The team rebuilt every shader for V-Ray 6+ (works back to V-Ray 5). That means:
The shaders are optimized for the "Universal Render Settings."
Archshaders Vol 3 by Evermotion is natively designed for the Mental Ray rendering engine, not V-Ray.
While Volumes 1 and 2 of this legacy collection were built specifically for V-Ray, Volume 3 was optimized for Mental Ray. However, you can still use these shaders in V-Ray by utilizing automated conversion tools or manual texture mapping in Autodesk 3ds Max. 📦 Collection Overview Developer: Evermotion Native Renderer: Mental Ray (Requires conversion for V-Ray) Software Compatibility: Autodesk 3ds Max
Content: Highly detailed, pre-configured architectural shaders and textures. 🎨 Included Materials
The bundle features complex, ready-to-use shaders complete with required mapping slots: archshaders vol 3 for vray
Architectural elements: Advanced glass, concrete, stone, and masonry.
Interior finishes: Various woods, floorings, fabrics, and plastics. Advanced shaders: Vehicle paint and simulated human skin.
Map channels: Diffuse, reflection, opacity, bump, and displacement maps. 🛠️ How to Use with V-Ray
To use the Archshaders Vol 3 library effectively within a V-Ray pipeline, follow these methods: 1. Automated V-Ray Scene Converter Open your 3ds Max scene containing the Archshaders. Right-click anywhere in the viewport. Select V-Ray Scene Converter.
This script automatically converts standard or Mental Ray materials into standard VRayMtl nodes. 2. Manual Map Reassignment The team rebuilt every shader for V-Ray 6+
If the automatic converter fails to yield photorealistic results, you can rebuild the shaders manually: Open the Material Editor in 3ds Max. Create a new VRayMtl.
Manually browse the Archshaders source folder to extract the provided high-resolution texture maps.
Plug the corresponding image files into the V-Ray Diffuse, Reflection, and Bump map slots. 💡 Modern Alternatives
Because Mental Ray has been discontinued for years, converting older libraries can result in outdated shading networks. If you are looking for ready-to-go V-Ray assets, consider these modern alternatives:
Evermotion Archmaterials Vol 3: A modern PBR library from the same creator, featuring 50 scanned assets natively set up for V-Ray 3.6 and higher. Archshaders Vol 3 by Evermotion is natively designed
Chaos Cosmos: The native, free asset library built directly into modern V-Ray installations, containing hundreds of high-quality, render-ready architectural materials.
Wood textures are common; good wood textures are rare. Vol 3 avoids the "tileable" look by providing herringbone patterns that have already been assembled in a 1x1 meter tile. The materials include:
If you use Chaos Scatter (formerly Forest Pack), Vol 3’s wet/dry masks work beautifully. You can scatter leaves on top of a driveway material, and the "wet asphalt" variant will automatically show puddles only where the leaf shadow falls thanks to VRayDistanceTex.
ArchShaders Vol. 3 was originally optimized for V-Ray versions 2.x through 3.x. However, its compatibility extends to V-Ray 5 and V-Ray 6.
I dropped the "Honed Travertine" and "Worn Oak Chevron" into a V-Ray 6 scene last night. Default settings. No texture tweaking. The result? A render that looked like it had been comped for an hour. The microfacet distribution on the wood alone saved me a dozen test renders.
Previous versions often struggled with fabrics like velvet, silk, and canvas. Vol 3 introduces dual-lobe shaders that accurately simulate anisotropic highlights on materials like crushed velvet and the soft subsurface scattering of linen. You get complete presets for curtain sheers that actually transmit light realistically, a nightmare for many V-Ray novices.