Resources Documentation RenderMan :Users' Guide :RenderMan for Maya :

Shading Workflows

RenderMan for Maya provides a variety of workfows for shading and lighting. Users can choose a workflow based on their needs and resources, working in a Maya-centric environment with Maya materials or RMS's GP-based system, or in a Slim-centric environment with RMS's AP- or GP-based shaders. Needless to say, users should consider this sort of workflow decision carefully; not every workflow is compatible with the others (though some are - e.g. you can use Maya lights with anything and you can use AP shaders with Maya materials, but you cannot use the new RMSGP lights with Maya materials or AP shaders).

**The RMS Shading System Matrix**
	"Maya" Lights	RMS "AP" Lights	RMS "GP" Lights
Maya Materials	yes	yes	no
Slim "AP" Shaders	yes	yes	no
RMS "GP" Shaders	yes	no	yes
Slim "GP" Shaders	yes	no	yes

"Maya" Lights = the lights that Maya provides, e.g. Directional, Spot, Point.

RMS "AP" Lights = the equivalent of the lights provided with RenderMan Studio 3.0, e.g. the RenderMan Environment Light, AP-based (legacy) Slim light shaders (which can be attached to Maya lights), etc.

RMS "GP" Lights = the lights newly provided in RMS 4.0: RMSEnvLight, RMSGILight, RMSAreaLight, and RMSPointLight.

This section of the documentation outlines the basics of shading and lighting with RMS (and PRMan) and provides details about the various workflows, including an overview of the tools for implementing a "DIY" shading system.