Anyone know why my reflections are so squiggly in 3Ds Max? I have plenty of polygons from my OBJ export. I used the auto-smooth. But even perfectly flat areas (like the side mirror) have squiggly reflections.

thanks

Hi Shaun - stuff like that is usually due to the vertex normals not coming through and instead having them get cooked up by just averaging the polygon face normals.

For going into Max, I recommend using FBX format which seems to be where they focus most of their development attention on, the Max OBJ importer seems to have had some various issues for quite a while now.

Make sure you also install the latest FBX import plug-in for Max as well, you can download it somewhere from Autodesk.

Probably if you use FBX format instead of OBJ you'll get the vertex normals come through and since those vertex normals come from the original NURBS surface you'll usually get a much smoother and steadier shading and reflection from them.

Most other rendering programs handle OBJ imports fine, but it seems to have been a long standing problem area with Max, which is why I implemented the FBX importer out of MoI.

- Michael

Its still there with FBX. Does my poly count look high enough?

thanks

Hi Shaun, I'd think that you would want to up the polygon count a ways more, particularly if it's reflections that you're focused on.

But also make sure in the FBX settings that you don't have importing of vertex normals disabled or something, and also did you update the FBX import plug-in to the latest version available from Autodesk?

- Michael

No to update. I'm rendering this at work on my lunch break. I have to jump through hoops with IT dept to update any software. But I will if I have to. I'll try higher-res exports for the glossy areas tomorrow and let you know how it goes.

thanks for the help.

Hi Shaun,

> I have to jump through hoops with IT dept to update any
> software. But I will if I have to.

I think Steve mentioned back here:
http://moi3d.com/forum/index.php?webtag=MOI&msg=4567.3


That it did need both the current service pack as well as the latest FBX import plug-in installed for the current version of Max to get the vertex normals to come in properly.

So you may need to go through whatever process you need to get those updates installed before that will work properly.

- Michael

When I have trouble with FBX and Max I have found exporting out as a SAT and importing the SAT into 123D then exporting that file out as a DWG. Max then has no problem with the DWG from 123D. It's a very high poly count but works well.

cheers

Val

GOT IT! If you download Autodesks Connection Extension you can import SAT files and render NURBS directly. Smooth as a baby's ...

Nice tip and rendering. Its probably still performing tessellation though, you can check the quality by placing some white(no diffuse shading, just a constant colour) rectangular strips above the car - then zoom right in - especially where you have high curvature rounding.

I find that FBX works fine with Max (although you need the latest version). Best results seem to be using N-Gons.

I put a car paint shader on for this rendering just because I never used it before. Later I tried the Arch n Design materials and all the reflections got goofy. Also, when you import the scale gets goofed up. So it's by no means a hassle free process, but it's nice to see that the Max team is starting to consider solid formats more.