Maya 2008 Render layers

# 1 25-11-2007 , 07:38 AM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

Hey All

Well its my turn for the big ask...the old pro needs some help.

Ive just purchased Maya 2008 and all is well but I have some irritation with render layers. Not sure if its a bug on my part or Im overlooking something thats just blatantly obvious.

Ive just updated from Version 6 where the layering contains everything as you would render it, again without using passes.

All I want to do is render separate objects on separate layers that include all my shadows, spec and reflect etc without rendering passes, which is a bit on the time consuming side for me.

the prob I have atm is that the master layer can render the scene with shads etc, but the minute I use a separate layer for each object, shadows cast from one object to the other (in the master layer) are no longer present.

Is it me or is it Maya..?

Many thanks if you can answer this

Cheers
Jay

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# 2 25-11-2007 , 09:22 AM

Moderator
Join Date: May 2003

Location: London

Posts: 1,001

You need to override the rendering flags.
add all shadow casting objects and lights into your render layer and click the flag on the layer.

Here you can tell maya to override the render flags.

So for example to get selected objects to render but to still receive casted shadows from objects you dont want to be rendered do the following:

-Make sure ALL the objects shadow casting and ones you want rendered are in the layer as well as the lights obviously.

-click the flag on the render layer and make sure override is on for primarily visibility, at default this will make everything invisible. Then its just a case of going to the shape nodes of the objects you want visible and going to their render flags, right click on their primarily visibility and clicking unlock attribute and turning their visibility back on.

Now when you render you will have only selected objects visible but still have shadow casting objects casting their shadows.

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# 3 25-11-2007 , 10:11 AM

Lead Modeler - Framestore
Join Date: Feb 2003

Location: UK

Posts: 6,287

LauriePriest

Many thanks, you're a life saver. Now I can get on with work again.

If you fancy a drink in London at some point send me a pm, I bloody owe you one.

I cant believe they made this as a work flow in Maya. Why fix what wasnt broken. Its just too long winded compared to before. Create your layer with object in and render with light components done for you, if you want passes just select render layer passes - easy!

Many thanks again
Jay

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