environment

b2dr · January 18th, 2008

Hello

I´m new to Mental Ray after having much experience with VRAY (at the new job no one wants to learn vray). I want to put a jpeg or hdri as an environment map so that clouds, etc are reflected in the windows, metal, etc. In VRAY I could put the map in the environment slot in the environment tab and achieve the desired effect. However, I´m quite lost in Mental Ray. I´ve tried doing several tests and looking for documentation online, but haven´t had much success. I saw a post by Jeff Patton on using a skydome, which did work. However, say I were to use a MR Physical Sky and I wanted to use an environment map with clouds? I tired putting a map in the glass material in the environment slot, but didn´t have much luck. I tried bumping up the output amount and that didnt help much. Any ideas? Thanks.

Tommy Burns · January 18th, 2008

All you have to do is change your physical units to about 90,000 instead of exterior daylight
Let me know if it works for you

Brian Bradley · January 18th, 2008

Hi Brendan,

So long as you are using the 'Max' environment slot (8)
and not the Vray specific one, the process for putting
an image as your Environment is exactly the same as
VRay. In fact the steps you have described should
work! Can you post up an image of what you are getting/

Regards
Bri

b2dr · January 23rd, 2008

Hello

I did some tests. I was trying to find something similar to the VRAY environment for Mental Ray. Maybe this will be helpful for someone. In the end I used a rayswitch inthe environment slot (8) in which the eye rays are the physical sky and the refracted, reflected and environment rays are the hdri. The image needs some work, but it was kinda the idea of obtaining a global environment override that I was looking for.

I tried putting the HDRI as a map in haze. It gave a strange effect.

In another test I put the HDRI directly in the environment (it didnt work before because I had strange photographic settings). When I did this, the HDRI appeared in the environment and in the background, as it should. But if this is the case, what is the point of making one of these "skydomes" that people refer to from time to time?

The only glitch is that there is a blue blob in the image from the HDRI. If I rotate it, it disappears. But if I do multiple views from different angles, I assume that I would have to rotate it again. Anyone know how I can get rid of the "blob"? or minimize it? perhaps by using the U or V offset or tiling?

I like the MR physical sky though. any one have any ideas on had one could add some clouds to it?

MasterZap · January 23rd, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by b2dr

Hello

The only glitch is that there is a blue blob in the image from the HDRI. If I rotate it, it disappears. But if I do multiple views from different angles, I assume that I would have to rotate it again. Anyone know how I can get rid of the "blob"? or minimize it? perhaps by using the U or V offset or tiling?

I like the MR physical sky though. any one have any ideas on had one could add some clouds to it?

What's this blue blob from? Is it actually in the HDRI image, or what?

/Z

b2dr · January 23rd, 2008

its supposed to be an HDRI. here´s a screenshot of the material. I rotated it so you can see the blue. If you know what Im doing wrong, please let me know. thanks

Tommy Burns · January 23rd, 2008

Hi I get this all the time it is like the both edges of the map meeting
what i do to get rid of this is animate the map by using offset U in each frame
Hope this makes sense

b2dr · January 23rd, 2008

yeah, it makes sense, that´s what i did. but in any case, it would be nice to find a way to avoid doing that if possible. So if anyone knows, please share.

thanks

shaneis · February 5th, 2008

Set the HDRI mapping from "Spherical" to "Angular".

NB: These are Maya settings, I'm assuming it is the same in Max

shaneis · February 5th, 2008

Found it!

January 18th, 2008	#1 (permalink)
b2dr Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: US Posts: 4 Name: Brendan Lynch	environment Hello I´m new to Mental Ray after having much experience with VRAY (at the new job no one wants to learn vray). I want to put a jpeg or hdri as an environment map so that clouds, etc are reflected in the windows, metal, etc. In VRAY I could put the map in the environment slot in the environment tab and achieve the desired effect. However, I´m quite lost in Mental Ray. I´ve tried doing several tests and looking for documentation online, but haven´t had much success. I saw a post by Jeff Patton on using a skydome, which did work. However, say I were to use a MR Physical Sky and I wanted to use an environment map with clouds? I tired putting a map in the glass material in the environment slot, but didn´t have much luck. I tried bumping up the output amount and that didnt help much. Any ideas? Thanks.

January 18th, 2008	#2 (permalink)
Tommy Burns Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dublin Posts: 269 Name: Thomas Burns	Re: environment All you have to do is change your physical units to about 90,000 instead of exterior daylight Let me know if it works for you

January 18th, 2008	#3 (permalink)
Brian Bradley Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Greater Manchester Age: 43 Posts: 422 Name: Brian Bradley	Re: environment Hi Brendan, So long as you are using the 'Max' environment slot (8) and not the Vray specific one, the process for putting an image as your Environment is exactly the same as VRay. In fact the steps you have described should work! Can you post up an image of what you are getting/ Regards Bri __________________ 3Ds Max - Mental Ray - VRay - Brazil Training Modules www.mentalboutmax.co.uk The MBM Blog www.mentalboutmax.blogspot.com Vray Learning Resource www.vrayelite.com

January 23rd, 2008	#7 (permalink)
Tommy Burns Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Dublin Posts: 269 Name: Thomas Burns	Re: environment Hi I get this all the time it is like the both edges of the map meeting what i do to get rid of this is animate the map by using offset U in each frame Hope this makes sense

January 23rd, 2008	#8 (permalink)
b2dr Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: US Posts: 4 Name: Brendan Lynch	Re: environment yeah, it makes sense, that´s what i did. but in any case, it would be nice to find a way to avoid doing that if possible. So if anyone knows, please share. thanks

February 5th, 2008	#9 (permalink)
shaneis Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sydney Posts: 696 Name: Shane Neal	Re: environment Set the HDRI mapping from "Spherical" to "Angular". NB: These are Maya settings, I'm assuming it is the same in Max

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