Which material to use for a glass / window ?

[octanian]

Hi Everyone.

What material would you use for a large window like in a shop / store.
if i take "specular" and set the refraction index to 1.4 (google: glass refr index)
i get nice reflections but everything behind that window glass seems to be
distorted when i take a look inside that room from a low angle.

the higher i set the refractive index, the higher is the distortion ( the rooms
looks about half sized when i am on 1.4, table and chairs just look weird stretched
inside that room (see attachement. Id like to have distortion like in refractive index 1.0
BUT reflections like in refr index 1.4 )

2. try:

when i take the "glossy" material with about .5 reflection and very low opacity (0.05).
It seems to look much better ? is this the right way ?



id like something like that:
http://www.rearprojection-screen.com/bi ... 03-big.jpg
Looking through that window or looking directly on the wall makes nearly no difference in
distortions



How do you set you glass/window materials ?

When i take the clear glass from online database it also look stretched.

Is it maybe because of the window glass geometry ? i did 3 different tests.
one simple glass plane, one thin glass"block" and 2 simple planes in a row.
pretty same result..


greets & thx
octanian

[t_3]

imo this has to do with the scene scale (a common source for many problems) and/or the window geometry. have you tried to switch "smooth" off for the glass mat, to see if something changes? if the window geometry is not totally plain, it'll work as a lens (could be a problem with normals, even if it looks plain). apart from that, a window should have a volume.

i made a quick test; an around 10x10 meters area, and a 5x5m glass in front of it (1cm thick) with a 1.45 ior specular mat at 100% opacity - no distortion:

[roeland]

apart from that, a window should have a volume.

I think this is indeed the problem, it looks like the window is just a single plane. It needs to have at least a front and a back side. Otherwise it will appear the entire space behind the plane is filled with glass. The compression effect is indeed not unlike the effect of objects appearing to be shorter in a swimming pool.

--
Roeland

[octanian]

thx alot t_3 & Roeland,

seems like this was the problem... i did both: scaled up my scene and made a solid glass.
Now it looks great !


thx alot.

octanian