AWE Shading Kit for DAZ Studio and 3delight

wowie

Introducing a new shader / light kit for DAZ Studio and 3delight - the awe Shading Kit.

https://www.daz3d.com/aweshading-kit-10-for-daz-studio

Complements the AWE Surface shader with various new shaders, figures and props such as the AWE AreaPT light shader so you can use path traced area lights and AWE Environment Sphere shader for more flexible control of your IBL sphere.

Using path traced area lights such as AWE AreaPT instead of illuminance based area lights or point/spot/distant light will cut your render time up to 50%. AWE AreaPT also have support for blackbody / temperature values, color / gel textures, opacity masks, multiple falloffs, 4-way barn door with separate controls for each and separate front/back side controls.

Latest build in DIM compatible installer, including an updated manual for both the kit and the shader.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1i3P5yVxiS4wZzhdZu6FeLNuiNuIPOAVe/view?usp=sharing

You can find more info and the complete manual here - http://docs.daz3d.com/doku.php/public/read_me/index/55819/start

The freebie AWE Surface shader can be found here - https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/277581/awe-surface-shader-a-new-physically-plausible-shader-for-daz-studio-and-3delight/p1

wowie

AWE AreaPT in action

If you need to simulate a certain light shape, use AWE AreaPT with the included polycount-optimized emitter figures which you can shape into various shapes by manipulating the figure's child bones.

The AWE Environment Sphere shader compliments the included, new environment sphere. This environment sphere has proper normals facing inside the sphere, so textures have correct orientation.

Viewed from the outside

 

From the inside

You can even rotate the texture across the sphere just by changing its horizontal offset values.

The adjustments you've made will be visible in the viewport and they can even be done when you're doing a live rendering session (IPR).

The AWE Environment Sphere comes with extra options to adjust exposure, saturation, gain and gamma of the IBL texture you're using. You can even apply a blur to the texture without modifying the original texture. Since it's geometry, you can even use multiple environment sphere in your scene.

Both AWE AreaPT and Environment shader support trace group memberships, allowing you to use light linking (for AWE AreaPT) and selective raytracing (for AWE Environment Sphere)

Feel free to post questions or comments on AWE Shading Kit in this thread. If you would like to know more about AWE Surface, you can post it here or on the thread linked above.

Some tips and tricks I've gathered that works with AWE Surface/awe Shading kit. It will likely translate to other renderers using the same workflow (PBR with IOR).

Setting Up (Essential)

• Go to render settings. Restore to defaults.
• Enable gamma correction and set gain to 1 and gamma to 2.2.
• For final renders, render with the the 'Scripted 3delight', either with RaytracerDraft or RaytracerFinal only.
• For fast previewing, choose the '3delight' and render with progressive 'Enabled' or use the Aux Viewport for IPR to get realtime interactive preview.

Light (for physical plausibility/PBR)

• In the AWE Environment light, use Temperature Value to adjust white balance of the render.
• Typical white balance values based of actual cameras are between 4400-5750K.
• Fpr film based cameras, daylight film uses 5500K, tungsten film 3200K.
• If you adjust white balance, you have to adjust the temperature of your lights to compensate.
• Typical temperatures for lights are between 2700K (Warm White) and 6500K (Daylight).
• For a white balance of 5500K, add 1000K (6500-5500) to the light's temperature (spot/point/distant/area/mesh lights) to balance out temperatures for direct light.

AWEAreaPT Intensity Scale and Intensity Scale Offset settings are based on Exposure Value (EV).

• Incrementing -/+ 1 EV will decrease light intensity by half or increase intensity to 2x.
• For example a 100% intensity with 0 EV, will be 100%, -1 EV will be 50%, with 1 EV it will be 200%.
• Distance wise, 1 EV corresponds to roughly increasing/decreasing the distance by 150 cm below 500 cm. Use 300 cm beyond 500 cm.
• EV scale is in energy per unit scale, so the larger the emitter, the more energy the light emits.
• In relation to emitter size for area/mesh lights, 4x the total area scale, 1/4 of the EV.
• For example, with a plane of 1x1 m with a uniform scale of 400% (400% in x, 400% in y), you need to set the EV to 1/4 of its original value.
• If you only change the scale in one axis, say by 400% (100% in x, 400% in y), then set the EV to 1/2 of its original value.

