maxigo manual

8/11/2019 Maxigo Manual

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Contents

Overview.........................................................................................4

About exporters.................................................................................4

Acknowledgements.............................................................................4Installing Maxigo.............................................................................5

Step 1. Ensure 3ds Max is installed correctly...........................................5

Step 2. ownload and install !ndigo.......................................................5

Step 3. ownload and install Maxigo......................................................5

Things to know................................................................................6

!ndigo is p"ysically based.....................................................................#

$nits o% measurement.........................................................................#

&ig"t sources.....................................................................................#

'ealistic Materials...............................................................................(

Export and render settings...............................................................8

Environment settings.......................................................................9

)ackground.....................................................................................1*

Skylig"t...........................................................................................1*

+' En,ironment.............................................................................11

Camera arameters.......................................................................!"

Aperture di%%raction...........................................................................13

Tonemapping settings...................................................................!4

Image O#tp#t................................................................................!5

Export $%ene.................................................................................!6

-ime utput.....................................................................................1#

'enderer /ontrol..............................................................................1#

utput Si0e......................................................................................1(

Exporter ptions...............................................................................1(

&ender arameters........................................................................!8

'ender arameters............................................................................1

Misc................................................................................................1

,erlays..........................................................................................1

&egion &endering..........................................................................!9

'etwork &endering........................................................................!9

(dvan%ed......................................................................................")

$*stem..........................................................................................")

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Indigo Materials............................................................................"!

1. !ndigo re,iew.............................................................................22

2. uick Set Material.........................................................................22

3. !ndigo S"ader -ype......................................................................22

3. Material /"annels .........................................................................24

!ndigo SSS arameters.....................................................................25

4. !ndigo Maps................................................................................2#

!ndigo )lend Material.........................................................................2#

!ndigo Emission...............................................................................2(

!ndigo Export..................................................................................2(

!ndigo Emitter Material......................................................................2

!ES lig"ts.........................................................................................2

Maxigo Modi+iers...........................................................................,!

Maxigo6isplacement 7 Subdi,ision.....................................................31

Maxigo6Exitortal..............................................................................32

Maxigo6!ES layer...............................................................................32

Maxigo $%atter..............................................................................,,

-oing #rther................................................................................,5

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Overview

-"is manual co,ers t"e installation and usage o% t"e 3ds Max exporter %or

!ndigo 'enderer. )y %ollowing t"e tutorials in t"is manual you s"ould be able

to export your scene in a "ig"68uality way ready %or !ndigo to render.

9ote t"at t"e 3ds Max exporter is a ,ery complex piece o% so%tware and not

all t"e %eatures are co,ered in dept" by t"is manual. !% a %eature o% 3ds Max is

not described to your satis%action: ,isit our %orum and post a 8uestion and we

will be "appy to "elp you out. ur %orum is a,ailable at

"ttp;;www.indigorenderer.com;%orum;

About exporters

!ndigo is independent o% modelling package and uses itile ?.igs@. )e%ore !ndigo can render your scene: it

must be con,erted into an igs %ile. -"e ob o% an exporter is to create an .igs

%ile %rom your currently open scene.

Acknowledgements

-"e 3ds Max exporter is called


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Installing Maxigo

Step ! "nsure 3ds Max is installed correctl#

Maxigo is compatible wit" ,ersion upwards o% 3ds Max in bot" 32bit and

#4bit.

Step 2! $ownload and install Indigo

ownload !ndigo %or your system and install it to t"e de%ault location.

!nstructions %or doing t"is are in t"e !ndigo Manual

"ttp;;www.indigorenderer.com;download;

Step 3! $ownload and install Maxigo

ownload t"e ,ersion o% Maxigo %or your system %rom

"ttp;;www.indigorenderer.com;documentation;3dsmax

Maxigo comes wit" an installer %or Dindows.

/indows0 -"e installer will ask you w"ic" ,ersion o% 3ds Max you would like

to install Maxigo on.

!% you are "a,ing problems wit" installing Maxigo: please email us at

supportindigorender.com.

'estart 3ds Max a%ter installing Maxigo and you s"ould see a Maxigo tab

appear in t"e top menu.

Fou are now ready to use Maxigo.

Page %
http://www.indigorenderer.com/download/http://www.indigorenderer.com/documentation/3dsmaxmailto:[email protected]?subject=Blendigohttp://www.indigorenderer.com/download/http://www.indigorenderer.com/documentation/3dsmaxmailto:[email protected]?subject=Blendigo


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&'ings to know

-"ere are se,eral concepts you need to know to know to %ully understand

"ow !ndigo works and "ow Maxigo treats t"ese concepts. 'e%er to t"e Indigo

man#aland t"e Te%hni1#es Man#al %or more detailed in%ormation.

