Lighting Problems using FG and GI (3ds max)

Jairoldi · Apr 2011

Hi,

I'm having problems with my lighting and I need your help to resolve it, if you think of a solution please post a comment.

Here is a summery of what I am doing right now. I'm using 3Ds max 2010 and I'm doing the Interior of a loft.

So, right now the most important problem is that I need to resolve the Daylight System using Mr Sun and Mr Sky. I'm having difficulty making it look nice (screenshot below).

Please post any comments to help me improve the quality of my environment!!!:)

-Jay-

Thank you

Jairoldi · Apr 2011

Bump

r_fletch_r · Apr 2011

Firstly, You'd be better off posting questions like this over at 'My Mentalray'

As for a solution you can try these:

1:Looks like your GI Photons radius is set too low. try increasing it. I would suggest you study up on GI if your planning on using it much. its quite a pain in the butt.

2:Alternatively, switch off GI and turn your FG bounces up to 5 or 6. that should give you a smooth result and decent fill light.

AnimeAngel · Apr 2011

What are your FG and GI settings?
If you are using the 2 together they should be fairly low. FG should be set at draft and GI should be close to default with maybe 25 radius

Jairoldi · Apr 2011

I think it may be a problem with my photon or my AO (Ambient Occlusion) because i've tried Draft FG and Low pothon in my GI nothing had resolve it but anyway i changed my light for direct and omnis to simulate my sky , my sun and my ambient light so i think it will be easier with these between the mr sun and mr sky that are more long to render! Thank you for you help!

r_fletch_r · Apr 2011

actually it looks like your shadow samples are set extremely low. did you look at those?

It wont be your AO, you NEVER set your AO at such a high radius. try settings its radius to a tiny figure, greater than 0

Jairoldi · Apr 2011

In this scene the big problem is the shadow if checked out my AO and my shadow parameters and everything looks normal ill let you look at that, Maybe you'll find the problem!

Now i've got a new set of light because i am short on time and need to speed up render!

Now for Outdoor light i've got 2 target spot

My sun's shadow is a Mental Ray Shader

and for ambient light i've got 2 mr area omni that does'nt cast shadow

I've got two other lights that does'nt cast any shadow, that point directly the celling and the floor to smooth shadow

I'll send to you a Screenshot of each setting of my lights and a perspective view of outside of my scene to let you visualize how i've done that spooky lighting setting ...

Jairoldi · Apr 2011

Im taking a chance to see if i can send you a good resolution of my sun setting but i don't think that it's gonna do it

Here are the most principal setting of all lights and environnement parameters

CHECK THIS OUT THANK YOU!!!

So my Sun parameters are :

Target Spot

Casting Shadow with mental ray Shadow Map

A Multiplier of 1000

No Attenuation used

Hot Spot Beam : 50

Falloff/field : 150

Rectangle shape

The Rest appart shadow parameters density : ,5 ... more then default and shadow map size at 1024 everthing else has not been modified

Sky Light

The parameters for the sky are apparently the same just one little change is the multiplier that i lowered 50% of is amount and the sky light doesn't cast any shadow

AMBIENT LIGHT AND OTHERS

The 2 ambient lights and the 2 lights aimed at the celling and floor are set at 100 of Multiplier all other settings has'nt been changed.

ENVIRONNEMENT SETTING

FINAL GATHER

My FG is set to 1 of Multiply on Draft maximum at Medium quality

GLOBAL Illumination

Set to low quality with a Multiply of 1

Max number of photon per samples at default : 500

Average photon by light is at 20k

EXPOSURE CONTROL

At Mr Photographic exposure

and the mr photographic exposure are

EV at 10,00

Image Control

Highlights (burn) : 1,00

Midtones at : 1,00

Shadow 0,2

Color Saturation at 1,00

Whitepoint 5500 Kelvin

vignetting : 0,00

CHECK THIS OUT THANK YOU!!!

Jairoldi · Apr 2011

Here are two Screenshot one on Left View and One on Top view of how i placed out my light i wanted out to do a Daylight setting but apparently im not able so if your able to help me comment!!!

LEFT VIEW!!!

TOP VIEW!!!

Thanks again for your help it is really appreciated

r_fletch_r · Apr 2011

Firstly did you ditch the GI and try just FG with 5 bounces?

Heres what you do.
*Turn off FG, GI, AO, Shadows.
*Render Your image.
*If you still have the noise, your problem is in a shader.
*If you have no noise, turn 1 feature on and render.
*If you have no noise keep turning them back on and rendering until you find which feature is causing the noise.

Also if you want realistic results ditch the standard max lights and switch to photometric lights. You need correct falloffs to get realistic results.

Jairoldi · Apr 2011

I tried saving a photon map and put my FG to 5 bounces and tried to turn off GI with just FG but i had to put a High quality at my Antialiasing to cure every little noise on my image and it was not that greater!

Lighting Problems using FG and GI (3ds max)

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