3dsMax Viewport Shader

[nfollmer]

You just download the file, and put it wherever you want. I have a folder for custom FX shaders. Just select a new DirectX Shader when you are making a material and then browse for this file, make sure you set up you lights FIRST, I don't know if its just my pc or what, but if I set the material up and attach it to my model, then set up my lights and try to set them in the shader, MAX crashes.

[mato]

thanks for the shader looks really a good job , havent the way to try it out till next monday just in case does it support also local space normaps?

[Xoliul]

Not out of the box. I have a version that does. That version also has real-time shadows inside Max 2009 (and if you're lucky Max 2008). Maybe I should upload it, but it's broken atm, so I have to go and fix an error in it.

[mato]

yeh i would appreciate a lot im using max 2009 yeh and didnt find any correct shaders that displays correctly local spaced normal maps ;S

[Xoliul]

It's funny because Local space normals are easier to code than tangent space maps
I'll get to it. Be warned, it's not as user-friendly as Doylle's, and some features were stripped for the shadows. Too much probably because I don't think anybody will need 3 sets of realtime shadows, but oh well. Maybe when I have time i'll clean it up, but now I'll just get it back to working state quickly.

[mato]

yeh nevermind about stripped features its just would be kool to preview hardsurfaced models using local space normal maps without importing them into the engine ;D
and btw good models job you have there in your portfolio, icedome enemy robot is top class model, congratz

[Xoliul]

Hey mato, thanks for the compliments. Those Icedome screens were actually taken with my special mod of Doylle's shader.
Anyway, I went ahead and made a public version, the 3-shadow version was broken beyond repair.

Changes by Xoliul:

-Max 2009 fixes included
-Max 2009 only, if you're lucky it works in 2008 (possibly only 32bit Max 2008)
-Realtime, Soft Shadows with blur and distance blur with controls (this one's really fun).
-Stripped ShadowMap since you have realtime shadows now
-Object Space normal map mode toggle.
-Ability to overlay a grayscale bumpmap in the object space's noirmal map's alpha channel Since it's impossible to overlay stuff on Object space maps in Photoshop, this is a realtime workaround to using the Nvidia filter.
-Fixed Rim Effect function to use Normal-map corrected normals instead of pure surface normals


Important!

-Don't bother using this in Max 9 and lower, it's impossible since it doesn't have the realtime shadow functions.
-This shader is HEAVY! You really need a good graphics card for this, I'd say Geforce 7900 or better.
-The Shadows are calculated assuming Light1 is the casting light. You can select another light as the actual casting light, but then it'll look a bit messed up (specular is only occluded for light 1, I have no way of checking which light you selected for the ShadowTerm)
-Turning on realtime shadows involves some Max-specific settings:

A light must be enabled to cast shadows
A light must be enabled for realtime shadows (right click it in the viewport, tick "Viewport Shadows")
You must set the "Lighting And Shadows" tab of your viewport (right click viewport name > configure) to "Best, SM 3.0"

[mato]

wow thanks a lot man your work is really appreciate over here will give a try monday when ill be home again ;D

works really well mate thank you again the model and the object/local normal map showed really good on , using max 2009/64bit for who want to try it out
matthew

[[hP]]

Thanks Xoliul, very nice work!

[Stefan_Morrell]

E:\3dsmax2009\maps\memory(1,3): error X3000: syntax error: unexpected token ''


hey Xoliul I get this error when loading this new version,any ideas?

using on max 2009,32bit,card is an 8800GTX