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We have updated some info in the online docs regarding these two channels. Please have a look to learn how to use these correctly and avoid issues with white borders in your composites:

http://support.nextlimit.com/display/ma ... ha+channel
(the "Basic usage" section has some info added about how to work with separate alphas. The easiest option however is to simply use the embedded option in Render options.)

http://support.nextlimit.com/display/ma ... ow+channel
(have a look at the "Knocked out shadow pass vs Full shadow pass" section)

Very helpful, great job guys.

Bubbaloo wrote:Very helpful, great job guys.

+1

Hi not sure if asking here is ok, if not i will move to a new topic.

Taking the car renders as example.

Using the alpha (Opaque option OFF) with the render to composite onto different background.
The reflections (currently are some bright light panels) on the car windows will be partially gone, those reflections maintain will be at the area where the alpha appear to be pure white. To have a new background composited this way will have 2 tones of reflections generated, which will looks weird. Is there a way that only reflections be "layered" out? So after placing in the new background, we will have that "layered" reflections to place ontop giving the feel that the reflections are on the foreground (windows for this case).

Below is a test render on a transparent object easier for discussion.

The actual render i need. But i need to change the background (Floor) in the later stage. So background is taken off and set render again with Opaque option off. (Can both kind of alpha "with and without opaque" be rendered in one goal?)


The actual render without the background (Floor)


Alpha with opaque option OFF


So above i will have the difficulty of maintain the reflections (Those on the clear trasnparent covers and under the product) properly after placing in the background.

The car will have additional issue as the reflections are splitted into different by the alpha.

So how can this be solved? Personally i thought only reflections on another layer will works for me.

I hope you guys get what i meant. ; )

Regards

Well if you cut out your render using that alpha, you will still have reflections left. Perhaps a bit weaker but what you can do is for example to just duplicate the cut out layer a few times and set the duplicates to Lighten blending mode.

Is this sort of what you wanted to have?

Hi Mihai,

Thanks for the sample and explaination. Thats normally how we do it, under channel and select it and starts to use mode layering (But it will get more and more tinted with color after multiple layers of stacking which makes it look unnatural) so at times we will brush in specific highlights and reflections to maintian them without affecting others, or using curves etc etc. Takes time. : ( Or i need to render on a background which is more white, but this will leads to losing highligts and reflections. (A proper reflections and highlights render will be against black, see below)

And to have the alpha (opaque option OFF), i need to take away the ground. This will leads to different render feels for the final render. Can a single render produce 2 alphas? It takes long to render for most projects, so i just want to minimise lesser renders.

I couldnt find a more proper sample for trasparency discussion but i have this. (Sorry only a part, is commercial work)

So with multiple layers to play with, most issues can be solved. : )
I believe most Maxwell render users produce stills, so PS compositing is pretty critical in the later stage.
So with proper layerings generated, so much things can be done.

I came across a setting which will generate Diffuse only or Reflections only.
I tried but came this, or is something i did wrong?