Why is my Physical Sky not rendering in Arnold (shows up as black)?

[Anonymous]

Hi folks!

I've been trying to follow this tutorial, on how to set up a Physical Sky in Arnold:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKD6ANxz08Y

But despite doing *exactly* what the guy in the video is doing, my sky renders as black, not that gradient blue he has. What could I be missing?

I'm using 3DS Max 2019, Arnold 5.0.2.4, if that makes a difference.

Cheers!

[Stephen.Blair]

You have to adjust the Exposure Gain on the physical camera. I had black background until I changed it.

Also, I stick a chrome sphere in the scene to make sure the physical sky was working in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm... I'd already adjusted the Exposure Gain, as per the tutorial video. Changing it makes a difference to the objects in the scene (lower=brighter, higher=darker), and it's currently set to 15, but the sky is still black. Or do you mean another setting?

I'm not sure how to apply materials/textures to objects yet (very new to Max), so I haven't been able to add a chrome sphere to test whether the Physical Sky is actually working. I have a sun and shadows in my Pokeball scene, though, so I guess it is?

[RGhost77]

Are you sure that you shwitched on "Light Shape Visible" in light properties?

[Anonymous]

Hi Mike

Yes, 'Light Shape Visible' is switched on. And the Physical Sky node is linked to Texture (in the 'Colour/Intensity' panel), to create a map. The button that initially says 'No Map' becomes 'Map #0 (Physical Sky), as per the tutorial video. Light type is set to 'Skydome'.

[RGhost77]

Try to update MAXtoA https://www.solidangle.com/arnold/download/ and post your scene. Because I have no problem with Phys. Sky shader.

[Anonymous]

Hi Mike

MaxtoA is now updated... but the issue persists. I've uploaded my scene.pokeball2.zip

[RGhost77]

Actually you see the sky, but it in above your camera and it is not properly rotated. Black is the color of under horizon of Skydome.
You should created Arnold Skydome light in Top viewport to see horizon of sky in proper position and you shouldn't rotate it.

[Stephen.Blair]

The physical sky is visible, just orbit around a bit.

It looks like you're rotated the skydome or something, because the physical sky ground plane is rotated.

I hid your ground object for this screenhost, and rotated the skydome a bit.

[Anonymous]

Aha! Thank you, Mike and Stephen! Yes, I'd rotated the Physical Sky object at some point without realising. I feel such an idiot! 🙂