random materials

[John_Do]

Hello,

I'm just testing the V-Ray Layered texture, and it seems it doesn't work in V-Ray RT CPU. Changing the blend or opacity values don't affect the preview, I have to stop and restart the RT every time I change any value.

I have to do more tests with this texture but can you please try it on your side ?

[vladimir.nedev]

Hello,

I'm just testing the V-Ray Layered texture, and it seems it doesn't work in V-Ray RT CPU. Changing the blend or opacity values don't affect the preview, I have to stop and restart the RT every time I change any value.

I have to do more tests with this texture but can you please try it on your side ?

Yep, that's probably because your layered texture is not part of the Shader Tree.
I still haven't fixed RT updates of textures/materials that are in the Schematic.

As a work around, you can hide/un-hide the destination material/texture in the Shader Tree.
I know it's not as covenient as having it update on its own.

Another work around would be to put the layered texture in the Shader Tree below the material it is used on (or below its destination texture).
This way the update will be automatic (provided you used the texture for only one material).
This helps with the "moving materials between" scenes issue talked about here as well : http://forums.chaosgroup.com/showthr...961#post682961

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[John_Do]

Thank you for the work around, it works fine.

I currently working with the Blend Material and it drives me crazy, I'd like to stay in the Shader Tree but it seems impossible ATM.

> The gradient layer setted to Reflection color / glossiness in ST doesn't work if the Material is in a Blend Material ( or, more precisely, the Blend Mat appears completely black ). If connected to the Material in the Schematic, it's ok. Will it be corrected / improved or is it a ST limitation ?
> I have a bunch of procedural noises nested in a group as bump maps. If I put this ground above the Material, it is the bump channel of the Material itself. But if I put this group above the Blend Mat, is it be considered as the bump channel of the Blend Material ?

This Shader Tree / Schematic mix is sometimes confusing and since it is difficult to do all material work without the one or the other, it would be great to have a specific part in the documentation about that ( who drives who, specific cases, layer / node priorities etc. )

[vladimir.nedev]

The gradient layer setted to Reflection color / glossiness in ST doesn't work if the Material is in a Blend Material ( or, more precisely, the Blend Mat appears completely black ). If connected to the Material in the Schematic, it's ok. Will it be corrected / improved or is it a ST limitation ?

You could use multiple Shader items instead of a V-Ray Blend material. Then you can do everything in the Shader Tree. Each Shader item defines a new layer of a blend material.
The weight of the layer is defined by the Shader mask and/or opacity. You need to make sure there is a mask or opacity is <100% percent, or V-Ray for MODO will assume that the Shader hides
everything below it (which is not always true).

I have a bunch of procedural noises nested in a group as bump maps. If I put this ground above the Material, it is the bump channel of the Material itself. But if I put this group above the Blend Mat, is it be considered as the bump channel of the Blend Material ?

Yes, but if Material is used as a sub-material for a blend material the bump specified in the Shader Tree will be ignored.

This Shader Tree / Schematic mix is sometimes confusing and since it is difficult to do all material work without the one or the other, it would be great to have a specific part in the documentation about that ( who drives who, specific cases, layer / node priorities etc. )

There is only one rule really - if a material item is used as sub-material for a blend material (or a 2-sided or override material), it is used on its own, textures above it in the shader tree are not used.

What I plan to do is add the ability to specify a whole material group as a sub-material.
So, in your case, it will be silver_base instead of V-Ray material_silver.
In that case, if you want to have the bump on the sub-material, you will have to put the wobble group inside silver_base.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev

[John_Do]

You could use multiple Shader items instead of a V-Ray Blend material. Then you can do everything in the Shader Tree. Each Shader item defines a new layer of a blend material.
The weight of the layer is defined by the Shader mask and/or opacity. You need to make sure there is a mask or opacity is <100% percent, or V-Ray for MODO will assume that the Shader hides
everything below it (which is not always true).

I forgot this possibility, it is easy to setup and works fine. Thank you !

So to sum up, currently if I want to do a blend material and use the ST I use the Shader layer method, and if I want to use the Schematic I use the V-Ray Blend Material. Am I right ?

[vladimir.nedev]

I forgot this possibility, it is easy to setup and works fine. Thank you !

So to sum up, currently if I want to do a blend material and use the ST I use the Shader layer method, and if I want to use the Schematic I use the V-Ray Blend Material. Am I right ?

Yes, I think you summed it up nicely.

Greetings,
Vladimir Nedev