Using VRayScene files as assets - Black frames on farm

[brobins]

We are experiencing an unusual issue in Maya, when rendering on the farm (Deadline), local rendering behaves as expected.

We have a simple Maya scene which contains some native geo and also a vrscene asset loaded through the VRay Scene manager. All renders fine when testing locally but when submitted to the farm the frame completes in a minute or two without error but contains only black pixels. If I remove the vrscene node from the render layer and re-submit the job finishes as expected minus the necessary asset in the render.

Are there any known issues when using vrscene files as assets inside another file?

Were using V-Ray Next for Maya, hotfix 1 version 4.04.02.00010. Maya 2016

Thanks

[brobins]

Update - It seems its not the vrsene that is causing the issue.

Upon sending to the farm via Deadline, the shotCam's transform, rotation and scale seem to be ignored and it renders from a default position (0,0,0). This has begun happening since updating to Next from 3.60 hmm

[Morbid Angel]

I doubt its the camera, there is most likely another issue. I've rendered both vray scenes inside maya scene and shot cams over deadline and newest vray builds without issues.

[brobins]

Hey,

The camera definitely renders from a default position as its apparent in the alpha. The position of the camera looks to be the same as a default front cam, however the camera that is reported to be picked up in the log is the shot cam.

[Morbid Angel]

can you post that scene with just camera and some proxy geo? is the camera renderable i suppose?

[brobins]

Sure, here is a stripped down scene with some proxy geo and the same shotCam over 6 frames.

This scene produces the same issue for me in that the shotCam is reverted to a default position when rendered through the farm (Deadline 7). Renders fine locally.

Thanks

[brobins]

Forgot to say, the camera is renderable.

[brobins]

... Just an update on this.

I have since discovered that its not exclusive to rendering on the farm. It happens locally when rendering with maya batch also.

Our farm uses maya batch too so maybe this issue is something related to that?

[Morbid Angel]

I opened and rendered your scene on deadline - everything renders as expected. What maya version are you on? deadline 7 - could be outdated?

[brobins]

Using Maya 2016 + Deadline 7

taking Deadline out of the equation it still happens for me when rendering as a mayabatch job locally.

also, this didn’t happen for me on vray 3.60

really odd

[brobins]

Update* I have since tested on Deadline10 with the same results.

[brobins]

Just to update further, I have since tried exporting as vrscene and submitting as a VRay Standalone job which renders fine. The issue seems to be associated with Maya Batch on the farm or when rendered locally via Maya Batch.

[Morbid Angel]

I used vray next to test your job, what build did you use? perhaps its worth getting latest build?

[brobins]

I get the same results with 4.04.01 and 4.04.02

[Morbid Angel]

odd, ok i have 2016 maya i will give it a try...