Messages

1

[Max] General Discussion / Re: Create own Default folder structure

« on: 2023-10-20, 15:54:18 »

I feel the same pain, but I have a workaround which is sufficient for my needs. I get one project set up the way I want it, either through Customize/Configure Project Paths... or by editing the .mxp of the current project with a text editor. As long as your folder paths are written as relative (Images=.\sceneassets\images) instead of absolute (Images=C:\AwesomeProject\sceneassets\images), then this will work cleanly from one project to the next. Then, instead of choosing "Create Default" when setting up a new project, I use "Create from Current" which is the next button to the right in the toolbar. There's probably a way of editing the default project folder structure, but I think it's hidden away in an .ini file somewhere and the way I do it now works for me so I've never bothered to figure it out.

Edit to add: For a folder you don't want in your structure, don't delete the line from the .mxp or the Customize/Configure Project Paths... configurator. Instead, just make that path ".\" and the folder won't get created. For instance, in my configuration I have "Sounds=.\" and it doesn't create a sounds folder, but Max is still satisfied that the Sounds folder is accounted for because I think it's hard coded into an .ini file somewhere.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: ADVISE: Very Large Revit model to animate

« on: 2022-12-01, 18:10:35 »

My suggestion is to use Datasmith to send it over to Unreal Engine. We've been going this route for animations lately. It's a little more prep work, but the output is real-time so any iterations/revisions are much faster to output instead of waiting days for a render farm. The Nanite system takes care of the high-poly objects without the need for optimization. UE 5.1 now includes Nanite for vegetation, which is a huge plus.

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[Max] Daily Builds / Re: CoronaDecals playground!

« on: 2022-05-11, 15:26:34 »

Just a query, as i havent had chance to test this feature yet. Can you make the decals tile? Is it purely dependant on the planes UVs for placement?
It got me thinking about stitch lines in fabric and i was just wondering how easy they would be to achieve with decals.

+1 for this. Use case is for diagonal hatch marks painted on pavement. I have several different sized areas to fill and currently need to make different materials for each one. Ideally, I would have one base material (6" wide stripe, 18" wide gap) that can be applied to every CoronaDecal no matter what size it is.

On a related note, it would be great to have non-rectangular CoronaDecals as well. Again, for pavement marking. Many parking lot regions are non-rectangular:

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[Max] I need help! / Re: Clone a node (UVW Randomizer) in Slate Editor

« on: 2021-01-21, 15:41:08 »

But you had the explanatory picture! So - what they showed :)

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[Max] I need help! / Re: Clone a node (UVW Randomizer) in Slate Editor

« on: 2021-01-21, 14:45:14 »

edit: TomG beat me to it. What he said. :)

This can be done with Linear Float controller nodes. I'm not an expert in controller nodes, so I'm not sure if Linear Float is the best one, but it seems to work. The concept is that you're basically connecting one of the text inputs from the UVW Randomizer out to an external node.

Anyway, right click in Slate, go to Controllers/Float Controller/Linear Float. Drag a connection from the output of this node to your UVW Randomizer map. When you let go, you'll be given a list of all the UVW Randomizer inputs. Choose one, and now whatever you enter in that Controller node will show up in the corresponding spot in the UVW Randomizer map. Add separate Controller nodes for each input you'd like to control.

Now if you clone the UVW Randomizer map (just grab the map, don't grab the controllers), it'll connect up to the original controllers. Now you can enter a value in a controller and it'll update each connected UVW Randomizer map. You can even adjust a value inside a UVW Randomizer map, and if it has a controller connected, it'll update the controller and any other UVW Randomizer map connected to it.

6

[Max] Resolved Feature Requests / Re: Please support 3ds Max "Sun Positioner"

« on: 2020-11-10, 15:39:21 »

The Max Daylight System works great, but it always takes a few extra steps to get the Corona stuff plugged in. It would be nice to have it default to the Corona Sun, no skylight, and Coronasky environment when you create it.

7

[Max] I need help! / Re: Camera Match - Interpolate Viewing Position

« on: 2020-10-07, 16:33:22 »

Your question: Given two cameras in different XY locations along the same local Z axis, can you adjust the settings in one to match the view of the other?

Short answer: No.

Medium answer: Not really. You can adjust the field of view of one so that the edges of the view are at just about the same spot (the cones of each camera intersect the walls in the same spot), but the sizes of objects in frame and their location in relation to each other will not match. 

Longer answer: I think you might be trying to solve a different problem than the one you should be trying to solve. In your video, I didn't see the actual photo you're trying to camera match. But if your model is accurate, then your 3D camera should be exactly in the same place as the real camera when the photo was taken. Presumably, that should be inside the room. If it isn't in the same spot, you don't have an accurate camera match.

For an accurate match, you need the physical location and orientation of the camera as well as the focal length of the lens and the camera's sensor width.



