VRay 3DS Max issues with Revit link

[sspringer]

I've been having a miserable time getting things to work properly in Max 2014 with a linked Revit file. I've tried several different GI settings and still get some strange results. There are always these pink & red splotches everywhere, and significantly worse when using Light Cache. Below are the results with the different things Ive tried.

 

Anyone have any similar issues when using Revit+Max+Vray? I'm not familiar enough to know whether this is a rendering settings issue or a corrupt geometry or material issue.

 

[Francisco Penaloza]

That problem is because you are not using VRay materials. You need to change all your REVIT materials (Autodesk materials) to VRay.

The only thing is that you will need to purchase a converter, because the free ones only trans code the Arch and design, not the latest Autodesk materials. Unless you can find one, it is a good investment.

 

The other option is stay with Mental Ray, that still can produce great images and you won't have to deal with material incompatibilities.

[sspringer]

I've already changed most of the materials to VRay, there may be a couple small materials (ie, door hardware or cabinet shelves) that are not converted, but all the exterior and main interior materials have been replaced. Could just small remainders of non-Vray materials cause this much interference? Is there a way to see which materials are still not converted? Thanks for the response!

[Francisco Penaloza]

Yes, you need to change every single material that will get light bounce some way an other, but I will recommend to change everything, sometimes at small scale it may not be visible but if you render at big scale it will show, or even worse if you do any animation.

 

To check materials you can look in the material /Map browser, select materials in scene, and every material that is not compatible will show with a red tag. Depending how the REVIT model was build you'll have a hell of a job or pretty simple, sometimes the MAX importer can't read instance materials and you end up with 20 Stucco wall that they all look the same.

 

There is a great script called Instance Materials by name and Class. besides the long name it will show you any instanced material and similar material that can be instanced, it may help you to identify Autodesk material left around.

 

Working with REVIT linked files inside Max using VRay is a real pain.

[sspringer]

Wow, it would appear so...there was 1 tiny surface I just happened to notice, a handle on the cabinet, and switching that one material to Vray cleared up the whole thing (and somehow sped up the render time significantly). I know there are still a couple minor autodesk materials about, but there must have been something with that particular one that was wreaking havoc.

 

I never would've worked that one out! Thanks!