Indigo is p'#sicall# based

!ndigo is a p"ysically based renderer: t"at means t"at i% is possible to

construct a p"oto in t"e real world: it is possible to render it in !ndigo. Maxigo

"as t"e ob o% con,erting t"e ,irtual world o% 3ds Max into t"e real world

representation used by !ndigo.

$sers wit" experience o% studio p"otograp"y may %ind setting up a scene in

!ndigo a %amiliar experience.

(nits o) measurement

!ndigo works on units o% metres. Maxigo by de%ault con,erts on 3ds Max unit

o% distance to one metre in real world space. Select an obect and press n to

see t"e position o% t"e obect in 3ds Max units to get an idea o% t"e scale o%

your scene. )ecause !ndigo is a p"ysically6based renderer: it is important t"at

t"e scale is correct.

*ig't sources

3ds Max "as some lig"t6sources t"at do not exist in t"e real6world = %or

example point lig"ts ?lig"ts t"at are in%initesimally small and exceptionally

brig"t@ and


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,ealistic Materials

)ecause !ndigo is a p"oto6realistic renderer: t"e material properties o% obects

must be o% a "ig"er detail to accurately simulate t"em. -"is not only means

"ig"er resolution textures: but also correctly set material types t"at describe

t"ings about t"e material: suc" as transparency: roug"ness o% t"e sur%ace:

and "ow lig"t mo,es t"roug" t"e obect.

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"xport and render settings

-"is section will %amiliarise you wit" t"e Maxigo Export settings.

Fou can %ind t"is by na,igating t"e top menu tab Maxigo 2 Export...

Maxigo interface

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"nvironment settings

-"e En,ironment screen controls t"e world lig"ting and background colour o%

t"e scene. !% you do not "a,e any lig"ts ?emitters@ or en,ironment lig"ts set:

t"en it will ask you to enables#n3sk*ora%kgro#nd %olo#r. !% you c"ooseto continue anyway !ndigo will gi,e an error.

Maxigo Environment settings

Maxigo no lights error

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0ackground

-"is en,ironment setting is seldom use%ul. !t is better to model a real studio

setup ?see t"e !ndigo -ec"ni8ues manual@ = but as a 8uick alternati,e it is

possible to c"ange t"e background image o% t"e scene using t"is setting.

Sk#lig't

Dit" t"is setting: !ndigo will render a blue sky as t"e background o% t"e scene

and use a realistic sun to lig"t t"e scene. -"e sky is modelled on a nort"ern

"emisp"ere sky. ick a Target ight to use to set t"e direction o% t"e sun.

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$, "nvironment

-"is setting re8uires you "a,e an .exr %ile to use as an en,ironment. !ndigo

uses t"e exr %ile as t"e background image and also as a lig"t source.

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Camera Parameters

-"e camera settings page controls t"e con%iguration o% t"e ,irtual camera in

t"e scene. -"e camera in !ndigo is modelled on a real camera so t"e settings

on t"is page will be %amiliar to users wit" a background in p"otograp"y.

$top0 -"is controls t"e %ocal lengt" o% t"e camera. Small %6stop numbers

will make t"ings t"at are out o% %ocus more blurry ?similar to s"ooting a p"oto

in macro mode@. +ig"er %6stop numbers will make e,eryt"ing in t"e scene

e8ually in %ocus ?t"is is similar to t"e e%%ect o% s"ooting a p"oto wit" a

telep"oto lens@.

(#to+o%#s0 Sets t"e %ocal distance to t"e distance %rom t"e camera straig"t

%orward to t"e %irst obect it sees. !% t"is is turned o%%: t"en t"e %ocus distance

will be taken %rom t"e Target Camera7s target distan%e.

ilm I$O0-"e !S number represents t"e speed o% %ilm t"at is used. -"e

"ig"er t"e !S number: t"e more lig"t will be collected in t"e +' !mage. !n

low lig"t situations: a %ast %ilm s"ould be used: suc" as !S 1#**: and in

brig"t lig"ting situations: a slow %ilm can be used: suc" as !S 1**.

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Depth of field effect

$h#tter0-"is setting is used primarily to control motion blur. -"e ot"er e%%ect

o% exposure time ?image brig"tness@ is controlled instead by t"e tonemapping

process.

E0 Select t"e exposure compensation ?eG@. +ig"er means brig"ter: lower

means darker.

/hite alan%e0 Adust t"e D"ite oint to get rid o% colored tinges to an

image. /an be c"anged during or a%ter rendering in t"e !ndigo 'enderer.

