VRay's Functionality

[padre.ayuso]

I just wanted to post this as a general note.

I've been using Vray for the past year and a half and so far I've been left only happy and with a smile. I've had my issues in the learning process, but as of my latest project, let me give a bit of what I have had to do.

Over 100 renderings, for Day shots and Night shots, of scenes that went up to 50 million polygons, X-Refed into another 20million polygon scenes, some of the night shots had up to 587 lights and in my lowest machines these would render, with trees and all, under 2 hours (for 3K scenes) and denoiser being used, of course. I then started thinking of the days I'd render with MR and a project such as the one I'm doing, would have been impossible. The scenes I'm rendering are cities, close up of store fronts with detailed models inside the stores that you see through window panes.

Due to the nature of the project, I can't post an image, but I was wondering from the community, what is your average amount of lights used in a night scene? Is 500 just the norm? is 50 mill polygons just an average number for architectural renderings? Or am I just experiencing how awesome this program can get?

[AlexP]

Often going over 50mil polygons and 500 lights on commercial interiors, Vray doesnt struggle but Max does....

[super gnu]

i dont think i often use 500+lights.. usually swap to polygons with lightmtl when there are so many needed, but very often go waaay over 50 mio polys. particularly if you consider forestpack stuff. then it can be in the billions.

[padre.ayuso]

i dont think i often use 500+lights.. usually swap to polygons with lightmtl when there are so many needed, but very often go waaay over 50 mio polys. particularly if you consider forestpack stuff. then it can be in the billions.

Oh wow. Never had to do so many trees, but that's good to know. Is the use of Polygons with Lightmtl faster to render/easier on RAM? Just interested.

[padre.ayuso]

Often going over 50mil polygons and 500 lights on commercial interiors, Vray doesnt struggle but Max does....

Thanks Alex, I can imagine. I'm just doing a few blocks with window treatment, I can imagine a full shopping mall.

[tmbarker531]

Thanks Alex, I can imagine. I'm just doing a few blocks with window treatment, I can imagine a full shopping mall.

Where I work now we are often making images of large mall interiors. The scene I'm currently working on has 3500 lights...but we've found that there is no other way to get detailed secular highlights within all of the store interiors and metals throughout the scene. Its definitely a struggle with that many lights, but I also agree that it's mainly on the max end.

[vlado]

Actually our GPU guys are researching some very interesting ways to render scenes with many lights... it should be applicable to the CPU renderer too. We'll see how it goes though.

Best regards,
Vlado

[tmbarker531]

That's very exciting because even though it feels like we're using a lot of lights in a scene...it's still no where close to a realistic light count

[padre.ayuso]

Actually our GPU guys are researching some very interesting ways to render scenes with many lights... it should be applicable to the CPU renderer too. We'll see how it goes though.

Best regards,
Vlado

Now that's exciting news! I use GPU daily to light my scenes and the scenes I was just lighting last night was all previewed using GPU rendering technology. I had to render it in Advance because of some trees that were downloads had RGB Multiplier and other maps that seem to not interact yet with GPU technology. Otherwise Vlado, I'd have render them all with my two Titan X's, they did not even use 20% of the memory these cards have.

[AndresAhumada]

Hi vlado!!!

And any solution for IES lights too?

I use a lot ies light for retail renderings. over 150 lights... but for now i cant add VrayIES. Are really splotchy and slow renders...

[vlado]

And any solution for IES lights too?

We are looking at a general solution for all types of lights.

I use a lot ies light for retail renderings. over 150 lights... but for now i cant add VrayIES. Are really splotchy and slow renders...

Can you give me an example to vlado@chaosgroup.com ?

Best regards,
Vlado

[Morne]

Actually our GPU guys are researching some very interesting ways to render scenes with many lights... it should be applicable to the CPU renderer too. We'll see how it goes though.

Best regards,
Vlado

Sounds interesting. My current scene has 648 lights

[AndresAhumada]

Hi Vlado.
Attempting to send any file. As highly commercial. There are very strict policies provacidad.
I will do everything possible.

regards

[joa_grilo]

One question, On this cases wouldn't probabilistic lights work?
Currently in not using v-ray, but I had a big scene with +500 lights, and using a similar technique to probabilistic lights, got the result looking good and faster.

[vlado]

One question, On this cases wouldn't probabilistic lights work?

Yes, it works, however it's not implemented in the most optimal way in 3ds Max and the results come out noisier than they can be. It works a lot better in V-Ray for Maya/V-Ray RT though.

Best regards,
Vlado