Wish List (to fully switch from VRay)

[ThreeMarks]

Hey Folks. I've only just started experimenting with FStorm for a day or two (some examples attached), but I am super excited about it. With hopefully a commercially viable release coming soon, I thought I would add my two cents on the features that I would really like to see to make the move fully over to FStorm from Vray.

01 - Render Elements (sort of a given, and frequently requested, but just adding a vote, as this is a must).
02 - MultiMatte Support (such a cleaner way for object specific selection in Post than ID elements).
03 - Viewport by default locked in Interactive Renderer (it seems like it would be better to have to unlock it to select another vp rather than accidentally losing rendering progress because I forgot to lock it)
04 - Consistent Interactive Render Window size (it would be nice if I didn't have to resize the interactive window everytime I open it).
05 - A more robust multitexture (MultiTex and RandomColor are great, but it would be nice to have a multitexture that is as robust as the one from CG Source so that one bitmap can be adjusted and then endlessly varied within a range of parameters (color, saturation, gamma, etc)
06 - Hide from camera or Not renderable object setting (applying a material with no opacity is a workaround, but inconvenient for objects with complex materials / multi-subobject materials)
07 - Proper Environmental Fog (the two objects with flipped normals works, but seems a little slow, is hard to add fog density textures to, and occasionally creates strange artifacts)
08 - Automatic FStormBitmap dropping (having to click on a texture slot, select FStormBitmap, then navigate to the desired texture is just too many steps for such a frequently used task. So it would be nice to be able to just drop textures into slots and have them show up as a FStormBitmap. Or if that is impossible to code, it would at least be nice to drop in, and then be able to preserve the file path while switching from max bitmap to FStormBitmap)
09 - Automatic Gamma detection for FStormBitmap (or at least being able to set the default to 2.2 since most maps are jpegs).
10 - Relink Bitmaps Support (I know this is a Colin Senner script, but we need need need something like this. Either incorporated into his script or as a separate script).
11 - Support for more FallOff options (particularly for things like dust, snow, moisture, it is useful to be able to separate faces facing up versus down, for example)
12 - FallOff bitmaps (I frequently make my fabrics in VRay by using the falloff with two bitmaps mixed to different strengths with different colors. Using a mix is a workaround but feels like more steps than is necessary, and further, the mix map does not allow you to adjust the strength of the bitmap with relation to a color)
13 - Editable Curves for FallOff with RGB (particularly helpful for colored metals).
14 - Support for common Max Maps like Tiles
15 - Real World Camera equivalents (lens length, sensor size, aperture/f-stop).

Edit (forgot one)-
16 - FStorm Conversion for Selected Object Only so that merged Vray Assets can be quickly converted within an existing FStorm scene without risking or having to sort through all the existing objects and materials.

[RobSteady]

01 - Render Elements (sort of a given, and frequently requested, but just adding a vote, as this is a must).
Should be on Karba's list.

02 - MultiMatte Support (such a cleaner way for object specific selection in Post than ID elements).
Yes please

03 - Viewport by default locked in Interactive Renderer (it seems like it would be better to have to unlock it to select another vp rather than accidentally losing rendering progress because I forgot to lock it).
Good idea

04 - Consistent Interactive Render Window size (it would be nice if I didn't have to resize the interactive window everytime I open it).
I'm testing a new version (not public) where the FStorm frame buffer is MUCH better regarding window size. Would be nice if the render scales according to the window size and you can zoom to mouse pointer position. Should be on Karba's list.