Aperture di))raction

Enabling aperture di%%raction causes !ndigo to render t"e


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&onemapping settings

>or most users = we recommend you lea,e t"ese settings to t"e de%ault and

modi%y your tonemapping settings interacti,ely in t"e !ndigo C$!.

-onemapping is a post6process t"at can be c"anged a%ter: or during rendering

in t"e !ndigo C$!. /"ange settings "ere to sa,e "a,ing to c"ange t"em later.

inear0 E,ery pixel in t"e +' image will be multiplied by t"is number. !t is

easy to understand but does not gi,e t"e best results.

&einhard0 &ike t"e auto6exposure on a digital camera

re$%ale0 Scale t"e mid6gray point o% t"e rendered pixels.

ost$%ale0Scale t"e w"ite point o% t"e rendered pixels.

#rn0 )urn determines t"e luminance t"at clipping occurs. A smaller ,alue

means more se,ere burn.

Camera0$se t"e response %unction and EG %rom t"e camera parameters.

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Image Output

$ave Image to disk ever*..0 Sa,es an image o% t"e current render at t"is

inter,al.

(#to$ave0 Sets auto6sa,e pat" to de%ault

$ave to C#stom ile0 /"oose w"ere t"e auto6sa,e to sa,e to.

Export E:&0 Sa,e as +' image.

Export ;TM E:T0Sa,e as untonemapped +'.

/rite I-I0Sa,es t"e render as an !ndigo !mage. $sed to resume renders.

&es#me rom .igi0 /"oose an !ndigo image to resume rendering using t"e

current scene.

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"xport Scene

&ime Output

-"is allows you to c"oose "ow many %rames you want to render. -ypically

!ndigo is used to render ust one %rame


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Output Sie

/"oose t"e resolution to render at. &arger resolution will take longer and

re8uire more memory.

"xporter Options

Export -eometr*> $%ene> Materials> Camera> $%atter> Instan%es>

Motion l#r0 )y de%ault Maxigo will export all parts o% t"e scene. !% you

"owe,er "a,e a complex scene t"at takes a long time to export and are only

c"anging t"e materials %or example: t"en you can deselect t"e ot"er options

to use t"e pre,ious exported components.

$%ene s%ale0 !t is important to "a,e t"e correct scene scale so t"e scene is

accurately calculated. )y de%ault Maxigo uses t"e 3ds Max unit scale: w"ic"

is generic: by de%ault. !n 3ds Max: goto C#stomi?e 2 ;nits set#p to set t"e

units to a real6world unit.

'#m o+ Threads0 /"oose t"e number o% /$ t"reads %or !ndigo to use. A

,alue o% * automatically sets all a,ailable t"reads.

$tart Indigo0 pen !ndigo to render a%ter export.

(lpha Mode0'enders a black and w"ite image to be used as an alp"a map

%or compositing images.

iew3&egion0 'ender wit" t"e entire current ,iew: or a region speci%ied in

t"e 'egion 'endering section below.

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,ender Parameters

,ender Parameters

-"ese control "ow t"e raytracing works in !ndigo. !% you are not sure w"ic" to

use:athTra%e wit" i@iris recommended. $se M&- to get clearer results

wit" glass and caustics. Fou s"ould not "a,e to c"ange t"e ot"er settings.

$#per $ample a%tor0$sed to %or anti6aliasing purposes. -"is can greatly

increase t"e amount o% memory used: so turn it down i% you are "a,ing out o%

memory errors.

Misc

ow riorit*0 Starts !ndigo in &ow riority mode to a,oid system slow6

downs.

!t is not recommended to c"ange /ac"e kd6trees.

Overla#s

Indigo ogo as /atermark0 laces t"e !ndigo logo as a watermark in your

render.

In+o Overla*0 /reates and o,erlay on your render containing t"e render

in%ormation s"own in t"e status bar o% t"e !ndigo 'enderer.

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,egion ,endering

-"is will allow you to render only a region o% t"e current camera ,iew.

ress @raw region and click6drag a region o% your current ,iew to

automatically set t"e co6ordinates o% t"e region.

Fou will "a,e to set t"e ,iew to &egion in t"e Export $%ene section to use

t"e selected region %or rendering.

etwork ,endering

-"is %eature allows you to "a,e ot"er computers on t"e network "elp your

rendering process. A Master is t"e computer t"at coordinates t"e rendering:

and t"e slave is a remote computer t"at is only t"e "elper. A /orking

Master contributes to t"e render w"ile also coordinating it: w"ile a Master

only co6ordinates and does not render itsel%.

