Phoenix for Maya : D.R. ?

[lepixel]

It works !!!
I've tried yo reduce the multiplicity of problems with a test with only two PC,
so : I have to set up the paths for the cache manualy, I'm not sure that our system like names with"@" since I've saved the cache at the same place but with a simpler name.
Like this I've made it works BUT not at each render, I've noticed that there is no more problem when I make a prepass for the GI without D.R., then render from the saved GI with the slaves.

I'll try to render a anim with the 1O nodes in the evening ....

[ivaylo.ivanov]

Hm, @ seems like a valid symbol for file names. Or this is some kind of network limitation... In any case, if this symbol is a problem, I'll change it to something else.

[lepixel]

Hi,

In fact I found that everything is far greater than the Maya fluid system except for the cache, I 've tried to play a 4 hours simulation yesterday but the play button seems to reset if not used carrefully , so in place of playing ... Phoenix started to cache again . I think that it should create a new cache if only asked for and not because you stopped the simulation instead of pausing it, but it's probably an habit to get into ...

[ivaylo.ivanov]

The caching system in Phoenix is quite different than the one in Maya (and much easier...). You always create a cache. That's why you can always view the result, even while simulating. To play the animation, you need to start the Maya playback. If you stop the simulation, it can be continued with the restore button in the AE. But you need to have velocity channel. It's off by default to make the cache smaller. But you also have a backup feauture that will save the velocity channel for you automatically on some time interval. So you can restore the simulation from some previous frame (not the exact place you want), but you will not need to start all over again. Also, whatever happens, you will still have the old cache (if you didn't delete it explicitly)

[alainfx]

You always create a cache. That's why you can always view the result, even while simulating. To play the animation, you need to start the Maya playback.

What happens in the following case ?
An artist has played a simulation, he is happy with it, so he launches a render on the farm.
Immediately he resumes his work, improving his maya scene, playing the scene.
Will the cache be automatically changed on the shared disk, breaking the animation that is currently rendered ?

[ivaylo.ivanov]

If you mean by resuming his work - resimulate the scene with different settings - yes the cache will be overwritten. If you want to avoid this, just change the output cache name. Or save the scene under different name.

[ivaylo.ivanov]

It may be a good idea the files for the whole animation to be locked, so you can't destroy them by mistake.

[alainfx]

Thanks for your answer.

If you mean by resuming his work - resimulate the scene with different settings - yes the cache will be overwritten. If you want to avoid this, just change the output cache name. Or save the scene under different name.

I think it's too easy to break things (it's ok if there are only 2 people on the project, but with 20 people you never know who opens a scene and play with it).
Someone opens a scene, changes one setting, press play, it will break a cache somewhere.
Of course it's true for Phoenix settings, but is it also true for general settings ?
I mean, if someone (who doesn't even know there is Phoenix in the scene) changes the start frame or end frame, or the render resolution, or render quality, will it break the cache ?

It may be a good idea the files for the whole animation to be locked, so you can't destroy them by mistake.

Locked on the operating system level, as read only ?
I don't think artists are allowed to do that.

[lepixel]

Okay now that I can make our 180 cores screaming , I've been playing a little yesterday, and if you can tweak your sim. very fast in an accurate way (the overall controll is very impressive) I must say that, again, the only thing which is really anoying is the cache system, and yes it needs a more efficient control of the ability to cache (destroy the existing one) or not to cache (play from existing cache).

And maybe informations about cache like "the cache is done from frame x to frame y" I know that I can go and see the cache files to have this info but staying in Maya is probably more productive.


(Just a couple of questions to finish , I had no success with Phoenix Field , Maya crashes each time I try to play sim. is it implemented ?
And I can't make the grid adaptative when I use smoke even with high density and speed the grid doesn't grow ... )

[ivaylo.ivanov]

Like I said, PhoenixFD cache system is different form the Maya one. Fluid dynamics are NOT calculated during the normal playback. You can play the scene when you want and you will just read from the existing cache (like you have already created a cache file with Maya fluids). The issue may be with someone intensionaly resimulating the scene from the PhoenixFD shelf/AE, replacing the existing cache. Thats why if someone is batch rendering and want to continue to improve the simulation at same time, must take care not to overwrite the existing cache (i.e. change its name). This can be really an issue so we will think about it.

You are right about the cache information, it will be helpfull to have this in the UI. However currently you may just move the time slider and see for which frames you have cache.

Phoenix field was supposed to work, but may be broken, I will check it. About adaptive grid with smoke, it's working. But you must be carefull about your settings. The smoke value is between 0 and 1, so you must give a reasonable threshold.

[ivaylo.ivanov]

Yes, the field will be fixed for the next beta. However I think you can still use it, just make sure that the field do not interact with the simulator (this is what you should do in any case).

[alainfx]

Thanks for the clarification.
I mis-understood your previous statement :

You always create a cache. That's why you can always view the result, even while simulating. To play the animation, you need to start the Maya playback.

I thought you meant that a simple click on the play button from Maya's timeline would overwrite the cache.

[ivaylo.ivanov]

No, I meant, you don't have "on the fly" simulation like the Maya fluids.