Typical White Shader for Ceilings and Walls 4 LWF

[Morne]

I remember WAAAYYY back when the LWF thing first appeared, Lele did some tuts and he suggested to adjust the output of all bitmaps and colours in the diffuse, to something like 0.225 I think it was. That basically made everything MUCH darker, but it rendered perfect. Then at some point we got "Linear" added into Color Mapping that wasnt there before, and I think they fixed they VRaySky output (that was too dark at the time) and we stopped using the 0.225 output setting. It was couple years ago so can't remember exactly why but it had something to do with VRay being "smarter" in newer versions.

However this thread is making me think to re-look at Lele's initial idea, and maybe go for an output of something like 0.6 or 0.65 on everything.

If only I can get Olly's VMC script to set all my diffuse bitmap outputs to that and also if it doesnt have a bitmap, set a vraycolor output. Of course it should also check if there isn't already some kind of output adjustment on it.

[3LP]

If only I can get Olly's VMC script to set all my diffuse bitmap outputs to that and also if it doesnt have a bitmap, set a vraycolor output. Of course it should also check if there isn't already some kind of output adjustment on it.

Just use Zorb Modifier mate, VMC and Zorb makes the perfect bundle to handle massing

Stan

[Slazzo]

Morne: An small maxscript code that will do this for VrayMaterials only, color and bitmaptexture... though someone may need or improve

BitmapRGBLevel=0.65
ColorRGBMultiplier=0.65

fn ProcessMap Map =
(
	case (classof Map) of
	(
		BitmapTexture : Map.output.rgb_level=BitmapRGBLevel
		/* default : -- or use Output map
		(
			newMap=Output name:("Modified_"+Map.name) map1:(copy map)
			newMap.output.rgb_level=BitmapRGBLevel
			replaceInstances map newMap
		) */
	)
	Map
)
fn ProcessMtl Mtl =
(
	case (classof Mtl) of
	(
		VrayMtl :
		(
			modifiedColor=VrayColor color:Mtl.Diffuse rgb_multiplier:ColorRGBMultiplier
			
			if Mtl.texmap_diffuse != undefined
			then --diffuse slot is busy
			(
				modifiedMap = ProcessMap Mtl.texmap_diffuse
				if Mtl.texmap_diffuse_on
				then
				(
					if Mtl.texmap_diffuse_multiplier==100
					then -- diffuse map is not mixed with color
					(
						modifiedMap
					)
					else-- diffuse map is mixed with color
					(
						Mtl.texmap_diffuse= Mix map1:modifiedColor map2:modifiedMap mixAmount:Mtl.texmap_diffuse_multiplier
						Mtl.texmap_diffuse_multiplier=100
					)
				)
				else -- diffuse slot is busy but is disabled
				(
					Mtl.texmap_diffuse= Mix map1:modifiedColor map2:modifiedMap
					Mtl.texmap_diffuse_multiplier=100
				)
			)
			else --diffuse slot is empty, can be replaced with VrayColor map
			(
				Mtl.texmap_diffuse=modifiedColor
				Mtl.texmap_diffuse_on=true
			)
		)
		Default : format "% is not supported, please code it yourself\n" (classof Mtl)
	)
)

for class in material.classes do for Mtl in getClassInstances class do ProcessMtl Mtl

[3LP]

Yeah ok, this will work, but I still think that Zorb is way better

It just put a UI on everything...



Stan

[grantwarwick]

Ok let me rephrase. On SOME white paints grazing angles can produce highly glossy reflections.

Obviously there is a shitload of different kinds of paint but the general setup I described should still work, just lower the glossiness on the top coat.

So like .5 base, .7 top or WHATEVER looks right.

Basically, some materials require multiple lobes and this is the approach ILM takes in building their shaders. (modified cook torrence BRDF with fresnel nesting which basically translates to layered reflections)

Will upload a .mat file with examples soon.

[grantwarwick]

Ok guys.
Here is a basic breakdown of the properties highly glossy materials usually exhibit.

I have created a custom falloff curve for the base coat as a standard fresnel value won't be as realistic.

[3LP]

Awesome Grant,

Nicely done!

Thanks

Stan

[Macker]

I'm definitely all for layered materials in the blend material, though I tend to get slightly more noisy reflections, or longer render times when using it... But I suppose that's to be expected as after all, you're using 2 (or more) materials rather than one.

[grantwarwick]

Base coat 256 subdivs
Topcoat 128

Very high sampling but with correct aa threshold renders VERY FAST.

This render took 10 mins, absolutely noise free

[Morne]

Very high sampling but with correct aa threshold renders VERY FAST.

What AA threshold did you use for this?

[Macker]

I think I need to start setting my projects with a minimum of 64 samples on materials, and then let the min samples/dmc take care of the rest.

[zeronove]

Base coat 256 subdivs
Topcoat 128

Very high sampling but with correct aa threshold renders VERY FAST.

This render took 10 mins, absolutely noise free

Here it's not so unsual to have high subds values like those but I'm almost pretty sure my workflow has something wrong so I'm very interested to know what do you Grant (as an expert in shader setup) consider a "correct aa threshold".
Every new project I try to keep subds with low values but at the end my final solution is always high mat subds values and aa threshold tweaking

[3LP]

I might be wrong, (and sorry if I spoil your joy of explaining it again grant )
but I think this is the thread from Grant explaining his way of viewing DMC :
http://forums.chaosgroup.com/showthr...178#post584178

Stan

[grantwarwick]

No worries, I take no joy in re-explaining shit haha

[trixian]

I'm curious.
Why does your top coat have to have no fresnel, but blended through a falloff set to fresnel, instead of just setting the coat material to fresnel and blending normally?
Does this actually matter visually, unless you are modulating your blending map with something more complex than the falloff map?