Microfacet-based normal mapping is an alternative way of faking geometric details without corrupting Monte Carlo based path tracing light transport and it’s available in ReflectMultiScatter and ReflectGeneralized. Theoretically it is well-defined, symmetric and fully energy conserving. On the other side it means that classic normal mapping has none of the properties above resulting in a[…]
Reflection hazying is actually an artifact. It happens due to micro imperfections which widen the actual reflection lobe making reflections appear less vivid and radiant, more milky and less contrasted. Hazing generally is due to poor industrial processes so that metals and other reflective surfaces have an inferior finish quality because of bad drying or[…]
This reflection node is a powerfull shader that supports both geometrical optics and wave optics glints, flakes, brushed patterns and scratches. Unlike in geometric optics, the contributions from different parts of the surface can sum non-linearly due to interference effects, to create the characteristic diffraction effects of wave optics.. ie. those colored patterns we see[…]
The yarn-based material has been updated with: sheen and reflection lobes build-in patterns with HSV controls an all new phase function for better controllable fiber scattering a roughness patch size to better control fiber roughness and specular pattern variations an indirect glossy versus indirect diffuse parameter to better approach some kind of textiles better overall[…]
With rombo Reflect shaders, – we’re introducing microfacet multiple-scattering in two forms: approximated and true random walk multiple scattering. The true multiple scattering is available only with the ReflectMultipleScatter node while the approximated stuff comes with any specular additional lobe attached to the Diffuse nodes; it is an option with the MultipleScatter node itself and[…]
So in the while also Autodesk has added an Adaptive Sampler to the Arnold renderer. It is very different from the one we first demo’ed here last year. The now build-in Arnold adaptive sampler is image based while ours is a multi-dimensional adaptive sampler. What’s the main difference ? A very simple and yet very[…]
While Arnold already uses a stochastic approach for transparency, it comes only as a ‘closure’. Which means that for custom shaders that do not use an all closure approach it is not available, so we had to add one ourselves. Stochastic transparency makes a huge impact on render times where bounces depth is high. Top[…]
Here a video showing the implementation of rombo denoiser with a full Maya GUI and AOVs support. One can simply add a new AOV and select Rombo.Denoiser as an Arnold driver and access the minimal parameters. We support also Maya render region for fast previews of final results.
Here we use a non-local sample-based approach together with feature-based filtering and adaptive sampling. A proof of concept on latest denoising tech plus some creative engineering that makes it working consistently for production. For example, with a little help from the camera and with Arnold in kinda ‘pathtrace’ mode (AA samples 4×4 while all others[…]
Yarn-based Cloth Shader : (aka) micro-fiber based BRDF : micro-fibers orientation returns correct physically-based macro specular highlights, suitable for both close-ups and distant views. Automagic color shifting, normal/bumps simulated with specular roughness for improved detail and consistency. Here we see also fiber fuzziness in action. Procedural weaving pattern support via WIFs (Weaving Information Files) files.[…]
We wanted to try our adaptive sampler on Arnold. We know Arnold is a ‘brute force’ renderer that relies mostly on importance and multiple importance based tecniques without the need for an adaptive sampler as the renderer itself is already faster than most renderer outthere that makes in a way or another use of adaptive[…]
First check you have the following Arnold core : >= 7.2.1.0 (tested on maya 2022, 2023 and 2024 both Win/Linux). Then with Maya we have to edit the Maya.env file for both Windows and Linux installations. MTOA_TEMPLATES_PATH = xxx\rtoa\DCCs\Maya\ae MAYA_CUSTOM_TEMPLATE_PATH = xxx\rtoa\DCCs\Maya\aexml ARNOLD_PLUGIN_PATH = xxx\rtoa\bin Just let the above maya vars point to the correct[…]