Subsurface Scattering Tips Anyone?

# 1 09-11-2004 , 02:58 AM

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Just saw both The Incredibles and Shark Tale as an early b'day present for myself and I saw just how, well, incredible the effect of SSS looked on the characters. My wife and I discussed the topic at lunch in between movies and we're having a bit of a debate. I say SSS is really not much more than a shader that doesn't take up a lot of CPU resources and she says it's some sort of elaborate setup dingy-ma-bob that's similar to using physics like Hair or Cloth does and takes up a whopping amount of CPU power? Who's right? Or are we both close? Does anyone here use the technique and what would you all suggest to be the best looking and simplest way of pulling it off? What do you all think? Do you like the overall effect? What else would you use it on other than humans or creatures?

Russell

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# 2 09-11-2004 , 09:48 AM

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You're both right, it is a shader but it is expensive in render times. It is a raytrace call that determines how light would bounce around and reflect/refract etc in skin. (and other stuff too).

It's a subtle effect but if you get a torch and shine it through some skin that's the sort of stuff you would notice more. We are currently using it to do some stuff (which I can't elaborate on so don't ask me to!! user added image

) It's got nothing to do with simulating hair etc. It might be used in a hair render perhaps but not in the simulation of it.

Alan

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# 3 10-11-2004 , 12:31 AM

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Soooooooooooo, what yer sayin' is I need a Cray to be able to render with any kind of decent images with Maya. LOL! Okay, I hate to cheat but... are there any fairly decent cheats out there I can use that'll simulate the effect? Why isn't just FG and GI good enough?

Russell

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# 4 10-11-2004 , 12:45 AM

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Originally posted by Russell
are there any fairly decent cheats out there I can use that'll simulate the effect? Why isn't just FG and GI good enough?

Russell

Originally Posted by

FG and GI do not correspond with the effect of SSS,
a good cheat is an S[ingle]S[cattering]S[shader]
by migusan with great render times. thats why its a cheat
look for it here:
https://www.cgtalk.com/showthread.php...8&page=1&pp=15

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# 5 10-11-2004 , 05:46 PM

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Okay, I checked SSS out and it looks promising. What of LightEngine3D's SSS tool? I looked into it and tryed to use it but it made my Maya all squirrelly. I'm sure I installed it correctly but I was in a hurry when I did it. Thanks for y'all's help.

Russell

Russell Bolding
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# 6 11-11-2004 , 04:56 AM

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My first tries at SSS...

Okay, this probably blows but what do you guys think of this? Could it work? Does it look right to you? I used that cheat that Vlad mentioned. user added image

Please send critiques. user added image

Russell

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# 7 11-11-2004 , 04:57 AM

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Teaser Poster Maybe?

Here's another... BTW, using only Maya Renderer...

Russell

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# 8 12-11-2004 , 04:59 AM

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Hello?

Did anyone get this last posting? All critiques would be greatly appreciated. user added image

Thanks, y'all. user added image

Russell

Russell Bolding
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# 9 13-11-2004 , 01:42 AM

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In The Midst Of Greatness?

Alan, dude, you were the tech. director for AVP? No way! I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy! Wow, so maybe you CAN help me with my SSS problem. BTW, Vlad, thanks for the link and help. I think I may have to go back to my scene and try that whole fake radiosity set-up again. And to think I was finally starting to like and accept MR. :disap:

Russell

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# 10 13-11-2004 , 01:05 PM

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I was one of the technical directors yes, but don't worry we didn't do anything too cool on it!! user added image

The sss stuff is nothing I've ever looked at I'm afraid so I can't really be of too much use, to be honest. That single scatter shader thing looks like it could work. Try the tests that that guy did with the falloff and decay on a point light and see what you get. As for it looking "right" that's a purely subjective thing, I don't know what look you want to be able to achieve so i can't say if it's right or not user added image

:bandit:

Alan

Technical Director - Framestore

Currently working on: Your Highness

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# 11 16-11-2004 , 04:45 PM

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Hey Alan!

I should be ashamed of myself - I'm spending all of my time trying to figure out this SSS stuff and not building my characters. Think I'm burnt out? LOL! Thanks for your help anyway.

Russell

Russell Bolding
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