ActiveShade - Using Arnold

[TheSteeldragon]

Hi, 

Don't know if this is the correct forum, but I just started using 3Ds Max, coming from Blender since a few years. I've been watching some tutorials and noticed people changing the viewport shading to "ActiveShade - using Arnold". But the only active shade I can see is "using ART Renderer".

Is there some setting somewhere to change that? From what I understand Arnold is the renderer you want to use in 3Ds Max?

Is there anyone who can point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance!

[CiroCardoso3v]

No need to switch to ActiveShade. Just use the Arnold Render View for the Interactive Rendering

If you have any questions, feel free to post them here. There is also a section just for the Arnold community

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/maxtoa-forum/bd-p/maxtoa-forum

And there is an unofficial Discord Server

https://discord.gg/YjmVSsT

[TheSteeldragon]

Thanks for the reply!

I don't seem to have that option either though. My Arnold menu seems to be more or less empty for some reason.


I'm using 3Ds Max 2020 if that makes any difference

[CiroCardoso3v]

Check your MAXtoA version. You probably need to update it. Render Setup and go to the Arnold Renderer tab.

[TheSteeldragon]

You are probably right, my version seems to be quite old compared to yours.


However I found a setting in the same window for ActiveShade renderer, which solves my initial question:



Either way, it might be smart to update Arnold to the latest version.

With that said, I feel totally talentless, but how do you go around to do that? I didn't find any update-button in 3Ds Max, nor did I manage to find any update links on the Autodesk website?
Got any pointers for that too? 🙂 

Scratch that, I managed to find a link:
https://arnoldrenderer.com/download/

Thanks for all your help! 🙂

[CiroCardoso3v · Accepted solution]

ActiveShade was used before we had the Arnold Render View. Now, doesn't make sense to use it to be honest. To play around and check materials and assets, I recommend these settings

And

[TheSteeldragon]

I'm guessing the tutorials I've been watching are a bit outdated then.


Awesome, I'll try those settings. Thanks!
It's all a bit confusing when I'm used to Blender, but I'll eventually get a hang of it, hopefully.

[CiroCardoso3v]

A couple of places where you can find more updated tuts

Mads

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxaW_TEjqJ5Y5OrvMKjjkVw/videos

Eloi

https://www.youtube.com/c/EloiAndaluzFull%C3%A0/videos

Arnold 

https://www.youtube.com/c/arnoldrenderer/videos

Myself

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgbCcZ5rVsKWu-i_enPOgpA/videos

Arvid - Maya but still useful 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1KDwEVBlxr4ew7xqLOhu9g