2.43 - please add theses features

[Refracty]

Hi,
after playing with 2.43 a bit here comes a short wishlist. Its quite a big jump from the old version especially in terms of stability. Thanks for that.

1. Max Sample increasing without resampling
Lets say you have put in 4000 Max samples and while reaching 3000 you realize that is way too low. If you put in 16000 Octane starts sampling from zero. But that makes no sense if the number of new samples is higher then the current one.

2. Reloding obj-mesh
You can reload image textures in octane, so why not meshes when you re-adjust them. Would make things more handy.

3. Is there a way that direct lighting and pathtracing would work together creating realistic transparency and caustics?

4. More blending and stencil modes for textures

Thanks
Cheers
Refracty

[GeoPappas]

1. Max Sample increasing without resampling
Lets say you have put in 4000 Max samples and while reaching 3000 you realize that is way too low. If you put in 16000 Octane starts sampling from zero. But that makes no sense if the number of new samples is higher then the current one.

I agree with this. I wrote this up a couple of weeks ago (see here: http://refractivesoftware.com/forum/vie ... =33&t=5125) and went even a little further. I believe that you should be able to increase OR decrease the Max Samples without requiring a restart of the render. It would be nice if you could also enter a maximum rendering time (like 15 minutes or 4 hours).

2. Reloding obj-mesh
You can reload image textures in octane, so why not meshes when you re-adjust them. Would make things more handy.

You can already reload a mesh. Just hit the relink button. You just need to be careful that you don't change the names of the materials, or add/drop materials. If you do, then you might lose all of your materials in Octane. There is a workaround for this, but it would require editing the MTL and/or OCS files.

[Refracty]

You can already reload a mesh. Just hit the relink button. You just need to be careful that you don't change the names of the materials, or add/drop materials. If you do, then you might lose all of your materials in Octane. There is a workaround for this, but it would require editing the MTL and/or OCS files.

Thank you GeoPappas for the Relink button tip. But where can I find the relink button for the obj in Octane?
In the new version 2.43 I didn't notice any problem with obj meshes / mtl files that have new material added. This was a problem that slowed down the production. But now the links of the mesh node are still obtained even if materials are changed. Did you try this in 2.43?


Cheers
Refracty

+ Storing a focus point value / node in the camera node would be another good feature in Octane.

[matej]

4. More blending and stencil modes for textures

+1

[GeoPappas]

You can already reload a mesh. Just hit the relink button. You just need to be careful that you don't change the names of the materials, or add/drop materials. If you do, then you might lose all of your materials in Octane. There is a workaround for this, but it would require editing the MTL and/or OCS files.

Thank you GeoPappas for the Relink button tip. But where can I find the relink button for the obj in Octane?

We are probably talking about the same button. It reloads both the materials and the mesh. If you click on the mesh node in the Graph Editor (at the bottom of the screen), you will see the relink button at the top of the Node Inspector (on the right side of the screen). It has an icon of a little green arrow pointing upwards into what looks like a hard drive.

You just need to be careful that you don't change the names of the materials, or add/drop materials. If you do, then you might lose all of your materials in Octane. There is a workaround for this, but it would require editing the MTL and/or OCS files.

In the new version 2.43 I didn't notice any problem with obj meshes / mtl files that have new material added. This was a problem that slowed down the production. But now the links of the mesh node are still obtained even if materials are changed. Did you try this in 2.43?

Yes. I have been using 2.43 for the past few weeks (since the time it was released). I have just tested the issue and it still exists.

You can reproduce the issue as follows:

1. create two separate cubes
2. assign two materials (one to each cube). I made one cube blue and the other red to keep things simple.
3. export to OBJ/MTL files
4. import mesh into new Octane scene and set it up so that you can see the two cubes
5. save Octane scene into OCS file
6. exit Octane
7. open MTL file with Notepad (or any other basic editor) and switch the order of materials
8. open Octane and open saved OCS file

You should now see that both of the cubes have lost their materials and are both a very light gray.

FYI: I used Blender 2.56a and Octane 2.43 for the test above.

While this example made the issue show up by directly editing the MTL file, I have essentially had the same thing happen when modifying the mesh in my 3D editor and then trying to relink the scene with Octane.

[Refracty]

That is strange - For me it is working. I did the same test. I can change the order or add materials in the mtl-file and Octane is aware of it and links the materials correctly. But I remember that this was not the case in earlier releases. I am usally using Rhino for export and there I can add and change materials too without any problem but I can do it manually and it works.
Of course Octane does not keep the link when you change the name of one material but beside that I can swap places and add materials without any problem.
I am using the pre243_cuda30_winx64 on Win7 for this test.
Are there other users who made the same experience?

[GeoPappas]

I am using the pre243_cuda30_winx64 on Win7 for this test.

I use the same release and O/S. So I agree that it is strange that we have different results.

[GeoPappas]

I did the same test.

I was thinking about this and wondering - did you execute step 6 above (exit Octane) or skip it? Because if you skip it, then Octane will act differently.

[Refracty]

I did basically the same steps but I know now where the difference is.
I have imported the obj file in Octane and assigned the materials with linked nodes.
When you create material nodes and link them it will work even if you change the material order in the mtl file.
If you only adjust the material attributes directly in the obj node then it is not working and the cubes appear gray.

[Sauger]

I know the real stuff I want!

Linking several obj files/nodes in 1 visual lovely mix, Don´t tell me the creator never felt the urge of this power.