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Author Topic: Forest Material Alternative for Render Passes  (Read 1497 times)

TQ2576

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Forest Material Alternative for Render Passes
« on: October 25, 2016, 05:22:17 AM »
I created grass using a few different models.  I was looking for a way to add a random tint to the models without making individual models of different shades and creating additional clusters.  So I stumbled upon using forest material.  I added a tint using an image of grass and used the values 30% to 80% based on the image supplied. 

The results were what I was looking for and I have been using this for quite some time never knowing that it wasn't meant to work this way.
Photo (Left - Material with Forest Material Applied)(Right - Same material without Forest Material applied)

The only reason this became an issue is because this information is lost when I create render passes.  It only shows the grass without the Forest Material Applied. Yes I verified I am using the correct render passes.

I tried using Forest Color on each diffuse instead and a few other methods and no suitable alternatives have been found.

Do any of you have a suggestion to get a nice result of patchy color grass without creating a bunch more geometry. Maybe there is no solution.  Any advice would help.
« Last Edit: October 25, 2016, 05:34:41 AM by TQ2576 »

Michal Karmazín

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Re: Forest Material Alternative for Render Passes
« Reply #1 on: October 25, 2016, 10:17:28 AM »
Hi,

Would you mind to specify more in detail your Render Elements set-up and the V-Ray version used?

Upon our internal tests (on 3ds max 2017 SP3 & FP 5.2.0 & V-Ray 3.40.03) the Forest Color map values seems to propagate correctly to the corresponding VRayDiffuseFilter Render Element. Also, for more control over the final composition you can add it to the VRayExtraTex Render Element. Attaching screenshot.

Best regards,

TQ2576

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Re: Forest Material Alternative for Render Passes
« Reply #2 on: October 26, 2016, 04:16:41 AM »
I'm not sure I follow your suggestion. I tried that but it didn't seem to do much.  You are suggesting a Forest Color when I am using forest Material?  This is correct?

Forest colors seem to populate on my end correctly but I am not using Forest Color when I have the problem.  I have the problem using Forest Material.

Max Design 13, Vray 2.4, FP 5.2

Michal Karmazín

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Re: Forest Material Alternative for Render Passes
« Reply #3 on: October 26, 2016, 10:28:00 AM »
Hi,

My apologies, I get it now ;) Well, the Forest Material is designed mainly to be used on "billboards" and to add color variation on 3D objects, we highly suggest to use the Forest Color map. When using Multi/Sub-Object materials, the Forest Material needs to be applied over each of those Multi/Sub-Object materials as shown on attached screen-shot.

Anyway, in your case the easiest way to archive the desired look (and get corresponding Render Element values) would be to apply the Color Tint directly under the Material roll-out of the Forect object (which will propaget to the VRayDiffuseFilter Render Element correctly).

Best regards,

TQ2576

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Re: Forest Material Alternative for Render Passes
« Reply #4 on: October 27, 2016, 02:31:16 PM »
Thanks for the help.  I was able to modify the material using forest color everywhere and get it pretty close to the look I was going for.  I noticed that color correction on the tint map as well as real world scale changes really had little effect on the outcome. Do I need to modify those items in photoshop only or am I not setting up something properly.

Michal Karmazín

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Re: Forest Material Alternative for Render Passes
« Reply #5 on: October 27, 2016, 05:20:48 PM »
Hi,

You're welcome. It should be possible to get very close to the desired output, thought the renderer's Color mapping has an impact over the final tone too. In many cases, the Color Correction map will have mayor impact when applied over used textures than over the Color Tint map.

Best regards,