help with caustics

[klipanos]

Hello guys!!
I'm making a scene that is a part of a bigger plan.
I can't create any caustics in the water... any suggestions???I tried many things but nothing,also pool 2 is rendered with Bdir/Vcm,
The settings from the water is from the pool 1a.
i'm waiting your recomedations!!
Thank's!!

[vertigo1]

That is a tough scene to test results with. I would set something up much simpler to begin with, and easier to read the results of the settings. Maybe instead of the landscaping, just a simple light colored wall with no texture. Perhaps even use the same material for the pool itself so that there is less distraction in the texture, making it easier to read the result of the refractive caustics.

[Avan]

I am work in a new project and can share my water settings, maybe this can be helpful for u. ;)

[vertigo1]

Just found an interesting little setting in the light source that all but eliminated fireflys "occlude other lights", also some material settings and the Max 2014 file if you would like to poke around:

edit: Just realized that I also have "cast shadows" disabled in the water object's "object properties" as the shadows cast by it were overpowering to my eyes.

[klipanos]

Thank's man!!!!! i 'll try it immediately!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seems like you solve a  problem !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

****
I can't open the max file you attached though... i have an older version of 3ds 2014 than yours... can you resave it????
Thank's for helping!!!!

[Avan]

klipanos, i do not want ro upset you, but if you make big plan, vcm mode not good idea. Also, you may use alpha 5, because vcm in 6 has some troubles. https://forum.corona-renderer.com/index.php/topic,3375.msg24758.html#msg24758 And finally this mode slow down you render much more than progressive mode. I think this feature half functional now and no reason for using alpha 5 except this.

[klipanos]

Avan thank's!!!! i keep that in mind!!!

[vertigo1]

Saved it down to Max 2011 :)

[maru]

Can you get caustics from a glass material caused by bump map? I tried and fail both in progressive and VCM modes.

[maru]

Looks like it's possible to get decent caustics only by using VCM, BDPM or PPM but they are pretty useless for all the rest of the rendering. :)

[vertigo1]

Best approach currently (^for stills) would probably be to fake it by projecting light with an image such as this:

http://www.dmrdesigns.com.ar/download/Caustic.jpg

This would allow using the more ideal progressive engine for the rest of the scene, and you could also more easily control the intensity of the caustic illumination and the surfaces on which it is cast:

[Avan]

Best approach currently (^for stills) would probably be to fake it by projecting light with an image such as this:

http://www.dmrdesigns.com.ar/download/Caustic.jpg

This would allow using the more ideal progressive engine for the rest of the scene, and you could also more easily control the intensity of the caustic illumination and the surfaces on which it is cast:

Great trick! Thank you! Didnt know about this before.

[klipanos]

Nice !! Thank you!!!

[klipanos]

This is how far i can go.... after many many many many tries i concluded to this result...
it doesn't satisfy me fully but i think is a good result!!!!

[romullus]

I find A5 was better to play with caustics, since vcm in A6 disregards material absorption. If i should need to render pool scene, i'd most likely render water with caustics separately from main scene, and combine them in post later.

[sawaxe]

Best approach currently

Thanks for this trick!
I used your method in their work here:
https://forum.corona-renderer.com/index.php/topic,3703.0.html