Method for animated lights?

[sfeely]

Is the brute force method the only way to render an animation with animated lights?

[Dynedain]

Or LC, or the new irrmap for animations

[ene.xis]

nevertheless the method u need to calculate the gi solution frame by frame.

then again...i can be wrong

[RErender]

I haven't been able to get good results with a time lapse sun and the new irrmap method.

[vlado]

The result was not good in what way? Still flickering, or splotchy, or something else (both of these can be reduced with the correct settings)? I am asking because I will be writing a tutorial for the new irradiance map methods so it will be useful to know what was a problem for you.

Best regards,
Vlado

[sfeely]

My problem is I just do not know which method to use.
In my case....I am animating a night shot with the camera rotating around the scene and at the same time the lights are turning on and changing color.

I would like to use GI but just don't know the best approach and since it's being done in production, I don't have time for mass amounts of experimentation.

[RErender]

The result was not good in what way? Still flickering, or splotchy, or something else (both of these can be reduced with the correct settings)? I am asking because I will be writing a tutorial for the new irradiance map methods so it will be useful to know what was a problem for you.

Best regards,
Vlado

I suppose it is just settings that are not high enough, as it is flickering splotchyness. Just that in my testing the render times were getting out of control pretty quickly to the point where I'd just stick with Brute Force + LC. I was testing on a full scene, I should start with something simpler and work from there.

I'll look forward to seeing your examples.

[Dynedain]

I would like to use GI but just don't know the best approach and since it's being done in production, I don't have time for mass amounts of experimentation.

The best approach will depend on the specifics of the scene. You really do need to spend some time testing to find the best solution for the specific needs. In a production pipeline you need to incorporate testing time. You'll more than make up the time spent testing by less re-renderings at the end.