KSv7 vs KSv6 renders

[jhiker]

Please see the attached pics. In KSv6 I can render a model of a metal probe with a 'basic glass' sheath (to represent a transparent plastic) and it looks good with the lighting set to Product mode (or any other mode, actually).

In KSv7 I have imported a very similar model and applied the same materials and a similar environment. With the lighting set to Performance mode it looks OK but I can't render in Performance mode. With the lighting set to anything else, including Product mode, I can't see the metal bit through the transparent sheath - it just looks black - and I can't change the limited glass properties to make it look right.

Why does it look so much worse in KSv7 and what can I do about it? I still have v6 & v7 installed and I quite often find myself reaching back to v6 to sort out problems such as this.

Any advice appreciated.

[RRIS]

Enable Global Illumination in the Lighting panel and make sure it has at least 1 bounce.
edit: sorry, missed the fact that you already had it enabled!

Could you share the .bip?

[jhiker]

It has just occurred to me that I might have touching surfaces on the ID of the sheath and the OD of the metal probe - I'll check. If so, I'll scale up the sheath a small amount.
If no better I'll post the BIP.
Thanks.

[jhiker]

Nope - that didn't work. The sheath looks OK with the end of the probe hidden though.
Here's a screen shot and the BIP.
Thanks.

[mattjgerard]

Its the occlusion node in the opacity of the metal that's doing this, not the transparent sheath material. The closeness of the geometry of the metal parts to the sheath is causing it to go dark like that.  Not sure what the occlusion node was doing for you in the label applied to the metal, but if you disconnect the occlusion or turn the radius way down, you will get back to the look you had before. Still wonder why if the materials are the same from V6 to V7 that this should pop up now, but at least you can get back to making images.

[jhiker]

Damn! I wouldn't have found that - many thanks.
I'll be very careful with usage of the 'occlusion' node.

'Still wonder why if the materials are the same from V6 to V7 that this should pop up now..' - me too.