9etwork rendering must be enabled be%ore starting a render: it cannot be

enabled during t"e rendering process.

rame #pload period0 Sla,e contributions are uploaded to t"e master at

t"is inter,al.

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Advanced

!t is ad,ised to not c"ange t"ese settings.

S#stem

!% Maxigo is "a,ing trouble %inding !ndigo: you can set t"e pat" "ere.

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Indigo Materials

-"e materials setting page is used to con%igure t"e materials in t"e scene.

-o select an !ndigo material: open t"eMaterial3Map

rowser%rom eit"er t"e &endering menu or t"e 3ds Max

Material Editor. Select Indigo Main to start wit".

3ds Max Material Editor with an Indigo material selected

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! Indigo5 Preview

review0 -"is will create a small render using !ndigo and displaying it to t"e

le%t. Can%elwill stop t"e pre,iew rendering.

ow0 -"is is t"e priority setting. Heep it low to a,oid system slowdowns.

Model0 /"oose t"e model %or t"e pre,iew to render t"e material on.

Elements0 -"ese edit t"e scene t"at t"e pre,iew renders in. ress t"e !ndigo

!con to send t"e pre,iew to t"e external !ndigo renderer %or a larger pre,iew.

2! 6uick Set Material

Import0 $se an external !ndigo Material ?.!CM@ to replace t"e currently set

material.

ink0/reate a link to an external .!CM wit"out c"anging t"e currently set

material settings. -"is will o,erride t"e current settings: "owe,er.

Online0 $se t"e online material database to select a material. -"is willdownload it and eit"er replace t"e current material: link to it: or ust

download it depending on w"at option you c"oose.

resets..0 /"oose a preset t"at comes wit" Maxigo.

3! Indigo5 S'ader pe

Speci%ies t"e type o% !ndigo material to create. Selecting di%%erent material

types will c"ange t"e list o% options below: some material types s"are t"e

same c"annels as ot"ers.

See t"e !ndigo manual %or a list o% t"e di%%erent material types.

a%eted0 -urns o%% normal smoot"ing.

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@I;$E0 i%%use materials are %lat: matte

sur%aces t"at donlat

wall paint: or a piece o% paper are good

examples o% a di%%use material. -"ere will be

no particular re%lection %rom a di%%use

material.

AO'-0 "ong is a s"iny material.

/ommonly used %or s"iny paints or any

metals. !n particular: p"ong will "a,e a

Ispecular "ig"lig"tI w"ere t"e lig"t is

completely re%lected. "ong is use%ul %or

anyt"ing t"at "as a lac8uer applied to it 6

%or example a s"iny wood %loor or a car

paint.

Metal0 /"anges t"e colour o% t"e re%lection

rat"er t"an t"e sur%ace colour.

(r%hi. -lass0 -"is not real !ndigo glass: it

is lig"t ,ersion t"at renders %aster but

doesn


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ast $$$0 -"is is also not a real !ndigo material type. !t is a blend between

"ong and a di%%use transmitter: and a null.

O&E''(B(&0 ren69ayar materials are

,ery roug" materials t"at scatter lig"t in

e,ery direction. -"ey are roug"er t"an

di%%use materials. ren69ayar is use%ul %orcreating sur%aces t"at are like clay: or

generally roug". -"ey aren


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-lossiness0/ontrols t"e smoot"ness o%

t"e sur%ace. -"e more glossy t"e sur%ace

t"e s"arper t"e re%lection.

IO&


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4! Indigo5 Maps

-"ese allow you to control "ow certain aspects o% t"e material c"annels co,er

a sur%ace. -"e ,alues scale t"e image map.

@i++#se0 Four typical texture map.

#mp0Add a bump map. oes not displace

t"e sur%ace: ust gi,es t"e illusion o% a

bumped sur%ace.

@ispla%ement0Add a displacement map.

isplaces t"e sur%ace o% t"e obect wit" t"e

material applied.

-lossiness0 +a,e only areas o% a sur%ace glosy.

Indigo 0lend Material

-"is is a a,ailable %rom t"e Material3Map rowser.

$se t"is material to blend ot"er !ndigo

materials toget"er. -"e Mix (mo#nt

controls "ow muc" one material blends wit"

t"e ot"er.

-"e mask can be used like an alp"a

c"annel.

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Indigo5 "mission

Indigo Emittermaterials are also a,ailable %rom t"e Material3Map

rowser.!t is o%ten easier to use t"e Indigo Emittermaterial t"an t"is

section o% t"e Indigo Mainmaterial

Emission0 Emits lig"t %rom t"e mes"

sur%ace. $sed %or all types o% lig"ts. Adust

parameters to c"ange lig"t color brig"tness.

