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Skills/3dsmax-rendering
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3dsmax-rendering

Configure and optimize rendering in 3ds Max — V-Ray and Corona render settings, render elements, light mix, batch rendering, network rendering, denoising, and post-production workflows. Use when tasks involve setting up production renders, optimizing render times, batch rendering multiple views, or configuring render farms for archviz and product visualization.

terminal-skillsv1.0.0
Works with:claude-codeopenai-codexgemini-clicursor
Source

Usage

$
✓ Installed 3dsmax-rendering v1.0.0

Getting Started

  1. Install the skill using the command above
  2. Open your AI coding agent (Claude Code, Codex, Gemini CLI, or Cursor)
  3. Reference the skill in your prompt
  4. The AI will use the skill's capabilities automatically

Example Prompts

  • "Review the open pull requests and summarize what needs attention"
  • "Generate a changelog from the last 20 commits on the main branch"

Documentation

Configure production renders with V-Ray and Corona. Optimize quality vs. render time for architectural visualization, product shots, and animation.

V-Ray Settings

Global Illumination

maxscript
-- V-Ray GI for interior archviz (production quality)
local vr = renderers.current  -- Assumes V-Ray is active renderer

-- Primary: Brute Force (most accurate for interiors)
vr.gi_on = true
vr.gi_primary_type = 0       -- 0=Brute Force, 2=Irradiance Map, 3=Light Cache
vr.gi_primary_subdivs = 8

-- Secondary: Light Cache (fast, good for secondary bounces)
vr.gi_secondary_type = 3     -- Light Cache
vr.lightcache_subdivs = 1500 -- Higher = cleaner but slower
vr.lightcache_storeDirectLight = true
vr.lightcache_showCalcPhase = false

-- Bounce depth
vr.options_maxDepth = 8       -- Interior: 6-12 bounces
                               -- Exterior: 4-6 bounces
                               -- Product: 4-8 bounces

Image Sampler (Anti-Aliasing)

maxscript
-- Progressive sampler (recommended for production)
vr.imageSampler_type = 3     -- Progressive
vr.progressiveMaxTime = 0     -- No time limit (noise threshold stops it)
vr.progressiveNoiseThreshold = 0.005  -- 0.005 = production, 0.01 = draft

-- Bucket sampler (for render farms — predictable time)
vr.imageSampler_type = 1     -- Adaptive
vr.twoLevel_baseSubdivs = 2
vr.twoLevel_fineSubdivs = 4
vr.imageSampler_maxSubdivs = 24  -- Higher for DOF/motion blur

V-Ray Denoiser

The denoiser reduces noise in post, cutting render times by 30-50%:

maxscript
-- Add V-Ray Denoiser render element
fn addDenoiser strength:1.0 = (
    local denoiser = VRayDenoiser()
    denoiser.enabled = true
    denoiser.mode = 1          -- 0=Only generate data, 1=Post-render denoise
    denoiser.preset = 2        -- 0=Mild, 1=Default, 2=Strong
    denoiser.strength = strength
    denoiser.radius = 10       -- Pixel radius for denoising
    denoiser
)

addDenoiser strength:0.8      -- 0.8 avoids over-smoothing on fine details

V-Ray Light Mix

Adjust individual light intensities and colors in post — no re-rendering needed:

maxscript
-- Enable Light Mix render element
fn addLightMix = (
    local lm = VRayLightMix()
    lm.enabled = true
    lm
)

-- After rendering, open V-Ray Frame Buffer → Light Mix tab
-- Adjust each light's intensity and color interactively
-- Save the configuration for batch application to other views

Render Elements

maxscript
-- Add essential render elements for compositing
fn addRenderElements = (
    -- Reflection pass
    local refl = VRayReflection()
    refl.enabled = true

    -- Refraction pass
    local refr = VRayRefraction()
    refr.enabled = true

    -- Raw lighting (before materials)
    local rawLight = VRayRawTotalLighting()
    rawLight.enabled = true

    -- Object/Material ID (for masking in compositing)
    local objId = VRayRenderID()
    objId.enabled = true

    -- Z-Depth (for DOF in post)
    local zDepth = VRayZDepth()
    zDepth.enabled = true
    zDepth.zdepth_min = 0.0
    zDepth.zdepth_max = 50.0    -- Adjust to scene scale (meters)

    -- Cryptomatte (advanced masking by object/material/asset)
    local crypto = VRayCryptomatte()
    crypto.enabled = true
    crypto.id_type = 0          -- 0=Node name, 1=Material name, 2=Object ID

    format "Added % render elements\n" 6
)

Corona Settings

Corona for Interior Archviz

maxscript
-- Assumes Corona is the active renderer
local cr = renderers.current

-- Quality
cr.progressive_maxPasses = 0         -- Unlimited passes
cr.progressive_noiseLevel = 3        -- Noise level % (3% = production)
cr.progressive_timeLimit = 0         -- No time limit

-- GI
cr.gi_primarySolver = 0             -- UHD Cache (fast + accurate)
cr.gi_uhdPrecision = 16             -- Higher = more accurate, slower
cr.gi_secondarySolver = 2            -- Path Tracing
cr.gi_maxBounces = 25                -- Corona handles bounces differently — 25 is standard

-- Denoising
cr.denoise_mode = 1                  -- 0=None, 1=After render, 2=During render
cr.denoise_amount = 0.65             -- 0-1, 0.65 preserves detail

