Lightcache number of bounces

[sv]

Is there a defined number of bounces that happen when calculating the lighcache? How does vray define when to terminate a ray bouncing around in this super awesome mode?

Haven't posted here in ages but hoping to get some ammo for a presentation at work...
Cheers!

[vlado]

Is there a defined number of bounces that happen when calculating the lighcache?

No.

How does vray define when to terminate a ray bouncing around in this super awesome mode?

V-Ray uses Russian roulette to determine when to stop tracing a path.

Best regards,
Vlado

[sv]

Thanks for the reply.

I guess I'm after an answer to 'how many bounces' does the light cache calculate when it's ran?
The reason I want to know this is because I'm comparing this to another renderer where you specify the number of secondary bounces you wish to run. In other renderers this number will likely not be higher that 3 or so due to the time it takes to ray trace that.
I'm trying to avoid saying "it's an infinite amount" because obviously it's terminated at some point, but is it actually correct to say vray's lighcache calculates effectively an infinite number of secondary bounces?

[super gnu]

i believed it keeps going until the light contribution of the ray is below a perceptible amount, or something like that.


i also read somewhere it does 100 bounces.

however as vlado states it uses russian roulette, i am obviously wrong.


if you want a classical bounce value for the secondary bounces, set it to brute force. then it defaults to 3 bounces.

[vlado]

is it actually correct to say vray's lighcache calculates effectively an infinite number of secondary bounces?

Yes, this is correct; in that respect the light cache is similar to radiosity solutions.

Best regards,
Vlado