I'm trying to make a mandelbulb for a project in class. I'm following this tutorial, but I don't understand where to place the dll or if I'm doing it right. I think I just need a more in-depth explanation of how to get the procedural started for Arnold 5
Yeah, I created the stand in but I'm not sure exactly where things go after that. As far as installing the procedural, I don't know what the ARNOLD_PLUGIN_PATH is, and running kick -l gives me an error. When it says to add it to the plugin search path, does that mean under the plugin manager?
you need mtd.file like this one:(mandelbulb.mtd)
[node mandelbulb]
desc STRING "mandelbulb"
maya.name STRING "aimandelbulb"
maya.id INT 0x00135D6D
maya.procedural BOOL true
You need aeTemplate file like this one:(aimandelbulbTemplate.py)
import pymel.core as pm
from mtoa.ui.ae.shaderTemplate import ShaderAETemplate
class AEaimandelbulbTemplate(ShaderAETemplate):
def setup(self):
self.addSwatch()
self.beginScrollLayout()
self.beginLayout("Mandelbulb Attributes", collapse=False)
self.addControl("visibility", label="Visibility")
self.addControl("gridsize", label="Grid Size")
self.addControl("maxIter", label="Max Iterations")
self.addControl("power", label="Power")
self.addControl("spheremult", label="Sphere Scale")
self.addControl("orbitthresh", label="Orbit Threshold")
self.addControl("chunks", label="Chunks")
self.addControl("threads", label="Threads")
self.addControl("julia", label="Julia")
self.addControl("Cval", label="Julia C")
self.addControl("stepSize", label="Step Size")
# Do not show extra attributes
extras = ["castsShadows",
"primaryVisibility",
"overrideReceiveShadows",
"overrideDoubleSided",
"overrideSelfShadows",
"overrideOpaque",
"overrideMatte",
"minBoundingBox",
"maxBoundingBox",
"aiToonId",
"overrideLightLinking",
"overrideShaders"]
for extra in extras:
self.suppress(extra)
self.endLayout()
pm.mel.AEdependNodeTemplate(self.nodeName)
self.addExtraControls()
self.endScrollLayout()
Thank you for responding! I'm a student and I don't know much about codes at the moment, to use them I'll need to know what to do with them, also the template file you linked doesn't lead anywhere
aeTemplate does not work as it is because python file need some indentation
Create a folder called it whatever you want like customShader
inside that folder, create 02 sub-folder bin and ae
put the .dll and the mtd file in bin folder
put the python file in ae folder
in maya.env create 02 variables:
ARNOLD_PLUGIN_PATH = Point to your customShader/bin
MAYA_CUSTOM_TEMPLATE_PATH = Point to your customShader/ae
I got it loaded!! It looks so cool, now I'm just wondering how to animate it. Is that something I'd do in the .ass file? How do I get the keys into Maya for rendering?
You can key all the parameters
Grid
Max Iterations
Power
Sphere Scale
Chunks
etc..
Yeah but can you key them in maya so it keeps the animation? When I key the .ass file there's no way to keep the changes so the mandelbulb moves
key the ass?? how???
You have to do the animation in Maya,
Then export as ass file
Load your ass file, change the padding .000 to .###
Check use File Sequence
et voila!
I guess the only part I'm not understanding is how to do the animation in Maya and keep it keyed. I can't see anywhere to change the settings. Is that something else I have to add in?
I don't have those settings, should I have had them when I initially got my procedural working? If I don't have them, how do I get them? Also thank you for continuing to answer my questions, you've been super helpful!
hum why did you say that I got it loaded!! It looks so cool, now I'm just wondering how to animate it. Is that something I'd do in the .ass file? How do I get the keys into Maya for rendering?
any way download this file, the instructions are inside, please read carefully!
Arnold_Shader.zip