Grass options

[Adam H. Stewart]

I am doing my first daytime exterior scene - a field from the movie - "What's Eating Gilbert Grape ?"

http://h1.ripway.com/Adam_Stewart/wegg_look2c.jpg

This is the frame I am trying to reproduce for the Art Director. I am using Oynx for the trees but I am not sure what I should use for the grass. Should I use hair fx or Vray fur ? I am currently using 3dsmax 7.5 and have Vray 1.47.03. I was probably going to use GI maybe without the secondary bounce as the Oynx trees are killing my render times.

Thanks as always for your help.

[joconnell]

Hi Adam,

Again the opacity maps may be the culprit for the render times with your onyx trees - try changing them to geometry and it should be much quicker.

[Adam H. Stewart]

Thanks for hint

Thanks for the hint - I'll do that, would you model a higher detial leaf first or just use the Oynx ones - I really wanted to get some decent textures on there.

[DaForce]

Also if your want to still try it with opacity mapped leaves.. make sure they are vray materials and turn down the bitmap blur on the diffuse and opactiy materials to 0.01. This should help reduce render time significantly.

[Adam H. Stewart]

Sub surface for leaves ?

Since you both seem experienced with plants - would you use straight bitmaps on a vray material or would you us some sub-surface tricks to enhance the sense of realism ? The tests I am doing now look pretty good

http://h1.ripway.com/Adam_Stewart/wht6_0300.jpg

Of course spending a bit extra time and doing a two sided material will help, but I was wondering if while doing plants you use a material with some other trick properties - any glossiness ect.

Thanks as always for your help

[DaForce]

well it depends on your requirements and time constraints.

This should help you abit tho.

http://www.chaosgroup.com/forum/phpB...t=leaf+daforce

Simplicity and faking it is sometimes the best .. especially when you have lots of trees

[jow]

I sometimes use fake glossies on leafs,you need to copy the opacity map into the reflection slot, or you'll get a reflection on the whole leaf and not just the bitmap.
I havnt really tried SSS on leaves,i guess it would push your times up abit..

[Adam H. Stewart]

Thanks

Thanks guys - I'll have to give the sub-surface a try, it was a really interesting if confusing thread. It is funny how there are parts of a program that you might have toyed with but never quite understand the diagram from TishoChaos really helps.

Thanks again