Where do I begin?

[rfuller]

I suppose its best to start this question with a quick background of myself. I'm currently a senior Architecture student who's trying to learn mental ray. I've done the tutorials in Max9, and I've looked at all 4 pages of info in the Max Bible. Those have provided me with just enough information to get me very frustrated. Other than searching forum after forum, does anyone have any solid resources for beginner Mental Ray users like myself?

 

Like I said, I'm an Architecture student which means I only have time to learn mental ray maybe one or two evenings a week.

 

Are there any good books you would recommend or perhaps a tutorial site or blog?

 

I'll post a more direct problem in another thread, but for now, I'd just like to know where to begin.

 

Thanks for any help/suggestions!

 

-Randall

[dagor]

just start your own project.

you`ll have some questions. you`ll finde answers in help, forum and internet tutorial. IMHO it`s a good way to start.

[rfuller]

Well, I've got a few scenes going right now. I've had a lot of success with 2 or 3 of them, but the light study I'm working on right now is giving me fits.

 

I would really just like to know all the basics of using Mental Ray in Max9 so I could understand what everyone is talking about in these forums. I get the super basic stuff like FG and GI, but past that I'm completely in the dark.

 

Are there any books anyone would recommend or any books to avoid?

[Justin Hunt]

A few excellent MEntal resources are Brian bradleys , mental bout max series, master zaps blog , jeff pattons blog and my mentalray.com

 

http://mymentalray.com/

http://mentalraytips.blogspot.com/

http://jeffpatton.cgsociety.org/gallery/ (go to the blog tab)

http://www.mentalboutmax.com/

 

JHV

[shaneis]

This one's kinda handy...

 

http://www.lamrug.org/

 

S.

[rfuller]

Thanks for the great websites! I just searched for books and I only found 2 that were specific to Max9. I guess I'll give those a try, too.

[Jeff Mottle]

There is some good training tutorials here too: http://cgarchitect.vismasters.com/static/training/mentalray/advanced/video/

Chris is a guru in mental ray and taught a class at the VisMasters DMVC. He also routinely teaches at Autodesk University and for IMAGINIT.