Topics

61

[Max] I need help! / Post-process background, with overrides?

« on: 2021-03-03, 13:26:56 »

I'm sure this has been discussed to death... it's at least bugged me for many, many years, but I'm still unable to figure out any good solution...

The problem; I want a Corona sky to illuminate my interior scene. BUT I want a custom (site-specific) 360 panorama to be visible in the background.

Obviously I can set the Corona Sky as my background, and the HDRI as overrides.

First problem; the weird Corona bug with noisy renders when reflect environment override is in use. Is this fixed yet? Is it close to being fixed? This seems like a pretty major problem...

Problem #2: If I want to 'edit' the background once the render is complete, I run into problems. Obviously I can save my render as *.cxr and export out the image as PNG with alpha background on. This allows me to put a custom background pic into the image in photoshop behind my big glass windows. The problem is that I lose a lot of detail in the reflections of the glass. I get matting on the sides of the window frames (and other objects that are infront of the glass windows). So I can't easily 'paste' in a background.

So, my only option left is to render in the background plates for clean, custom views out of my window. But this solution, of course, allows for no flexibility in editing my background after rendering.

Is this clear? Do others experience this paradox? Is there a solution I'm unaware of?

Many thanks for any input...

62

[Max] Resolved Bugs / Bug; composite material

« on: 2021-02-16, 08:25:33 »

Hi,

Not sure if it's a bug, so much as an unsupported texture?

But I've noticed since upgrading to the latest daily (8th Jan 2021, or maybe the one previous) that I get a LOT of crashes. I think I've boiled this down to materials that are using 'composite' maps.

I've attached a screenshot of the offending material set-up (it's from a purchased model, I didn't choose to use composite). The crash happens after a second launching of the IR. By this I mean the IR works fine once, I stop it, start it again and then I get the crash.

Scene is also attached (without materials, I can archive it if you want?)

Let me know how you go. Cheers,

63

[Max] Feature Requests / Save proxy to project folder

« on: 2021-02-08, 12:52:44 »

Hi, a simple little request:

When I export a proxy with the corona dialogue, it'd be really handy if the save destination could automatically be set to the destination of the file currently open.

I understand that it's also handy that it's currently defaulted to the last used destination folder, but more often than not I have to waste a few extra clicks to export to the folder I just opened...

Anyway, just a thought! Thanking you for your consideration.

64

[Max] General Discussion / Corona Volume Material Not affecting HDRI background

« on: 2021-02-02, 15:38:40 »

I've noticed this for a long time but never investigated well enough...

Why is it that when I use Corona Sky Environment + Volume Material I get the expected foggy sky... but if I use a hdri as the environment, the foggy sky no longer exists and the background is just simply the hdri unaffected?

Am I missing something? Thanks!

65

General CG Discussion / Panning style in 3DSmax 2021

« on: 2021-01-12, 08:50:07 »

Just wondering if anyone knows how to disable what seems to be a new (or reset) viewport panning option in 3DS max 2021.

If I click with middle mouse button while hovering over a (close) object, the panning moves as expected. If I have my mouse in blank space, the panning is very sensitive and hard to control.

See video attached, for further explanation. Thanks!

66

[Max] I need help! / [solved] Phoenix FD Wetmap invisible in material editor

« on: 2021-01-05, 17:23:24 »

A quickie: does it work?

Does corona somehow utilize the Phoenix FD Wetmap... if so, how?

67

[Max] Daily Builds / CoronaDisplacement modifier doesn't work

« on: 2020-12-17, 17:05:25 »

Title says it all really. Using Max 2020, most recent daily of Corona 7.

I apply a displacement to a material (both legacy and PBR) and it works fine. If I apply a CoronaDisplacementMod onto the object the displace refuses to work. Should be easy to replicate if this is indeed a bug and I'm not doing something wrong...?

68

Off-Topic / Tips for creating interactive model?

« on: 2020-12-03, 14:35:55 »

Hi all,

I've had a client request to produce a 3D model and interactive online viewing tool for it.

Something like this:
https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/heat-pump-3d-model-21ef506a959743e984bbf646782a265d

I've always known in the back of my mind this should be possible, but right now I'm at a blank as which software/plugins/tools or whatever, I should use to create such a feature...

Any leads?

Doesn't have to be photorealistic (ie; doesn't need Corona involved), but it'd be nice to have some control over the material/lighting.

