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This handy tool is a powerful import filter for MXS (Maxwell Studio) files: it analyses and splits the scene into its components, and lists them in a tree structure. When a MXS file is loaded, RealFlow creates references, and does not import the nodes. To finally import them, click on the green arrows.

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The "Render Scene Manager" with an opened example scene in OS X.

Quick Start

The manager's mode of operation is straight forward:

• Load a MXS file with the “...” button next to “Render Scene”.
• Under “Scene” you will see a tree with the groups and nodes.
• Cameras are treated separately and must be imported with the green arrow in order to make them usable.
• The “Materials” branch of the nodes tree lists all available shaders; available materials will be applied automatically after import.

If the → viewport appears to be empty switch to camera mode with the 5 key. If the scene contains more than one camera then

• drag a camera from the → “Nodes” panel to the viewport
• or press the 5 key until the desired camera is active.

The symbol bar provides the following commands – changes can be made to a group's elements or individual nodes:

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A) Visibility

Decide, whether the node should be visible in RealFlow's viewport or not.

B) Colour

This is just a node's viewport colour. Existing materials will be imported as well and linked accordingly. The applied materials can be found under → Node Params > Maxwell Render.

C) Shading mode

Choose from four different shading modes.

D) Import

A click on the green arrow imports a node. Then it will be able to interact with other scene elements, it can be turned into a rigid or soft body, or float on a RealWave surface.

Animated Nodes

The “Render Scene Manager” is also capable of handling animations. The MXS format cannot store animation data within the file, but you will find one file per frame instead – a sequence:

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• Enable the “Animation” checkbox and open an arbitrary MXS file from the sequence.
• To see the animation, scrub the timeline.
• If the animation is not visible check “Padding”. By default, a five-digit padding is used, e.g. “Walking_Man_00001”.
• A “Frame offset” can also be applied.

...

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Illumination (A)

Global Intensity

Here, the global light intensity is controlled. The parameter acts like a multiplier and accepts all positive values. Settings smaller than 1.0 create a darker impression, values greater than 1.0 add more light to the scene.

Physical Sky

This option adds a physically accurate model of a sky depending on the adjusted time:

• It is possible to simulate conditions like sunrise, dawn or sunny summer days.
• When inactive a conventional sky dome model will be used instead.

Light

This slider controls the current time of the day and is used to determine the colour of the physical sky.

Hour

Here, the current time is shown when you drag the “Light” slider.

Use IBL

Instead of a physical sky or a sky dome, you can use HDR images to illuminate the scene.

Background | Illumination | Reflection | Refraction Buttons (B)

These buttons reveal identical sets of parameters, but for different image channels:

• “Background” is the image you will see in the background of the rendered image.
• “Illumination” acts as the scene's global light source.
• “Reflection” is what you will see in an object's reflective areas.
• “Refraction” is what you will see in an object's transparent areas.

Same as Background

If you want to use the already loaded image from the “Background” channel enable the checkbox. For obvious reasons, this option is not available for the “Background” channel itself.

HDR File

Load a HDR file to illuminate the scene with the associated “...” button.

Intensity

This is the HDR map's brightness. Higher values create more light.

Tile U | V

These parameters create repetitions of the HDR image in horizontal and vertical directions.

Offset U | V

These parameters rotate the HDR image around the horizontal and vertical axes.

Globals (C)

Quality

This parameter ranges from 20 to 100 and determines the render's size in pixels – it acts like a multiplier. An example:

• Adjusted render size: 800 x 600
• Quality = 80%
• Actual render resolution: (800 * 0.8) x (600 * 0.8) = 640 x 480
• As a result, the image appears blurred. Change “Quality” to 100 to get a crisp render.

Number of threads

Determines how many computer cores will be used for the render.

Global Scale

Adjust Maxwell Render's scale with RealFlow's scale. If the objects in the rendered images appear like miniatures you consider a higher scale. Transparent and SSS materials also react on scale changes.

Playback (D)

Max Frame Time

Here you can enter a render time limit in seconds. When the limit is reached the render will be aborted even if the given “Max Sampling Level” is not yet reached.

Max Sampling Level

The higher the sampling level, the less noise the final image will have. The default value of 7 is suitable for most previews. Higher settings result in longer render times.

Engine

Maxwell Render comes in two flavours:

• “Draft” is suited for → previews with → “Maxwell Interactive”.
• “Production” should be used for final renders.

Motion Blur

The value acts like a multiplier to stretch the motion blur streaks.

Channels (E)

Alpha | Motion | Normals

These images contain information for post processing jobs.

Buttons (F)

• "OK" confirms your settings. 
• With "Apply" it is possible to trigger a new render and preview your settings. The preferences dialogue remains open and you can perform more changes, try different lighting parameters, etc.