I have a questions about V-ray materials. I am thinking through how to systematize my design workflow if every model I create will eventually go through the rendering process. I have started creating a library of dynamic components for things like doors, windows, cabinets, trim, etc. and I’m wondering if there is a way to have render ready materials in those components so that as I bring them into my model, they are ready to go. I am fairly new to rendering, so I’m not sure if this is the right way to go about it, but appreciate any advice from people with experience. I’m basically hoping to create render ready models as I’m doing the work to create the models for other things, like export to Layout for construction documents @konstantin_chaos
I’m never seen how far I can push this, but a sketchup material file can actually store some of v-ray’s basic parameters about the material.
For example roughness/glossiness and metalness. These are often plenty to give something a better appearence in a render
It can’t however store other texture maps.
(It can store the parameters for v-ray generated textures such as noise, tile, grid, leather.)
If you embed a material with these parameters specified INTO the componet, then you can call the material in the DC and it will travel to other places.
Yes you can do this. The diffuse map, or base texture is stored in SketchUp whilst the PBR extras like bump, reflection, opacity, etc are stored outside of SketchUp. The safest approach would be to use V-Ray’s default library of materials - since these are stored in the same place and won’t move and risk breaking the link between the file and V-Ray. If you you use your own custom Render Ready materials, be sure to store them in a location on your drive that is unlikely to change or be edited.
I’ve never linked V-Ray materials or assets to a cloud drive. My recollection is that Dropbox ‘syncs’ locally stored folders/files from your drive to the cloud…so in theory it should work the same as anything else. I would try it with one component and its materials and see how it works before investing too much time into it. Feel free to come back and share any lessons learned for the rest of us here.
That’s right , you get a local file location even for things synced with Dropbox.
Hi @eric-s ,
Looking for some advice on how best to create these DC assets. Should I create these components as render ready - i.e. having render ready materials, rounded corners, etc. or If it would be better from a performance standpoint to have separate component libraries for the render models? I did a quick test with a cabinet DC- one without rounded edges and one with and the stats are:
Rounded: 487 KB files size, 815 edges, 286 faces
Not rounded: 474 KB files size, 583 edges, 175 faces
I thought you might know what best practice would be based on overall file size optimization.
Thanks!
Hi @Foxtail - Good question. I’d say unless all of the components are already rounded off, you may also want to check out this post where I shared how to use V-Ray Materials to round the corners in the render without adding any new geometry to the model.
Up to you which you think works best for your needs. Doesn’t seem to be a huge difference in size so I don’t see any performance issues to worry about. For me, I tend to avoid having duplicates of models as if one changes it’s hard to track that they all get updated accordingly.
Thanks Eric - could you send the link again? The one you sent was to a park in Oregon
Hi, @eric-s !
Have you tried this option to create round edges in V-Ray, using EdgesTex, without having to create a second separate material?
That’s so funny that I copied the wrong link…I fixed it now. Here it is again - Renders turn out too smooth? - #16 by eric-s - FYI that Portland Park, Tanner Springs, is what I’m live modeling tomorrow at noon mtn if you can make it 
Hi @mihai.s. Good tip. That makes sense to do it that way. The way I showed is how Chaos taught it during their 3D Bootcamp workshop. I don’t know which is best assuming you want to copy that edge bump setting and apply to other materials as well. Good to know both ways depending on the users needs!
Hi Eric!
Also at 3D Bootcamp, at @JimLammers’s presentation, I saw the same version that you showed. It remains to be tested to see the benefits of each of them.