MR 3.10.1.4

[gustavoeb]

As most of you know by now, the new SI will have MR 3.10.1.4. There are other threads going off topic on this, so I decided to create this one.

This is what nVidia has to say about it:
http://docs.autodesk.com/MENTALRAY/2013 ... l#whatsnew

Cool but what of all this is in Softimage 2013?
We got to look in here: http://download.autodesk.com/global/doc ... haders.htm
And here: http://download.autodesk.com/global/doc ... 5CE1F3.htm

So i THINK that:

• Ptex Support - NOP
  iray 2.0 - NADA
  Hair Ray Tracing Performance - Probably since this is more related to the renderer internals
  Detail Shadow Map Features - Probably since this is more related to the renderer internals
  Unified Sampling Features - Probably since this is more related to the renderer internals
  TIFF Image Format Features - Probably since this is more related to the renderer internals
  OpenEXR Stereo Support - Doubt it since we dont even have multi layer EXR
  Texture Caching Features - Probably since this is more related to the renderer internals
  Subdivision Mesh Features - Have no clue what this is
  Initial Alembic Support - Probably NOT
  Deprecated Scanline Features - Maybe, but whatever
  New Shader Package - Aparently no (this is related to IBL lights)
  New Subsurface Shaders - Surprisingly YES!

[gustavoeb]

Some more info on the new SSS shader that actually looks like a nice adition:
http://docs.autodesk.com/MENTALRAY/2013 ... st_shader2

On the left old SSS, on the right new SSS2

[TwinSnakes007]

Is there someway to manually enable these features thru scripting or SDK?

[Hirazi Blue]

Speaking of the new Mental Ray, "Autodeskian" Ken Pimentel in a the Max 2013 thread over at CGTalk:

OK, go ahead and shoot me: we didn't expose any features. We used our rendering resources to fix 38 bugs instead (like you told us was important, oh, I guess that was the old "what's important", now, only features are important).

The whole list of fixes he mentions for Max can be found here.
I guess we'll have to wait for our own famous "fixed" list, before we know if this has been a more Max specific endeavor or if (some/most? of) these fixes apply more or less to Softimage as well...
;)

edit: @TwinSnakes007 - Quite possible some of it might be "unlockable" (like the famous Geometry Shaders did for Progressive Render & even iRay in earlier versions), but I think it's too early to tell.

[Bellsey]

Ken has said basically what I was driving at. Its important that we try and fix out bugs, especially around rendering, by if by introducing a new MR version that may create even more bugs, its kinda counter productive for everyone.

And before anyone asks, I don't have the Softimage fixes yet.

[McNistor]

Ken has said basically what I was driving at. Its important that we try and fix out bugs, especially around rendering, by if by introducing a new MR version that may create even more bugs, its kinda counter productive for everyone.

And before anyone asks, I don't have the Softimage fixes yet.

It's "it's" not "its". Aren't you a native English speaker? You might as well use no apostrophe anywhere at all. Anyway, I got "mauled" once by Hirazi for picking on people's spelling so I'll cut to the chase here:
Is Autodesk having a 1 to 10 ratio of programmers versus sales people? Or 1 to 100? Companies a lot smaller than AD get bugs fixed AND features implemented. You could say that nobody forces me to use/buy your software and I'll happily do that if you just, for the love of Universe, STOP buying competition.
I know this sounds like a teenager rage rant, but sometimes this is exactly what some people feel.

[Hirazi Blue]

Anyway, I got "mauled" once by Hirazi for picking on people's spelling

If this post constitutes 'getting "mauled"' as you put it, where you specifically and solely posted something to correct someone's spelling on an international forum, then so be it. I keep trying to do the "friendly moderator thing", but maybe that's the wrong approach.

But anyway, back to topic: @Bellsey - While I fully understand you don't have access to (/can't go public with?) the "fixed" list yet, maybe you could answer one "fundamental" question concerning that "fixed" list: once the product goes "gold" (so to speak) and its features are announced, one would assume the "fixed" list is already known. Why do they keep it under wraps until after the actual release, while it could be considered equally or even more important than the feature list to some of the present user base?
;)

[EricTRocks]

Aren't you a native English speaker?

He may be a native English speaker incorrectly using punctuation (who cares honestly!) but you're scoring high on the trolling douche scale for your insistence on correcting someone's grammar even though I'm 100% sure you still understand what they have posted.

You should take this as an opportunity to understand that in the interest of having a friendly forum that everyone can be comfortable in, you should hold your tongue on grammar as its very off putting to not only the people you are directing your comments to but also others who visit the forum looking for information.

