I am trying to get my head around this complex program.
I’ve already established that there is no manual, and that the help files are terse and poorly phrased to the point of incomprehensibility.
It now seems that every single link in this (up to now) well furnished forum is also broken ? They all point to this page ?
http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/index.html
..Which coupled with a scant amount of recent postings means that this forum has effectively died ? or am I being cynical (as a result of having spent a day meeting endless frustrating dead ends) ?
did you tried User HELP ?
The entire forum is not broken. The forum migrated from an older site, so anything prior to that migration will have broken links. A lot of old forum users seem to have not come along to the new forum, so it is not as busy.
This is the state of things, to my knowledge:
Manual for 1.05.29 is here: Chaos: Industry-leading design and visualization software
Yes, it is for the prior release. Yes, the dialogs look somewhat different, and some terminology has changed. If you’re new to the software, it is still the best place to start. The basics aren’t that different. If it still throws you, download the old version and learn on it, it’s extremely functional. Reinstall the latest release when you’re more up to speed.
Files for use with the Manual are here: Chaos: Industry-leading design and visualization software
Reference for 1.50 is here: Chaos: Industry-leading design and visualization software
This is an explanation of every button FWIW. This is a BAD place to try to learn the software, it’s better for answering specific questions.
Tutorials are here: 3D Rendering Blog for ArchDesign, ArchViz, Media & Entertainment | Chaos
They also are all over you tube. Yes, a lot of them are for the old version, but they explain the concepts.
Is this ideal? No. But the forum is full of people who will help you if you ask for it. Our own personal Hogwarts or something. So ask.
Yes, I have been working with version 1 of the manual together with the few pages listed in User Help.
Thanks for your reply. I would respectfully suggest that the ‘sticky’ threads which are comprised almost entirely of broken links are therefore made ‘unsticky’ in that case, as the experience of using the forum at present is much like arriving after the party has finished. (or the mary celeste - whichever metaphor you prefer)
This forum is very quiet, even more so than the old forum at ASGVis. There are undoubtedly many knowledgeable and helpful members here, although I don’t post much I do read many of the threads and have learnt various techniques from them. However, as a place to get answers to specific questions I’m not sure it is a good solution and is certainly not a replacement for a manual. When I hit a problem, I need an answer quickly, you can wait hours or days for a solution here (if one arrives at all). That isn’t a criticism of the forum, more so of Chaos Group for not providing adequate support for their product in the form of a manual. I acknowledge that a manual isn’t going to answer every question, but it should be a first reference, resources like this forum should come next.
I’d agree with that sentiment certainly. A little more pro-active support and resources from Chaos Group would go a long way
I fear our calls for better support will fall on deaf ears. VfR doesn’t seem to be a priority, which is a great shame. V-Ray is a great product but it is not a easy program to learn nor master. I live in hope that an official manual will be released eventually or perhaps an enterprising user will write an unofficial training manual. Until then trial and error it is.
Yes, it all leaves a lot to be desired. No argument. Purging the forums is a really good suggestion too. If you’re looking for a manual for every aspect of the program, you might look at this:
http://www.francescolegrenzi.com/blog/static.php?page=vray_guide_eng
its set up for Max but the concepts are there.
Thanks. That looks interesting. I’m just downloading and looking at the sample now.
I bought that book when it came out.As Fooprobe said it is set up for max,but lots of explanations you can use with Rhino,but there is also a lot that you can’t use.I still sometimes refer to it.
Would I buy it again? Probably even if it is making me angry sometimes to see what we don’t have access to.While written for Vray max 1.5,it is way ahead of what we have in Vray rhino 1.5.
forgot to say that you may also take a look at this one "PHOTOGRAPHY & RENDERING with V-Ray" - book - Ciro Sannino
I don’t have it but it looks like the explanation are more easy to understand.The other book is more technical
Renee
Thanks Renee, Useful feedback. I’m interested to hear that VfM is a better implementation (of what I assume is the same basic code)
I have Francesco Legrenzi’s V-Ray Complete Guide too. As already mentioned, it is focused on VfM, however a lot of the examples are relevant to VfR. It is a useful reference book to have but for a new VfR user it isn’t that helpful. It is very technical, long winded and lacking focus. It really would’ve benefitted from better editing. I’m glad I’ve got it, however I feel it is probably more suited to an experienced user rather than a beginner.
The Photography & Rendering book looks interesting, I hadn’t seen that one before. I’ll have to get hold of a copy.
“Photography & Renderings with Vray” , I don’t get it what is the word > photography doing in the title? It covers photography in general or photography with Vray, or just a marketing hook?
From the introduction it’s clear this book is not done for rhino users.
I would say the tutorials on chaosgroup are not bad to start, also the one explaining exteriors with vray for sketchup..
Yes it is clear it is not done for rhino,exactly like the other one " Vray complete guide" is not.
But lots of things are similar and can get applied to Vray for Rhino.
The word photography is ok for me,lots of things are similar in photography and rendering.Lighting,viewpoint,reflection etc.You should know since you are also a commercial photographer.Lots of peoples don’t even know how to set up a camera shoot,so
having some explanations,might not be such a bad idea.How often do we see illustration with a viewpoint so awful that it ruins everything.
And yes some tutorials on chaosgroup are not bad,but some are old and were done with the old vray version.
I agree with you Renee,
It is always useful to talk about photography rules in rendering guides, but naming a book Photography & Renderings with Vray sounds to me 50% photography, 50% renderings. Photography is much more than what can be involved in vray for rhino workflow nowadays and quite in the future..
If a vray for rhino user buys this book, he/she pays same money as 3dsmax user does, but getting much less! I know the “Vray complete guide”- title 100% fits to the content, but again rhino user should filter a lot the content inside
Personally I have my physical camera without exposure settings on (I relay on IBL - appropriate hdri in the dome, which intensity & saturation rules my scene)..
I’ve ordered the Photography & Rendering book so I’ll report back once it arrives. Fingers crossed it’s worth the not inconsiderable outlay.
Some of the tutorials on Chaos Group are pretty good but as mentioned above, many of them are for older versions of VfR. Personally, I learn better from a structured course that builds in complexity. Adobe do a good jobs of supporting their products, Chaos Group could learn a thing or two from them. Failing that, just a proper manual would be nice. In fact its the basic minimum a new user should expect.
Agreed !
It might be pushing it a bit to far,naming it Photography and rendering ,may be renderings and photography with an emphasis on renderings would have been better.While it is true that a lot must be filtered for rhino user,I still learned a lot reading Vray complete guide.
I use my physical camera with exposure settings on ,I mostly use Peter Guthrie HDRI and I like them ,for me it works perfect.
Renée