FumeFX/RealFlow: How to hide behind invisible object?

[Anonymous]

Hey all! This is a problem that I've been running into for quite some time, and it seems like it should be pretty simple to solve, its just difficult to explain, so I'll try my best.

Say for example, I want to use FumeFX to create an explosion coming out of a giant pipe. So I create the pipe in 3ds max and generate the explosion coming out of it. But now I want to export it into my movie, but I don't want the pipe geometry to be shown in the export, and if I make the pipe invisible, you can see the explosion at all times, even when its still inside the pipe. Is there a way to make it so your explosion can't be seen behind a hidden object? And will this also work for water in RealFlow?

[Anonymous]

Basically you need the pipe to be a matte object. The different renderers have there own ways to do this... But you could always apply a material that is black with zero diffuse, specular, etc.

Otherwise google matte objects in whatever renderer you like...

[Anonymous]

Using mental ray, there is the Matte/Shadow/Reflection material for this purpose.

If using scanline renderer, there is the Matte/Shadow material.

If you just use a black material, you won't get clear alpha where the object is.

[Anonymous]

And in VRay you would use the VRayMtlWrapper:

http://www.spot3d.com/vray/help/200R1/mtlWrapper_params.htm

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys! Yeah, the black Material works for me! Thanks a ton!