69

General CG Discussion / Animating trees and plants

« on: 2020-11-17, 10:00:24 »

Something I've failed at multiple times is animating trees/plants gently swaying in the wind.

I know this is possible, as I see it often in Corona (among others) rendered animations.

But I'm yet to find a suitable workflow or technique that gives a realistic result. Ideally, I'd take one of my existing 'still' trees from my Library and somehow animate the trunk swaying, the branches wiggling and the leaves fluttering. I know there are some good pre-made animated trees (but I haven't discovered these? Any tips?).

So, my question; what technique do you suggest for me to animate plants and trees in 3DsMax. I know there is probably different workflows for different needs, ie; background trees vs close-up of foreground trees moving in the wind.

Thanks!

70

[Max] I need help! / PFlow/TyFlow Particle age and animated bitmap texture

« on: 2020-11-10, 18:23:20 »

I've been following this tutorial:

ab_channel=RagdollStudioLLC

It's all worked fine except I can't for the life of me get the animated *.mov file bitmap texture to match the particle age of the planes, as it should (and does in the example).

I've replicated this set-up in both Pflow and TyFlow, but both give me the same problem. I have attached the scene as it is. If I untick 'sync frames to particle age' the texture works fine (but it's not synced to the particle age of course, it animates fine as I scribble through the timeline), but if I tick it the texture simply doesn't show or work.

Is there something here I'm missing? I understand Corona supports both animated *.mov files as textures AND PFlow particle age... so why can't I get this to work? Something tells me UVW mapping or scale might have something to do with it, but this is a guess...

Thanks for any tips :)

71

[Max] I need help! / Make people 'solid' but 'transparent'

« on: 2020-10-20, 10:41:04 »

Sorry for the confusing title, but I'm not sure how else to describe this problem or the solution I'm looking for...

I often render out 'ghosted' white people in sketch renders. I usually do this on a separate pass and photoshop it in later. I'm trying to avoid this step and render the ghosted people into the final beauty pass....

See my attached render - this is a work-in-progress. It's close to the effect I want, but I don't want to see the other side of the people - ie; no arm, just a flat (basically 2d) person. The proper effect is achieved by turning on self-illumination, but if I also want the person 50% transparent, then that's when I get the extra detail I don't want...

Any tips how I might achieve this?

Thanks!

72

[Max] Feature Requests / Distance from 'material' rather than object

« on: 2020-10-14, 13:26:18 »

This might be a slightly radical/crazy idea,

But what if we could apply a "Distance from" a material, rather than an object in the Corona Distance Texmap.

This would be useful in that I wouldn't have to continually add items to the list in the texmap node, and it would essentially auto-update every time I apply a certain (the selected "distance from") material to another object.

Hope this is clear and makes sense.

Just a thought!

73

[Max] General Discussion / process for new camera creation

« on: 2020-08-21, 04:22:36 »

Hi,

I'd like to know what decisions Corona makes when I click on the 'create corona camera from current view" button. I can't seem to figure out how corona decides which camera settings should be used (ie: tonemapping, post-processing etc). Does it simply use the settings from the global camera settings? Or the previously selected camera? Or the previously rendered settings? Does it also depend on if I have another camera selected at the time?

I trust there is some logic behind which tonemapping settings are applied to a freshly created corona camera, I just haven't been able to recognise what it may be.

Many thanks for any clarification.

74

[Max] General Discussion / Install Corona without Max

« on: 2020-06-20, 16:07:07 »

Hi,

Just quickly.

I'm wanting a client of mine to have access to one of my CXR files for them to play around in it...

If I ask them to download Corona on a trial basis, will it be possible for them to install it if they do not have any other 3D software installed?

Many thanks,

75

[Max] Resolved Bugs / VFB doesn't update performance settings

« on: 2020-06-19, 09:07:12 »

Hi,

A little bug I've noticed in the past few days. I'm using the current latest daily.

When I update the noise level target, or the total passes (in the max settings) while rendering is taking place, although these targets are updated in the Corona VFB they are not adhered to. That is, they still follow the old targets as set when rendering is started.

This previously worked as expected, ie; I have 50 passes set, I press render, then when I change it to 25 passes, the rendering stops when hitting 25 passes (Same for noise level). However now, the updated target isn't followed.

I hope this makes sense? See attached. Thanks!