Jeff Patton JeffPatton Location: Lexington, USA Language(s):
English Member Since: August 2002 Last Updated: 14 November 2009 Portfolio Views: 1069030 Chosen as Favorite: 521
Each version since Max9 seems to improve mental ray quite a bit. Benefits for mental ray in 3ds Max 2008 include the photographic exposure control & production shaders. The production shaders are compatible with Max9, so you don't need to upgrade to use those. The photographic exposure control does not work with Max9, so you'll have to upgrade to enjoy that...but some are happy with the log. exposure control or some of the camera exposure control options...everyone has their own workflow's/preferences.
Should you upgrade from Max9 to 2008? Well, I'd say at this point in time it's moreso a question of upgrading to 2009...and to that I'd give a resounding YES to most mental ray users. For me personally, the mr proxy objects would be worth the upgrade price alone.
Hi Jeff.
Do the Max 2009 was introduced?, I m just ignorant abt it that Max 2009 was introduced. Can u tell me what is ur personal preference regarding using Max 2008 or Max 9. I want to do interior rendering efficiently, do max 2008 serve my this purpose?.
Also I heard that Photometric lights yield good results in "Interior rendering" if the geometry is physically correct. Pls tell me what is the meaning of "physically correctness" of Geometry. Is it related with some specefic parameteres, which should be set in Max to achieve "physically correctness" or is it related with drawing in Autocad.
I m used to drawing Autocad then import it to Max.
Thanks for now.
3ds Max 2009 / 3ds Max Design 2009 isn't available right now, but should be released around the 25th of March per the info on Ken Pimentel's blog. He's a senior product manager at Autodesk. Here's a link to his blog if anyone doesn't already have it: http://area.autodesk.com/index.php/blogs_ken/blog_list/
3ds Max 2008 also introduced the portal lights which make interior lighting easier/nicer looking. So yes, I'd recommend the upgrade from Max9 to 2008 for architectural work in mental ray. But if you're considering upgrading now or in the near future, please keep in mind that 2009 is about to be released...so make sure you get access to that (via subscription), or just wait until 2009 is released and then buy your upgrade (but it'll probably be more expensive to upgrade Max9 to 2009).
Physically correct geometry normally means that you simply make sure the model is to a known scale. You don't want a wall that's 1 mile long instead of 100 feet, etc. If you do all your modeling in CAD, then this shouldn't be an issue for you.
jeff could you explain the gamma gain you mentioned here :
"when you are using p/graphic exposure do you have your gamma set at 1.8 regardless of what it is you are rendering??"
Yes I do. Then I use either the gamma/gain utility or the gamma override option to properly configure my linear gamma 1.0 items like .hdr's and/or bump/displacement maps.
i am trying to light a scene with hdri image and was wondering what i need to do to get the gamma of the hdr correct, i am not using exposure, i just have your material test lab scene, with a skylight, is there a better way to use hdri with this scene?
I m doing Interior Modeling up to Floor, walls, Ceiling but lack of knowledge how to Model Further. Pls refer to Professional Interior Modeling tutorials. Also what is combination of lights I shud use which are comptaible with MR & (A & D) materials. Also I m finding MR Arch & Design tutorials for giving professonal looking touch.
Awesome blog. I like reading it even if I got not much to do with 3d rendering You have a talent for writing about all those complex things in such interesting way. Looking forward to see some "realistic rendering of human portrait" chapter Greetz!!
daveb867: HDR's should be linear (gamma 1.0). So if you have your global bitmap input gamma set to anything other than 1.0 you'll need to use the local gamma settings available when you load your .hdr (or any bitmap). OR you can use the gamma/gain shader (part of the production shaders) to configure gamma locally. Keep in mind that there's no guarantee that the .hdr you download is correctly saved as gamma 1.0! Clear as mud eh?
amitjersy: Practically all lights in 3dsmax are compatible with mental ray. The most accurate light sources are the photometric lights. Just make sure your scene is scaled properly (real world values), or you won't get the full benefit of using photometric lights.
mime1: Thanks. Realistic CG human portraits eh?...I think I'll have to vastly improve my texture painting skills prior to tackling that topic.
You have a talent for writing about all those complex things in such interesting way. Looking forward to see some "realistic rendering of human portrait" chapter 
