I am with Rob. Make a compiled uber shader, it will work for most cases. Uses one copy and do objects overrides as most as possible. This will save you a lot of hassle. It is good to have the base shader, where all lighting models are, in a VOP, use this to make the compiled uber shader but also provide the VOP option in case users needs to make more custom looks. 90% of the time you just need to use textures to modulate the BSDFs, there is no point to use a completely open material as the base for the look dev. Would be great to have some input from Mark to know exactly how Mantra optimizes shaders, and if it mostly based on the code, or is based on parameters vales as well. My 2 cents P 2014-09-19 4:03 GMT+01:00 Peter Bowmar <pbowmar at gmail.com>: > Well, it's not compiling that's so much the issue, it's the actual > optimization of the shader. It's how Mantra has managed to get so fast (for > a PBR renderer) without resorting to C++ shaders which would suck.... so if > you have 100 shaders (even if they're identical, in terms of code) each one > will have different parameters set and each needs to be optimized. > > At least, as I understand it, hopefully Mark E will correct me quickly :) > > Cheers, > > Peter B > > On 18 September 2014 19:13, Rob East <east.robert at gmail.com> wrote: > >> A precompile will help but it's just better if you can have 1 shader and >> do object overrides but the catch is you will need a way of updating the >> geometry nodes without blowing away your local overrides, which has been >> known to happen in some pipelines. >> I must admit I am very much in favour of keeping things simple and not >> having a workflow of using Swiss Army knife shaders ! >> >> Rob >> >> >> >> >> >> Robert East >> T: +61 0424648857 >> W: www.circusmonkey.com.au >> Sydney Australia >> >> From iPhone >> >> >> >> >> >>> On 19 Sep 2014, at 11:47 am, Nick Deboar <nick.deboar at gmail.com> > wrote: >>> >>> Good call Peter. What if we pre-compile the shaders before they hit >>> lighting? >>> >>> Nick Deboar >>> ------------------------------ >>> Lighting TD >>> http://light.nickdeboar.com >>> >>>> On Fri, Sep 19, 2014 at 9:20 AM, Peter Bowmar <pbowmar at gmail.com> >> wrote: >>>> >>>> Beware very long render-startup times though. We have a single > 3-layer >>>> uber-shader that takes many many minutes to optimize all the instances >> of >>>> on a production scene with 60-100 copies of the shader. Reduces >> Lighters to >>>> waiting a looooong time just to see one change. >>>> >>>>> On 18 September 2014 16:43, Nick Deboar <nick.deboar at gmail.com> > wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hey, >>>>> >>>>> My currently plan is to wrap our shader into a single vop node, which >> can >>>>> then be easily duplicated/mixed in vops. Make life a little less >>>>> complicated. >>>>> >>>>> Ta, >>>>> >>>>> Nick >>>>> >>>>> Nick Deboar >>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>> Lighting TD >>>>> http://light.nickdeboar.com >>>>> >>>>> On Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 7:00 PM, Pablo Gim?nez <pablogipi at gmail.com> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> As Peter said you don't have coshaders in VEX. >>>>>> Appart from this, which I doubt how useful it will be, many studios >> are >>>>> now >>>>>> getting away of the coshaders workflow for many reasons, for a > shader >>>> I >>>>>> think a prebuilt one with 3/5 layers is enough for 99.9% of the > looks. >>>>>> So honestly, I am not sure if the overhead and development needed to >>>> have >>>>>> coshaders are worth. >>>>>> Can you get your inhouse shader extend to support 3 layers? >>>>>> Before getting coshaders I prefer that SESI provides a better > surface >>>>>> shader, a layered version and improve the multi inputs dialogues so >> you >>>>> can >>>>>> drag and drop and reorder all the different entries and get a kind > of >>>>>> photoshop layering mechanism. >>>>>> Coshaders can wait .... >>>>>> >>>>>> 2014-09-18 8:01 GMT+01:00 Nick Deboar <nick.deboar at gmail.com>: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Bugger, thanks Peter! