Tips for Beginners

[caffe3]

So I'm about as much of a beginner with Octane as it gets, and I really like those pinned tips threads cause there's a lot of stuff mentioned that as a beginner you run into quickly and waste time trying to figure out. So to start the thread off, I've noticed some things:

INSTALLATION
1. On encountering DLL errors at startup, be sure to delete the other .cdl64 files (R14, 15 etc.) in the plugin folder.
2. Be sure to install the corresponding Standalone version to the Plugin. Different versions can cause problems.
3. "myOctaneSettings" null appearing in the scene means you are using an old version of the plugin, and should update! (see below)

UPDATING TO LATEST VERSION
1. Uninstall Standalone and C4D plugin (delete "c4doctane" folder from your C4D plugins folder).
2. Download the latest version of C4D here (at the top under Announcement): http://render.otoy.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=85
3. Download the matching latest version of the Standalone (at the top under Announcement) here: http://render.otoy.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=33
4. Install Standalone and re-activate it (internet connection required).
5. Install C4D plugin and re-activate it (internet connection required one last time, but not after this step, unless you update again).

LIVE VIEWER
1. To view Animated Objects in the Live Viewer, add an Object Tag (with "Update Mesh" ticked automatically) to the objects.

MATERIALS & SHADERS
1. With Displacement Maps, you can't just add an image to the channel directly. First add a "C4Doctane" --> "Displacement" shader in the channel.
2. With Displacement Maps, it might help to open the displacement map in Photoshop and flip the image vertically before using it. This can also be done automatically while exporting the Displacement map from software like ZBrush, by ticking "Flip V". ALSO try setting "UVW transformation" "Y" to -1.
3. With Displacement Maps, experiment with "Shift". You may have to increase "Amount" and decrease "Shift" at the same time to get the wanted effect.

RENDERING
1. With Motion Blur, to enable on an object, add an Object Tag (and set the "Object Motion Blur" property according to how the object is animated) to the object.
2. With Motion Blur issues, be sure the models do not change in vertex/poly count. Like when an object explodes, it cannot go from one polygon to multiple.
3. With AO (ambient occlusion), you may experience problems (really dark areas) with an object which is receiving AO, when there's another object with an alpha/opacity material near it. Ticking "AO alpha shadow" under "Info Passes" fixes this.
4. With Object IDs, check out: http://render.otoy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=45580 for a semi-configurable workaround.

[TonyBoy]

Very helpful and a handy reminder, Thanks!

[caffe3]

I'll update the OP with more stuff as I encounter them in my tests. Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm giving bad information

I'll also edit the original post and add tips anyone else feels like sharing.

[mrom]

thank you very much for this!

[aoktar]

I'll update the OP with more stuff as I encounter them in my tests. Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm giving bad information

I'll also edit the original post and add tips anyone else feels like sharing.

a reminder, myOctaneSettings will not be a problem for latest builds. I have changed the storage holder.

[caffe3]

Thanks Ahmet! I've been busy with some work, but I will get back to updating this with some new tips as soon as I finish the project I'm working on.

Thanks again for developing the C4D plugin also, it really is a blast working with it!

[KillReal]

Thanks Ahmet! I've been busy with some work, but I will get back to updating this with some new tips as soon as I finish the project I'm working on.

Thanks again for developing the C4D plugin also, it really is a blast working with it!

Can you please help me to figure out how to get on render, same picture as with camera imager preset

[aoktar]

Thanks Ahmet! I've been busy with some work, but I will get back to updating this with some new tips as soon as I finish the project I'm working on.

Thanks again for developing the C4D plugin also, it really is a blast working with it!

Can you please help me to figure out how to get on render, same picture as with camera imager preset

What you mean exactly? Have you watched inlifethrill's tutorials?

[KillReal]

What you mean exactly? Have you watched inlifethrill's tutorials?[/quote]


Yes ofcourse, this is what i am trying to say!
I've watched them several times, got all of them.
I am, working with octane for 3-4 months - did a lot of jobs - so i am kinda know what to do =)

Perhaps i am missid something - so maybe you can tell me directly what to do)

Problem is:

I got project - with octane camera on it - in tab Camera Imager - i've selected one of the presets - result is good. But when i am rendering it out - it still rendering like ordinary linear image response.
So what i want to see is the camera imager preset tweeks on the final render result.

I've got float buffer and linear output in render settings - got the same options in camera imager on octane camera response and same options in camera imager in octane settings (see pic. gamma 2.2, output - e100sCD)
But this two results are complitely different.

I can do the same picture in LV and final render - but it's only works when i am choosing LINEAR output on camera... and i want to use camera imager presets still =)

[aoktar]

Yes you have got the correct point. Because "floatbuffer" is linear(raw) output of rendered image. No any tonemapping. Gamma=1. Everything is as rendering without applying any color effect.
That's the why we put "floatbuffer" and "floatbuffer(tonemapped)" options. Tonemapping is a operation over linear colors to change. Clear enough?