How can I see the environment BG through glass?

[pentool]

Howdy,

I have a glass ball. The environment BG (in the env. map slot) is set to a gradient color. I would like to see thih gradient environment color through the glass ball, but I can't.

If I place an object behind the glass ball, then it's fine. I can see that object through the glass ball, but not the environment BG.

I can't find the setting that I'm missing here. Any ideas?

Thank you!

PS: I have an HDRI map in the refraction/reflection slot in the environment override slot, and this is reflected by the glass ball.

[flipside]

if you override the reflection/refraction then you should see that hdri trough the glass ball.

put the gradient map in the 'refraction' override and it should be ok. Then you will have reflections from the hdri, and refraction from the gradient.

[pentool]

Oh, that's bummer. I was hoping to be able to see both! Thanks for the tip!

[percydaman]

do you have affect alpha checked in your glass material?

[pentool]

yes

[stevesideas]

Is the background visible when not looking through the glass ?

Are you using vray camera and sun ?

[pentool]

No, the BG is not visible through the glass. The glass ball has an HDRI reflect/refract override of a room.

The max environment BG has the gradient. I'd like (ideally) the ball to reflect the HDRI environment of the room, but also see (some) of the gradient BG.

No can do. I only see the HDRI room reflection off of the ball
OR
If I remove the HDRI reflect/refract, then I see the gradient.

I can't see both at the same time - which ideally I'd like.

No VRay camera/sun, just regular camera and direct light.

[stevesideas]

Could you try putting a falloff in the reflection and refraction override slot, where the hdri is in the black and the gradient is in the white, that way depending on your view you would get some of both.

Or maybe use a blend material in the override slots that has both the hdri and gradient.

Im no expert on these matters so this may not be ideal

[flipside]

I don't understand what you want.

Put the hdri in the reflect/refract slot. Also put the gradient in the Refract slot. Then the ball will reflect the hdri, and refract the gradient.

If you want a mix in reflections of the hdri and the gradient, use a mix map and mix the two maps together. Then use this mixed map in the reflect/refract slot. But why would you want that??

or show an image of what you have now, closest to what it is you want to do...

[pentool]

Put the hdri in the reflect/refract slot. Also put the gradient in the Refract slot.

Now I don't understand what are you talking about. You can't put 2 images into the same slot at the same time. It's either the HDRI or the gradient.

Ok, here's a shot:



Renderer tab > VRay:Environment > Reflection/refraction environment override:
this has the HDRI map. this is reflected from the glass, and the golden plates




Max Rendring menu > Environment dialog > Background > Environment Map:
this has the gradient ramp. this is what you see in the background.



I tinted the HDRI red in photoshop that is why the reflections have a little red hue to it. otherwise it would've been black and white and you only see a B&W glass without seeing the red gradient background through it.

[percydaman]

well put the gradient in the refract override. You only really need the hdri for reflections.

[pentool]

Geez maaaaaaaaan, I'm such a dumb-ass! I'm heading over to the eye doctor to get some prescription glasses. DUH!

thanks for waking me up

[flipside]

haha finally!

[percydaman]

i actually wanted to suggest it earlier, but I was a tad confused by your setup, and frankly didn't think it could be that easy. LOL

[flipside]

Yeah I suggested it in my first post, but maybe wasn't clear enough