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Nick Deboar >>>>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>>>> Lighting TD >>>>>>> http://light.nickdeboar.com >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 2:38 PM, Peter Bowmar <pbowmar at gmail.com> >>>>> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Basically, you can't do it at the moment without going to VOPs >>>> which >>>>> as >>>>>>> you >>>>>>>> mention has a lot of overhead. However, a lot of the groundwork to >>>> be >>>>>>> able >>>>>>>> to do this has been laid down in Mantra/Vex so hopefully someday >>>>> we'll >>>>>>> have >>>>>>>> this ability! >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Peter B >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> On 17 September 2014 19:40, Nick Deboar <nick.deboar at gmail.com> >>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> That's the sort of enthusiasm i'm looking for! >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> In a renderman context, I thought I could have the layers as >>>>>>> co-shaders, >>>>>>>>> and just import them into a single shader. Can't work out how to >>>> do >>>>>>>>> anything remotely like that in Vex/Mantra, but happy to entertain >>>>>>>>> suggestions. >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Nicko >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> Nick Deboar >>>>>>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>>>>>> Lighting TD >>>>>>>>> http://light.nickdeboar.com >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 12:07 PM, Matt Estela < >>>>> matt.estela at gmail.com >>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> +1000000 >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> On 18 September 2014 12:27, Nick Deboar <nick.deboar at gmail.com >>>>> >>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Hey Rob, >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> We've got our own inhouse shader. Also, it would be nice to >>>>> maybe >>>>>>>> layer >>>>>>>>>>> more than two shaders, and of different shader types. >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Ta, >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Nick >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> Nick Deboar >>>>>>>>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>>>>>>>> Lighting TD >>>>>>>>>>> http://light.nickdeboar.com >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> On Thu, Sep 18, 2014 at 11:54 AM, Rob East < >>>>>> east.robert at gmail.com> >>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Hi, >>>>>>>>>>>> On the orbolt store there is an excellent pbr layered >>>>>> shader >>>>>>>>>> that's >>>>>>>>>>>> artist friendly. The commercial version is open so you can >>>>>> roll >>>>>>>> your >>>>>>>>>> own >>>>>>>>>>>> version. >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Rob >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> Robert East >>>>>>>>>>>> T: +61 0424648857 >>>>>>>>>>>> W: www.circusmonkey.com.au >>>>>>>>>>>> Sydney Australia >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> From iPhone >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> On 18 Sep 2014, at 12:01 pm, Nick Deboar < >>>>>>> nick.deboar at gmail.com> >>>>>>>>>>> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> Hey, >>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> Is there anyway to layer shaders in shop (not vop)? >>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> We rather stay away from vops, it means we need to >>>> create a >>>>>> new >>>>>>>>>> shader >>>>>>>>>>>>> everytime we want to layer something, and being able mix >>>>> and >>>>>>>> match >>>>>>>>>>>>> different shaders is much more flexible. Also, having two >>>>>>>> materials >>>>>>>>>> in >>>>>>>>>>>> one >>>>>>>>>>>>> shop node ends in a a messy front end gui, loads of >>>>>> parameters >>>>>>> to >>>>>>>>>>>> promote, >>>>>>>>>>>>> we rather artists not deal with vops. >>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks, >>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>>>> Nick Deboar >>>>>>>>>>>>> ------------------------------ >>>>>>>>>>>>> Lighting TD >>>>>>>>>>>>> http://light.nickdeboar.com >>>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> -- >>>>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Peter B >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> --Fast/cheap/good. Pick two. >>>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Un saludo >>>>>> Best Regards >>>>>> Pablo Gim?nez >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Cheers, >>>> >>>> Peter B >>>> >>>> --Fast/cheap/good. Pick two. >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >>> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >>> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >> _______________________________________________ >> Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list >> Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com >> https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list >> > > > > -- > Cheers, > > Peter B > > --Fast/cheap/good. Pick two. > _______________________________________________ > Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list > Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com > https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list > -- Un saludo Best Regards Pablo Gim?nez _______________________________________________ Sidefx-houdini-list mailing list Sidefx-houdini-list at sidefx.com https://lists.sidefx.com:443/mailman/listinfo/sidefx-houdini-list