HDRI Help!!!

[OCT.studio]

Hi,

Im new to Vray and have just started to experiment with it. I'm working on a project to help me learn but i'm already stuck after a short while! Using 3dmax 2010 vray 1.5.

 

Ive made a winter scene i made using Snow flow, Using one of peter guthrie's HDRI maps, iv'e followed tutorials and can get the HDRI to work from scratch, but when i use it in the scene (previously made) all i get is a dark scene. Im using the HDRI set-up in a Vray Dome light, Vray physical camera, most of the settings are followed from peters tutorial. I have tried changing the exposure on the camera, altering the HDRI output, and altered the vray light multiplier? The only changes I've made to the render set-up is the Vray colour mapping?

 

I keep getting the error msg: material returned over bright or invalid colour?

 

The hut in the scene had some mental ray materials but have gotten rid of most of them? could that be the issue?

Ive set up blank scenes with just with a tea pot and in and the HDRI work fine but as soon as i import a model, tree ect the scene goes dark?

 

Can any one help?

 

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Edited September 19, 2011 by OCT.studio

[CliveG]

How about setting up your scenes illumination using a flat grey Vray material in the override slot (of rendering - Global switches) and gauge your illumination from that.

 

Though I don't have a specific solution... I think that you're setting yourself a very difficult experiment to learn HDRI lighting using a scene full of snow! The material is obviously everywhere and is a difficult material to define correctly, being white and with a reflective element to it. Whatever happens with that material will have a huge influence - because it's everywhere.

[erickdt]

I agree with complete-newbie's advice. If the HDRI works with a grey vray over-ride material than the issue is definitely that there is a mental ray material somewhere in there. I also wonder if you, having come from using a Mental Ray setup, still have MR photographic exposure enabled in your environment rollout. That could also be the problem...

 

E

[CliveG]

Oh I forgot to point out that there is also a "Convert Scene to Vray" to help globally convert materials to Vray compatible ones, though it's a best guess by the software and shouldn't be used as a substitute for defining the materials yourself.

 

This could be the next part of a step by step approach to resolving your issue.