Chaos Corona Forum

Chaos Corona for 3ds Max => [Max] I need help! => Topic started by: OccultMonk on 2017-01-19, 09:58:40

Title: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: OccultMonk on 2017-01-19, 09:58:40

I have read that disabling cast shadows on an object now uses CoronaRaySwitchMtl. But on floating geometry that I use for small details, It does not appear to be working.

https://coronarenderer.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000516723-how-to-disable-shadow-casting-of-an-object-

https://coronarenderer.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000529341

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: romullus on 2017-01-19, 10:12:31

Could you show result you're getting and your material setup? It should work as described in those articles. Maybe it's ambient occlusion that's messing things up?

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: OccultMonk on 2017-01-19, 10:47:19

The top floating geometry is using the CoronaRaySwitchMtl Directly (Not the XREF Mat). Cast shadows is off for all floating geometry.

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/349/32279909331_68ae01fe35_o.png)

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: OccultMonk on 2017-01-19, 21:22:45

Does anyone know what I could be doing wrong here? It does not seem to matter if I Disable shadow casting of objects. Shouldn't it automatically apply the CorronaRaySwitchMtl? I tried manually applying it, but for this geometry, it does not work. Could it be these meshes have no back faces?

Does anyone know how to best render 'faked' floating geometry?

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: romullus on 2017-01-19, 21:40:24

Maybe it's some kind of bug with xref geometry or xref materials. Could you try to convert your meshes to regular geometry and see if that helps?

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: OccultMonk on 2017-01-19, 22:06:50

They are normal meshes, and I am not using the xref material on the top floating geometry pieces.

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: OccultMonk on 2017-01-20, 08:33:17

Is there no information about rendering floating geometry in Corona? It's a widely used technique to add smaller details, wich are almost impossible to model otherwise. Like small beveled indentations or indentations for screws.

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: maru on 2017-01-20, 10:18:41

You should be able to simply right-click on the object > object properties, and disable "cast shadows". If it does not work either, then maybe what we see is actually a reflection?
Could you share this scene with us? If not this one, then maybe a different, very simple one, where the problem is visible? It seems to work fine here (Corona 1.5.2):

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: romullus on 2017-01-20, 10:25:02

It works here too.

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: OccultMonk on 2017-01-27, 13:15:51

Thanks for the answers!

Maybe a bug in the latest version? I am using the newest Daily Build.

I will try to find what the problem is.

Title: Re: Disable Cast Shadows and GI for 'Fake' Floating geometry
Post by: PROH on 2017-01-27, 21:46:06

Hi OccultMonk. Tested it with latest daily on maxdesign2014, and everything works as expected.

There is however one thing to notice: Objects using a Rayswitch Material, will cast shadows when the "GI" slot isn't empty, no matter if "cast shadow" in object properties is checked or unchecked. I believe this is what you experienced.

So keep it simple, and use either Rayswitch OR object properties - NOT both at the same time!

NB - When unchecking "cast shadow", the object is rendered AS IF it was using a Rayswitch Material - but Corona doesn't actually apply a Rayswitch Material to the object.

Hope it helps