Vector Displacement from Mudbox to Arnold Tutorial

[mayanim8]

Hello,

I am hoping someone can help. I'm using Maya 2019.1 Arnold 3.2.02 Core 5.3.0.1

I am trying to follow the tutorial: Vector Displacement from Mudbox to Arnold Tutorial on the Arnold website:

https://docs.arnoldrenderer.com/display/A5AFMUG/Vector+Displacement+from+Mudbox+to+Arnold

However, my results are not working.

I have tried using the aiImage node and I still get the same results.

I tried also setting the image to Raw, but I still got odd results.

I assume I am missing something?vector-displacement-tutorial.jpg

thank you

[lee_griggs]

What happens when you reduce the Displacement Scale? Does the object have enough Subdivision Iterations?

[mayanim8]

Hello,

Than you for responding.

I don't think the issue is the Displacement Scale.

I downloaded the files provided by the tutorial from: arnold for maya user guide 5

I assume the files and the directions provided should work.

However, there is a warning about importing the object file, and I am curious if this is the problem?

"Ensure that you enable Texture Coords when importing the sphere.obj file (off by default) otherwise, the UVs will be missing and you will get incorrect displacement"

I'm not sure where to set that, as there is nothing in the Import Options that state Texture Coords.

The UVs on the Sphere are present even when I import the geometry

Lowering the Scale value does nothing. I have dropped the value to 0.02 and the results are off.

[lee_griggs]

Here it is working for me.

[mayanim8]

Hello,

Can you supply me with your file? Maybe I can see something with the settings because I just tried again and I'm not getting that at all.

Based on your image, the connections are not the same as in the tutorial.

The Vector Displacement image is connected to the Displacement channel and not the Vector Displacement Channel, and the Vector Space was not set to Tangent.

Even when I do this setup, it is not working.

[lee_griggs]

Oops, correct scene here.

[mayanim8]

Thank you very much for sending the file.

I seem to be having not luck. Even when I use your file, the render is still broken.

I am curious, what version of Maya are you using? Based on your image your version appears to be older. Do you think it is possible that I am unable to yield the same results because I am running a newer version of Maya?

[teddude75]

Hey, I played around with this file a little bit. There is something wrong with arnold. I got the object to render correctly how Lee Greggs had it. Some side notes color space is sRGB not raw and alpha is luminance is check (I don't think that matters). But it renders fine. Than I duplicate it and render again and it breaks. If I delete the duplicated object and render than the object is fine. With the duplicate objects if I adjust the scalar and bounds padding it fixes the issue.

[mayanim8]

Hello,

Thank you for your help, unfortunately, I really can't seem to get a render.

I opened the file sent to me that is working on another system.

I re-attached the files: sRGB, and Alpha is luminance on.

I duplicated the sphere, and I deleted the the duplicate sphere and I still get this odd render.

I rendered is using the Render Viiew and Arnold Render View.

I am really unsure why a file that works on one computer, does not work on another. I am wondering if it is related to the version of Maya and Arnold? I am running Maya 2019.1 Arnold 3.2.0.2 Core: 5.3.0.1

[mayanim8]

I believe that this may be a bug. Unfortunately, I don't know what versions of Maya used by the people who responded. I want to thank both of you for your help and your file. I just seem to be having some major bad luck.

I have now tried to render out this file using multiple computers, multiple versions of Maya and I still am not getting a successful render.

Preferences were set to default for Maya 2019.1 and the image above was still the resulting render.

I have now tried to render this file using:

Maya 2017 update 4, Arnold 2.0.1.1 Arnold Core 5.0.1.1 My version of Maya could not open the file, I had to recreate the connections based on the tutorial.

Maya 2018.3 Arnold 3.0.0.2 Arnold Core 5.1.0.1

Maya 2019.1 Arnold 3.2.0.2 Core: 5.3.0.1 Image shown above.

Maya 2019.2 Arnold 3.2.2 Arnold Core 5.3.1.1 After the Update to 2019.2 the render at least got closer. However it is now similar to the 2017 and 2018 renders.

[teddude75]

Hello, I using Maya update 2019.3 and Arnold 3.3.0. The issues is that Arnold can't deal with tiff files or there's a bug. If you changes the tiff file into exr it works fine.

[mayanim8]

Hi Edward,

I tried to change the tiff to an exr in Photoshop, but is still didn't work.

Can you send me your exr so I may test it?

[teddude75]

Here's the file

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bFGUtQa39cpZ7JgGkqFKKUtNmqDMVWFy/view?usp=sharing

[lee_griggs]

I am using the latest release.

[mayanim8]

Thanks for sending the file:

I tested the .exr you provided as well as my .exr in the updated Maya 2019.2 the render works.

I also tested both in Maya 2019.1 and the render does not work.

As you suggested, there are some odd things happening.

[teddude75]

How about you send me a file to test? There must be something your missing.

[mayanim8]

@Edward Conry

Sorry for the delay.

So, I'm sending you a project. I created a project, copied your files and then opened the file with Maya 2019.1 and ran Arnold to get a render. If I open the file with Maya 2019.2 I can get a render that looks correct. In the images folder, I've included a render.

Thanks for your time.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1321BxGXgg18fT9K9ErdXRfENkhOwCdW0

[teddude75]

Ok, You got it working that's good. Just follow these steps

1. Import base mesh from sculpted software (zbrush or mudbox). This is important for accurate displacement.

2. Under the shape node set the subdivision to catclark and set the sub level to the level set in zbrush or mudbox. Also set uv smoothing to pin corners.

3. In the hypershade create a displacement shader and connect the displacement shader out to the shader engine or shader group displacement material in. You can do vector displacement out of the displacement but most of the time it's the same results.

4. Now, in the displacement shader connect a file node to the vector displacement input. This part is import because vector disp. use color value to displace the mesh while a regular displacement use black and white values. Also in the file node set color space to raw and use exr (not tiff) for best results. Also set Vector space to Tangent and Vector Encoding to Floating-point Absolute on the disp. shader.

5. Render to check results. Adjust the scale, bounds padding, and scalar zero value of the displacement shader as needed. Also if you exported a "world" space map from zbrush or mudbox than use "world" as the vector space.

@Virginia Mielke That being said I think you already got it figured out