I had recently kind of bailed on some of my ideas of integrating Vue 5 infinite with Maya even after purchasing it, mainly because I could not get the workflow fast enough in integrating and importing exporting objects back and forth. Well along comes Xstream which seems like a great idea, however for the life of me I'm having several issues which I can not seem to work out.

I'm using the trial program and I'm trying to get something to even closely resemble the quality that is shown in the flash (Excerpt from Eran Dinur's Siggraph 2005 presentations) on the e-onsoftware site or the samples images on the product page. For one I can only seem to get the Xtream scene to render out with the software renderer. Well, actually it does render out with MR but when used with or without GI and FG the sky and scene, lanscape images don't show up from Vue. So, am I missing some simple step? Unfortunately, I can't seem to find a read me with the trial version if this software. So there really is no instructions to follow at this point.

Maybe the trial version doesn't support MR? Even so the images I get with the software render look pretty bad. Even when I change my settings to production quality highest on software renderer. any suggestions or techniques anyone can share would be greatly appreciated.

Another bit of confusion I have is this. What happens when you try to render out IBL from Maya but also had the sky HDRI GI from Vue used? Who wins? Which one is used?

-Thanks!

I don't have the plugin but I was very interested in it until I read about some of the problems people have had with it. Again, this is all hearsay but from what I gather so far:

(1) Since Xstream is particular to each render engine (in the case of Maya you can purchase Xstream for mental ray or the software renderer), my guess is that the trial only supports the software renderer, which is why your "mental ray specific" effects do not render. This is a major minus for me since I use Renderman For Maya (for which there is not yet support), but I've heard of 3D Max users wanting to use VRay, Brazil, etc.

(2) The wording at the website is ambiguous at best, but it appears that the plugin is basically Vue 5's render engine minus the browser, content , editors, et al. So the reason why your renders look look pretty bad is because, while Xstream takes its AA settings from the host program, you may want to tweak Xstream's render settings independently, which I'm sure is possible.

(3) Additionally I have heard that for $500 USD, the plug is not very stable (although I have had no difficulties with Infinite). I'm hoping someone with more experience and / or optimism will chime in but I believe that (a) many issues will be addressed in version two which will (b) be heavily influenced by ILM's use of the program and (c) the release of Vue 6. Until then I will wait patiently.

I intalled the trial version a few days ago and so far its been rough going. Vue advises on limitations of the trial but when trying to open a scene I've been having no luck. Just sit there watching the hourglass icon for 5 minutes then give up.

There's documentation in the documents folder of the installed Xtreme software and its helpful but what it says will happen has not happend yet for me.

Today I was able to open a new file using a vue sky and terrain. It did not display in the Maya window, I just got a grey frame with text telling me I had a vue sky and terrain. I was able to render that using the Maya renderer and got a nice render of flat terrain and blue sky and clouds.

I had hoped to open Vue scenes which would display in the Maya main window and then reach the point of importing other objects into the scene, doing some tweaking, etc.

So far the challenge has just been trying to get Xtreme to do anything the documentatin says it should do in Maya. If I purcase this software I will definitely contact e-on about the possibility of a money back guarantee if the full verison is this buggy.