05 - A more robust multitexture (MultiTex and RandomColor are great, but it would be nice to have a multitexture that is as robust as the one from CG Source so that one bitmap can be adjusted and then endlessly varied within a range of parameters (color, saturation, gamma, etc)
Should be on Karba's list

06 - Hide from camera or Not renderable object setting (applying a material with no opacity is a workaround, but inconvenient for objects with complex materials / multi-subobject materials).
Object settings support in general would be great

07 - Proper Environmental Fog (the two objects with flipped normals works, but seems a little slow, is hard to add fog density textures to, and occasionally creates strange artifacts).
Yes please

08 - Automatic FStormBitmap dropping (having to click on a texture slot, select FStormBitmap, then navigate to the desired texture is just too many steps for such a frequently used task. So it would be nice to be able to just drop textures into slots and have them show up as a FStormBitmap. Or if that is impossible to code, it would at least be nice to drop in, and then be able to preserve the file path while switching from max bitmap to FStormBitmap).
Already requested that since right now it's a very time consuming workflow (not for your little "teapot projects" but for big commercial ones). Unfortunately Karba said it's not possible.
What do you think about if the default FStorm material comes with preloaded FStorm bitmaps for important slots (diffuse, reflection, glossiness, bump)? Don't know if this is possible. Or can this be done via scripting? Much appreciated if we find a solution for this where you can drag and drop textures directly since it slows down the workflow a lot.

09 - Automatic Gamma detection for FStormBitmap (or at least being able to set the default to 2.2 since most maps are jpegs).
Never had problems with that. Do you have an example where you would need it?

10 - Relink Bitmaps Support (I know this is a Colin Senner script, but we need need need something like this. Either incorporated into his script or as a separate script).
RelinkBitmaps is working with FStorm for me.

I think the rest of your list is very specific. Let's get the important stuff first

Edit (forgot one)-
16 - FStorm Conversion for Selected Object Only so that merged Vray Assets can be quickly converted within an existing FStorm scene without risking or having to sort through all the existing objects and materials.
Already requested. Don't know if it is on Karba's list.


Nice images on your website by the way!

[Iskánder ivp87]

agree with all your points, if I remember well I posted already most of those...

by the way, I already made a script for myself regarding the fstorm bitmap being loaded in the materials slots and with the "use" check box chequed, (don't know why the default value is unchecked to begin with)

and I don't know nothing about maxscript so is very easy, but I mean very very easy if you want I can post it here

[RobSteady]

Can you upload it here?

[Iskánder ivp87]

yes, is very easy I don't remember the code but later I will write it here, is even very short

[Iskánder ivp87]

ah very nice renders!, coming from vray I bet you got impressed by the render time of the first shoot with all the displacement and dof etc...

[Karba]

01 - Render Elements (sort of a given, and frequently requested, but just adding a vote, as this is a must).
I will implement it in the future.

02 - MultiMatte Support (such a cleaner way for object specific selection in Post than ID elements).
I am not sure what this is.

03 - Viewport by default locked in Interactive Renderer (it seems like it would be better to have to unlock it to select another vp rather than accidentally losing rendering progress because I forgot to lock it)
Hard to say what is better.

04 - Consistent Interactive Render Window size (it would be nice if I didn't have to resize the interactive window everytime I open it).
Done, wait for a new version

05 - A more robust multitexture (MultiTex and RandomColor are great, but it would be nice to have a multitexture that is as robust as the one from CG Source so that one bitmap can be adjusted and then endlessly varied within a range of parameters (color, saturation, gamma, etc)
I will add material id support for fstorm random color texture, so you can mix it with multitexture.

06 - Hide from camera or Not renderable object setting (applying a material with no opacity is a workaround, but inconvenient for objects with complex materials / multi-subobject materials)
I will add object visibilities.

07 - Proper Environmental Fog (the two objects with flipped normals works, but seems a little slow, is hard to add fog density textures to, and occasionally creates strange artifacts)
I will implement it in the future.

08 - Automatic FStormBitmap dropping (having to click on a texture slot, select FStormBitmap, then navigate to the desired texture is just too many steps for such a frequently used task. So it would be nice to be able to just drop textures into slots and have them show up as a FStormBitmap. Or if that is impossible to code, it would at least be nice to drop in, and then be able to preserve the file path while switching from max bitmap to FStormBitmap)
Impossible. I can't replace 3ds max native behavior.