Indigo5 "xport

+ere you can export your material %or use in ot"er scenes: or in t"e !ndigo

Material Editor.

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Indigo "mitter Material

$se t"is to create lig"t sources.

Emitter T*pe

&-0 &ig"t based on color and brig"tness.

la%kod*0 &ig"t is based on t"e temperature. Measured in Hel,in.

a*er0 D"ic" layer to catc" t"e emitted lig"t on.

reset0 /"oose a lig"t bulb type %rom t"e preset list. -"is c"anges t"e power

and &umens settings automatically.

Color Temperat#re0 -"e color temperature c"anges t"e colour o% t"e lig"t.

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I"S lig'ts

!ES lig"ts are p"otometric ?usually measured@ data t"at describe "ow brig"t a

lig"t source is at di%%erent angles. !ndigo does not "andle !ES pro%iles t"at

"a,e more t"an *J angles in t"em.

-"ere is some "osted !ES pro%iles a,ailable %rom

"ttp;;www.indigorenderer.com;dist;ies6pro%iles.0ip

Maxigo "andles !ES data t"e same way 3ds Max does: wit" t"e same

work%low.

1. Select a hotometri% light: and c"oose a

-arget lig"t.

2. Select hotometri% /e %rom t"e ight

@istri#tion


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)ecause t"e -arget &ig"t does not "a,e a material assigned: and t"ere%ore

you cannot c"ange t"e emission controls: t"ere are controls in t"e -arget

&ig"t t"at you can c"ange.

Intensit*3Color3(tten#ation0 -"e presets do not work in Maxigo: but t"e

Hel,in settings and %ilter colors do = c"ange t"ese to c"ange t"e colour o% t"e

lig"t.

ight a*ers0 -o put t"is particular -arget &ig"t wit" t"e !ES pro%ile onto a

lig"t layer: add t"e MaxigoIE$ a*ermodi%er.

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axigo odifiers

-"ere are se,eral uni8ue modi%iers t"at Maxigo o%%er. Fou can %ind t"em in t"e

Modi+* ta 2 Modi+ier ist drop6down. @ispla%ement> Exitortal> IE$

a*er are typical !ndigo %eatures: and $%atter is uni8ue to Maxigo.

Maxigo7$isplacement 8 Subdivision

$se to set a displacement map and;or set !ndigo Subdi,ision.

$#division0 -"ese options allow you to set t"e mes" to subdi,ide w"en

rendered wit" !ndigo. -"is keeps t"e polycount o% your scene lig"t: w"ile

"a,ing smoot" renders in !ndigo.

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Maxigo7"xitPortal

Exit portals are use%ul %or speeding up interior renderings: w"en t"e interior is

lit by an en,ironmental lig"t source: suc" as t"e sun;sky model.

Exit portals are placed o,er t"e openings between t"e interior and t"e

exterior en,ironment. -"ese openings are t"e


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axigo Scatter

Maxigo comes wit" a uni8ue scatter %eature t"at takes an obect and scatters

it o,er t"e sur%ace o% anot"er. !t uses !ndigo !nstances so it uses a lot less

memory t"an simply duplicating obects.

The Maxigo Scatter interface

-o use: apply t"is modi%ier to t"e obect you wis" to scatter: and press i%k..

to c"oose t"e sur%ace to scatter onto.

@ensit*0 -"e amount o% scattered obects.

$eed0 $sed to c"ange to a di%%erent randomi0ed set.

Cl#mps Co#nt0 $ses t"e densit*amount and creates clumps o% t"is

amount.

&adi#s0 -"e radius o% t"e clumps.

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The power of Maxigo Scatter

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9oing :urt'er

Fou are now ready to start exploring 3ds Max and !ndigo. -o learn more

about using !ndigo = see t"ese resources.

-"e !ndigo website

"ttp;;www.indigorenderer.com;

-"e !ndigo materials database

"ttp;;www.indigorenderer.com;materials;

-"e !ndigo %orums are a li,ely place o% debate 6 you s"ould especially take a

look at t"e 3ds Max sub6%orum.

"ttp;;www.indigorenderer.com;%orums;

!% you need support: please email

supportindiorenderer.com

De "ope you enoy using !ndigo and look %orward to seeing your rendersK
http://www.indigorenderer.com/http://www.indigorenderer.com/materials/http://www.indigorenderer.com/forums/mailto:[email protected]://www.indigorenderer.com/http://www.indigorenderer.com/materials/http://www.indigorenderer.com/forums/mailto:[email protected]

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