Messages

1

General CG Discussion / 3dsMax file size increases considerably after saving to new version of Max

« on: 2025-06-04, 15:51:34 »

I've had an issue for a while now when I save a file to a new version of 3dsMax, the size of the file becomes multiple times larger than it was originally. Has anyone else experienced this or know what the cause may be? For example, I'll start a project in Max 2024 and it'll be around 60MB, then I'll save it to 3dsMax 2025, and it may balloon up to 240MB.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: Issues with Step amount in Mapping Randomizer

« on: 2025-04-09, 17:34:11 »

Yes, but first you need to know what the texture size is in generic units. :)

Right, but in this case, it looks like inches=generic units as that dimension of the texture is 110" long and I needed 5.5" steps (to correspond to a 1x6 board).

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[Max] I need help! / Re: Issues with Step amount in Mapping Randomizer

« on: 2025-04-09, 14:21:10 »

It looks like when you are using the real world size option, the mapping randomizer operates on scene units. Here is what I did:
- changed scene units to generic 3ds Max units
- this gave me the bitmap height of 110
- I set "to" offset to 110 (full "one texture tile" offset)
- I set step to 5.5 (110/20)
This seems to be working. Don't think that I "knew" how to do it! I just tried lots of random combinations until I accidentally found this. :D

Thank you Maru. I also confirmed it works without changing the scene units.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: Issues with Step amount in Mapping Randomizer

« on: 2025-04-07, 18:02:39 »

After playing around with it a little, it seems that the Mapping Randomizer works if my texture is square. I was trying to use a real-world size that was slightly rectangular. If I se the texture to be 12' x 12', the step size works as expected.

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[Max] I need help! / Issues with Step amount in Mapping Randomizer

« on: 2025-04-07, 17:32:11 »

I use the Mapping Randomizer component to randomize a wood texture across several boards. My wood texture contains 20 boards, so I set the step amount in the Mapping Randomizer to .05 (1.0/20). However, it seems that it's not actually stepping it by 1/20th.

I've attached an example 3dsMax file and couple images. In the first image, there is no randomization as you can see each board has the same texture. The next image has the randomizer set to X value offset at 0 to 1, with a step of 0.5. I would expect to see different numbers on each board, but it appears the step amount isn't offset the texture correctly.

I have attached the texture I'm using as well. It's a simple guide to figure out if my 20-board texture is aligning correctly.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: Megascans material and displacement

« on: 2025-03-12, 17:32:05 »

You can find it in the bitmap load window. Alternatively you can press data image button and Max will set it automatically for you.

This is a little off topic, but I often load in images and have to manually set the color space to Linear sRGB in order to get the correct result. Is there a good way to do this when loading an image into 3dsmax? If I select 'Data Image', it goes to 'Raw' and the image colors don't appear correct. If I select sRGB, the colors appear too dark (almost black).

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[Max] I need help! / Re: CMasking masks aren't completely white

« on: 2025-02-27, 16:40:47 »

I think it's 3ds Max color management kicking in. The workaround is to use the "data image" option when saving the file or set color conversion to no conversion.
I don't think we can detect that we are saving a mask, but I will share it with devs anyway.
Update: it's the same with V-Ray.

If I keep doing a 'Save All' when a rendering is completed, would there be any harm in setting the Color Conversion to 'No Conversion' even for the non-mask images? I've been leaving it set to Automatic this entire time.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: CMasking masks aren't completely white

« on: 2025-02-27, 15:29:35 »

I can reproduce this. We are investigating.

Thanks Maru!

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[Max] I need help! / Re: CMasking masks aren't completely white

« on: 2025-02-27, 15:13:42 »

Any exposure/tone mapping involved? Sometimes I'm rendering masks 'manually' by using LightMtls to work around limitations and typically have to disable exposure/tone mapping (because I'm using the RGB output, not the alpha channel).

I do have an exposure set, but I don't believe that should affect a CMasking element.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: CMasking masks aren't completely white

« on: 2025-02-27, 15:09:38 »

I suspect it has something to do with how I'm saving it because as the mask renders in the VFB, it appears pure white as it should.

I'm saving the masks as PNG's (using the Save All button), but even if I save as a png in greyscale mode I still don't get a pure white mask.

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[Max] I need help! / Re: CMasking masks aren't completely white

« on: 2025-02-27, 14:47:51 »

This is possibly due to either colour space or CMYK preview in photoshop. Did you by any chance run them through the Corona Image Editor before importing into PS?

I didn't open them in the Image Editor. They are straight from the VFB save. In PS, the image and mask are in RGB mode. The render element is also set to Monochromatic Mode.

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[Max] I need help! / CMasking masks aren't completely white

« on: 2025-02-27, 14:15:11 »

Why would the white portions in my CMasking element not be fully white when opened in PS? I'm saving them as pngs. The white portion is RGB 207 207 207 when opened in PS.

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[Max] I need help! / Modeling liquid volume for caustics

« on: 2024-12-05, 15:38:42 »

When modeling the volume of a liquid for caustics, is it still necessary to make the volume's geometry go beyond its container walls?

For the surface of the liquid, will the solver recognize either a bump map or displacement map for the surface irregularities?

14

[Max] I need help! / Proper use of auto exposure

« on: 2024-12-05, 02:26:00 »

Is highlight compression still necessary when auto exposure is enabled? I'm wondering what the proper technique would be for using the new auto exposure.

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[Max] Bug Reporting / Re: Glass Absorption Color showing through adjacent material

« on: 2024-09-06, 22:16:32 »

Well, I think y'all are right. I was initially confused because the ground/floor in the scene is oak and quite far from these metal clips, so it seemed unlikely that they would be reflecting a surface that was more white with the green absorption color.

I did place a plane below it with the ray-switch material setup as instructed, and they still had a greenish reflecting color.