Table of useful EV values

Situation	EV
Full sun or slight haze with strong contrast shadows	15
Cloudy bright day, diffused and no shadows	13
Sunset and skyline	12 to 14
After the sun has fallen over the horizon	9 to 11
Interior office lighting	7 to 8
Inside a home	5 to 7
Night time traffic lights	5
Christmas Tree lights	4
Distant view of building with lights	2
Moonlight (without the moon in the frame)	-6 to -2

 

To simulate sunlight with an area light.

• Use a 1x1 m area light emitter. A sphere with 12 segments and sides should be good enough. Make sure it doesn't use subdivision.
• Change the scale to 25% and make sure it's somewhere around at least 1000 cm (typically I use 1075 cm) away from the point of focus.
• Point of focus typically will be the center of your scene. For AWEAreaPT light sets, this will be the pivot node.
• Set EV scale to 11, for example by setting Intensity Scale to 8 and Intensity Scale Offset to 3 (8+3 = 11).
• Alternatively with 14 EV, scale should be 12.5% and distance 2275 cm (1075+1200 = 2275).
• Another alternative is using Intensity Scale to 0, Intensity Scale Offset to around -7 to -7.25 and setting Falloff to 0. This setting works best to get more fill of the environment and very hard/sharp shadows.

With the updated AWEAreaPT, you can actually animate between the above settings if you like.

Specular/reflection for skin

• Enable at least one specular/reflection lobe on the base layer.
• By default, the second specular/reflection lobe is enabled.
• Set the lobe's specular strength to 35%.
• If you use specular strength textures, make sure to enable 'Normalize Specular Map'. It will make things consistent.
• Typical index of reflection (IOR) for skin will be between 1.35 and 1.6.
• Set roughness to a value of 20% for dry skin and 10% for a more glossy skin.
• Change either the IOR and/or roughness to control specular highlights, keeping specular strength the same if possible.
• To simulate fuzz/velvet around the edges, make sure to enable Glossy Fresnel on the base and set it to 22.5%.

Subsurface tint/color correction for skin

• Remove any subsurface color/strength maps from the subsurface color/strength slots.
• Set skin to 50% diffuse strength. Typical Caucasian skin will be between 45 to 55%.
• Tanned or darker skin will be around 65 to 75% (or more depending on how dark the texture is).
• Use the skin2 SSS profile by applying AWE SSS Skin 2.
• For less saturation, decrease the saturation color of the subsurface absorption color by half. For example, 255 will be 128.
• 
• For even less saturation after decreasing saturation color, increase the hue by 1.5. For example, 34 will be 51 (1.5 x 34).
• More saturation, decrease the hue of absorption color by half. For example, 34 will be 17.
• If you're still unable to get saturation after doing the correction, use the skin1 SSS profile by applying AWE SSS Skin 1.

Diffuse roughness.

• You can manipulate diffuse roughness to 'spread out' diffuse and subsurface.
• Light skin generally have very wide spread because it scatters light more, so use 50 to 100% diffuse roughness.
• Dark skin tend to vary more, between 0 to 100% roughness. Because the differences can be small, use either 0, 50 or 100% diffuse roughness.

Hopefully it will help.

Charlie Judge

wowie said:

Complements the AWE Surface shader with various new shaders, figures and props such as the AWE AreaPT light shader so you can use path traced area lights and AWE Environment Sphere shader for more flexible control of your IBL sphere.

Is the free AWESurface Shader included in the commercial kit version? Or does it have to installed in addition to the kit?

JOdel

Thank you. They look wonderful, and not everyone uses Iray.

Kevin Sanderson

Great documentation, wowie!

Sven Dullah

Oooooh yeah! The Waiting Is Finally Over

Artini

That was an instant purchase for me - now I have to dig out the documentation and see, how to use it at its best.

 

wowie

Charlie Judge said:

Is the free AWESurface Shader included in the commercial kit version? Or does it have to installed in addition to the kit?

It is included. You do not need the freebie. It also should be a better choice for OSX users, since the freebie is made for Windows.

Kevin Sanderson said:

Great documentation, wowie!

