[tommyjj]

Hi everyone

I've just started using Maxwell again after a long gap (in which i used Vray) and are currently trying to work out why software that is supposed to simulate real light cannot produce realistic refraction. I'm actually trying to make a yacht with slightly tinted glass and at the moment the sunlight doesnt seem to be passing through the glass to the other side. In Vray one would just click 'affect shadows' in the refraction properties and I cant work out how it's done in Maxwell. I'm sure I had problems with this before and had to use Maxwell Studio but I find that infuriating to use due the the navigation control.
Also, Should the Max plugin not be able to do the same job?

http://img141.imageshack.us/my.php?image=test1cc5.jpg
http://img53.imageshack.us/my.php?image=test2hz5.jpg

I'm using the latest version of maxwell, and the plugin with max 8 in Windows XP 32 bit

greatly appreciative of any help guys

[JTB]

AGS , this is the magic word....

[Fernando Tella]

I think your setup should work ok at least from this point of view. Is scale ok? Are you modeling with the same units as max says here: Customize > Unit setup > System unit setup

Anyway I would use a layer of your glass plus a ghost layer.

Edit: is not attenuation distance too low? I would use at least 20cm.

[tommyjj]

thanks guys... will try your suggestions in the morn

[Bubbaloo]

Needs more render time. You can get sunlight through glass in time. Lots of time...

[zdeno]

You sholud set reflectance 0 deg as RGB 20.20,20 or less .

now your transmitance is about 128,128,128 what is easily seen on picture.

read manual " once again" there is fine preset of real glass .

[tommyjj]

thanks for the ideas guys but i still cant get on with it... I've checked the scale which is all fine.

I can get the kind of shadows i'm after with AGS but it doesnt allow me to colour the glass or add any kind of Nd. As far as i can see, AGS is just for making windows with reflection and no real glass properties.

Setting transmittance to anything but white causes the light to be stopped by the object (leaving shadows the same a a solid shape)

I vaguely remember having problems with this before and i have tried rendering it for 6 hours on my 4-processor machine and the shadows of glass objects are the same as solid ones.

I think I will have to resort to Fernando's tactic of using a ghost layer, which begs the question; 'Is Maxwell truly as accurate as it claims to be?'

[Fernando Tella]

I don't know what's wrong with your setup, but your material let's light go through here. (Are you sure you checked both unit windows?)

The only limitation with standard glass is that you won't be able to see light when looking through the glass.

After you solve your problem you should check this thread to tweak glass a bit more:

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... sc&start=0

[tommyjj]

Thanks for the help mate. I'm sure the problem is just me expecting Maxwell to do everything. Happy Holidays!

[tommyjj]

I've just read that there can be problems with glass shadows in scenes lit by a maxwell sunlight system. Might have a go at just using a direct light

[tommyjj]

Sun Shadows Through Glass material by Tim Ellis sorted everything out!

[Fernando Tella]

Not everything...

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/view ... sc&start=0