PSD Manager and VRay

[cob]

Has anyone used the PSD manager (h++p://www.finalrender.com/products/products.php?UD=10-7888-33-788&PID=3 with VRay? or something like that?

I need to render a street with everything on a seperate layer to compare existing zoning bylaws with the proposed ones. So I need to turn things on and off interactively for a meeting.

Any suggestions are welcome. Please help. TIA.

[dans]

Well you can use psd-manager with V_Ray to get each object on a separate layer for example, yes. But since you want to turn things on / off you would also need the layers to contain what's behind the objects. And this is not possible this way with psd-manager. (V-ray also doesn't even need to render these parts since they are occluded.) So only the PSD layers for the foreground objects would be of use to you I suppose. Depending on the number of objects that may be of help or not to you. So even with psd-manager you probably need to render your scene multiple times with different objects shown/hidden.

If you want to give psd-manager a try just download the psd-manager 2 demo.
1: Add the psd-manager render effect (choose a filename for your PSD file in the dialog that opens)
2: Enable Separated Object Output in the G-Buffer Output rollout
3: Choose Layers Color from the drop-down list (the default is to create black layers that are useful as masks only)
4: Click on Add Objects and pick as many objects as you want (you will get a layer for each)
5: Render (max. image size is 800 x 600 in the psd-manager trial)

I know that Combustion supports to show/hide objects and revealing what's behind them in the process (when using RPF files). But for this to work Combustion needs a renderer that supports the "Render Occluded" property of objects. But I think the only renderer that actually supports this is the Default Scanline Renderer. So forget about this.


Daniel

[arobbert]

Another option is AF Export Channels: www.af-video.com. I've had far better luck with this. It's much easier to use and is less expensive. There's a great demo. It works great with Vray for separating by object, layer or material. Reflection and shadow channels don't work so great.

[cob]

hey dans, thanx for the nice explanatory reply. will surely give it a try.
i've used combustion before, and created this nice rainforest a while ago. added a few gazhels and tropical birds behind bushes in post as the camera progressed through the forest.
but for now, i guess i'll try the psd manager.

vray doesn't have "render occluded", does it? new to vray, so many areas to explore still...

arobbert, i did think of 'aechannels', but the desired output is photoshop, as we do not have after effects in our office. we do have only premiere for post.

it's nice to know that psd manager works with vray, as i wasn't sure if various 3rd party plugins work with each other... even though vray is becoming more like a built-in primary tool for the ppl who got it (and not a 3rd party anymore).

thanx guys.

[m_hinks]

We have been trying out the Psd Manager 2 demo and its really good. Collects and sorts the render elements, and you open the PSD and the image is all comped together ready to play.

Works perfect with vray. No complaints here!

[trick]

Another option is AF Export Channels: www.af-video.com. I've had far better luck with this. It's much easier to use and is less expensive. There's a great demo. It works great with Vray for separating by object, layer or material. Reflection and shadow channels don't work so great.

Doesn't AF Export Channels cost a $30 extra for each rendernode ? With PSDmanager you have unlimited rendernodes !