Skylight Causing Max 9 To Crash

Posts

• Coolhand289 Mountain LairPosts: 1,298Member

  May 2009 #2

  

  what renderer are you using?
• efritsch0 Posts: 0Member

  May 2009 #3

  Scanline.
  
  I don't understand why an inferior machine running 32bit OS and software could do it, but my laptop with twice the ram running under a 64bit OS can't.
  
  I'm thinking it might be something wrong in the file(s) as there are now two that do it.
• spudmonkey0 Posts: 0Member

  May 2009 #4

  Older versions of Max and 64-bit Vista generally seems to be a pretty bad combination without the latest service packs for Max. Have you got them all installed?
• efritsch0 Posts: 0Member

  May 2009 #5

  Yes, I have all the available updates that I know of.
  
  Like I said, it does it on some files but not others with the same lighting setup.
• Coolhand289 Mountain LairPosts: 1,298Member

  May 2009 #6

  

  does it work with Mental ray?
• MadKoiFish9920 Posts: 5,337Member

  May 2009 #7

  

  Sounds like it MIGHT be corruption in the scene try merging the objects into a new scene one at a time. And see if it is a object in the scene or just the base file. I had this happen in older versions of max IE 7 and older. Max 9 often does this with animation sliders, corrupts the code and junks everything.

  Each day we draw closer to the end.
• efritsch0 Posts: 0Member

  May 2009 #8

  Merging the objects into a new scene one at a time would probably take longer than rebuilding it fron scratch. There are far, far too many objects.
  
  It does render out okay in Mental Ray, and it seems that Mental Ray runs quick a bit quicker too. I just had never used Mental Ray before. I may have to learn how to use it more effectively now.
  
  
  Edit: After runnung a few test renders with MR on, it seems that the skylight doesn't actually do anything. The scene is rather dark and cranking the intensity of the skulight doesn't seem to do anything.
• MadKoiFish9920 Posts: 5,337Member

  May 2009 #9

  

  MR is much faster exp calculating bounced light and well does a nicer job of it.
  If your scene is a tonne of objects try merging groups. When on older versions of max I found often just merging the objects into a new scene fixed errors, but just as often it didn't just a suggestion.
  
  Definitely google up tuts on Final Gather etc, most likely you'll have to use mental ray materials to get any real AO in a scene without post. The tuts all are quite specific to the version of Mental Ray you got. from max9 to 2009 there was a big change and I think between 7 and 8 there was as well.
  
  zap's mental ray tips: The Joy of a little "Ambience"...
  
  Qblog MR Exterior Lighting

  Each day we draw closer to the end.
• Coolhand289 Mountain LairPosts: 1,298Member

  May 2009 #10

  

  the skylight will do nothing unless you have 'Final Gather' enabled. the 'draft' setting for fg can look alright.
• Coolhand289 Mountain LairPosts: 1,298Member

  May 2009 #11

  

  MadKoiFish wrote: »

  Definitely google up tuts on Final Gather etc, most likely you'll have to use mental ray materials to get any real AO in a scene without post. [/url]

  
  AO?
• MadKoiFish9920 Posts: 5,337Member

  May 2009 #12

  

  Ambient Occlusion
  Standard max materials often come out all flat in GI. FG in max9 at least has a way to add AO via material (wish it was bloody global) So this negates having to composite a AO pass in photoshop etc. First URL talks about this.

  Each day we draw closer to the end.
• Brickhead176 Posts: 0Member

  May 2009 #13

  

  Coolhand wrote: »

  AO?

  
  I think he's referring to ambient Occlusion.
• Coolhand289 Mountain LairPosts: 1,298Member

  May 2009 #14

  

  hmm. i've never noticed max materials being flat with GI or skylighting. Are you using ambient light with GI or skylight?
• MadKoiFish9920 Posts: 5,337Member

  May 2009 #15

  

  I dont use GI in MR cause it bloats 2min renders to more like 200min renders.
  
  In max9 you need FG and the AO in arch mats to get any AO without it is just general lighting and you loose that darkening in corners. (older versions of MR it was a global option)
  Here a quick example 2 objects one with arch mats(left) the other standard max mat note how flat the standard object appears it is just GI or ambient light no defining of the shapes. Not to mention the standard mat bounces like mad causing blowouts. (and this is with only one bounce) Both materials are set to matte.
  Attachment not found.
  Base material is arch mat as well.
  
  
  Maybe it is personal preference but I find the arch mat easier to control things like that bounce blowout. (reason I dislike light tracers bounce option, no subtly.)
  The arch materials and other MR related materials are made to work in MR the standard max set for scanline is often ignored in any MR based effects or rendering options.
  
  Only real complaint is MR uses all the cores so it really cripples my machine when rendering.
  
  
  sorry for the hijack lol.
  
  EDIT: ah skylight with FG method, MR gi never gave me satisfactory results and anything near a livable rendertime.
  
  To note too MAX has some lighting tuts for MR buried amongst the other tuts. This really went into the final gather options (least in max9) IE how much artifacting etc low settings get you and how each setting affects the outcome.
  attachment below is the slot/roll up that has the AO controls.

  Each day we draw closer to the end.
• Coolhand289 Mountain LairPosts: 1,298Member

  May 2009 #16

  

  you can get that same problem with many mr materials. Arch is the only one i know that has its own ambient occlusion and they are quite nice shaders.
  
  As for not switching on GI... well it depends on what you're doing, it certainly has its uses. It adds to rendertimes sure, but if its taking you 200 times more than normal then you should probably reduce photon count.;)
• spudmonkey0 Posts: 0Member

  June 2009 #17

  For global AO you are probably better off using a two pass render. The render dialog (F10) has a processing tab with a texture override option. Set that to a material which is a Mental Ray Shader with AO set as the surface material. When you render with the override set you get an AO pass. When you render without it set you get your lighting rig (watch out for exposure controls on the AO pass though as they need to be off). You can then combine the render with the AO pass as a multiply layer in a 2d app, which gives you more control over the end result.