Skin Subsurface Shaders for Iray

zombiewhacker

If I want to add Subsurface shaders for Iray to old characters that don't come with SSS maps (like some of my old M4 and V4 figures) where do I look?

I can find Iray Uber Shaders in my general content, but nothing specifically about Iray SSS or default Iray skin shaders.

Richard Haseltine

If they don't have any SSS maps (some of the later sets do, such as the Elite characters) then the results will be iffy but you can try holding down the cmd(Mac)/ctrl(Win) key and double-clicking a preset then in the options dialogue select Ignore for maps. You could also select one surface of a model, with a sutiable material applied, File>Save As>Shader Preset then in the options dalogue use the option menu (lined button part way down on the right) to Select Values Only; on the figure you can then select all the skin surfaces and apply that preset. Bother will give you settings withoug taking off the existing maps (where property names match).

DustRider

You can create your own SSS with the Iray Uber Shader, but like Richard noted, unlike 3Delight, Iray doesn't really use/need the SSS maps on older products. If you want a simple one click solution (actually a two click solution, you will need to convert the shaders to Iray Uber first), you could use the free V4 shaders from Most Digital Creations (https://www.most-digital-creations.com/skinray.htm). They are a great starting point, and you can adjust to taste after conversion if needed. 

Or if you want a commercial product, there is the Iray Converter for Generation 4  from V3Digitimes in the store here. I haven't used it, but people seemed to like it when it came out. I've always just user the free one, since I'm comfortable fine tuning things on my own, The one by V3Digitimes has a lot of point and click settings that will make it much easier if you aren't comfortable adjusting things yourself.

zombiewhacker

Richard Haseltine said:

If they don't have any SSS maps (some of the later sets do, such as the Elite characters) then the results will be iffy but you can try holding down the cmd(Mac)/ctrl(Win) key and double-clicking a preset then in the options dialogue select Ignore for maps. You could also select one surface of a model, with a sutiable material applied, File>Save As>Shader Preset then in the options dalogue use the option menu (lined button part way down on the right) to Select Values Only; on the figure you can then select all the skin surfaces and apply that preset.

(slaps forehead)

Now why didn't I think of that? Thanks, Richard, I copied and pasted M4 Stratton's SSS settings to my new character's textures, then rendered in Iray, and that workerd out fine.