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Maya shader network woes!!!!

ZBrush Usage Questions
#1

I know this is off-topic for this forum, but I know there is so much knowledge on here and the forum is so well used.

I am trying to set up a shader network in Maya for rendering a bump map with Mental Ray. I read the user guide for MR. but it is not much help.

I am trying to use mi_bump to render my bump file that I create in projection master. I read in the MR user guide that you need to use the mi_bump_basis (I think these are the names of the nodes). I need to know what the inputs and outputs need to be in the network.

Alternatively, I have tried using the Maya bump map node to render my file from PM, but it seems to be very unpredictable, which is why I tried the MR bump, since I am using mental ray to render.

Before anyone asks… I have flipped the image vertically. :slight_smile:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

#2

You should only have to use the mental ray bump nodes if you are using mental ray materials. Even then, if you are having issues with the native bump node in maya then you’d have a hell of a time trying to get the mr bump to work for you. All you really need to do with a bump map is to lower or raise the Bump Depth in the bump node. A negative value pulls in, a positive pushes out. I usually start with a .1 or -.1 value and test from there.

#3

My initial thought was I would use the Maya shaders, but when I switched the renderer to Mental Ray the color of the object was gone. The bump and reflection was working fine (HDR environment map) which is how I new that the object was even there, against a black background. But I have no clue why MR disregarded the diffuse/colour parts of the shader.

In any case I have spent a lot of time getting the MR fast SSS shader to look good, so I am somewhat commited to using the MR shader. I must be doing something wrong with setting up the shader network. I thought it would be as easy as adding a bump2d into the bump channel… but I guess not. :frowning:

#4

I just tested the SSS with HDR with a bump and it worked for me. This is my shading network and here is the mb file. (right click save as) I’m using maya 6.5 Hope this helps.