Thank you, Kevin. Please forgive me if there's some grammatical errors. English is not my native language. I do plan on making some quick tips for users, but haven't had the time to really organize them.

Linwelly

This unfortunately will have to wait until my store credit refills. Thanks for keeping the 3dlight flag up here ;)

RAMWolff

Thank you for this thread and thank you for this awesome addition to 3Delight.  Once I get my issue with DAZ Studio ironed out I'll dig in and see what I can do with your new offerings for this amazing rendering engine.  Thanks again! 

khorneV2

thanks for the shader and all its options.

that's a great tool and hem, it needs time to be used correctly.

i have a question when using an environment sphere and an area light from the kit (with headlamp blocker), i have issues to light the environment (very dark).

This does not appear with iblmaster and an area light

Sven Dullah

Kevin Sanderson said:

Great documentation, wowie!

Agreed, thanks again wowie! Very Well Done!

wowie

khorneV2 said:

i have a question when using an environment sphere and an area light from the kit (with headlamp blocker), i have issues to light the environment (very dark).

This does not appear with iblmaster and an area light

Try loading the quick start scene and rendering it. If the render came out pitch black, the files aren't installed properly.

The quick start scene should give you an idea on how to setup the environment sphere and/or the area lightsets/emitters. Basically, if you want to use only the environment sphere, you need to plug a HDRI to the environment sphere shader. Something like what you can see in the surface section in the screenshot below.

If it still ends up very dark, you probably need to raise the gain or exposure of the HDRI. I generally just start an IPR session and change the exposure value of the environment sphere until I get the amount of light I wanted. If you want slightly more GI on objects, you can raise the exposure on the AWE Environment Light (the parent node of the environment sphere) to something like 1.

If you just want a diffuse environment, turn off ambient and enable diffuse on the sphere. You will need to load at least one light.

khorneV2

ok i'll try that, thanks a lot !

wowie

Currently working on new features and bug reports. So, if you encounter what you think is a bug, let me know.

Already working on my PC - Physical Camera Controls ( Aperture, ISO, Shutter Time ).

Leana

This jumped into my cart as soon as I saw it. Thanks for this great shader! 

Sven Dullah

So how do you create a shadowcatcher with this shader? It seems the shadowmixer version is not compatible, I also tried the IBL-Master version by Parris, and it is ignored. Can you do it using the awe-shader? Or is there any other tricks to get ground shadows when using HDRIs?

wowie

Sven Dullah said:

So how do you create a shadowcatcher with this shader? It seems the shadowmixer version is not compatible, I also tried the IBL-Master version by Parris, and it is ignored. Can you do it using the awe-shader? Or is there any other tricks to get ground shadows when using HDRIs?

Yes. The new path traced area light needs a new shadow catcher shader/material.I haven't got around to it since I mostly don't use it. Mustakettu did remind me to make one, but I never did. I'll try to make one ready for the update.

timeoff

Bought this the minute it arrived in the store, and have spent the weekend playing with it. Have been very impressed with both the quality of the documentation and the rendered results.

As Sven mentioned, a basic shadowcatcher would be handy and it would be good to have support for normal maps.

On the documentation front, I'd love to see some hints, pointers, advice, further reading on correct use of the coat feature and glossy fresnel etc.

Physical camera controls sound excellent. 

Anyway, fantastic work wowie, more power to your digital elbow!

wowie

timeoff said:

Bought this the minute it arrived in the store, and have spent the weekend playing with it. Have been very impressed with both the quality of the documentation and the rendered results.

As Sven mentioned, a basic shadowcatcher would be handy and it would be good to have support for normal maps.

OK. Let me see what I can come up with.

timeoff said:

On the documentation front, I'd love to see some hints, pointers, advice, further reading on correct use of the coat feature and glossy fresnel etc.

I'll probably post some in this thread. I do wonder what works best though - a by the numbers tutorial or a video? Some people seem to prefer a how-to tutorial format.

timeoff said:

Physical camera controls sound excellent. 

Anyway, fantastic work wowie, more power to your digital elbow!

Thanks. Although it is integrated in the AWE Surface shader, I've decided to only enable them through the AWE Environment Light. There will be a new option to use camera based exposure setting instead of the current 'general' Exposure dial. Obviously, if you're going to render with a camera, you will need to sync the f-stop. Technically speaking, it's not a 'fully' physical camera since the controls are on a 'dummy' light, but yeah, it should help people who are used to camera based settings.