-- Light Mix (Corona has built-in Light Mix)
cr.lightMix_enabled = true

Resolution Presets

maxscript
-- Common archviz resolutions
fn setResolution preset = (
    case preset of (
        "draft":       (renderWidth = 1920; renderHeight = 1080)
        "hd":          (renderWidth = 2560; renderHeight = 1440)
        "4k":          (renderWidth = 3840; renderHeight = 2160)
        "production":  (renderWidth = 4000; renderHeight = 2250)  -- 16:9 at 4K+
        "print-a3":    (renderWidth = 4961; renderHeight = 3508)  -- 300 DPI A3
        "print-a2":    (renderWidth = 7016; renderHeight = 4961)  -- 300 DPI A2
        "panorama":    (renderWidth = 8000; renderHeight = 4000)  -- 2:1 for VR
        "square-ig":   (renderWidth = 3000; renderHeight = 3000)  -- Instagram
    )
    format "Resolution set to %x%\n" renderWidth renderHeight
)

Batch Rendering

Built-in Batch Render

maxscript
-- Use 3ds Max's built-in Batch Render (Rendering → Batch Render)
fn setupBatchRender cameras outputDir = (
    -- Clear existing batch entries
    batchRenderMgr.deleteAllViews()

    for cam in cameras do (
        local idx = batchRenderMgr.createView cam
        batchRenderMgr.setViewCamera idx cam
        batchRenderMgr.setViewOutputFile idx (outputDir + "/" + cam.name + ".exr")
        batchRenderMgr.setViewEnabled idx true
        -- Each view can override resolution, frame range, etc.
    )

    -- Start batch render
    batchRenderMgr.render()
)

-- Collect all cameras and render
local allCameras = for c in cameras where classOf c != Targetobject collect c
setupBatchRender allCameras "D:/output"

Headless Batch (Command Line)

bash
# Render specific camera
3dsmaxcmd.exe "D:/scene.max" -camera "Camera01" -outputFile "D:/output/cam01.exr" ^
  -width 4000 -height 2250 -v 5

# Render animation range
3dsmaxcmd.exe "D:/scene.max" -camera "WalkthroughCam" ^
  -start 0 -end 300 -outputFile "D:/output/frame_.exr" ^
  -width 1920 -height 1080

# With V-Ray standalone (faster, less memory)
vray.exe -sceneFile="D:/scene.vrscene" -imgWidth=4000 -imgHeight=2250 ^
  -imgFile="D:/output/render.exr" -display=0

Network Rendering (Backburner / V-Ray DR)

maxscript
-- V-Ray Distributed Rendering
vr = renderers.current
vr.system_distributedRender = true
vr.system_distributedRender_port = 20207

-- Add render nodes
vr.system_drhost_number = 3
vr.system_drhost_entry 1 "192.168.1.10" 20207
vr.system_drhost_entry 2 "192.168.1.11" 20207
vr.system_drhost_entry 3 "192.168.1.12" 20207

Optimization Strategies

Speed vs Quality Balance

SettingDraft (30s)Preview (5min)Production (30min+)
Noise threshold0.050.020.005
GI subdivs50010002000
Max subdivs81624-32
Light bounces468-12
Resolution1920×10802560×14404000×2250
DenoiserStrongMediumLight

Common Optimizations

maxscript
-- 1. Use V-Ray Proxy for heavy geometry (furniture, vegetation)
fn convertToProxy obj outputPath = (
    select obj
    local proxy = VRayMeshExport()
    proxy.fileName = outputPath
    proxy.meshType = 1     -- .vrmesh format
    proxy.autoCreateProxies = true
    proxy.exportAnimation = false
    proxy
)

-- 2. Reduce light subdivs for fill lights (not visible in reflections)
for light in lights do (
    if classOf light == VRayLight and light.multiplier < 5 then (
        light.subdivs = 8  -- Low subdivs for subtle fill lights
    )
)

-- 3. Use V-Ray displacement instead of geometry detail
-- 4. Enable adaptive lights for scenes with many lights
vr.options_light_adaptiveLights = 2  -- Full adaptive

Output Formats

maxscript
-- EXR (recommended — 32-bit HDR, lossless)
rendOutputFilename = "D:/output/render.exr"

-- Multi-channel EXR (all render elements in one file)
vr.output_splitgbuffer = false       -- Single file
vr.output_saveRawFile = true

-- PNG (8-bit, for web/preview)
rendOutputFilename = "D:/output/render.png"

-- TIFF (16-bit, for print)
rendOutputFilename = "D:/output/render.tif"

Guidelines

  • Always render to EXR — 32-bit HDR preserves all lighting data for post-production. Convert to JPEG/PNG after post-processing, not from the renderer.
  • Enable denoiser for production — it cuts render time 30-50% with minimal quality loss. Use strength 0.6-0.8 to preserve fine detail.
  • Light Mix saves days — adjusting lighting in post is instant. Without it, every lighting tweak means a full re-render.
  • Draft renders first — always do a low-res draft (1080p, high noise threshold) before committing to a production render. Check composition and lighting before spending GPU hours.
  • Progressive sampler for stills — it's simpler and gives predictable quality. Use bucket sampler only for animations and render farms.
  • Proxy everything above 100K faces — vegetation, furniture models, and decorations should be V-Ray proxies to keep viewport responsive and memory low.
  • Cryptomatte over Object ID — Cryptomatte generates pixel-perfect masks for any object or material without needing to assign IDs manually.
  • Separate interior and exterior lighting — interior scenes need more GI bounces (8-12) than exterior (4-6). Over-bouncing exteriors wastes render time.

Information

Version
1.0.0
Author
terminal-skills
Category
Development
License
Apache-2.0