Author Topic: Batch Rendering with Scene States + Corona HDR Issue  (Read 5781 times)

2018-01-26, 10:14:19

FlorianW.

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Alright Guys, that's gonna be a big one;

We are using a pipeline for big projects with 50+ Shots in a single 3dsMax Scene.

- every shot has it's own Layer in 3ds max.
- every shot is a batch in the BatchRenderDialog.
- every shot has it's own Scene State combined with the batch (Note: only the Layer Properties are saved, just to toggle the Layer on/off, because other attributes are buggy, like light attributes)

The benefit of this workflow is that we have a tool to quickly flick trough the scene and the batch/scenestates settings are being restored automatically or i can submit 50+ Shots to our Renderfarm with one mouse click, which is incredible, BUT....

the only thing which doesn't work is to use diffrent HDRI's because we have no CoronaDome, neither i can animate the "Scene Environment: Use Corona" Slot.

is there a workaround?

Thanks!
3dsMax 2021 - Corona 5

2018-01-26, 11:27:56
Reply #1

maru

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Just to make sure: you would like to set up different scene states with different HDRIs loaded? Is that correct?
Marcin Miodek | chaos-corona.com
3D Support Team Lead - Corona | contact us

2018-01-26, 11:39:57
Reply #2

FlorianW.

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Yes, excactly! it would be just nice to have something for HDRI's to place them in a scene like an object or a dome, rather than it being only controlable in the render global menu. All other corona lights, like rectangles or spheres are placed on layers and are workin absolutley perfect, just struggling with HDRI's

For small daily Projects, i love the Scene Environment Tab from Corona. It's simple and works fine!
It would be just nice to have a "Corona Dome" additional to the global Menu.
« Last Edit: 2018-01-26, 11:48:49 by sequana »
3dsMax 2021 - Corona 5

2018-01-26, 12:08:09
Reply #3

Frood

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i can submit 50+ Shots to our Renderfarm with one mouse click, which is incredible

This is after my fancy :) I do not use scene states and it's sad to read that they apparently are still buggy (the reason why we never used them) but I use frames and animation/keying + Backburner to achieve something similar.

Recently I needed different HDRIs for several shots in one scene and the workaround was to misuse CoronaMultiTexmap and animating the frequency (all zero except the one you need at a specific frame). So maybe if you add another dimension (timeline) you could solve this. Unfortunately there is still no simple switch map yet.

Another idea would be to use an IFL-sequence (depending on your needs, you would be able to externally edit your HDRI list in the IFL textfile if you have many or the same ones on many frames) but I have not tried this because there have been IFL-issues with Corona since ever (CoronaBitmap even does not load IFLs atm. btw.) and I needed only 3 different ones.


Good Luck




« Last Edit: 2018-01-26, 12:12:40 by Frood »
Never underestimate the power of a well placed level one spell.

2018-01-26, 12:38:08
Reply #4

PROH

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Hi. I use a CoronaMultiMap as well, in the exact way described by Frood. This method has one big advantage over the IFL method: You can have different settings (rotation, level, etc.) for each HDRI.

But I sure would like a easier method to switch between different backgrounds :)

2018-01-26, 12:43:19
Reply #5

FlorianW.

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Thanks for those Ideas, i agree, these are some good workarounds but i still think it's unnecessary complicated because the solution to this would be so simple if the dome wouldn't have been killed. RIP

and scene states:
If you just use "Layer Properties" to toggle layers on and off, it's is very stable, hadn't had an error in 3years now and currently realizing all my projects with this pipeline.
3dsMax 2021 - Corona 5

2018-01-26, 16:09:42
Reply #6

Frood

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You can have different settings (rotation, level, etc.) for each HDRI.

The IFL would be piped through some (bitmap-)node like any other map, which in turn could be animated... But it's maybe easier to have it fixed for all frames - agree.


Good Luck


Never underestimate the power of a well placed level one spell.

2018-01-26, 17:48:03
Reply #7

iancamarillo

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Use the environment background (8) to switch between hdri's for state sets.

On another note, have you noticed a bug where max crashes when switching between state sets if the render panel is open? Or when submitting all jobs to the farm, it goes much quicker with the render panel closed.

2018-01-26, 22:55:40
Reply #8

FlorianW.

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I'm not talking about State Sets, i'm talking about Scene States.
3dsMax 2021 - Corona 5

2018-01-26, 23:34:04
Reply #9

PROH

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Haven't checked it yet, but according to the 2018 help files Scene States does include the Environment map, as said by iancamarillo.

2018-01-28, 17:37:36
Reply #10

PROH

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Just tested it with max2016, and changing the environment map does work with Scene States.

2018-01-29, 17:02:47
Reply #11

FlorianW.

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Thanks again!

Yes until now, this was my emergency solution, but as i said, triggering the environment slot with scene states on heavy projects is a bit unstable, we only use layer triggering.
Also: the only stuff i can then modify with this solution, is everything inside Corona Bitmap combined with some cc or grading, so not much :)

I guess i was just curious about why corona has no dome. It seems pretty logical to me to have ability to control HDRI light independently from render globals, and be able to exclude/include for e.g.

But thanks everybody for trying to find a better solution then now!
Cheers!
3dsMax 2021 - Corona 5

2022-06-29, 12:43:13
Reply #12

Darawork

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Just tested it with max2016, and changing the environment map does work with Scene States.

This is still working in Corona 7 and Max 2020. ;)
Windows 10/11, 3DS Max 2022, Revit 2023, AutoCad 2023, Dell Precision 5810/20, nVidia Quadro P5000/RTX 5000, Corona 10/11.

2022-06-29, 16:32:36
Reply #13

piotrus3333

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scene states with max's enviro setup were always stable.
Marcin Piotrowski
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