Conclusive testing of MAYAMN rendering!!!!

[kobi1kobi]

After being close to breaking my poor computer, a kind soul sent me a link to a tutorial in chinese, where I saw the displacement map and it was DARKER!!!!!!

REMARK: Displacement maps converted to RGB, otherwise MAYAMAN can't use them.


here are the results of different maps, and their results:

All maps were flipped in photoshop in Y.

Original image supplied by pixolator.
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200405/user_image-1083411069lcf.jpg
this yeilds NO displacement in mayaman.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200405/user_image-1083411151bet.jpg
This is the same file, but AUTOMATICALLY enhanced in photoshop

The resulting displacement, nice but not very pronounced:
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200405/user_image-1083411279fsq.jpg

Manually adjusted map, (Curve available upon request).
Notice much more pronounced image.

http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200405/user_image-1083411385pqz.jpg

And the result, a GOOD displacement, and fast speed - 22 seconds for 1024*1024 render.
http://www2.zbrushcentral.com/uploaded_from_zbc/200405/user_image-1083411445icw.jpg

Now, Since I'm only a beginner in phothsop, and have no idea what I really did, or how I damaged the displacement map, can someone please tell me how to enhance the disp. map in a way which doesn't "hurt" the map? I'm sure I lost some detail or sharpness in some areas...

[skycastle]

Your first render and maps look fine nothing is broken. You are just a displaceing the 50% grey as well and you're moveing every
point in the mesh in a positive direction. You can adjust this in your shader or what you can do ( what I do )
is to convert the map to floating point color the subtract .5 from the entire map.
This will make it so 50% grey does nothing and pos values will move the point shaded out and neg values will push in.

[spidex]

what exactly is mayaman ?
Hmmm would be kind enough to post the chinese tutorial ?
I read chinese.

[djordje]

mayaman is bridge from maya to renderman and back. like mtor.

[kobi1kobi]

skycastle, how do I subtract .5?
where? what app? what procedure?


I'd love to do this and not mess around with curves in PS.

[Flo]

just use oliviers normal_displacement shader in mayaman and use 100 x 0.834 as Km value.

[kobi1kobi]

Flo,

Any idea how to integrate the sl file into mayaman workflow?

[Flo]

create a mayaman custom shader node, load the sl file you want, and connect to something that makes sense.

e.g. load oliviers normal_displacement shader and connect it as displacement shader to your shading group node.