For this tutorial, we’re going to explore mental ray by making a simple room and lighting setup. I’ll be using 3dsMax 9 but you can follow along with any version. I’m also including my finished file so you can pick it apart if it suits you.

Final Render

Our final render, after some materials and direct light.

Mental Ray Room

Now I’m assuming a low, but non-zero level of previous knowledge during this tutorial. Specifically, that you’ve been using scanline for a few days or weeks and would like to extend your knowledge to include mental ray. While I’ll include images and try to go step-by-step, Remember that mental ray isn’t for those just starting the program for the first time.