Quote from samyip :

I think it could be your MR area light setting. Are you using Shadow map shadow? if yes, try use the Ray Traced shadow instead.

Yeah, that is with shadow map, I changed some settings and got rid of the reflection problems, but I am still having problems with the shadow. It just looks terrible.

I'll try the raytraced shadows setting.

EDIT: I just remembered I did try the "Adv. Raytraced" shadows once, but it just gives me a hard edge even though I'm using an area light. There's something I'm just not understanding. I keep increasing the "quality" settings, but it just doesn't get bretter, it just takes longer to do it.

Quote from CSU1 :

*CLAP, CLAP* That and the Duracell bf1 render are the two sexiest one's i've seen yet absolutaly stunning render noise_is_life! Are there any others by you here? I want to use them for my LFS menu b-grounds???

Not yet, just getting started. Here is my latest version of that scene with new and improved "environment maps" and different lighting. It has it's own set of new problems, but I'm learning.

Quote from noise_is_life :

Not yet, just getting started. Here is my latest version of that scene with new and improved "environment maps" and different lighting. It has it's own set of new problems, but I'm learning.

God man! What have you done to it!!!illepall

new and improved, don't think so!
[first pic]The first pic; at first glance the "sunset" lighting gives a warm feel to the envoirment, and the detail in that backdrop is excellent! you can even see the shadow of sandy texture of the wall.
The Fern Bay sign doesn't look right, maybe some sort of boarder on that sign would blend it in more.
The only things(to me) that look out of place in the first are:The ground, the front bumper, the sign, the colour of the wheels!>Nothing else

[second pic] The second picture looks like you have reduced the reflections coming from the car, turned the lighting down and gone and made everything dull and grey, going from warm sunset to overcast and ccccold
I hope this is helpful Noise_is_Life.

2nd one looks a LOT better; yes its colder looking and you have some values to fix, but it still looks tons better once you get everything set, but you are in the correct direction

@CSU; colors take half a second to change, thats not whats important, its the lighting itself that matters, yes colors matter in the end, but note.. in the end

Yeah I agree, overall I prefer the feel of the first. The second is the result of trying to apply various input from this thread, and trying to learn about new features, but it certainly loses some impact.

I agree about the sign, I've spent about 5 minutes total on it so far, including the bump map.

I've been spending a lot of time on "studio" renders for the team, I'll get back to this scene sometime.

Quote from XCNuse :

2nd one looks a LOT better; yes its colder looking and you have some values to fix, but it still looks tons better once you get everything set, but you are in the correct direction

thanks!

Ok I'm not going too even try to argue with you two, but if u ask me: The first envoirment

oh i agree with you, it may be more presentable at this point in time, but just wait and you'll see

Quote from noise_is_life :

Yeah, that is with shadow map, I changed some settings and got rid of the reflection problems, but I am still having problems with the shadow. It just looks terrible.

I'll try the raytraced shadows setting.

EDIT: I just remembered I did try the "Adv. Raytraced" shadows once, but it just gives me a hard edge even though I'm using an area light. There's something I'm just not understanding. I keep increasing the "quality" settings, but it just doesn't get bretter, it just takes longer to do it.

Adv. Raytraced is not supported by MR, however, you still can use it.
I'll normally use the Ray Traced shadow. The MR renders Ray Traced with difussed edge, unlike Default Scanline Renderer, which will render hard edge.

Please find attached 3 images of different settings of MR Ray Traced light that will give you softer edge by adjusting the size of the light. If your shadow spread alot, you will have to increase the U V samples to have smoother blend, otherwise your shadow will be too noisey.

I must be missing something.

The first image is mental ray Shadow Map(which I do have figured out somewhat), the second is "Ray Traced Shadows".

well, your dealing with a different scale, and since a car is obviously much larger than something probably about the size of a marble in comparison, your MR settings obviously aren't comparable to the scales of the ball in the post before

just raise alot of stuff, and then lower it, compare.. test.. experiment, thats the best way to learn imo

Hi!
Today i got bored and was thinkin how to kill a time, coz i long time didnt use 3d max i decide to make some nice scenes/renders, here we go
Team AK FZ5 Special Edition:
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/4272/akbackay1.jpg
http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/5421/akupas2.jpg
http://img389.imageshack.us/img389/363/akdownth2.jpg

Kowalski Racing:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9326/kr1na7.jpg

Quote from XCNuse :

well, your dealing with a different scale, and since a car is obviously much larger than something probably about the size of a marble in comparison, your MR settings obviously aren't comparable to the scales of the ball in the post before

just raise alot of stuff, and then lower it, compare.. test.. experiment, thats the best way to learn imo

Ya, I know.

I think you missed my point however. The first image is using the mr shadow map and has the soft shadows that I'm working towards (exaggerated by a low light source just for demonstration), while the second image from the exact same scene is rendered with Ray Traced Shadows and has hard shadows. My impression from samyip is that I should be able to use Ray Traced Shadows to correctly render the area lights.

In the end it doesn't matter much since I'm getting close to the effect I want and they both seem to render in similar times, but nonetheless I want to understand what's going on.

Quote from noise_is_life :

I must be missing something.

The first image is mental ray Shadow Map(which I do have figured out somewhat), the second is "Ray Traced Shadows".

The only thing with shadow map is that it won't create transparent shadow effect (i.e. light pass through glass) it only give you transparent effects if you use fall off for your material's opacity. If your material has a 30% opacity for example, but not using fall off, the shadow map will not calculate the transparency value and the shade of your glass shadow will be same as a solid object. Where as Ray Traced shadow will give you transparent effect in both ways.

Heh, something was seriously fooked with that scene, I somehow got to the point where I had no shadows and couldn't get them back regardless of anything I did.

So I started over from scratch, merged in my models and now things are working as they should be. I'm able to use raytraced shadows.

Whew! What a pain.

I am glad that you sorted.

Look forward to see a new render

Here's my sleepy time render from last night.

Reinstalled 3ds again today. I'm actually quite happy with this one, not bugfree but good enough for now.

2 renders of the FXO

Lovin the DSR night versions ...

How come theres no night time in the game anyhoo?.. illepall

XRT renders, Both skins are from this forum.

looks like maxwell taavi, or .. are you using maxwell?

i think your seat texture is messed up btw

Nope, i'm using vray, and yeah that seat texture looks a bit messed up. Wasn't bothered to look what's wrong as i was focusing to get a good looking lighting.

Hi, I have a little render, i hope you like it