glass reflections

[jccloutier]

3ds max 7
vray 1.47.03

i am trying to create architectural glass that is transparent (background image and objects behind show through), tinted, and reflects a spherical HDRI map correctly (perpendicular to glass faces, not camera).

the sample is made of 2 pieces of glass, corner butt joint, with 2 spheres - one behind glass, one in front of glass.



as soon as i apply the hdri map for reflections (either by overridding the reflection map in vray or dropping the hdri on the material reflection slot), my glass is no longer transparent to the background image. the physical objects show through but the background image does not. also, there seems to be 2 reflections overlapping.



thoughts?

[Thiago de Andrade]

try mapping the HDRI to the environment or to a dome around the scene. I don't use vray, but my guess is that if you apply any map as a reflection map it becomes mapped to the object and loses almost all of its transparency/translucency.

[jccloutier]

i spent all day experimenting with this and it seems your suggestion is the only way to get this to work. unfortunately, it makes render times 3 times longer.

thanks for the reply.

[chx]

hi, put a falloff map in fresnel mode in your reflection slot, should do the job

[gods418]

put HDRI map as your environment would solve your problem and also make the hdri as your light source.. if you need a sun you can put the vray sun

good luck

[jccloutier]

put HDRI map as your environment would solve your problem and also make the hdri as your light source.. if you need a sun you can put the vray sun

good luck

but i need that specific image for the background, so i can't use the hdri as the environment.

[Saturn]

Sure you can. Just use the same map.

[gods418]

his background map is not hdri , right,,, then you map your specific background to a box and position it as your backdrop.. your environment map is still the hdri...i guess it would be ok...................................

[jccloutier]

Sure you can. Just use the same map.

i guess i'm not being clear (like the glass):

the first post has a background image with some buildings cars and trees that i took of a site that i put a rendering into. pretty standard procedure so far:


here's the final image for reference:

i would like to use an HDRI spherical map that properly reflects off the building. i cannot use the background image as the reflection because 1. it sucks 2. the building we're demo-ing would reflect in the new building and 3. if i override max's reflection with a spherical HDRI map i get overlapping reflections (one correct, one not) AND the background is no longer visible through the glass:

[gods418]

if you need to cast shadow you can use shadow/matte as the material if your using vray, it has its own shaddow matte....

good luck