OTOY Forums

Hello

I haven't been able to try the demo yet since I have an ATI graphics card, but I am strongly considering buying a GF460 2GB and an Octane licence.

Before I go out and burn my cash I have a few questions. I know you have to use .obj files, but since I have only been working with 3Ds Max I have never used obj files before. Can you store animation information in an obj file? What about rigs, textures and materials?

Has anyone actually done a proper animation with Octane? E.g. animated characters and not just turntables (please link!)

Hope someone can answer my questions!
/Skeletor

yeah! go to gallery / animated shorts

Hi there. Yes you can do animation. The way it works currently is that the plugin, available once you purchase Octane, will export the .obj for the start frame, open Octane, render that frame, close octane, go back to your host app (3ds max) and export the .obj for the next frame. It does this until it reaches the last frame. It is a workaround until we get RIB or Collada integrated into Octane.

Damn some of those animations are sweet! Thanks Proupin

havensile:
Okay at least it sort of works. What about materials/textures is the necessary information stored in the obj files? Or do you have to do something in Octane?

When you generate the .obj file a .mtl file is also created. The .mtl file contains some of the material information from the host app, such as UV maps, some color info, UV images and such. Best thing to do is to bake as much of the materials as possible onto UV maps. When you get ready to render export only a single frame and do any adjustments you need in Octane. Save the octane file and go back to your host app, tell it which Octane file to use in the plugin and then animate. It will re-use all the material setting you previously setup for each frame. Its a process but it works for now.

Thanks havensole!

Now I just have to convince myself I can afford it

I have been trying to figure out which graphics card to buy. I'm torn between a 460 2GB and a 470.

460 2GB:
Can do larger scenes (more polys/higher resolution)
2/3 the performance of 470?
Silent
Cheaper (£187)

470:
Faster
Louder
More expensive (£234)

Memory is everything.

The markup in speed is just a question of planing your jobs so they can be done in time.

I just ordered a 460 2GB