Class Description: Using mental ray -- Shaders
Intended for artists, this one-day class introduces fundamental mental ray concepts, covering a broad collection of demonstrative mental ray shaders. Exercises within the 3D application provide hands-on practice with the material covered in lecture.
Class Prerequisites: Using mental ray - Shaders
The minimum requirements for taking the class include:
- Basic experience using mental ray in one of the 3D applications (Maya, XSI/Softimage, 3ds max, etc.).
- Familiarity with the UI of the 3D application
Class Outline: Using mental ray -- Shaders
One day, 10AM-6PM
Full Day
Introduction
Introduction to mental ray Rendering
Part 1 - Structure
.mi Scene File Structure
Shader Structure
Shaders in the Scene
| Exercise 1 - Locating various shaders in the application
Part 2 - Color
Single Color
Color from Orientation
Color from Position
| Exercise 2 - Use color shaders
Transparency
| Exercise 3 - Use transparency shader
Color from Image Files (Texture Maps)
| Exercise 4 - Use texture shaders
Color of Edges
Break
Part 3 - Light
Point Lights, Spot Lights and Shadows
Light on Surface - Direct Illumination with Lambert, Phong, etc.
| Exercise 5 - Use Lambert, and one other shader
Reflection
Refraction
| Exercise 6 - Use glossy reflection shaders
Light from Other Surfaces - Indirect Illumination
| Exercise 7 - Use indirect illumination with shaders
Ambient Occlusion
Part 4 - Shape
Modifying Surface Geometry
Modifying Surface Orientation
Creating Shapes
| Exercise 8 - Shape displacement and bump
Lunch Break
Part 5 - Space
Global and Object Environment
| Exercise 9 - Using environment shaders
Global and Object Volume
| Exercise 10 - Using volume shaders
Part 6 - Image
Samples, Pixels and Tiles
| Exercise 11 - Sample diagnostics
Motion and Temporal Samples
Lens Shaders
| Exercise 12 - Using the fisheye lens
Rendering Image Components
| Exercise 13 - Using framebuffer components
Output Shaders
| Exercise 14 - Using the letterbox output shader
Break
Part 7 - Implementation
Renderering Techniques
Using the Rasterizer
| Exercise 15 - Transparency and motion
Render Process - the render report
Feature enabling, disabling
Shadows - traced and shadowmaps
Non-Render Pipeline Options
Memory - Scene Cache
Approximation - Scene Geometry
Diagnostics -- BSP, Grid, Photon, FG
| Exercise 16 - Performance Optimization
Online Shader Manual