Rendering BifrostAeroMtl

[Khazmadu]

I tried to rendering a BifrostAeroShape with a "BifrostAeroMtl"
The Shape-Node has Additional Vray Attributes for "Export Voxel", "Export Particles" and some shading settings. It looks to me exactly like the settings of the Maya FluidShape.
But I can't get it to render.


These are the Errors I get if I try to render it.

BifrostAeroMtl as SurfaceShader (Default):

// Warning: Could not export material "bifrostAeroMaterial2" //
// Error: OpenVDBIO: fatal error loading - 'Invalid VDB stream data!' //
// Warning: [MtlSingleBRDF] No BSDF parameter specified to material "bifrostAeroMaterial2@material" //

I also tried rendering it with VrayMtl as Surface and EnviromentFog as Volume Material but it doesn't work either.

Is there anything I need to know to make it work?

[Khazmadu]

I have Maya 2016 and Vray 3.10.01 on Windows 7
totaly forgot that.

[georgi.zhekov]

Can you try to cache your sim and try to render again?

[Khazmadu]

Thanks for the Fast answer.
The cache solved the Problem. I thougt a Scratch Cache would be fine but it must be a Disc Cache to work.

[georgi.zhekov]

Glad it's working right now. It will work only for cached files.

Best regards,
Georgi Zhekov

[ivaylo.ivanov]

I've disabled the use of scratch cache since it's highly unstable with Aero and causes crashes. We will enable it for Maya 2017 if it works as expected.

[spacematt]

Is this supposed to work on OS X too? We have an Aero sim cached to disk but get the exact same errors as the OP. Could be just user error caused by unfamiliarity with Bifrost, but I want to check we will be able to render this stuff before investing time in it.

We're on OS 10.10.5, Maya 2016 SP5, VRay build 26587

[ivaylo.ivanov]

No it's not supported on OSX.

[spacematt]

When will it be supported?

[ivaylo.ivanov]

It will be supported in the next Maya version. Not sure if we will support it in Maya 2016 though because of technical complications... Aero is also quite broken there...

[spacematt]

Okay, great. Thanks.

[beavertron]

I can confirm the following issues after over two weeks of working closely with the Bifrost system in Maya 2017

- Bifrost foam doesn't render through refractive materials (inside a glass for example) tested all possible settings for refraction)
- Bifrost Aero doesn't render an animation from cache. I can pick a frame and render and the voxel renders correctly. However when batch rendering the cache isn't read and the animation comes out as if it is all the first single frame. (I pushed a box through a cloud, the cloud is frozen when trying to render it as an image sequence. Its ok when you render a single frame! Strange!
- Intense flickering on a Bifrost Aero voxel surface, with or without GI enabled (tested with Brute Force) same problem without.

Vray isn't working at all with Viewport 2.0 or any of the legacy viewports in fact so its making workflows a real pain especially when trying to look dev a Bifrost Aero surface. I tried this in IPR constantly having to hit the IPR button each slider change as it doesn't refresh by itself when updating a bifrost material for Aero Voxels.

I would safely say this is broken at the moment and hope to see an update for this. Two solid weeks for something I can't use at the moment is a shame.

[beavertron]

.... when i say broken, I mean as in its not Chaos Groups fault or neither do they have to even support this. However if Phoenix FD 3.0 is going to be available for Maya 2017 soon, then maybe just the route to go...