Update 2 - We have arrived!!!

[ValeroStudio]

I have been a VR4SU user since the 1.x days. and let me say that we have finally arrived! Update 2 is amazing. This is the engine I always dreamed of in SketchUp. The performance updates are simply fantastic. Thanks to the Chaos team for all of their hard work - we all appreciate it!!!

[glennco]

+1, fantastic release, of course my RTX 2070 went up in smoke last weekend and is now in RMA limbo. Hopefully I'll get a replacement soon and be able to join the fun!!!
Glenn

[konstantin_chaos]

Thank you guys!

We are doing our best to constantly improve the software and there's nothing better than to receive such a possitive feedback.

Regards,
Konstantin

[glennco]

I finally received a replacement RTX2070, and started testing.

VRAY 4.20.01 build 131445 core 4.30.01

Sketchup 2020 20.0.373

Studio driver 442.19

VFB bucket mode

Cuda and RTX are running about the same amount of time, and some tests (current projects) RTX is slower (cuda 2m28s, RTX 2m36s).

Also, cuda uses about 100% of cpu 8700k, RTX uses between 10% and 30% of CPU.

CUDA is fine with a backplate png as seen through a window, RTX renders it white.

Both are leaving artifacts, tried increasing from medium to high, and increasing denoiser.

And finally, GOBO's are still not available for cuda/rtx as spotlights (they initially display correct, but then bucket render turns them into a white light on the wall).

This is significant for me, CPU 3m51s, vs cuda 53s (with incorrect gobo rendering).

Thank you,

Glenn

[glennco]

Additional testing in different Sketchup model. This one is an apartment interior, with marble floor, large windows, lots of crystal, gold accents, mirrors, Vray fur rugs, etc.

JPG backplates rendered fine in CUDA & RTX. So maybe last test post was due to PNG vs JPG?

Cuda 1m10s

RTX 1m16s

The prior post was SketchUp model with lots of color mood (sphere) lights, glass and metal, relatively simple interior.

I'll test more as time permits & post results.

I'm not sure if this is normal (CUDA faster than RTX) or if I have issues on my end?

Thank you,

Glenn

[konstantin_chaos]

Hi glennco,

Cuda and RTX are running about the same amount of time, and some tests (current projects) RTX is slower (cuda 2m28s, RTX 2m36s).
Also, cuda uses about 100% of cpu 8700k, RTX uses between 10% and 30% of CPU.

If you want to properly test the RTX performance you should remove your CPU from the devices list.
Use the three dots menu on the right of the engine selector to do so.
At this stage the RTX engine can not use the CPU for raytracing which is in fact causing the discrepancy.

CUDA is fine with a backplate png as seen through a window, RTX renders it white.

This sounds strange - the CUDA and RTX engines have the same exact feature support and should produce identical results.
Can you share a scene that we can test with?
Steps to reproduce the issue also work.

And finally, GOBO's are still not available for cuda/rtx as spotlights (they initially display correct, but then bucket render turns them into a white light on the wall).

Textured spot lights are not supported on any of the GPU engine modes.
This is a known limitation and the GPU team are aware of it.
The reason why you see the textured light at first is Light Cache (used as secondary GI engine in your case) is calculated on the CPU.
The GPU kicks in right after the LC is calculated.

I hope that clarifies thing to some extent.

Regards,
Konstantin

[glennco]

Thanks for the update, I'll try to get that scene over to you this week.

Glenn

[glennco]

Konstantin,

I sent you a PM on 3/20/20.

That appears to have been lost.

Can you PM me so I can send a 7zip 12mb file (SketchUp & reference renderings) for the backplate issue?

Thanks,

Glenn

[konstantin_chaos]

I saw the message and answered.
Excuse me for the delay!

[konstantin_chaos]

Hi glennco,

I tested the scene you shared and here's what I found:

- The missing backplate on RTX looks like I bug that I'll report.
As a temporary workaround you can just Explode the backplate group and then group it again.
For a reason unknown (to me anyways) this resolves the issue.

- The artifacts in the window reflections are caused by a combination of 2 things.
First of all the GPU does sampling calculations differently and unlike the CPU needs quite a lot more samples to clean some secondary effects (like reflections of reflections).
Our current quality presets were tailored to work good on the CPU but are sort of limiting the GPU too much in some situations.
The good news is that we've recently released a new stable nightly build in which the quality presets are updated and now work much better onGPU (CUDA and RTX).
Here's a link to the build:
https://nightlies.chaosgroup.com/mai...table/20200422
Please, give it a try and let me know what you think.
In my test the new presets work much better for your scene.

Regards,
Konstantin

[glennco]

Konstantin,

Thanks for the feedback.

For the stable nightly build, if I install will that overwrite current VRAY?

Or does it run separately, side-by-side with current version?

I only have one computer, I'm interested in testing for Chaos, but not if it interferes with my $$$ workflow

Regards,

Glenn

[konstantin_chaos]

Konstantin,
For the stable nightly build, if I install will that overwrite current VRAY?
I only have one computer, I'm interested in testing for Chaos, but not if it interferes with my $$$ workflow

It'll override the previous installation.
If on the other hand this old version is 'update 2' then it's not gonna change much and is pretty safe.