Many Vray Lights VS Scattered Poly Mesh Light? Efficiency?

[jdrouse]

I have a scene where I need to add many sources of small lights. Is there a method that is more efficient than others?

Option A: Use many instanced area lights.
Option B: Scatter my light emitting planes thru the scene and use a mesh light. All connected together (or into color groups)
Option C: ??

Increasing cutoff threshold will help. Anything else?

[stevejjd]

You may have to do your own R&D to test that.

I often get great feedback here but also there are times when I realise that I have to do my own R&D.

If you already have a complex scene, then you could map out a to do list in order to methodically test shit .

[piotrus3333]

many lights. period. o lot of optimisations available. mesh light is simply VRayLightMtl.

[AlexP]

Also how many of them need to be actual light sources VS a plane with vraylightmtl for visual effect

[vlado]

Many lights will probably be better.

Best regards,
Vlado

[jdrouse]

Update: Vray area lights worked very well. I have 1300 lights in the scene and probably at least 800 on screen/casting range. No real dramatically unexpected performance hit. Scene looks really nice. Thanks

[andy51]

many lights. period. o lot of optimisations available. mesh light is simply VRayLightMtl.

Not true, a Vray mesh light, has way more control than a simple vraylightmtl does