Does anyone know what the deal is with the jagged shadows I am getting? I am using the mental ray render with final gather set to 100 I believe. And its incredibly green for some reason.
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Jagged shadows using mental ray render
Does anyone know what the deal is with the jagged shadows I am getting? I am using the mental ray render with final gather set to 100 I believe. And its incredibly green for some reason.
Re: Jagged shadows using mental ray render
there are a ton of different possiblities for that =/ (all train of thought solutions here, i havent used max in a while)
what is your output resolution set to? a higher quality image frequently corrects anomalies like that.
how is the model made? as an exterior render i dont think this is the cause, but i have had issues with shadows and lights where materials come together if they arent seamless (ie modeled in CAD - then exported)
i havent used mental ray, so i cant say that this will work - but in your shadow options, what is it set to? you should have several options - ray trace, ambient etc (i dont have max around at the moment to verify the options - if i saw them i could tell you)
for the green - turn down the reflectance of your ground material, and change the ambient color of your light source. if you arent using a daylighting / sun system i would switch to one and just use the standard lights for point lights and highlighting areas that might not be getting enough light (under the balcony and inside.) as bright as that scene is, the inside should be well lit with just the ambient light passing through the glass.
how did you apply your materials? since the shadows are wrapping around corners and into the light source (a physical impossiblity) there is a chance your UVW mapping is skewed a little bit.
and - just for a nice finishing touch - add a bump map to your stone finish, it will make the rendering considerably better looking, and get some depth to it. it looks like a map was applied to a flat face.
Re: Jagged shadows using mental ray render
First, thank you for your in depth response - I appreciate it.
- My output resolution was set to 800 x 600.
- The model was made in Revit, exported as a .dwg and imported into Max.
- I have a sunlight / daylight system in and the shadows are set to mental ray shadow map. I thought the inside should be lit much better as well - I dont know if this has to do with the different exposure controls.
- I figured the green had something to do with the reflectance of the material. All of the materials were dragged from the editor on to the materials themselves thus replacing all instances a particular material. I've never really had a problem with UVW mapping before using this method but I guess there's a first time for everything.
- I had added a bump map to those stones but I think it wasnt enough - I guess this image is more of a test run then a final shot.
Thank you for all of your help - I am pretty new to the workings of max.
Re: Jagged shadows using mental ray render
try an output that is double that. lower output forces pixelation, which leads to weird things with materials and shadows. there was a thread on brick patterns you might search for.Originally Posted by paperstreet_soapco
probably not the model then- The model was made in Revit, exported as a .dwg and imported into Max.
like i said, ive never used mental ray, so i dont know anything about the shadow controls. i remember in the standard max shadow options (usually controlled by the light source from what i recall) they range from blocky area shadows to ray traced shadows - but like i said earlier, i dont have max around at the moment to really look those up.- I have a sunlight / daylight system in and the shadows are set to mental ray shadow map. I thought the inside should be lit much better as well - I dont know if this has to do with the different exposure controls.
*shrug* might not have anything to do with it- I figured the green had something to do with the reflectance of the material. All of the materials were dragged from the editor on to the materials themselves thus replacing all instances a particular material. I've never really had a problem with UVW mapping before using this method but I guess there's a first time for everything.i was just running through things i remember causing issues.
bump mapping can be tricky to get right. too much map and it looks bad, too little and it looks flat. when you make your bump, be sure that it has some lows and highs in the stones themselves, not just the joints. you can also apply a single noise map to the entire surface to impart some random irregularity to it. if you can find some tutorials (ive looked and havent found a good one) on dirt mapping look at that too - it will add some realism (grime) to your image- I had added a bump map to those stones but I think it wasnt enough - I guess this image is more of a test run then a final shot.
sure thingThank you for all of your help - I am pretty new to the workings of max.i wish i could use max at work
i havent used it since i graduated, and i kind of miss it...
Re: Jagged shadows using mental ray render
For the jagged model:
1. Make sure your anti-aliasing is turned on.
For the jagged shadows:
1. Set your mental ray shadow map resolution higher, like maybe 1024 or 2048 (this will make the render take longer).
2. Set your sample rate higher.
For the green color:
Is your shadows using the green from the grass? I'm not sitting in front of 3ds right now, so i can't remember what it's called - there's a setting that will have the shadow absorb color from lights and the surroundings...
Volumetric lights and rendering effects may also cast shadows and mix their colors with shadow colors.
Re: Jagged shadows using mental ray render
I would like to offer some suggestions if I could. I like to use presets and some people may not know how to get to them, but I use them all the time. Also knowing when to use certain lights will help too.
I have attached a screen shot of where the presets are. Just keep in mind, you WILL have to tweek each one for a specific sceen, but at least it will get you to 90%. Hope this helps.
Re: Jagged shadows using mental ray render
This is an old thread but I just want to inform all that using Shadow Maps in Mental Ray is not recommended. Instead, Area Lights must be used to achieve soft shadows. I learned this info by reading this blog by Master Zap who knows Mental Ray more than we do. If you're 100% Mental Ray user, you probably know this guy.
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