You could get dial in the accuracy even more by capturing a distortion map with your specific camera to match barrel distortion with wide angle lenses (or play with the distortion amount in the Max camera), but I've found that location/orientation/focal length/sensor width get me close enough.

The other important detail with a camera match is that your backplate photo must not cropped/rotated. Render your image and composite it with the backplate first, then crop afterwards.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: corona camera match for a DSLR with an ASP-C sensor

« on: 2020-05-21, 00:39:20 »

Crop factor can't be ignored just like that... sorry but this isn't true. When you have anything else than a 36mm sensor, chances are that the focal length of the lens needs to be multiplied by the crop factor since the values are typically specific to a 36mm sensor. You should be able to get this information from the specs.
When in doubt, try to get info on the field of view of the lens on your camera. When you can get this one it'll be a safer bet than uncertain info on sensor and focal length.

I think crop factor only applies when you're trying to compare a camera to its full frame equivalent. For instance, a 50mm lens on a Canon 70D acts like an 80mm lens on a Canon 6D. So if the Corona camera didn't have an adjustable "sensor size" and was fixed at full frame (35mm), then you would definitely have to adjust your Corona camera's focal length to 80mm in order to match a 50mm image shot on a 70D.

As a data point: The DJI Inspire 2 with an X5S camera system has a sensor width of 17.3mm. I shoot footage with a 12mm lens. My Corona camera is set to a film width of 17.3mm and the focal length is 12.124mm (slightly off due to lens distortion). The match is pretty much dead on.

9

Hardware / Re: What's your favorite HID?

« on: 2020-05-20, 22:57:31 »

I had two Evoluent mice. Very comfortable, but the build quality was lacking, especially for an $80 mouse. On one, the rubber detached from the scroll wheel and would just spin without actually scrolling. The other, the usb controller flaked out and would rapidly connect/disconnect. On both, the chrome and rubber coatings deteriorated after a year or so. Both were out of warranty, so Evoluent wouldn't replace them. The Anker vertical mouse has the same comfy form factor as the Evoluent, and is only $20. I did have one die after a couple of years, but like I said, it's only $20. The wireless version is nice, but I'm having interference issues when the receiver is plugged into the same USB bus (I know, that's like saying ATM machine) as something else, so I'm going to pick up the wired version.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: corona camera match for a DSLR with an ASP-C sensor

« on: 2020-05-18, 13:56:28 »

Sure thing. I forgot to mention that the other thing I do to dial in the rotational alignment of the camera. I line up something in the distance, like existing geometry of a sidewalk corner. Then I move the camera's pivot point to that spot. Set the camera's rotation coordinates to local, and now you can adjust pitch/yaw/roll of the camera with that distant object's alignment "locked" so that you only have to pay attention to lining up objects in the foreground. Once you get everything dialed in, lock the XYZ transforms of the camera so you don't accidentally move it when navigating your scene. I use this script for a quick way to lock/unlock your camera: http://www.scriptspot.com/3ds-max/scripts/cameralock

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[Max] I need help! / Re: corona camera match for a DSLR with an ASP-C sensor

« on: 2020-05-14, 14:23:10 »

Go with the 23.5mm spec from Sony. I think the APS-C value is just an approximation if you have no better data to work with. Ignore crop factor, but keep in mind that you may have to tweak the focal length a bit to get everything to line up due to lens distortion, so your final result won't be exactly 16mm. You could generate a lens distortion map for your particular lens (https://forum.corona-renderer.com/index.php?topic=21064.0), but I never had time to do that and have gotten good enough results without it.

When taking your stills from the drone, I recommend also getting a shot with the camera pointing straight down so that you have a good visual of your drone's exact location over the ground. The GPS coordinates will get you close, but this eliminates the guess work.

Good luck!

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[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: An internal error occurred: wxWidgets assertion failure.

« on: 2019-10-15, 19:31:52 »

I received the same error today.  I was rendering an old scene from 2014.  I think it happened shortly after I clicked the Ctrl-C button in the frame buffer. I had already done interactive rendering a couple of times with a material change as well as an A/B history comparison in the frame buffer.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: Corona for 3ds MAX 2020 not working

« on: 2019-05-23, 14:39:58 »

I had a similar issue.  I had to go into the settings in the installer and add Max 2020 to the selection.  It was not selected by default.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: I'm looking for a new clean CMU texture

« on: 2019-04-01, 19:37:41 »

Masonry Designer from Acme Brick lets you build full wall textures in stack, running, third bonds using standard, soldier, or header coursing and lots of mortar colors.  It won't have every single brick style, but they often have something close to what I need.  I see a few different CMU options, but they might be a little rough for what you're looking for.  Still, a good resource to have for brick.

15

[Max] I need help! / Re: Corrupt Max file layers not appearing

« on: 2019-02-05, 13:53:56 »

Sure thing!  Make sure you file a bug report.