Multi-material, normal maps, dont work correctly for light paths

[sirc]

Hi, I've been experimenting with shaping the distribution of light output with normal maps and displacement maps applied to a single surface of an object.

I looks like the ray tracing from the camera, the eye path, takes this in account correctly, but the photon mapping and light paths are not affected by
normal maps at all, and if I start using multimaterials with different sub materials even simple refraction of photons seems to break.

This is in alpha version 6.1, and using VCM or light tracing.

Am I correct? Is this also the case in the commercial version?
Is there a work around, or pending bug fix?

Thanks!

Chris.

[maru]

Please describe what you are doing so that we could try recreating it in newer version.

[sirc]

Ok, I don't know how to insert inline images, but anyways see attached.

Scene setup: scene_setup
The red face has a different material ID.

Then two cases:

Multimaterial

Here, if I use two different material instances, that are identical in setup, the refraction doesn't work on the top interface.
If I use two times the same material instance it does work.

Normal map

Here I use a noise normal map to make the surface rough. It works for the appearance, the eye paths, but the photons
are not scattered, the ray stays collimated.

I'm using VCM by the way, see also attached max file.

[maru]

Thank you for explanations. Please refer to this article:
https://coronarenderer.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/5000516180

"Bidir/VCM: many advanced/fake features are not supported (image filters, blend material, enviro overrides, invisible to camera, …)"

"Refractive materials inside Blend and Multi/Sub-Object materials may produce unexpected results"

In addition to this,
"Corona Alpha v6 will not receive any bug fixes, support or our future attention. This software is available "as is" without warranty of any kind."

Yes, these two limitations are still present in 1+ versions.

[sirc]

Thanks maru for your quick response. I was a bit afraid of that, a beta algorithm in a beta renderer.

A pity that is still the case in v1+. Can I expect this to be fixed any time soon?
I understand VCM etc. does not have the priority.

[maru]

Unfortunately there is no exact date for this yet. By the way, here is the official roadmap:
https://trello.com/b/EfPE4kPx/corona-road-map-3ds-max