shadows

[mskin]

does anyone know how to get an object cast shadows, but not be visible in the rendering? - 3d max8

 

thanks

[Devin Johnston]

If you pick the object then right click and go to properties you can uncheck under rendering control visible to camera. I think that will make it invisible to the camera but still allow it to cast shadows and reflections.

[mskin]

maxer,

i've tried that but am getting some weird results.... im rendering it now, going to get some coffe and i'll post a sample of the image.

[jccloutier]

using v-ray? if you're re-using your irradiance map from file, you'll have to reset and recalculate the ir map because it thinks the object is still there.

[mskin]

no. mental ray.... should this be in the mental ray forum or the 3d studio max thread. I personally don't like the quantity of forums at this point. It just makes everthing seam so segragated.

[mskin]

here is the rendered image.... notice the trees to the left, there is some funky stuff going on. the tilted tree planes are selected as renderable and cast shadows, but not visible to camera. i would think that would do the trick, but its rendering part of, but not all of the plane....

 

please help.

[Devin Johnston]

Please explain exactley how you have set up your trees and what your trying to do with them.

[mskin]

well, i set my trees up using crosses, however, when using true crosses, that cross perpendicular to eachother, my shadows were oblique.... so, i thought that if i used a look at restraint toward the sun (at a slightly elevated elevated level.... 50 to one hundred feet) i could get a more accurate shadow for the tree.

 

so i have two planes, one looking toward the camera, and the other looking at the light source (rather than perp to the camera). I thought that if i deselected visible to camera, it wouldn't render... but its almost as if it partially renders....

 

confused.

 

see images attached showing tree geometry and proporties for angled plane.

[jccloutier]

i've tried re-creating your scenario and it works for me.

 

1. it may be possible that you cloned your planes without knowing it and although you may be making one 'not visible to camera' there may be another one there that is. try deleting one and see if another remains.

 

2. try exluding those planes from illumination only in the light source

 

3. if all else fails, loosely follow this tutorial (because it's not very clear) on creating a projection map. then you can hide the planes and still have nice shadows:

 

http://http://www.archvision.com/Tutorials.cfm?Tutorial=tutorials/shadow_Max5_6/Shadow_Tutorial.cfm

[mskin]

i've noticed this doesn't happen with scanline renderer, only mental ray....

 

any ideas?