I apologize if this is not the appropriate section for this. I’m just wondering how people create breakdowns in blender. Is there a render setting where I can automatically export an AO pass and any desired subsequent passes? I’m using cycles if that’s relevant. Thanks for any help! :spin:
Yeah you can create separate passes, though Cycles might be more difficult to separate some things.
In the Properties panel switch to “Render Layers” which is right of the “Render” tab (Camera icon). Click the plus sign to add a render layer (rename it if desired). Select that layer and uncheck “Combined” under the “Passes” section (you can keep it checked if desired, if you need full RGBA buffer). Now for an AO pass, what you can do is go to one of your objects, click the “Materials” tab in the Properties panel, click the plus sign to add a new material slot. Then in that slot, create a cycles AO material.Now go back to the “Render Layers” tab, select your AO Layer, and under the “Layer” section where it says “Material”, add your AO material. This will override all other materials in that layer.
Now when you setup your output folder (under “Render” tab, under “Output” section), it should render a second folder with your AO pass.
The biggest questions, before starting a project that you want to render in passes, are: “what’s going to be more render intensive?” and “what will I possibly need to adjust more of later on?” (e.g. an object’s reflection or coloring might be adjusted more, while shadowing might be more render intensive). Then you can determine what you can keep combined or separated.
You might already know much of what I’m saying, I’m just trying to be detailed for other ppl too, that are searching the forum for the same answers.