Advantages of Vray mats and lights?

[Frances]

Hi,

I've been evaluating Vray with the Free version since the demo version is unavailable. Maybe someone here can answer some questions I have regarding rendering performance using Vray materials and lights as opposed to just the Vray map (instead of raytrace maps) and Vray shadows.

Can I expect lower render times if I use Vray materials and lights? Are there optimizations in the Advanced version that make for faster rendering than the Free version?

Also, can IES files be used with Vray lights?

Lastly, I've noticed in the Help file that Vlado posted for the beta release that Lightmaps and bump mapping aren't good together. That seems to me to be a significant drawback. How are you who are using the beta builds working around this?

Thanks in advance for anyone who can help me answer these questions. I have the money to invest, but need more information first.

[cocolas]

as for vray mats...yes..there is a definate increase in speed when using vray mats w/ vray lights (or max lights)...rather then standard mats.

plu if you use photons and Imap for interiors.....photons don't work very well if at all with standard mats.......but photons and Imap are VERY fast especially for itneriors......you can easily affort to have every mat glossy and still get out quality and very good speed.

as for lightmap and bump maps.....use displacement instead .....


there is definatly a gain in using the advanced version..especially w/ the new beta.

paul.

[RErender]

I would say you would see atleast a 25% speed increase using vraymats, often even more depending on the scene.

vraylights are not usually faster that normal lights,though they often produce better results unless they are stored with the imap at the cost of shadow detail

vraylights do not support ies files.

As for the bumpmap issue, displacement is a fine substitute.

[RErender]

hehe, cocolas types faster than I do

[Frances]

Thank you Paul and Eric.

[Percy_xue]

Really perfect explaination. Thanks.

-Percy

[Hallock]

Vray mats do increase time, and they also reduce a lot of weird spots and blotches you'll get when using standard materials. The vray materials are also more versatile in my eyes. The vray lights aren't faster than the regular lights, but the results you get for the minimal time increase is amazing.