I’m trying to find out how a set of external mirrors will be able to bounce natural light into a room in real life. My problem is that my mirror material (or shiny materials like chrome in general) doesn’t seem reflect the SketchUp sun at all.
Do someone know how this can be done? How do I make light bounce from a mirror to a surface?
Any help will be greatly appreciated! 
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Under General Switches - have you set the Max Reflection/Refraction high enough?
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Thank you very much for your reply!
Do you mean Global Switches instead of General Switches?
What values would you consider high enough? I can change the value of: Max Depth, Max Transp Levels, Transp Cutoff and Secondary Ray Bias.
I’m using the latest (to my knowledge) version of Vray in the Academic version. I couldn’t find anywhere where I can see what version I’m using though?
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
The version number should say under Window → Preferences → Extensions → V-Ray for SketchUp
Yes, I meant ‘Global Switches’. Set Max Depth high enough for the light to bounce sufficient enough times. Count how many reflective surfaces it’d need to hit to enter the room. (Add one just for safety.)
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Thank you again!
Increasing the Max Depth didn’t seem to work 
My version is 1.48.83. I will try to download the newest.
I have modelled a very simple setup just to get the concept working:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2871047/Test.png
It is a closed box with a hole in the ceiling.
The only light source is the SketchUp sun at default settings.
Do you have other suggestions for getting this to work?
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Hi Kris,
If you enable caustics you’ll get light bouncing of the reflecting materials.
Here’s an example: http://forum.asgvis.com/index.php?topic=4546.msg27578#msg27578
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Thank you for your reply 40TH,
I have tried to enable Caustics but I do not see any change at all?
Do you have a possibility to maybe upload a very basic scene where caustics are enabled correctly and working with a mirror?
Thank you very much for your time!
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Turning Caustics On should de the trick. Here’s my try with mirror face
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Thank you for your reply once again.
So far so good! I can get the same effects as you when I use the Vray lights, but not when I try to use the Sketchup sun?
Any ideas?
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Increase the Caustic’s multiplier to thousands till you get the effect.
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Hi again
Can you make that work in this test scene?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2871047/Reflection%20test.skp
Multiplier is set to 10.000, but I see no change?
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Yeah, Sure. I used the same settiing that I use for caustics from pool water.
Here’s the skp file: http://www.mediafire.com/?cjb33t5hfqi1z3m
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Thanks a million!
But still it doesn’t work? I tried to render the file you made available online, and here is how it turned out on my computer?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2871047/Test2.png
Can it be because I’m using an academic version? Or is something wrong with my installation? I’m using the newest version of Sketchup now.
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
I get the same result. Is it a mac thing? I’m using 1.48.90. I think this is a bug.
Regards
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
My operation system is Windows XP 32 bit running from Boot Camp (clean installation) on a MacBook Pro 15".
I tried to install a trial version of Vray for Mac and render the scene again with the same result?
Can it be, that caustics only works under 64 bit Vista / 7?
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
@ PEER @ KRISHARLEY87
Maybe the reason it doesn’t work for you is because I use a different VfS version. As It says in my signature, I use Vfs 1.05.30.
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Hi again,
I would just like to say, that I haven’t solved the problem. I wrote the ASGvis support weeks ago to confirm if it was a bug, but they have never provided me with an answer.
I hope ASGvis will fix this in the next version.
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
hi,
i’m facing the same problem right now.
is there any solution to this strange problem?
everyone uses mirrors, but no one wants to reflect rays with it!
how is that possilbe?!?!
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
Hi, you have to enable the caustics and also increase the photon radius for the sun, if you are using the sun.
Re: Bounce light with mirror?
thanks!
… ok at least something is bouncing off the mirror. but it looks spotty like and not like a “real” perfect reflection!?!
maybe i have to test a little more…