This page introduces the volumetric and environment effects for V-Ray for Maya.
Overview
The Volumetric effects in V-Ray simulate fog, atmospheric haze and participating media for a number of image effects. Volumetrics also include Volumetric Grid rendering that works with grid based cache formats to create effects such as dynamic plumes of smoke.
Most of these effects are available in the Hypershade, with the exception of the Volumetric Grid, which is available from the V-Ray Shelf.
||Hypershade|| > Create panel > VRay section > Volumetric
(for all Volumetrics except the Volumetric Grid)
||V-Ray Shelf|| > Volumetric Grid
(Volumetric Grid only)
Image courtesy of Leticia Reinaldo Gillett
True Atmospheric Effects
True atmospheric effects are applied throughout the entire scene as viewed from the viewport. While parameters give limited control over the appearance of the effect, atmospheric effects render faster than volumetric effects.
Volumetric Effects
Volumetric effects use a volume to contain the atmospheric effect. While volumetric effects offer a great deal of control over the placement of the effect, they take longer to render.