Volume Specular like in Houdini?

[f.ribbeck]

Hi,

I was wondering if it's possible to add a specular to a standard volume in Arnold, similar to this Houdini technique: https://vimeo.com/198434395

Is this possible at all with the current core ? So far the only solution I found was to use an OpenVDB mesher and render the volume as a mesh with specular, but then the volume's volumetric attributes of course get lost on the way.

[Slava_91]

you can use it like in video you posted
volume for smoke and sdf for specular surface

[f.ribbeck]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I have used a volume_sample_float, but I don't know to what channel I should plug it in. In the standard_volme node there is no channel for specular and I can't pass the standard_volume through the volume_sample_float as well

In the Houdini video the specular sdf just seems to leave the screen, so I can't see where it goes and I must admit that I have zero Houdini skills...

Best regards!

[f.ribbeck]

Hi, thanks for your reply. I tried using a volume_sample_float to sample a specular channel, but I don't know where I should plug it into - the standard_volume doesn't have a specular input ..

In the Houdini video the specular sdf just seems to leave the screen, so I can't see where it goes. And I must admit that I have zero Houdini skills ...

[f.ribbeck]

Do I need to layer or mix the shaders together?