Indirect Illumination

[BillyRaygun]

For scenes similar to this, what's the best combination of Indirect Illumination? After reading on Spot3D.com, I would select Brute Force and Irradiance Map.

It would be great to hear the forums thoughts. I rendered this image in another program so that's why I'm asking. In many cases, my views are from a distance like this. I would typically render at a small size like this, but from time to time, need much bigger, but that's rare.



Thank you in advance.

[BillyRaygun]

Correction. After continued reading, I may benefit from using Brute Force and Light Cache. Again, I'm just looking to hear what the professionals have to say.

[Micha_cg]

Hi Bill,

you could start with the starterkit from the forum tutorial section. There you will find some additional hints like enabling detail enhancement at the IM.

Also you could try a lower secondary engine multiplier. That makes, that the indirect light doesn't bounce so much and you get darker shadowed areas. It's not best photoreal, but some times helpful.

Per v1.5 a light additional ambient occlussion can help to get details better shown, to get a more graphical look. But 1.5 is a young product, so be careful with tight deadlines.

Ciao,
Micha

[renee81]

Hi Bill,

But 1.5 is a young product, so be careful with tight deadlines.

Ciao,
Micha

why do you say that Micha? Do you have problems with 1.5 ? May be I was lucky, but I have been seriously using it for a long time now,I was using it almost exclusively even when it was in beta,I have more than 60 projects now done in 1.5,just completed a huge project,for which I did over 30 renderings and animations too,1.5 never let me down.

Renee

[skysurfer]

The best solution, for me, is IRMap as primary and LightCache as secondary.
This way you get the best mix between speed and quality. (as said in spot3d)

If you have much more direct light than indirect, like in the example, you can have only IRMap, this speed up a bit.
BruteForce just add time and noise to the images.

Like Micha said Ambient Occlusion in V1.5 add great detail in the transition between surfaces.

[BillyRaygun]

Thanks for the feedback. The starter kit sounds like a good starting point.

@skysurfer - are you suggestion use only IRmap? No secondary GI?

[Micha_cg]

why do you say that Micha? Do you have problems with 1.5 ? May be I was lucky, but I have been seriously using it for a long time now,I was using it almost exclusively even when it was in beta,I have more than 60 projects now done in 1.5,just completed a huge project,for which I did over 30 renderings and animations too,1.5 never let me down.

Renee

Maybe I'm to anxiously. I'm working with 1.05 and from time to time I try 1.5 with this files. If I found a problem like sub-materials are mixed, env maps are not right shown or not all characters at path names are supported, than I jump back to my 1.05 setup. Maybe my problems are related to the 1.05->1.5 way and a fresh 1.5 setup works fine. I'm the type user that like to see no bug for some weeks and than he like to use it for big projects with tight deadlines only.

[renee81]

Maybe my problems are related to the 1.05->1.5 way and a fresh 1.5 setup works fine.

On that point you are right,for a me a project that was started in1.05 stays there,I have too much problem bringing it over to 1.5

Renee

[dkendig]

even with the latest update?

[renee81]

Yes Devin ,

May be it is me....but older drawings,always look a little be different when rendered in 1.5,sometimes the reflection is different,or the bump map is more apparent,there is always a little something,so it is easier for me to leave it there and do the rendering in 1.05.
But since the beginning of 2012 all my projects have been done exclusively in 1.5.
So hopefully changes an old projects will eventually vanish

[dkendig]

We tried to get scenes to upgrade as accurately as possible

[Micha_cg]

@renee81: My clients want to get images based on project data over years, so it's important to get the same result. Please, if you find a difference, try to report it.

Thanks,
Micha