3ds Max 2012 Bible - Kelly L. Murdock [333]
Hairs can be rendered using three options. The Buffer method renders each hair individually and combines the effect. It uses minimal memory requirements. When the buffer method is selected, you can choose the Raytrace Reflections/Refractions option for better quality. The Geometry method converts each hair into a geometry object that is rendered. The mr Prim method renders hair using the mental ray renderer. For this option, you can set the Voxel Resolution used to render hairs.
Cross-Reference
More on mental ray is covered in Chapter 47, “Rendering with mental ray and iray.” •
Motion Blur can be enabled to make hairs that are moving fast appear blurred. The Oversampling setting adds an anti-aliasing pass to the rendering. The options include Draft, Low, Medium, High, and Maximum. The Composite Method option depends on the rendering method that is selected. A list of occlusion objects and a setting for Shadow Density also are available.
By default, all lights (except for direct lights and daylight systems) are used to light hair, but if a spotlight is added to the scene, you can select the spotlight and click the Add Hair Properties button at the bottom of the Hair and Fur rollout. This adds a Hair Light Attributes rollout to the Modify panel for the selected spotlight where you can set the Resolution and Fuzz of the shadow map for the hair object cast by the light.
Understanding Cloth
If you drop a shirt over a chair, how does it land? It folds and bunches as it drapes over the solid object. Also notice how different types of cloth drape differently. Compare how silk reacts versus a terry cloth towel. Being able to accurately simulate how cloth reacts to scene objects and forces is yet another critical element that can really make a difference in your final scenes.
Cloth in Max is created using a modifier. This modifier can be applied to any object to make it a cloth object, or you can specifically create a set of clothes using the Garment Maker modifier. During the process of making an object into a cloth object, the object is divided into multiple faces using one of several subdivision methods. This provides the mesh with enough resolution to be deformed accurately.
Cloth objects are endowed with characteristics that let them respond to external forces within the scene including gravity, wind, and collisions with other scene objects. After all the scene objects, forces, and cloth objects are added to the scene, you can start a simulation that defines how the cloth moves within the scene under the effect of the other scene objects and forces.
Cross-Reference
This chapter focuses on creating and defining cloth objects. The dynamic nature of cloth is covered in Chapter 44, “Animating Hair and Cloth.” •
Creating Cloth
When you start to model a cloth object, keep in mind that the model must have enough resolution so that it can accurately fold over itself several times. If the resolution isn't defined enough, then the bending of the cloth is not believable.
Note
Although dynamic cloth can be deformed under the effect of forces applied to it, cloth cannot apply a force back against the deforming object. This is a scenario that reactor can handle because it deals with all objects in the scene. A trampoline, for example, is a good example of a deformable cloth surface that can apply a force back on the deforming object using reactor. •
You can increase the resolution of a model in several ways. The Garment Maker modifier includes parameters that can increase the resolution of a mesh, or you can use the HSDS (for Hierarchical SubDivision Surfaces) modifier to increase an object's resolution.
Tip
When making cloth objects, use a single-sided Plane object instead of a Box object. Using a Box object needlessly doubles the number of polygons to be included in the simulation. •
Using Garment Maker to define cloth
Clothes can be added to models using a method that is similar to the way real clothes are made. Each section of cloth, called a panel, is outlined using lines and splines