zdoPf5VisB0hgDXI3N6K5TF0O9Mt24zf

68

[Max] I need help! / Help on Constantly Crashing Scene

« on: 2020-03-17, 11:49:16 »

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zSURcrmreRLzAyqOw8jMpMSfClMRTJx9

This is a 3dsmax archive file of a 2350 frame stereoscopic VR animation scene I'm working on.

The scene is created on 3dsmax 2020 Update 3 and frequently crashes (especially after frame 1450) while being rendered with Corona 5.

I've tested the scene with a Ryzen TR PC with 128GB ram, too, so I believe it is not a low memory issue.

The two omni lights at the center of two spherical objects are supposed to emit volumetric lights with 3dsmax's native Environment Volume Light effects. It is visible until frame 1500, and scene rendered fine until around 1450.
After frame 1450 both spheres gradually become invisible (via invisibility), two instanced omni lights' intensity gradually decreases by the Multiplier parameter. They're totally off after frame 1500.
(Rendering time at frames 1450-1500 are relatively long compared to other frames probably due to visibility change. Rendering times change from 3 minutes to 20 minutes)

They're currently both turned off. I have even tried deleting them but I could at best render 50 frames without a crash, and at  worst had an immeadiate crash.

There is an HDR file in Corona Environment and a Sunlight illuminating the scene. One of the two seems to be worsening the isssue as I have once rendered the scene completely without any lights, but only a white colour as Environment. Crashed a few times at the time though.

I appreciate if you can help me find the culprit. Right now I'm sitting in front of the PC waiting to restart rendering at every crash.

69

[Max] I need help! / Re: Help on Camera DOF

« on: 2020-02-16, 14:17:55 »

I'm not unfamiliar with F-stops and sorts of photography parameters however, my camera is 330cm away from the subject and the background wall is 100cm away from the subject.
I need is some sort of fake DOF setup. The subject and front of it should be in focus while the background (at 1 m dist. from the subject) will be blurred. The floor has an image on it and it should also reflect the changing focus. I guess I'm trying to achieve something physically impossible.
Sample image is nice but the subject is in focus while both the front and back is out of focus.

70

[Max] I need help! / Re: VR Render for Oculus Go

« on: 2020-02-16, 14:08:30 »

I've had a chance to use the device with Corona. Finished two projects.
Both the device and Corona is brilliant in creating amazing stereoscopic 360 3D.  :) I'm here for those whoever need help on the matter.

71

[Max] I need help! / Help on Camera DOF

« on: 2020-02-14, 23:54:49 »

I have a camera, targeted and focused onto a glass marble.
When I turn on DOF and set some parameters, my glass marble is focused and sharp, while the background and foreground are blurred.
I need to make the scene behind the marble blurred but the marble and the scene in front of the marble sharp and focused.

Near will be in focus with the marble and the back will be blurred. Any help on this?

72

[Max] I need help! / Urgent Help Needed on Global Volume

« on: 2020-01-26, 15:45:16 »

I could never achieve a volumetric light effect with Global Volume, very probably because I can never manage the range of settings which creates the correct effect. I only have fog covering everywhere.

I need to achieve the effect in the image and I need it to be created in 3d (not in post) because this is going to be a stereoscopic animation.

Can you help me walk through this?

73

[Max] I need help! / VR Render for Oculus Go

« on: 2020-01-04, 11:23:25 »

I see that there is VR rendering in Corona. That's amazing. I wonder if it is compatible with Oculus Go?

Are there any prerequisites to create Oculus Go compatible stereoscopic, panoramic renders? Resolution, codec, specific settings etc.

74

[Max] I need help! / Re: Transparent Material with Hidden Backfaces

« on: 2019-11-22, 22:26:55 »

What I am basically trying to say is - wouldn't it be more practical (easier and faster) to use Scanline here?

It is sometimes, but on transparent materials and raytracing applications it is way more slow and impractical. That's why I don't use scanline that much.

I couldn't reproduce the case again to send image, by the way. Could it be possible that I was testing with interactive rendering and it isn't updated on certain changes?

75

[Max] I need help! / Re: Transparent Material with Hidden Backfaces

« on: 2019-11-22, 09:23:55 »

I need urgent help on one other thing:

I have my body setup with 3dsmax Double Sided Material. Back side is a Shadow Catcher Material and Front side is a transparent material with Falloff. Image seems perfect.

The Internal organs are casting shadows on the Shadow Catcher assigned back faces. If I disable Shadow casting of internal organs, it works, but I need the shadows of that object on itself. (Intestines need shadows)
The only solution is to disable the shadow receiving of the Shadow Catching body. It doesn't seem to help. Shadow Catcher settings like Shadow Amount doesn't seem to help.

Not exactly sure but I presume it might be because of the HDR Map illuminating the scene.