What is the equivalent of a Fall off map as seen in texturing tutorials for 3DS MAX ?

[dmarques1177]

Is there anywhere I can find information on this?

I try using a Vray fresnel as a map, but it outputs as if I plugged in a solid color in the map (for this case my refraction color).

When I used to work in mental ray I remember using the sampler info node, but I would like information on these Fall Off maps everyone is using with their 3DsMax + Vray, and how to implement that into my Maya+Vray with the same results.


Cheers,
DM

[vlado]

You can use the samplerInfo node with V-Ray too, potentially plugged into a ramp texture.

Other than that, you can try Create > V-Ray > Create from V-Ray plugin > Create texture > FalloffTex; it might be tricky to get the correct parameters though; use the plgparams utility to get a description of the parameters.

Best regards,
Vlado

[dmarques1177]

Thanks Vlado, but I just don't understand the "plgparams utility" or how I can access that.

Thanks again

[vlado]

Open a V-Ray standalone command line prompt, and type:

plgparams -plugindir ..\vrayplugins TexFalloff

This will show you the different parameters of the texture and their meaning:

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2012\vray\bin>plgparams -plugindir ..\vrayplugins TexFalloff
Parameters for plugin 'TexFalloff'
  compatibility_with: integer = 0, This is used to differentiate between textures exported from different applications. The value means : 0 - 3ds Max (this is also the default), 1 - Maya, ...
  alpha_from_intensity: bool = false, If true, the resulting alpha is the color intensity; otherwise the alpha is taken from the bitmap alpha
  invert: bool = false, If true, the resulting texture color will be inverted
  invert_alpha: bool = true, If true and invert is on, the resulting texture alpha will be inverted too. If false, just the color will be inverted
  color_mult: acolor texture = AColor(1, 1, 1, 1), A multiplier for the texture color
  color_offset: acolor texture = AColor(0, 0, 0, 0), An additional offset for the texture color
  alpha_mult: float texture = 1, A multiplier for the texture alpha
  alpha_offset: float texture = 0, An additional offset for the texture alpha
  nouvw_color: acolor texture = AColor(0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1), The color when there are no valid uvw coordinates
  color: output acolor texture, The resulting color
  out_transparency: output acolor texture, The resulting transparency
  out_alpha: output float texture, The resulting alpha
  out_intensity: output float texture, The resulting intensity
  color1: acolor texture = AColor(1, 1, 1, 1), First color
  color2: acolor texture = AColor(0, 0, 0, 0), Second color
  type: integer = 0, Type (0 - towards/away, 1 - perpendicular/parallel, 2 - Fresnel, 3 - shadow/light, 4 - distance blend)
  direction_type: integer = 0, Direction type (0 - viewZ, 1 - viewX, 2 - viewY, 3 - explicit, 4 - localX, 5 - localY, 6 - localZ, 7 - worldX, 8 - worldY, 9 - worldZ)
  fresnel_ior: float = 1.6, IOR for the Fresnel falloff type
  dist_extrapolate: bool = false, Extrapolate for the distance blend falloff type
  dist_near: float = 0, Near distance for the distance blend falloff type
  dist_far: float = 100, Far distance for the distance blend falloff type
  explicit_dir: vector = Color(0, 0, 0), Direction for the explicit direction type
  blend_output: output float texture, The blending amount, based on the parameters
  use_blend_input: bool = false
  blend_input: float texture = 0.5, If specified and use_blend_input is true, the final blending amount will be taken from this texture

Best regards,
Vlado

[dmarques1177]

Thanks again, going to look into that.

[Richard7666]

You can use the samplerInfo node with V-Ray too, potentially plugged into a ramp texture.

Other than that, you can try Create > V-Ray > Create from V-Ray plugin > Create texture > FalloffTex; it might be tricky to get the correct parameters though; use the plgparams utility to get a description of the parameters.

Best regards,
Vlado

How would one use that sampler info+ramp method? I'm no good with Hypershade utility nodes

[hsz]

like this ...

[Morbid Angel]

you can also run your ramp through a remap color, to take advantage of curve controls like in max falloff map.

[varx3d]

Can someone please explain to me in detail how I can set it up correctly because I'm banging my head for hours unsuccessfully?
I want to take advantage of the remapValue curve like in this example but I cannot make it work like here: http://www.chaosgroup.com/forums/vbu...8&d=1346161474

I plug the samplerInfo facing ratio into a single color of a two-colored B/W ramp (which of the two?), then the outColor of the ramp into the Input Value of the RemapValue node and then make two (?) connections in the reverse node (what's the need for?),before finally connect it to the reflection color of the VRayMtl.

Where do you see the problem in this method?

[Rens]

Connect the facing ratio with the V coordinate of the ramp. Not sure what that second connection is, it would just need outValue->inputX. Also no need for the reverse node if you just switch B and W on the ramp.

[varx3d]

Thanks Rens,that's it.

Actually from the Ramp to remapValue is OutAlpha>InputValue (for driving the Refl.Color Amount) via the curve.

Also I realized that instead of creating a second ramp node to drive the refl.color,you can use the intergrated ramp for the Color in the remapValue,the only difference is that the ramp is horizontal instead of vertical.

Cheers