Yes, that makes good sence.
Still, I think the material produced with the "Automatic" Character should be an AGS that matches an AGS made in Material Editor, with (almost) same color in refltance 0 and 90 - because this solution would be closer to a WYSIWYG-experience.
(Btw as far as I can see, the AGS produced with the "Automatic" Character has an nd of 2.5)
I like the fact that when you choose to use the "AGS" Character you automatically get a white reflectance 90-color, which is closer to reality.
In the "AGS" Character you can control the Nd and it would be great to be able to control the amount of reflection (Opacity/Mask-number) as well, with 12.5 as default, just like the Material Editor (or is this controlled by the SketchUp opacity-slider?
)
As things are now, you don't have the option to use a transparent SketchUp material that renders as a diffuse, yet transparent, material in Maxwell - because both the "Automatic" Character and the "AGS" Character produce reflective, transparent AGS-materials.
It would be great if there was an option to create such a transparent, diffuse material from a transparent SketchUp material.
I imagine that an AGS glass-material for window-glazing and so on is mostly used without textures.
I imagine that transparent SketchUp-materials with textures are usualy not reflective (like the trees that you mentioned).
The "Automatic" Character could therefore work in this way:
- When using a transparent SketchUp material WITHOUT a texture - produce a WYSIWYG-AGS-material.
- When using a transparent SketchUp material WITH a texture - produce a typical diffuse mxm with a texture, where "Opacity/Mask-number is controlled by the SketchUp opacity slider.
Result would be:
SketchUp-material (Red, opacity 50%):
"Automatic" Character (WYSIWYG):
"AGS" Character:
default Nd 1,51:
and optionally changed Nd to 20:
_____________
SketchUp-material (Brick-texture, 50% opacity):
"Automatic" Character (WYSIWYG):
/Stefan