new vray ambient occlusion script

[Laserschwert]

that's the problem...the current vray ambient occlusion script doesn't mess with the scene, only with the render settings (global override). replacing all materials at rendertime and restoring them afterwards, is something that sounds risky and slow, especially with large scenes and complex materials. the original purpose of the script was for quick tests and previews.
since i'm focused on archviz, where scenes can have thousands of objects and huge bitmap textures, i never considered this method. i'd hate to release a script that might crash max.
i will look at vlados suggestion though, when SP3 is out, maybe i'll find a new way for transparent objects.

Yeah, I guess the SP3-way will be a little easier. I'm doing some poster-size arch-visualizations myself now, and I've got a bunch of trees with opacity mapped leafs. The irradiance map doesn't bring out the necessary details in them, so I'd like to add an AO-pass to give those more depth. I've done the material replacement by hand now, and that works for now. But it'd be better to have a tool for that.

Regarding restoring the materials:
I'm not sure how Ivan Tepavicharov's RenderMask-script does it, but the waiting time is bearable, so maybe his script is the answer.

[JeffG2]

Does this script support 2009 & 64bit?

[plastic_]

JeffG2, yes, it does.

[Infrared digital]

I have used this for some time now and therefore have to say thanks for that however, I am now getting a Error Opening Bitmap error. Then it refers to a bitmap which has absolutely nothing to do with the scene I am in.

Have you come across this before ?

[plastic_]

hm, are you sure that this error is related to the script?
i can't imagine, because there are no bitmap operations in the script, nor any bitmap UI items.
when does the error message appear?

[Infrared digital]

Hi

It happens when I set your plugin to render. Its strange because it refers to an image file which there seems to be no reference to the model however it is on our system.

Also, when I create a new model the Ao render works. No idea why it wouldn't work with the other one because there are no missing files etc...

Confusing

[dbuchhofer]

Hey marc, still a good script

Here's one small addition to get around having to disable Exposure on vraycameras if you'd like to add it in assuming you haven't already..

	--store vraycamera exposure setting..
		db_exposeIt=undefined
		db_cam=getActiveCamera()
		if db_cam != undefined do
			if ((classof db_cam) == VRayPhysicalCamera ) do
				db_exposeIt=db_cam.exposure

-- your rendering code

	--restore vraycamera exposure settings..
		if db_exposeIt != undefined do
			db_cam.exposure = db_exposeIt

[plastic_]

I have used this for some time now and therefore have to say thanks for that however, I am now getting a Error Opening Bitmap error. Then it refers to a bitmap which has absolutely nothing to do with the scene I am in.

Have you come across this before ?

Hi Infrared,

I was able to reproduce it finally, it happend on one of my scenes, where "save seperate channels" in the VFB settings was activated with an illegal output path.
should be fixed now:

http://plugins.angstraum.at/vrayao/index.htm

[plastic_]

Hey marc, still a good script

Here's one small addition to get around having to disable Exposure on vraycameras if you'd like to add it in assuming you haven't already..

	--store vraycamera exposure setting..
		db_exposeIt=undefined
		db_cam=getActiveCamera()
		if db_cam != undefined do
			if ((classof db_cam) == VRayPhysicalCamera ) do
				db_exposeIt=db_cam.exposure

-- your rendering code

	--restore vraycamera exposure settings..
		if db_exposeIt != undefined do
			db_cam.exposure = db_exposeIt

thanks dave, looks good!
i'll incorporate it with the next update, i'm also planning a new AO mode using some new SP3 features...