09 - Automatic Gamma detection for FStormBitmap (or at least being able to set the default to 2.2 since most maps are jpegs).
You need gamma 2.2 only for HDRIs. for all other cases - 1.0

10 - Relink Bitmaps Support (I know this is a Colin Senner script, but we need need need something like this. Either incorporated into his script or as a separate script).
I am not responsible for 3rd party plugins/scripts.

11 - Support for more FallOff options (particularly for things like dust, snow, moisture, it is useful to be able to separate faces facing up versus down, for example)
I will add custom direction.

12 - FallOff bitmaps (I frequently make my fabrics in VRay by using the falloff with two bitmaps mixed to different strengths with different colors. Using a mix is a workaround but feels like more steps than is necessary, and further, the mix map does not allow you to adjust the strength of the bitmap with relation to a color)
Use fstorm mix texture. to mix 2 bitmaps via falloff.

13 - Editable Curves for FallOff with RGB (particularly helpful for colored metals).
Use fstorm gradient with input mode.

14 - Support for common Max Maps like Tiles
It is a complex texture for gpu. I will try to find some solution.

15 - Real World Camera equivalents (lens length, sensor size, aperture/f-stop).
Can't promise anything here. VRay camera is very annoying to handle for me.

16 - FStorm Conversion for Selected Object Only so that merged Vray Assets can be quickly converted within an existing FStorm scene without risking or having to sort through all the existing objects and materials.
I will implement it.

[Iskánder ivp87]

this one put an fstorm material in the current selected material slot, or in the first one in case there's no slot selected... for me it works fine but if you find some mistake or inconsistency or you think there's a better way to do it feel free to correct me!

try(
i= medit.GetActiveMtlSlot()
)
catch(i=1)

meditMaterials[i] = FStorm ()
temp = random 25 400
print temp
randN = temp as string
meditMaterials[i].name = "FStorm Fresh Mat " + randN
meditMaterials[i].Reflection = color 255 255 255
meditMaterials[i].ior = 1.53
meditMaterials[i].diff_level = 0.7
meditMaterials[i].refl_glossiness = 0.3
meditMaterials[i].refl_level = 0.5
meditMaterials[i].diffuse_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].reflection_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].reflection_glossy_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].opacity_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture_on = on

-- here you can add other maps you may need
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].diffuse_tex = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].reflection_glossy_tex = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].reflection_tex = FStormBitmap ()
)

this one put a new fstorm material in each material slot:

for i=1 to i=24 do
(
meditMaterials[i] = FStorm ()
meditMaterials[i] .Reflection = color 255 255 255
meditMaterials[i] .ior = 1.5
meditMaterials[i].Reflection = color 0 0 0
meditMaterials[i] .diff_level = 0.7
meditMaterials[i] .diffuse_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i] .reflection_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i] .reflection_glossy_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i] .opacity_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i] .bump_texture_on = on
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].diffuse_tex = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].reflection_glossy_tex = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].reflection_tex = FStormBitmap ()
print i
MatNum = i as string
meditMaterials[i].name = "Fresh FStorm Material "+ MatNum
)

[RobSteady]

Possible to change the bump level (intensity)?
Or where can I see the parameter names?

Possible to change FStorm Bitmap type from "Color" to "Mono"?

[Iskánder ivp87]

sure there most be a way to see all the parameter names and properties, but I don't know how, the one who helped me when I was doing my stuff was Sylc, the man knows about coding, so you may ask him
what I did was to open the maxscript listener and then do the operation with the mouse, as I normally would, and see what the listener... 'listen?' most of the times it picks the parameter names, values etc

for example what you are asking it's like this:
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture_amount = 30 -- or 10 or 50 or the value you like for the bump
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture.type = 1 -- 1 is the value for mono, 0 for alpha and 2 for color

[RobSteady]

Great, thanks a lot!

[oguzbir]

Karba Hi,
Thanks for the answers.
As for #2 in ThreeMarks post
I tried to explain Multimatte in short in this post.
http://www.fstormrender.ru/forum/for...render-element

Multimatte approach is driven by Material ID which you've already said you'll implement.
That's great
But then we'll need a Render Element (named as your choice) to set which Material ID will have pure Red Green Blue colors in the mask.

