www.si-community.com

Hello,

I am sure this is probably a beginner question, but it seems like I am blanking out, and I am a beginner to Maya. I have a question with regards to installing Mental Ray for Maya 2016.

I have "Maya with Softimage 2016" (network license) and I am using the "physical shipment" (the USB drive) to install Mental Ray. The folders that I have available on the USB to start are:

Maya
mentalraySatellite
Softimage2015

When I go into the "mentalraySatellite" folder, I only see a Satellite version of Mental Ray. Is this correct for a Network license? Do I just run that .exe to get going even if I want to install Mental Ray on a Master computer?

I just want to be sure I am installing it correctly before proceeding, this way I do not have to go back and redo something...

Thanks For the Help.

The Mental Ray plugin for Maya 2016 is a separate download...
And then you update to SP3 & the accompanying MR Plugin here.

Hi Hirazi,

Thanks for the post. I saw the links for the Mental Ray download on the Autodesk website. However, in the docs (Autodesk Installation Info) it says that if you have the physical media (which I got from Autodesk - USB in a nice box) that the install comes on that drive. However, all I can find is the Satellite version of Mental Ray on that USB. I didn't know that maybe since I have a Network License, that if I just run the Satellite install it might make it a Master install on my main system. Or do I do something else as you suggested. I would like to think that when someone orders the physical media that all the install files are on there, otherwise, Autodesk should not be offering a physical shipment (which is no longer is free) if one still has to go online to download a different file.

That is why I think there might be something more to it, as it might have to do something with it being a Network license - I think. I am just curious if someone ran into the same thing with the physical shipment. I appreciate the info that you posted as well, Hirazi. Thanks.

Is there a "Configure Install" after entering the product code in the Maya 2016 installer to select to install mental ray?

luceric wrote:Isn't there an Advanced or Option dialog in the Maya 2016 installer to select to install mental ray? It's off by default

That of course would be the easiest way, but unfortunately no. I just double checked by starting up an original installation and there is no option for it when installing Maya. I believe in the past you could, but with the "Maya with Softimage" bundle, Autodesk just put 3 different folders (Maya / Mental Ray Satellite / Softimage 2015) on a USB. You have to go in to each folder and run the Setup.exe independently to start their installs - there was no "autorun" working or one master setup/install area. Which, to me, seems different than in the past which is probably why I am running into this question.

At this point I almost wonder why it is not on the USB, or if I missed something...I will most likely use the links Hirazi posted.

luceric wrote:Is there a "Configure Install" after entering the product code in the Maya 2016 installer to select to install mental ray?

Hi Luceric,

When I went through the process of testing to re-install Maya: I went into the Maya folder, and clicked on the Setup.exe. I agreed to the EULA and then proceeded to the next page. Here, I entered my Serial number and Key. I also chose 'Network,' and set my license server to single along with pointing it to my computer as the host/master. I clicked next, and the following page said I had Maya installed already, with no other options. I did not remove Maya first before trying to go through the re-install, as I was just looking for the Mental Ray install option, which I think prior used to sit below the main Software app choice.

When I first installed Maya, I usually install all add-ons that come from Autodesk, and I do not remember seeing anything in there. Do you suggest to completely uninstall Maya and then go through the complete re-install after, to see if there is an option that I might have missed? When you guys at Autodesk installed Maya 2016 from the Maya with Softimage Bundle, did you by chance get a prompt in a configurator? If so, then I definitely missed something. Thanks.

I think they probably indeed kicked out the mental ray plug-in from the installers and you need to download it from the web. I didn't have time to fact check that today, I only fact-checked that indeed my installer had no mental ray option. I'm just curious as to why they still ship the satellite installer on the media.

luceric wrote:I think they probably indeed kicked out the mental ray plug-in from the installers and you need to download it from the web. I didn't have time to fact check that today, I only fact-checked that indeed my installer had no mental ray option. I'm just curious as to why they still ship the satellite installer on the media.

Thanks for looking into that a bit for me. Yeah, I am curious why they have the Satellite version only on the physical media and not the Full version installer as well, especially when it says it should be on there in the Autodesk Knowledgebase. That's is why I thought I was missing something or maybe they forgot to add it to my copy of the media. So, I guess the Satellite version on the physical media is for only installing MR on slave computers, and I should use the link, as Hirazi suggested/posted, for the full version of MR regardless if the license is Network or Standalone, correct? Thank you.

Perhaps they want to know a real number, how many people use MR.

are people seriously using Mental Ray anymore? thats quite shocking lol

Maximus wrote:are people seriously using Mental Ray anymore? thats quite shocking lol

I have no problems with Mental Ray at all, it is quite strong, actually. Also, Iray ships along now with it too (whether or not it is "open" Maya is another thing...) Perhaps some of your information about Mental Ray is based on older experiences? I can agree with that, but I think it is definitely getting better.

Maximus wrote:are people seriously using Mental Ray anymore? thats quite shocking lol

You'd be surprised. We're still using it here with Maya.

I was shocked to learn Maya 2016 didn't come with Mental Ray. I mean seriously can you be more retarded than that ? That's a basic functionality.

Maximus wrote:are people seriously using Mental Ray anymore? thats quite shocking lol

Some Mayan, as it is noticeable - while, those I know personally, they prefer V - Ray.
Does not say anything about quality of subject, I'm afraid. Even in old times when Maya MR refused to render every second mesh because too much of triangles, returning the manifold warning - they were happy with it... To this very day, not hard to find Mayan who creates uniformly distributed sphere by deforming the cube, or Mayan who don't know that their software actually is able ( in last seven years, probably) to envelope to null, and so on...