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AO maps for iRay

R GolbraithR Golbraith Posts: 45
in Daz Studio Discussion

Hey, guys. Can you tell me where I would insert an AO map in the iRay surfaces tab? When I create texture maps for my props I always get an AO map but I don't know where to put it to get the best use out of it.

Thanks in advance.

Joseph

Comments

  • MarkIsSleepyMarkIsSleepy Posts: 1,496
    edited September 2018

    In most programs if you wanted to use the AO map you'd multiply it by your diffuse color and adjust to taste. So essentially, add it "on top" of your diffuse color. Not sure how you'd do that in DAZ Studio though - maybe with the layered image editor? Does that still exist? I don't use DS for rendering much. smiley

    You really don't need it most of the time though unless you are going for a slightly stylized look. All it's going to do is darken crevices and lines where two faces meet at a sharp angle or are close together and Iray is already doing that more realistically at render time based on the actual lighting in the scene.

    Post edited by MarkIsSleepy on
  • Richard HaseltineRichard Haseltine Posts: 102,291

    You might use it to cntrol strengths - for example, the occluded areas probably get rubbed less so they might be less glossy - or as a mask - perhaps controlling Diffuse Overlay to give a layer of dirt or to show areas where the paint had worn off and areas where it remained.

  • JonnyRayJonnyRay Posts: 1,744

    Like MDO2010 says, in a physically based rednering engine like Iray you don't need Ambient Occlusion. AO is intended to fake how light bounces differently between surfaces that are close to each other in a rendering system like Renderman (3Delight) which doesn't have native support for light bouncing from surface to surface. In a system like Iray that starts with a physically accurate model for light it already does that for you.

    One potential use would be to invert it and add it to the strength setting for the diffuse overlay and use the diffuse overlay color to add a layer of dirt and grime. More grime build up in the corners where surfaces are close and less in areas that are likely to be rubbed by other things.

  • alxalx Posts: 53

    if you use the 3DL textures, you can add your AO map to diffuse strength then convert to Iray. but then you'll have to populate all the other settings manually. it takes effort but then you can use the AO map

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