Iray+ Object Properties

Iray for 3ds Max uses additional Object Properties that can be found in the Iray+ Object Properties. To access these additional properties, first select an object or objects. From the 3ds Max menu bar, select Edit > Iray+ Object Properties…. Alternatively, right-click in the active viewport and select Iray+ Object Properties… from the quad menu.

Rendering Control:

• Renderable: sets selected object(s) to appear or disappear from the rendered output.
✱  Note: when enabled, the object appears in the rendering. When disabled, the object is not visible in the rendered output.


• Visible to Camera: sets selected object(s) to appear or disappear from the camera in the scene.
✱  Note: when enabled, the object appears in the rendering. When disabled, the object is not visible to camera rays, and only affects secondary shadow and reflection rays in the scene.

Matte Object:

• Enable for Selected Geometry: when enabled, selected object(s) become invisible to camera rays which reveals the matching areas of the scene environment or backplate. Use this option to create objects that correspond to objects already visible in the backplate. These will then capture shadows, reflections/refractions and indirect lighting from other objects you are adding to the scene and overlay these on the actual backplate image.
✱  Note: the Matte Object parameter is only supported by the Iray+ renderer.

Backplate Mesh:

• Enable for Selected Geometry: when enabled, any render environment background is mapped onto the selected object(s), creating a virtual 3D environment backplate which can produce parallax effects whilst navigating. Backplate Mesh objects do not receive lighting or cast shadows or reflections in the scene.

Displacement Parameters:

• Maximum Displacement: sets the maximum amount of displacement.
✱  Note: surfaces will be offset by the displacement amount (positive or negative) as specified in the assigned Iray+ Material up to the Maximum Displacement amount. Values exceeding Maximum Displacement are capped at this distance.


• Maximum Triangles (millions): controls the maximum number of new triangles generated during a displacement map subdivision.
✱  Note: exceeding this limit will reduce the subdivision level automatically.


• Adaptive Quality Level: controls the number of recursive subdivisions where displacement occurs.
✱  Note: you can use this control alone or in conjunction with either Method (see below). Increasing the Adaptive Quality will perform additional subdivision only where necessary rather than across the entire object.


✱  Note: high values can lead to high tessellation and make the system unstable.


• Method: specifies a subdivision method for the entire object.
• Edge Length: defines a topology-independent method for tessellating a polygon. This value defines the smallest potential edge length produced by subdivision. Iray will stop subdividing an edge once it reaches this size.
✱  Note: low values can lead to high tessellation and make the system unstable.


• Parametric: defines a subdivision method whereby the object’s topology will be subdivided recursively to create the displacement effect. Each subdivision potentially may divide a single face into four smaller faces.
✱  Note: high values can lead to high tessellation and make the system unstable.


✱  Note: applying either Method will increase tessellation for the entire object, even where it is not necessary. We recommend using the Adaptive Quality control and only applying these additional subdivision methods if you require greater detail.

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