Gamma and Color Corrector

[Mats_O]

Hi,

We have a LWF (linear workflow) where 3Ds itself does not handle the gamma correction but where each diffuse map is placed in a color corrector with gamma 0,454. This was also the preferred way to set it up according to ChaosGroup trainer during a 2-day workshop I attended earlier this year. However, since models and materials come from many different places it would be neat with a tool that autmatically checks each map and place it in a color corrector if not necessarey. That would be a huge time saver. It that something that could be solved?

[LudvikKoutny]

Putting each diffuse map inside of color corrector and setting gamma there is the most scary workflow I've ever heard of O_o.

[Mats_O]

I can agree, almost... but I work with a big company that implemented this workflow years ago, and now they, and therefor also we have some 10.000 materials set up like that...

[LudvikKoutny]

Well, I can imagine most of them could be fixed with a simple script.

They probably have a pipeline where all of the other maps except diffuse are supposed to come in linear without gamma correction. Unfortunately, in recent 3ds Max version, Autodesk has removed input and output gamma settings for bitmaps, and tries to handle them automatically depending on image format. That is actually good thing in most of cases, but it's bad news for this workflow.

Correct workflow in this case would be to override gamma value of each bitmap other than diffuse in file load window, and then just have diffuse map fed straight into the diffuse slot. Or, if it's an older version, have input bitmap gamma set to 1.0, and then just override diffuse map to 2.2 on every load.

But back on the topic, while I do not script, I am fairly confident it should be possible to write something that would migrate all those materials to feasible workflow (remove color correct maps and override input gamma of diffuse bitmap to 2.2). 3ds Max's color correct map is a horrible piece of code.