Rendering Attributes

Multiverse offers a unified and rendering-agnostic way to set attribute overrides via MEOW.

In addition to that, in combination with the ability to Maya-reference material shading networks under a different namespace, this allows users to create render-agnostic setups and quickly switch between renderers.

Namespace

In MEOW you can assign a mvSet node to the root item location of your asset, this will allow you to specify a namespace which will be used to select the materials for rendering.

Attributes

Additionally, you can put inside an mvSet node any of the following objectSet-like type of nodes:

• For Arnold and VRay: Maya objectSet node
• For 3Delight: dlSet node
• For Redshift: redshiftMeshParameters and other redshift* set-like nodes.
• For VRay: VRayObjectProperties for some (not all) VRay rendering attributes (we recommend to use the objectSet nodes since Multiverse adds all VRay attributes on it).

Renderman is a bit special and you can find its rendering attributes on the mvSet node under its "Extra Attributes" section.

Note

Remember that MEOW overrides work by inheritance: this means that children in the tree inherit material assignments and attributes from their parents if not overridden at children level.

.
└── mvSet                        // Set namespace for referenced material shading networks (all renderers),
    |                            //   and set attribute overrides for Renderman
    ├── objectSet                // set attribute overrides for Arnold and VRay
    ├── dlSet                    // set attribute overrides 3Delight
    ├── redshiftMeshParameters   // set mesh attribute overrides for Redshift
    ├── redshift* set-like nodes // set other type of overrides for Redshift
    └── VRayObjectProperties     // set some attribute overrides for VRay (`objectSet` supports all)

The following shows MEOW attribute overrides on item (children will inherit). The attribute icon represents an mvSet node assigned that hierarchy item.

Heads up!

The reason why you can put the renderer-specific objectSet-like type of nodes inside an mvSet is to allow for a render-agnostic workflow: the mvSet allows you to specify a "namespace" for the materials of the renderer you intend to use, while the renderer specific set-type nodes allow you to specify rendering attributes for each renderer.

Effectively, you can swap between renderers by simply changing the namespace for your material shading networks.

Note about inheritance

MEOW overrides work by inheritance, so every children node will inherit attributes if not overridden in a lower point in the hierarchy tree.

Arnold

You can set Arnold rendering attributes on the USD data encapsulated by Multiverse Compounds in two ways:

1. Globally, for each Compound: on the Arnold section of the Attribute Editor of each mvUsdCompoundShape shape node. These attributes will propagate to all hierarchy items of the asset if not selectively overridden in MEOW.

2. Local override, for each compound item: on the MEOW, by creating Attribute Overrides via RMB on the selected item. The attribute override is a mvSet node that can contain a Maya objectSet node where you can add dynamically Arnold attributes.

   Maya objectSet nodes are used by the Maya to Arnold translator: you can add dynamically and set Arnold attributes in them. Then put your objectSet nodes inside an mvSet node and assign the mvSet node in the “Attr” attribute column of the MEOW via RMB-click.

3Delight

You can set 3Delight NSI rendering attributes on the USD data encapsulated by Multiverse Compounds in two ways:

1. Globally, for each Compound: on the 3Delight section of the Attribute Editor of each mvUsdCompoundShape shape node. These attributes will propagate to all hierarchy items of the asset if not selectively overridden in MEOW

2. Local override, for each compound item: on the MEOW, by creating Attribute Overrides via RMB on the selected item. The attribute override is a mvSet node that can contain a 3Delight dlSet node where you can add 3Delight attributes.

   3Delight dlSet nodes are used by the 3Delight for Maya translator: you can set 3Delight attributes in them. Then put your dlSet nodes inside an mvSet node and assign the mvSet node in the “Attr” attribute column of the MEOW via RMB-click.

Redshift

You can set Redshift rendering attributes on the USD data encapsulated by Multiverse Compounds in two ways:

1. Globally, for each Compound: on the Redshift section of the Attribute Editor of each mvUsdCompoundShape shape node. These attributes will propagate to all hierarchy items of the asset if not selectively overridden in MEOW.

2. Local override, for each compound item: on the MEOW, by creating Attribute Overrides via RMB on the selected item. The attribute override is a mvSet node that can contain a Redshift redshiftMeshParameters and/or other redshift* set-like nodes, where you can add dynamically Redshift attributes.

   Simply put your redshiftMeshParameters and/or other nodes redshift* set-like nodes inside an mvSet node and assign the mvSet node in the “Attr” attribute column of the MEOW via RMB-click.

Renderman

You can set Renderman rendering attributes on the USD data encapsulated by Multiverse Compounds in two ways:

1. Globally, for each Compound: on the Renderman section of the Attribute Editor of each mvUsdCompoundShape shape node. These attributes will propagate to all hierarchy items of the asset if not selectively overridden in MEOW.

2. Local override, for each compound item: on the MEOW, by creating Attribute Overrides via RMB on the selected item. The attribute override is a mvSet node where you can add dynamically Renderman attributes (they are under its "extra Attributes" section).

TODO: add pics here

VRay

You can set VRay rendering attributes on the USD data encapsulated by Multiverse Compounds in two ways:

1. Globally, for each Compound: on the VRay section of the Attribute Editor of each mvUsdCompoundShape node. These attributes will propagate to all hierarchy items of the asset if not selectively overridden in MEOW.

   Note

   In VRay you first enable the section of attributes that you want to set, and then its relative attributes will be dynamically added in the "VRay Extra Attributes" section below.

2. Local override, for each compound item: on the MEOW, by creating Attribute Overrides via RMB on the selected item. The attribute override is a mvSet node that can contain either a Maya objectSet node or a VRayObjectProperties node where you can dynamically add some VRay attributes. We recommend to rely on the objectSet nodes since Multiverse makes available all VRay rendering attributes instead.