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AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 9:41 pm
by feynman
Hi,

trying to cut down render time for glass panels (tables, mirrors, etc.) with an exposed edge, I'm firmly wedged between Scylla and Charybdis :(

Edges in "real" glass and both top/bottom surfaces AGS glass = no white dots/specks on objects - but awful and implausible looking ghosting effects (due to the top/bottom surfaces maybe?). SL 12.31, 6min, 800x500
Image

Edges in "real glass and both top/bottom surfaces also = no ghosting effects, but terrible white dots/specks on all affected surface. SL 12.41, 6min, 800x500
Image

Edit: Like first version with "bogus" (now single surface AGS) glass, this time with 75% reflectivity chosen in wizard.
Image

At least, them edges in "real" glass help, but this ghosting is a no-no - as are these caustics(?). Rendering up to SL 30 (or what I've read about clearing caustics eventually) is not an option either. Aren't there any tricks as to how to reduce the speckles and dots somehow by turning some settings of or whatever? Sometimes, though, one keeps staring at what is an ok CGI until it feels like it's terrible no matter what ;)

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:06 pm
by zdeno
real glass + hide for GI

if some shadow is needed AGS object +hidden for camera + hide refl refract

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 11:56 pm
by feynman
Dziękuję!

Will try as soon as I'm sucked to the screen again; AGS' lacklustre impression convinced me that Any Glass Sucks ;)

Your second hint means to: 1st - assign real glass and hide from GI and 2nd - have a copy of the object in place with AGS assigned; that copied object hidden from camera, reflections and refractions, right?

Dobranoc!

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:05 am
by Fernando Tella
feynman wrote:Your second hint means to: 1st - assign real glass and hide from GI and 2nd - have a copy of the object in place with AGS assigned; that copied object hidden from camera, reflections and refractions, right?
That's what I use. Usually you have to move the second geometry a bit so they are not exactly coincident cause sometimes it gives weird results.

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 12:27 am
by feynman
Thank you very much. That sounds like it makes sense. Too bad this can't be achieved with one set of geometry and one material...

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 9:49 pm
by feynman
Well, with that trick, its SL 11.01, 6min, 800x500 and the dots/speckles are almost as bad as in the pure "real glass" version. I did lift the invisible copy with AGS up 1mm as advised. What I don't understand now is that the wooden materials are better now, but the floor material still receives these caustic grains... Something is amiss :(

Image

If this trick can be made to work nicer, one can in any case actually use only a single plane for the invisible AGS shadow-caster copy, right? In the above image, the AGS copy is a bounded volume with top and bottom surfaces and all edges as the "real glass" version hidden from GI.

Edit: AGS copy now only single surface. SL up to 12.12 from 11.01. Something, at least, but still caustics on floor.

Image

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:40 pm
by Fernando Tella
Well, a hidden to GI glass won't produce caustics at all. Are you sure it is hidden to GI? In 3dsmax when you make a copy of an object its hidden to GI checkbox deactivates on its own.

Here's an example (illuminated by physical sky + sun; SL10)

Image

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 11:57 pm
by feynman
Thanks; I've seen your other post (including the image). I'm working in Studio and, yes, I have triple-checked that I did what zdeno recommended... very odd...

Re: AGS glass versus "real" glass - white dots/specks...

Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2014 10:29 pm
by zdeno
1. delete "AGS COPY slight moved" - try how it looks like only with real glass +hidden GI - should look ok

2. if AND ONLY IF some more shadow is needed then try to work with this AGS GHOST hidden for camera and reflections

3. can You describe how your scene is lighted? only with emitters + open superblack enviroment set as NONE or complete interior build ? or IBL light as skydom ? .hdr .mxi ?

4. this firespots it looks like more too high bump map specular reflections in shadows than real caustic - but it is just blind guess
What I don't understand now is that the wooden materials are better now
using more sofisticated techniques in maxwell (smthg like HIDDEN or AGS ghost) gives You +20 to CG godness and unlock few stunning features for pros ;)

when You start combine materials with texture separated on red , green ,blue channel with small glitch in roughness parameter and You understood ralation between Nd an K. You will memorize snell law and tell it while You asleep then there will show up magic button. PIMP MY RENDER. and everything would be easy .