Maya 8.5: Render Settings Problem

[VampireHeart]

I have just purchased Maya 8.5 (Student Version) for my Mac (running on Leopard). I am having problems with the Render Settings Window. When i try to render as a movie file, like an .AVI or .MOV, the option of "Multiable Frames" is grayed out.

I don't know if anyone is familiar with Maya here, but if someone could help that would be great!

 

[TDR]

I think that option's available only when you want to output each frame as an individual file, not when you want to output directly into a movie. Not sure though.

 

[VampireHeart]

No you can render it as a movie file, I've seen it in tutorials and such.

 

[anetherond]

I don't suggest you render your animation directly into a video format, it will leave you with a low level of control over the rendered scene.
Render each frame individually into a image format such as .psd with the Bath Render and then compose them with a composing program ('Virtual-Dub' is a great and simple software to do that, if you don't have After Effects). It will give you much more control on the scene.
In order to render a series of frames in the same render, pick the "name.#.ext" option and define the start frame and end frame of your animation (And of course, use the batch renderer for efficiency.).

If you really must render everything into the same video file, then you can set the file format to .avi and pick the "name.ext" option and then to use the batch renderer. That way the entire animation will be rendered into a single video file.

 

[VampireHeart]

Yea for final products i use the sequence images. But this is for testing rendered animation, such as the ocean effect. Because using images is a little too tedious.

 

[anetherond]

Yea for final products i use the sequence images. But this is for testing rendered animation, such as the ocean effect. Because using images is a little too tedious.

Then you can use playblast instead of rendering... Set the range of frames of your animation in the Time-Slider. Right click the Time Slider and pick the option "Playblast" (The last one), it will quickly create a low res video file of your animation within the certain range of frames.

That way you can test your animation without rendering the scene at all and saving a lot of time.

But as I have said, If you really must render everything into the same video file, then you can set the file format to .avi and pick the "name.ext" option and then to use the batch renderer. That way the entire animation will be rendered into a single video file.

 

[VampireHeart]

hmm it is not showing the ocean effect though.. unless I'm doing something wrong.

 

[anetherond]

hmm it is not showing the ocean effect though.. unless I'm doing something wrong.

If you are doing particle or fluid test then render it with the other way:
In the render settings set the file format to .avi and pick the "name.ext" option and then use the batch renderer. Just don't pick a large rendering size so the render will be swift and efficient. And I suggest you change the quality of the render as well (In the "maya Software" Tab).

 

[VampireHeart]

Thats the whole problem, there is no .AVI option.

 

[anetherond]

Are you certain? There must be an AVI option... are you sure you have checked in the right place? Under "Image File Output->Image Format"?

 

[VampireHeart]

Take a look

 

[anetherond]

Are you using Windows?
If not, then that's the problem because the AVI option is available only for Windows.

 

[VampireHeart]

I have just purchased Maya 8.5 (Student Version) for my Mac (running on Leopard). I am having problems with the Render Settings Window. When i try to render as a movie file, like an .AVI or .MOV, the option of "Multiable Frames" is grayed out.

I don't know if anyone is familiar with Maya here, but if someone could help that would be great!

Yea......

 

[anetherond]

Well, then you will have to use the old fashion way. Render each frame and make a quick composing. It is still quick if you define a small resolution and use low quality...

 

[VampireHeart]

I figured a way to get it in a .MOV file so its all good now.