Run simulation batch?

[markus_s_cg]

Hi,

How can I start several simulations in the same maxfile as a batch over night? I'm not very good at scripting with maxscript, and I haven't been able to find any readymade scripts for this.
Basically I have 3 simulation boxes in my scene (3 navy ships travelling side by side with a little distance between them). When the first sim has calculated I would like the next one to start, and so on until they are done.

Also, I haven't figured out how to get multimatte elements for the foam, splash and mist particles in Vray. I tried setting ID on the helpers, but not getting anything in the render. If anyone has any info? I'm running the latest 2.2 nightly btw.

Best regards,

Markus Schille

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Hey,

You need to be in Volumetric Geometry render mode for most of the render elements to work, include the MultiMatte - please check if it would be ok this way.

You can chain several simulations one after the other like this:
- Enable Use Script from the Simulation panel on the first one and open the scrip editor.
- Go to the OnSimulationEnd() function and uncomment the code at the bottom:

sim = getnodebyname "PhoenixFD002"
select sim
A_StartSim sim

- Substitute the name of the second simulator in "PhoenixFD002" and this would be it - it will start when the first one ends. You have to do the same thing for the second sim in order to make the third one run after it.

Hope this helps, cheers!

[markus_s_cg]

Thanks for your help! I realized that the scriptlines you mention did not appear on my simulation box's script because it was created in the old release version and carried over to nightly build (probably). If i create new simulators it appears! Anyways, thanks for helping!

When you say Volumetric geometry mode, do you mean not in ocean surface render mode, or do you mean that the foam etc must be something other than point? I realized points get no zdepth either...

[Svetlin.Nikolov]

Ah, if you mean for the foam shader, then it's an option called "Geometry mode" - it's just below the motion blur setting - this will help you get all the render elements that Phoenix exports, zdepth as well