SU to MAXWELL - Transparent wall is rendered black?

nickdk

Hello I have made a section cut in SU with ZORRO and then I have applied a face to block the entering light and applied a transparent texture. The result looks correct inside SU but maxwell renders it as 100% solid? What can be wrong? I have tried to apply the texture both at face level and group level

TIG

Have you viewed the faces in question in the SKP using Monochrome mode, with a style that has a distinct difference between the from and back colors ?
Perhaps the faces are 'reversed'...

jason_maranto

This would certainly be something to post here: http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=107

But if I had to guess, you need to set the group using the "hide to camera" context menu item instead of applying a transparent material.

Best,
Jason.

nickdk

I haven't been able to post at the maxwell forum, I think they have changed who can post over there.

Tig:
yes I have checked the face orientation.

Jason:
I have tried the 'hide to camera' option but the face is rendered solid anyway so it seems like maxwell isn't respecting it's own options :S

I even found this how-to here:
http://forums.sketchucation.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=36952

I used the test files attached but the result is the same, the transparent area is rendered solid.

I hope you have an idea of what's going on

It's probably just one of those small settings that I have overlooked :S

jason_maranto

Well, without seeing the scene it's hard to know precisely where the issue is as it could be many things... in regards to posting on the Maxwell forum you must follow the directions here:

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=97&t=32637

If you are wanting section cut effects you should really use the Maxwell "Z-Clip Planes" (under the cameras tab in the plugin) as Maxwell has no idea what a Sketchup section cut is and therefore just ignores it.

Best,
Jason.

nickdk

Jason,

Thank you for the reply and your guide to activating posting at the Maxwell forums.
Please take a look at the link I mention in the post you replied to
The problem aren't in regards to sections - In the post I refer to, the solution to my objective is described by 'Gaieus' BUT I failed to see was that what he decribes isn't targeted at the Maxwell plugin but only SU :S

I simply need Maxwell to produce the same result as the one he gets from within SU and I can't use the Z-Clip Planes method because I need more freedom with the render output.

I hope you can help!

broomstick

are you sure the glass panes have thickness? Realistic renders don't render glas nicely if it is applied to simple planes..

jason_maranto

As I said Maxwell will not respect Sketchup section cuts at all -- the sample scene from Gaieus contains a section cut (which again Maxwell does not see or render).

If you wish to do a section cut effect and not use Z-Clip Planes then you will have to manually separate the geometry and set the group you want to be "cut away" to "hide from camera"... like this: SectionCut_j.skp

All you need to do is select the section plane and context click to choose "create group from slice", then explode any geometry necessary to let the new "section plane" group divide the relevant geometry... then group the parts you wish to hide and context click to select Maxwell>Hide from>Camera.

Here's the resulting render:

Best,
Jason.

nickdk

@jason_maranto said:

As I said Maxwell will not respect Sketchup section cuts at all -- the sample scene from Gaieus contains a section cut (which again Maxwell does not see or render).

If you wish to do a section cut effect and not use Z-Clip Planes then you will have to manually separate the geometry and set the group you want to be "cut away" to "hide from camera"... like this: [attachment=0:19y7atlf]SectionCut_j.skp[/attachment:19y7atlf]

All you need to do is select the section plane and context click to choose "create group from slice", then explode any geometry necessary to let the new "section plane" group divide the relevant geometry... then group the parts you wish to hide and context click to select Maxwell>Hide from>Camera.

Here's the resulting render: [attachment=1:19y7atlf]SectionCut_j.jpg[/attachment:19y7atlf]

Best,
Jason.

WOW thank you very much!

I am able to reproduce the results from your explanation I have tried the "hide from camera" option before but I think it failed because I didn't group it first.

Thanks again