All I'm saying is that the render element for creating masks should involve Material ID be assinged to RGB (or custom colors but RGB is the right way to do it)
And we should be able duplicate this render element as much as we like.
Currently Max native Material ID is limited to 15. Which is fine for now.

(AFAIK... Vray has implemented its own Material ID (EffectsID) solution upto 150)
I'm ok with 15. I just wish fstorm can be native as much as it can be. It will create the ability to use reowned scripts ( Such as Material ID Organizer ) that really saves the day.. Like management of assigning Material IDs to lots of materials in one go..


Thanks.

[RobSteady]

Here's my first try to get a default FStorm Material with Bitmaps and settings ready to be filled. Thanks to Iskánder & Sylc


try(
i= medit.GetActiveMtlSlot()
)
catch(i=1)

meditMaterials[i] = FStorm ()
temp = random 25 400
print temp
randN = temp as string
meditMaterials[i].name = "FStorm Material " + randN
meditMaterials[i].Reflection = color 150 150 150
meditMaterials[i].diffuse_rough = 0.8
meditMaterials[i].ior = 1.5
meditMaterials[i].diff_level = 1
meditMaterials[i].refl_glossiness = 0.8
meditMaterials[i].refl_level = 1
meditMaterials[i].diffuse_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].reflection_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].reflection_glossy_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].opacity_tex_on = on
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture_on = on
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture_amount = 0.05

meditMaterials[i].double_sided = on
meditMaterials[i].diffuse_tex = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].reflection_tex = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].reflection_glossy_tex = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture = FStormBitmap ()
meditMaterials[i].bump_texture.type = 1
meditMaterials[i].reflection_tex.type = 1
meditMaterials[i].reflection_glossy_tex.type = 1
meditMaterials[i].reflection_tex_pow = 70
meditMaterials[i].reflection_glossy_tex_pow = 40

-- Color Correction For Diffuse Map
meditMaterials[i].diffuse_tex = FStormColorCorrection input FStormBitmap ())
)

FStorm_Material_Basic.ms.zip

[RobSteady]

But drag and drop textures is not possible with any script, right?

[mitviz]

How does this work? say if i have a roof on a building and i want to render from outside a plan view without removing the roof and letting environment light in will this work?

06 - Hide from camera or Not renderable object setting (applying a material with no opacity is a workaround, but inconvenient for objects with complex materials / multi-subobject materials)
I will add object visibilities.

[VFXCUBE]

But drag and drop textures is not possible with any script, right?

According to my experience direct drag and drop is not possible via maxscript but I will working on it.
If didnt get answer will try writing a script with drag and drop UI.

[RobSteady]

According to my experience direct drag and drop is not possible via maxscript but I will working on it.
If didnt get answer will try writing a script with drag and drop UI.

Much appreciated, thanks!

[Sylk]

What do you mean by drag and drop texture? From where to where ?

PS: Sylk wtih k not Sylc with c

[Iskánder ivp87]

What do you mean by drag and drop texture? From where to where ?

PS: Sylk wtih k not Sylc with c

hi Sylk, first sorry for the c!
what we mean, at least me, is a script that let us to drop a texture to an fstrom material, from the win explorer to a material texture slot, and automatically convert it to an Fstorm Bitmap, time ago I asked this to Karba but he said it was not possible so... not sure if it can ever be done, so I did my script to automatically call the material with fstorm bitmaps already loaded as the next "better" thing

would be nice to somehow capture the event of inserting a bitmap, taking the file's direction in the disk, creating an fstorm bitmap and passing the file's direction, and of course doing this only when fstorm is the default renderer and in a way that do not hit the performance

about that I know how to do almost all of it... less the part of capturing the event of inserting the bitmap, but have not a clue of how it could affect the viewport/render performance

[RobSteady]

Yes, that's exactly what we mean
Speed up the workflow