Mollytabby

I’ve picked this up too and would definitely love a shadow catcher :-)

As soon as I get the chance today I’ll start to try and start learning how to use the product. I’m a relatively new Daz user (just about a year now) and so far my 3delight experience has mainly been confined to using it with pwToon and Visual Style Shaders. But I use a Mac and if I can get good fine quality renders with your Awe Shaders @wowie I would be absolutely delighted! So what I would love is some tutorials on using these and how to get the best out of them  

 

Sven Dullah

wowie said:

Sven Dullah said:

So how do you create a shadowcatcher with this shader? It seems the shadowmixer version is not compatible, I also tried the IBL-Master version by Parris, and it is ignored. Can you do it using the awe-shader? Or is there any other tricks to get ground shadows when using HDRIs?

Yes. The new path traced area light needs a new shadow catcher shader/material.I haven't got around to it since I mostly don't use it. Mustakettu did remind me to make one, but I never did. I'll try to make one ready for the update.

Ok. sounds great! And I have to tell you I was totally blown away by the look of my first testrender. Have one cooking, will eventually share;)

Artini

Is the skin and the hair is suppose to look like that, or am I missing something.

It is just the awe starter scene with added Sasori - https://www.daz3d.com/sasori-for-kenji-7

Are we suppose to just double click the presets with materials?

Or shall we ctrl click and choose "ignore"?

Mollytabby

@Artini I'm doing something similar in that I'm using the start scene as a jumping off point for learning how this works. In my case I've selected the figure and in the surface settings applied the scripts that are included under 'skin'. I've no idea if I'm doing it correctly but I am getting a nice 3Delight image when I render rather than a sparkly one.

Artini

Ok, thanks. I have also applied the preset for Genesis 3 to Sasori,

but why am I getting the same sparkly skin on Genesis 2 Female, that was included with the start scene?

I have not changed the settings of her at all.

 

RAMWolff

timeoff said:

Bought this the minute it arrived in the store, and have spent the weekend playing with it. Have been very impressed with both the quality of the documentation and the rendered results.

As Sven mentioned, a basic shadowcatcher would be handy and it would be good to have support for normal maps.

On the documentation front, I'd love to see some hints, pointers, advice, further reading on correct use of the coat feature and glossy fresnel etc.

Physical camera controls sound excellent. 

Anyway, fantastic work wowie, more power to your digital elbow!

OH, no support for Normal Maps?  YIKES!    Need that!  Thanks!  

wowie

Artini said:

Ok, thanks. I have also applied the preset for Genesis 3 to Sasori,

but why am I getting the same sparkly skin on Genesis 2 Female, that was included with the start scene?

I have not changed the settings of her at all.

On the viewport or on the render? If it's on the viewport, that's because the preset does not override the strength value of the 1st specular lobe, although the lobe itself isn't enabled.

Mollytabby

Artini said:

Ok, thanks. I have also applied the preset for Genesis 3 to Sasori,

but why am I getting the same sparkly skin on Genesis 2 Female, that was included with the start scene?

I have not changed the settings of her at all.

 

I've not got the same sparkly skin issue @Artini. Shiny yes, but not sparkly. I've been playing around with moving sliders and settings to see what happens ... and dipping in out of the user guide. I think I need to keep this thread bookmarked and pick up the advice that comes along. I think its going to be a bit of learning curve for me but I'm willing to put the time in. At the moment my model's hair looks like cassette tape, lol. 

Artini

Ok, I think, I got it. ----- One need to use scripted 3Delight.

Below is Victoria 5 Supermodel render. She is happy, that I have found the solution.

Rendering Time: 4 minutes

Artini

wowie said:

Artini said:

Ok, thanks. I have also applied the preset for Genesis 3 to Sasori,

but why am I getting the same sparkly skin on Genesis 2 Female, that was included with the start scene?

I have not changed the settings of her at all.

On the viewport or on the render? If it's on the viewport, that's because the preset does not override the strength value of the 1st specular lobe, although the lobe itself isn't enabled.

It was on the render.

 

Sven Dullah

First testscene: