Mental Ray Windows/ Lighting Interior

[architect-sma]

I am a new MR user and am still trying to learn how to get the best results. I have only done one interior scene with some considerable trouble getting the GI and Final Gather to work. That project is in the past now, and I am working on a bank interior for a client of our firm. The interior scene has a lot of exterior windows, almost 50% of the walls are glass, and am wondering the best way to simulate the sun/ sky light. I have seen several threads saying not to use glass in the windows, to just add those in post process. I have also read a lot of threads saying to use Mr area lights to simulate sky light and a spot to simulate the sun. If I don't put glass in the windows, how do I get light, even from an are light, to come through the windows? Any other suggestions on the matter will be appriciated. I have included an image of the interior. It is still being modeled and have put some furniture in only for a sense of scale. It's just a gray scale, no materials or anything as I am still modeling.

[spyder2411]

There's a tutorial on autodesk's website for just what you're looking for listed below. Mental ray is more of a "hands-on" experience verses add this add that, point click that everyone in the architectural industry is getting use to. (Draftsman/CG Artist of 10 years) I've personally not had to do a "quick" interior, but it can be done depending on your machine.

 

As far as your question on which format to use sky/sun or areas @ window loc., it is pretty much up to you as both theories work. As I stated above, it's what you get familiar with and that you personally prefer. Some options will produce fast sample results, or they will have long rendering times with great illumination. If you are going for realism, you may want to cram some reading on mental ray in there, I'm not sure on your schedule so I cannot say which is the better route to choose.

 

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=4431573&linkID=982674

 

This should give you a starting point, keep us updated on your progress.

[voltaire_ira]

as we all know that the materials for mental ray need to be configured manually, meaning, placing the necessary maps in certain slots to achieve certain effects.

for example, glass, you would need a mr material with a glass(lume) map in the surface slot, an edge shadow (lume) in the shadow slot so light can pass through, and a photon (base) in the photons slot so as photons can pass through the glass. there are some mr materials that are hard coded already, for example, glass(phenomena) and the dgs shader. there's little you can do with the hard coded ones. but knowing what maps to use and shaders can go a very long way!!

 

try visiting http://www.lume.com for some info on lume tools that are imbedded in max.

http://www.jeffpatton.net for some tests using mr materials in max 6 and 7.

 

hope this helps!

[Fran]

... Mental ray is more of a "hands-on" experience verses add this add that, point click that everyone in the architectural industry is getting use to...

 

Render, there is no such thing as what you've described. The ambiguity of a renderer doesn't make it any more useful or valuable. Hidden features are a waste of time and talent.

[architect-sma]

Thanks for all of your input, I will post some progress images as I progress here in the next few day. Thanks again.