Lights cast shadows even when they shouldn't. (ART renderer only)

[pcrawley]

If I create a plane, place an object on it, then place a light in the scene everything works as expected.  Nice shadows are created if I tell the viewport to show them, and everything renders as expected.  

If I turn shadows off (either by the checkbox in the modify panel, or by layer, or by object properties) the light stops casting shadows in the viewport, but still casts a shadow when rendered using the ART rendering engine.

Simple scene attached just in case it's a setting I've inadvertently clicked.

Note that this only happens with the ART renderer.  I'm using max 2017.1 but I think it's a problem in the non-updated version too.

Just in case someone investigates, functions like "Receive Shadows" and "Visible to Reflection/Refraction" (under object properties) don't work either.

[rendermaster]

same in me.... 3ds max 2017 SP3

[pcrawley]

Thanks for confirming that I'm not going mad rendermaster.

Here's another omission from the ART render engine:  Rounded corners!  

Apply an "Autodesk Metal" material to a sharp-edged object (like a box), enable the "Rounded corners" option in the material settings, and render.  No rounded corners. Switch to mental ray - rounded corners work!

I don't suppose there's a list of omissions anywhere?  It would save time (and credibility) to know what works and what doesn't.

[pcrawley]

I'm tempted to bump this post every day with updates on what's not working in the ART renderer.

It's a bit disappointing when the ART renderer is so flippin' good in so many ways!

I quickly worked through the following object properties settings:

• "Visibility" (spinner) - works in the viewport, but not in the render.
• "Visible to camera" - leaving this unchecked and rendering the scene leaves a ghost of the object (and it's shadow) "smeared" onto other objects.
• "Visible to Reflection/Refraction" - this setting makes absolutely no difference to the rendering.
• "Receive Shadows" - this setting makes absolutely no difference to the rendering.
• "Cast Shadows" - this setting makes absolutely no difference to the rendering.

There are a couple more but I'm not good enough yet to figure out what they do.

[bob.bernstein]

From reading about ART, I recall it advertised as a physically accurate renderer.  This means you can't do things with ART that can't be done in physical reality.  Lights always cast shadows in reality.  It sounds like if you need to have lights not cast shadows, then you'd do better using Mental Ray.  You can have pretty much the best of both worlds with mental ray, at the cost of having many adjustments to make.

[pcrawley]

Thanks for the reply Bob, but I think your argument leaks a bit.  If ART is only capable of rendering physical reality, why does "Visible to camera" leave a ghost of the object (and it's shadow)?

I really hope ART renderer isn't consigned to a life of rendering dull static images with no ability to render nice effects that make visual storytelling a compelling event.

[bob.bernstein]

Sorry I bothered with you and your concerns, won't happen again.

[Anonymous]

In Max 2020 it still doesn't work... sadly... No caustics either... No render elements... 

[kgokhangurbuz]

Hello @pcrawley ;

Confirmed. Nothing removes the shadows in the render. (Usin 3ds Max 2017, Final SP updated)

-Turned Shadows off from Modify panel of the light

-Turned Cast Shadows off from Object Properties

-Decreased Shadow Density from 1.0 to 0.0

-Changed Light types, Shadow types, even tried templates.