spherical harmonics in max version?

[themaxxer]

hello vlado

are spherical harmonics also implemented like in maya? I didn't read anything about it...
if they are not, why?

best regards
themaxxer

[vlado]

I was not sure anyone would be interested; we did not get much feedback for the Maya version...

Best regards,
Vlado

[themaxxer]

so it's failed because of not enough user feedback?
it's sad, but if there was no feedback then you had to decide...

thanks.

maybe it can be implemented in a next version.

best regards
themaxxer

[vlado]

Ok then, will see what can be done about it

Best regards,
Vlado

[LarsSonparsson]

I wasn't asking after it, because I thought it would be added after Maya version anyway.
Don't forget it, please.

[anchovy]

Vlado, Can you show a sample of what all it can do? Im familiar with the research but havent seen what you had implimented.

Thanks!

-Michael

[vlado]

Yep, there is a short tutorial here: http://www.spot3d.com/vray/help/maya...s_sph_harm.htm

Best regards,
Vlado

[jamestmather]

Any news on this - very interested in spherical harmonics in Vray.

[joconnell]

Let your minions do that instead Mather!

[jamestmather]

ha ha. Keep it up Johann.

Any news on this from the chaos group guys?

[vlado]

While we didn't have time for the December service pack, it will probably go into the next spring one.

Best regards,
Vlado

[kimgar]

hmm, interesting, but what exactly is this? baked speed GI?

[joconnell]

Rather than saving a lighting model of the scene, it saves a model of the normal of the objects so it's figured out which direction each poly is facing and what part of the scene they'd receive light from or see in reflections. Correct me if I'm wrong Vlado but it's almost like you've saved the paths that the raytracer have worked out so it can accelerate a new render?

[joconnell]

Did anything ever come of this? I'm facing into an environment heavy short and I'm going to spend some time looking at any approach that looks decent but with a minimum of render time!

[vlado]

It's not in max yet, I don't consider it stable enough for regular use. Plus, it's yet another GI engine that might cause people to scratch their heads...

Best regards,
Vlado