3D Max - Environment reflections!

[Station]

Okay, so I have a reflective mode. I want it to reflect the environment, so I put a picture in the environment slot. Obviously, it shows up with the render. Is there any way of rendering with it invisible to render, but visible to reflections?
Or should I use it in the material?

Thanks!

yes there`s a few ways to do it.
You can place the image in the reflection slot of your material..or you can use light probe images...[HDRI]..you can set those so they reflect onto objects but aren`t visible in your scene...in the bkgnd

[Station]

I use the HDRI images, but they still appear! ??? If I go into environment menu and put it in there, it still shows as part of the scene, as a background. Would really love to get this working, but can't see how I'm going to get it invisible. I know it can be done, am I doing it the right way??
ta.

yes that`s true anything in the enviroment will appear.
I`ve only used hdri with vray....I assume your using scanline?
anyways.....with vray you ignore the enviroment and go into the GI options.
In there there`s also an enviroment setting.....one that effects the GI look.
So for example if the max default say is blue.....the GI will have a blueish color tint.In there is the option to overide the max default and load the hdri image.
In this case the hdri will effect the GI but won`t be visible in the render.
As I say this is for vray....not sure about scanline.....as I rarely if ever use it.
Appologies if this is confusing

[fastrak]

Make sure you use the raytrace shader, instead of the standard. Near the bottom in the maps section is an environment slot, load up your hdri image there....It should then only effect that object. Will not be in background using scanline.

[Yanik]

Or you can also make a sphere as your environment, invert it's normals and apply the material to it.

Then go to it's properties and disable "visible to camera, recieve shadows, cast shadows".

Or the other way:

If you want a studio like environment you can model a box or sphere or whatever as your environment, than invert the normals.
Then uncheck "Visible to reflections" in it's properties.

[Station]

Originally Posted by fastrak

Make sure you use the raytrace shader, instead of the standard. Near the bottom in the maps section is an environment slot, load up your hdri image there....It should then only effect that object. Will not be in background using scanline.

I have no option of using maps when I use 'raytrace'?? There's no menu for it.

[fastrak]

Hhhmmmmmm. What version of max are u using?

[Station]

Version 7. I'm using the sphere thing at the moment though.

[fastrak]

Originally Posted by StationMiek

I have no option of using maps when I use 'raytrace'?? There's no menu for it.

You had me scratching my head on this one, then I realized that I wasn't very clear. It looks like you might have put the raytrace material into your "Enviroment" which is why you didn't get a maps section. So here goes:
First..do not assign anything into your environment slot, not bitmap and not raytrace. Leave it blank with the black color.
Second..select the object on your scene that you want to see the reflections on...say a teapot in your scene.
Third...open material editor...select an empty bin to assign to your object(teapot)...near the top right, under the bins, where is lists the shader type, (by default is should say "standard"), click on it and choose from the "new" list, raytrace.
Forth...You should then see the same thing that I posted a pic of a little earlier.
Fifith...In your Maps section, go down to near the bottom and see an environment slot, click the none. Then choose bitmap from the list. Look for your HDRI and click open.
Sixth...make any adjustments to the bitmap such as offset to rotate the image to your desired postion and in the output, change the RGB output (I think) to adjust the intensity of the map.(will probably have to increase it)
Seventh....Apply the material to your teapot....render.

I hope that clarifies.