Messages

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: Corona 12.2 LUT Errors

« on: 2025-04-29, 14:26:57 »

The LUT still seems to drop out on some files 🤷‍♂️… but I just have to keep my eye on it. Perhaps it will stick on all files I ‘start from scratch’. Updating corona during existing scenes probably wasn’t a smart thing to do

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: Corona 12.2 LUT Errors

« on: 2025-04-29, 03:55:18 »

I think i have resolved it by adding its location via the 'Customise/configure project paths' in 3dsmax.

C:Program Files/Chaos/Corona/lut

Seems to be working.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: Chaos Vantage who is actually using it ?

« on: 2025-04-29, 03:52:24 »

I have not used Vantage and I am unsure why it's such a big deal ?

Can anyone give me links to animations that are using it that have been exported from Corona ? Why would I want to pay an additional $1000 AUD to use it when I am already paying for Corona. Seems like a big spend to use it including the additional cost of getting high-end GPU's to get the most out of it.

Any expert opinion's on this would be great.

I had a very brief play with it. Trial for vantage is too short to provide any useful opinions.
To date, i have looked into vantage ($80), D5 ($30), and i'll start looking into UE ($0)

D5 is very easy to use. Most corona textures and lights come through without too many issues.

Vantage was very similar to D5. But if they can iron out the live link bugs, and create a seamless/stable connection with Corona-  it would be very appealing.

UE has a steep learning curve, which is why i haven't committed to it -- but it's free

None of the above really compare with Corona (ie:from a render quality point of view) but i'm sure the gap will continue to clase.,
At this stage if you are looking at it from an animation/interactive experience, then it has a lot of merit.

My biggest gripe with it, (as you suggest) is the price to run it in conjunction with corona.
Based on the pricing structure, (unless you have deep pockets) you really need to decide: Corona or Vantage - but not both.

I do hope Chaos try to impliment a lite version of Vantage as an 'add-on' for corona and vray users. Sure, create full version suite for people who want to skip the corona/vray process... but for those of us who prioritise quality for static imagery, it would be nice to be able to switch to a Vantage render engine for the purposes of creating animations.

Based on my limited knowledge of UE, you can switch between Raytrace and Nanite for render process. Raytrace i 'think is better quality' but nanite lets your work with obscenely complex files.
Rather than buying additional software for the privillage, you simply switch between the two. Oh wait... its free, so the benefit of having an addon is irrelevant.

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[Max] General Discussion / Corona 12.2 LUT Errors

« on: 2025-04-28, 09:21:14 »

I just installed corona 12.2. Has anyone else had issues with LUT files not loading? I get the message "Error loading LUT file C:\Program..... blah blah". Error occurred while reading the file.

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[Scatter] I need help! / I can't stop using forest pack. Help me let go!!

« on: 2024-12-12, 12:26:53 »

No matter how many times i try to switch to chaos scatter, i fall back into bad habits and resort to using forest pack again!
Is there any reason for me to hold on to forest pack? or should i just commit to using CS?

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Gallery / Re: Minimal Space – Exploration Playground

« on: 2024-12-12, 12:19:55 »

beautiful detailing. Great work.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: issues controlling reflection/refraction through glass

« on: 2021-07-01, 09:39:17 »

yep.  Either Corona is missing one checkbox.... or i just can't find it.

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[Max] General Discussion / Re: issues controlling reflection/refraction through glass

« on: 2021-07-01, 07:53:43 »

No luck. Doesn't matter if i make it 1.001 or 10. It still cuts out the billboard image.

Another workaround is the open the properties of the glass object and switch off 'visible to reflecttion/refraction'.... however when you import the image in aftereffects the alpha channel clips out the glass and therefore removes thereflection from the glass.

9

[Max] General Discussion / issues controlling reflection/refraction through glass

« on: 2021-06-29, 10:02:44 »

(The attached pdf seemed corrupted. I have added 3 jpgs instead).

I have finally given up trying to resolve this issue by myself. I am posting in the hope that someone can guide me towards the answer so that i don't have to render twice and fix in post :|
If i place a billboard behind my scene to cast reflections from the photo on my water, i can't project the image through the glass onto the water without embedding the image in the glass material.

I have attached a pdf which hopefully helps to explain the issue....

Page 1.
The basic setup in 3dsmax, with the object and material properties. Nothing too complex. Just basic glass materials and a corona Light material for the billboard. The checkboxes "visible to refractions" and "visible to reflections" do what they are supposed to do, but I can only assume that i am doing something wrong, or there is another checkbox somewhere.

Page 2.
The main image shows what happens when i check "reflections only'. It renders as you would expect... however it can't penetrate the glass, to project the image onto the waters surface. The background override (black) appears on the waters surface instead of the billboard image.
If i select the 'visible to refractions' it projects the image onto the water.... but now the image embeds itself IN the glass.

Page 3.
Shows the final image with the glass and water reflection appearing as you would expect. However to get this result, i have to render two passes to remove what i don't want. Annoying.

I would be most grateful for any suggestions.