Back to your comment, sure there are tons of companies smaller than AD. They probably do have an easier time implementing new features and fixing bugs, since other applications don't have feature sets that span the length that the big 3 3D apps do. Like implementing a new version of Mental Ray, fixing a bug or implementing a new feature has risks of breaking other things and thus needs to be tested thoroughly and if things are broke because of it, the bugs need to then be fixed. Even on a smaller scale of the plug-ins I develop I have to consider these things.

If you're not happy with how things are going speak up in the forums with intelligent, well thought out, and specific complaints. You can contact your reseller and send emails through the proper channels as well. If you still don't like the direction speak with your wallet and don't renew subscription and move to an app you feel more comfortable with.

[EricTRocks]

I'm not 100% on this but it would seem that the fixed bugs list and known problems list need to be compiled and checked and double checked from the various teams working on the product across the globe. I don't think it's purposeful not to release it until the actual release of the product just might be easier and more complete.

[Bellsey]

But anyway, back to topic: @Bellsey - While I fully understand you don't have access to (/can't go public with?) the "fixed" list yet, maybe you could answer one "fundamental" question concerning that "fixed" list: once the product goes "gold" (so to speak) and its features are announced, one would assume the "fixed" list is already known. Why do they keep it under wraps until after the actual release, while it could be considered equally or even more important than the feature list to some of the present user base?
;)

To be honest, I don't know if there's a specific reason as to why its held back. I'm not part of that team of process.
When a product goes 'Gold' its doesn't just sit there waiting for the release. In many software development processes, going 'Gold' means that the build is locked and that it has been passed on for release. From that point it's has to be packaged, ready for the various methods of distribution - Subs Center, Trial downloads, DVD's, USB sticks and so on. At each stage there's probably even more testing and validation to ensure things still basically work.


As for the grammer thing - ok, my bad. I usually try and ensure I'm tight on these things, but I was typing quickly and didn't check.

[Hirazi Blue]

Thanks for your reply, Bellsey ;)

[luceric]

it's baffling, but the fix list is being kept secret until the 12th of April. this whole release process announcement doesn't make much sense so don spend too much time arguing against it, we all think it's weird. there just needs to be fixed dates for everything so that various groups sync up. for example, the release notes need to be translated in various languages, many in the case of autocad, they need a buffer for that (it's contractors doing it). Softimage only needs Japanese, and thats been done long ago, but hey, gotta follow the bureaucratic process. sometimes someone pushes a button a mistake, like the people who published the Softimage online help. no one cares that much, we just each try to stick to our end of the schedule. services pack and sap,luckily, are more up to the individual teams than the global launch.

[Kzin]

Is there someway to manually enable these features thru scripting or SDK?

if you have the shader decleration then you can append it to the base.mi for example and you have the shader under the mental ray menue in rendertree.

[Kzin]

Ptex Support - NOP

Unified Sampling Features - Probably since this is more related to the renderer internals

the ptex shader should work then you declare it in the base.mi (i think it should because its a core feature now).

unified is a bit different, the general feature improvements will be in, but i dont think we will get per object unified settings, because until today we dont have per object aa in general (and no, i dont say its possible to get this feature in thru a geo shader ;) ).

[Daniel Brassard]

Ptex Support

I wonder how much work it would take to get PTEX working on SI. The PTex API is freely available, gone through revisions and MR now support the format. So what is left is a shader in SI and interactive tools that work on the viewport .....

maybe Andy will go back to his shader or someone will follow his lead!

http://www.xsibase.com/forum/index.php? ... adid=43114

One more day, can't wait to test this release!

[McNistor]

Aren't you a native English speaker?

He may be a native English speaker incorrectly using punctuation (who cares honestly!) but you're scoring high on the trolling douche scale for your insistence on correcting someone's grammar even though I'm 100% sure you still understand what they have posted.

You should take this as an opportunity to understand that in the interest of having a friendly forum that everyone can be comfortable in, you should hold your tongue on grammar as its very off putting to not only the people you are directing your comments to but also others who visit the forum looking for information.

There are many reasons for which we should try to spell and phrase our thoughts as correctly as possible and if you think that's trolling, OK. For me just understanding what someone has to say is not enough, I mean where do you draw the line? Right now I did understand him, but when you make it a habit of being sloppy or lazy with spelling/phrasing, there's only a matter of time until I won't understand.
It's a mystery to me why I'm reprimanded for insisting that people should TRY (I don't throw rocks to anyone that doesn't succeed, but I have more to expect from natives), yet people insist on spelling bad.
And "off-putting", really? What now, we care more about the mood and feeling worm inside than the truth? This is obviously a rhetorical question.
It's counter-intuitive to me and I'll stop here because I'm sure I won't win any fight against the world.

I keep trying to do the "friendly moderator thing", but maybe that's the wrong approach.[/size]

No man, I think you're doing it right. I chose the wrong words "got mauled". Classic example of why communication is not to be lazy and sloppy.