RayMax

3DA#29 First Look by Alex Kiriako, Associate Editor
Image by the Author

RayMax 1.0 ($599), published by Absolute Software in Germany and distributed in the U.S. by Trinity Animation, is a plug-in raytrace renderer for Kinetix 3D Studio Max. It offers the joys of raytracing, good speed, and special lighting effects in a hybrid package. "Hybrid" refers to its ability to raytrace only designated materials, while other materials are scanline rendered.
___ As a hybrid, RayMax works along with Max's own scanline renderer. If you want your scene to contain raytraced elements, you first select RayMax in preferences and assign a RayMax material to every object you want to have raytraced. Last, set the proper render dialog settings, and raytracing becomes a Max reality.
___ So far so good, but how easy is RayMax for quickly getting the effects you want? As of version 1.0, not very. RayMax has a multitude of settings that require you to know how each works, and what the correct settings are for every effect. As with other raytracers, you do need to know something about how settings will affect output. But unlike other raytracers, RayMax doesn't hide or unify the multitudes of possible raytrace effects.
___ For those who really know raytracing, RayMax's many controls are a great plus. But this same strength is also a weakness when it comes to simply applying a basic effect with minimum hassle. Just as in Max, where you can choose the type of texture to start with and then make adjustments, RayMax needs to let working artists choose the type of refractive/reflective material they need, and only make adjustments as necessary. RayMax needs preset options for things like different types of glass, various stones, metals, water, etc., along with access to all the controls it already supplies.

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RayMax test render (27.9K JPEG)

___ Interface issues aside, does RayMax give raytrace results on a par with other leading raytracers? The answer is yes, but with two current limitations. First, it doesn't do great shadows as seen through transparent materials, where the resultant shadow should show the actual level of transparency in the object based on the intensity of light shining through it. Secondly, controls are not fully integrated with Max's lights for creating realistic softly attenuated shadows. These limitations aren't so bad. The effects are there; it's just that they aren't close enough to real world results.
___ On the plus side, RayMax is fast and does all the other raytrace chores perfectly. I really like getting those wonderful raytraced effects, not only between objects within a scene, but even inside an object. Other RayMax strengths include multithreading, network rendering, and complete integration with Video Post, Volume lights, fog, shadow maps, etc. The manual is a necessary read in order to get working quickly. Fortunately, it's short (30 pages) and RayMax comes with several sample files to demonstrate correct settings.
___ Due out soon is RayMax 1.5, which will address some of the limitations of v1.0, such as incorporating RayMax standard materials into Max's Multi/Sub-Object materials. Entirely new capabilities include RayMax omni and spot lights with soft raytraced shadows, greater control over shadow attenuation, depth of field (hooray!), the ability to automatically convert most regular and RayMax 1.0 materials to RayMax 1.5 format, faster scanline rendering, and new octree controls that can speed raytracing.
___ Version 1.5 also will offer preset camera lenses for QuickTime VR, like fisheye, panorama, ultrawide, standard, and 360 degrees. This will work in the render dialog in lieu of the standard Z-buffer rendering. Absolute Software is offering 1.5 as a free uprade to registered owners.
___ If RayMax can get its huge complement of controls into an easier-to-use format, and fully address subtle shadowing for transparent objects, as well as for all light types, it'll represent a solid advance for 3DS Max users. Judging from the list of improvements planned for v1.5, the indications are good that Absolute Software will perfect its RayMax product.

Editor's note: See also "More Renderers for 3DS Max/Viz r1" in the following issue about more Max raytracing options.

Revised: 6 Dec 98 rev 2
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