
    ------------------------
   |                        |
   |  MtI 2.x Kick In Book  |
   |                        |
    ------------------------


I -   INSTALLATION
------------------
   
   0- Install Indigo (separate package available on the indigo "News and Announcements" Forum).
   1- Extract the MtI archive content anywhere on disk. 
   2- Start Maya.
   3- Open the Script Editor (Window > General Editors > Script Editor)
   4- Source the file "mti_Installation.mel" you just copied on disk (Script Editor > File > Source Script...)
   5- At this stage MtI should be installed, and the user signified to restart Maya. 
   6- Restart Maya and seek for the Indigo shelf.
   7- Upon request: browse to the Indigo application to locate it.
   
   !  Do not alter the zip files structure once copied on disk !
   !  for an automated install, it is mandatory to source "mti_Installation.mel" by browsing to it or Maya will not be able to locate the subsequent files !
   !  You must go through that procedure with each Maya version you intent to run MtI with
   !   If you experienced an error during installation, please report it !
    
   Notes:
   -  advanced users can install all files manually to their discretion.
   -  You can delete the extracted files after successfull installation(s)
   

II -  MISCELLANEOUS NOTES
-------------------------
   
   MtI is a work in progress.

   Feel free to register at the Indigo forum to ask questions, formulate requests and give feedback in the Maya section of the Indigo forum:

   http://www.indigorenderer.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=11

   Please contribute by reporting the bugs you're finding !
   
   
   / ! \  Obsolete documentation segments below have been removed as many MtI aspects have changed.
          Stay tuned for a nicer documentation !
   
PROJECT
-------

MtI will use the current Maya project as working directory. That path will be where exported igs scene files and data will be written to disk, and the root directory for the subsequent local paths.

At this time, beyond the Maya project settings MtI paths are hard-coded. The Maya project directories MtI is using are the following:


- scene description (IGS):
   <Maya project>/

   Beside will also be found the two command files to start or resume the render of a named scene file manually.


- meshes:
   <Maya project>/objs/<frame number>/   

   flush it sometimes (delete the objs folder). At this time all objects are duplicated for all frames.


- baked shading networks:
   <Maya project>/sourceimages

   By luck that's Maya's default ;) Created by MtI if absent.

- rendered images:
   <Maya project>/renders



  --------
  ~ snip ~
  --------


3-1: Textures

For 'file' texture nodes (aka burned/imported textures) the b and c parameters are always expressed in meters. For other bakeable nodes they use the scene unit as defined in the EXPORTER options.

  !  if you want to use the same texture but with different b and c texture parameters, interconnect an utility at one of the outputs to use its own b and c parameters (sampling the input texture. File textures can be processed that way too).

  !  you can drag textures onto the Palette's controls to connect them.


3-2: Supported Maya Shaders:
----------------------------------------

* lambert material.

* phong

* layered shader


3-3 The indigoShader
-------------------------------

The indigoShader is a monolithic shader, agregating all Indigo materials but blend.
  
  !  just as the spectrumNode below, the indigoShader has a limited output into the Maya viewport, please bear with these limitations for now. When supported in the beta, the Maya shaders give a better feedback.
    

3-4 Common shader parameters
------------------------------------

These parameters are common to each usable material type apart blend wich inherits those from its children materials.


3-4-1 Bump mapping and displacement mapping:

Bump and displacement are created through the HyperShade the usual (Maya) way. They will reflect in the Palette after that manip.


3-4-2 Base Emission and Emission

Base Emission is how much power the surface will attempt to emit, Emission can take textures to modulate the Base Emission. Emission Scale can be the default (Watt/surf value inherited from spectrum) or the specified scale and value below.

  ! The material will always emit if emission is not set to "none".

  !  If you choose to stick with a RGB spectrum, don't be afraid to use super colors (>1).
  

3-5 The spectrumNode
---------------------------------

A new color utility node dedicated to MtI. Provides definition for scalar, blackbody and peak spectrums

  !  tabulated spectrums are not supported yet but you can link external materials using tabulated data.
  !  output in viewport is black, no available feedback atm.
  
  - scalar:
  a single value. Can also be used for displacement on the duplicate of a surface to varnish (shell) it.

  - black body:
  for base emission mainly, or to set deflectors albedo "color temperature" (hot or cold tones).

  - peak:
  this one is funny if you know how to tamper with. It works by defining a bandwidth into the visible spectrum. This bandwidth can be set above or below the base threshold, wich defines the rest of the visible bandwidth.
      
  We'll start the other way around:
  
    - base value:
    that would be the lowest (weakest) value of the resulting spectrum. Null or positive for Base Emission, can be negative for 'g spectrum'. In fact it can be higher that the peak value, in wich case the color will more be the result of a cut band filter.
    
    - peak value:
    You got it, that's the value of the range (aka "peak") defined below.
    
    - peak start:
    The point where you want the base value to change to the peak value. In nanometers. Just get an image of the visible spectrum and keep it's range in mind.
    
    - peak width:
    How long the peak will be. It it is set too long then it will act as a so-called low/high pass filter.
    
    That's it ! Peak spectrums are a cool way to find new colors.
      ? Dunno if there is an interpolation at start/end, imho the shape is square.
  
Presets... Oh yes the spectrumNode is shipped with its own presets.
  
  
  4 - Lighting
-----------------
  
4-2  Environments

Mostly the gain matters here. If it seems to you that the environment is not perceptible to a non-Reinhard tonemapping then you want to crank the gain up. Way up.)
Please consult the technical pdf shipped with the Indigo application for details about environments textures.

  !  the colored backgroung only takes a RGB value atm, and, it is dependent on the camera used for rendering.
  

4-2-1 Exit Portals

  ! Exit portals are an important element for interiors shots using environment lighting.
  
Any mesh can be an exit portal, but they are meant to be planes in front of windows. Exit portals themselves will act as windows, concentrating the rendering engine's power through them and saving rays from being lost in the exterior. As soon as they are used in a scene conjointly with an environment, they will BE the limit between the interior world and the exterior world, doors from wich the environment's light rises. Nothing in the "exterior" is expected to render, but the environment.

  !  the interior is toward the direction of the exit portal normal, that's also the direction light if flowing through


  5 - Tonemapping
--------------------------

The principle of tonemapping is well illustrated by the very camera film options in the Indigo GUI.

  !  Use Reinhard as an "auto-exposure" mode, for test renders I'd say.
  
  !  Learn to use the other two modes to make a step toward realism.


  7 - the end of the book
----------------------------------

I think that covers pretty much the basics for a kick in book, have fun and share your renders ! Oh yeah, the colored Indigo logo to export and render ;)


CTZn