VRscans Technical FAQ

Who is VRscans for?

The VRscans Service is for companies while the VRscans Library is for companies and individuals who need their 3D visualizations to be as photorealistic and accurate as possible and are using V-Ray 3.4 or higher for 3ds Max and Maya platforms.

How are VRscans materials different?

VRscans are not created in the same way that typical CG materials are made. Most materials use standard BRDF models like Blinn, Ward, and GGX to estimate the way a material reacts to light. These approximations get close, but they're not exact. Instead, VRscans uses BTF measurements to fully capture a material’s unique appearance. We collect all the data needed to render its texture, surface reflectivity, dimensionality, and light response in a single .vrscan file.

Can VRscans material be modified?

The. vrscans file contains a complete data set, so there are no separate texture maps. Adjustments can be made though to color, uv tiling, bump strength, etc. VRscans materials can be blended with V-Ray materials. These parameters can be found on the VRayScannedMtl page.

What kind of materials can be scanned?

Fabric, leather, plastic, metal, wood and stone scan best. Glass is not recommended.

Material sample requirements:

?Flat opaque material samples are optimal

?Texture depth ≤ 1mm

?Samples no smaller than 20x20mm and no larger than 200x200mm

?Maximum scan resolution is .06mm/ pixel – two times the wool fiber

 How does the VRscans process work?

Step 1. Send materials to be scanned

Clients provide Chaos Group with one or more physical material samples.

Step 2. Materials are evaluated for scanning

Our lab techs evaluate each material to determine if it's suitable for scanning. If not, the material will be returned at no charge.

Step 3. Materials are scanned

Each material is carefully scanned by one of our expert lab techs. Once the scan is complete, the resulting images are transformed into a seamless, tileable file. And after passing inspection and strict quality control, the material scans are ready for delivery.

Step 4. Scanned files are delivered

Files are delivered by private FTP link or physical drive. Additional courier fees may apply.

Step 5. Material samples are returned

We understand that materials may be proprietary or copyrighted, and all samples are promptly returned to the client.

What is the VRscans plug-in?

The VRscans plug-in is specially designed to import and render scanned materials. Since .vrscan files are a proprietary format, the VRscans plug-in acts as a bridge into the latest versions of V-Ray for 3ds Max and Maya. We expect to support other applications soon.

Is a material library available? How do I access it?

There’s a growing library of VRscans materials available now, and access comes with the purchase of the VRscans plug-in. Our goal is to create a vast library of physically accurate, drag-and-drop materials for the VRscans community. We’re working with manufacturers to bring in their materials as well.