Adv Render fails to reach 500? Why?

[Doug.S]

See attached .bld file

Yesterday for q=3 it would render 500/500 then do raytrace render just fine

Now, after having added some more to the model it always stops at around 160 or 170 /500  ....an INCOMPLETE radiosity solution
....then does raytrace render OK. Just doing basic render is OK.

I did a file/repair and still same render failure. 

I am so FRUSTRATED with advanced renders....sometimes just great and do very little and it turns to crap for no known reason.

Any HELP out there...or at least guidance?  And are you all getting the same issues?

Doug.S

[Doug.S]

As I make progress etc.   I provide follow-up so others may learn or provide other ideas.

Also see this same forum thread because its a similar issue:
http://forum.turbofloorplan.com/index.php/topic,63.msg810.html#msg810

I tried changing and removing things but got now where. Since a "solution" for a similar problem (I had a glowing shower stall, and see link above)) was to render at higher "q" I tried at q=4  and render was 1000/1000 but of course took much longer

But compared to q=3 (even tho render stops at 165/500), the result was pretty good compared to the q=4 render.....as was pointed out by Allan in his testing.

And I tried q=2 but the results were too poor.

See images for comparison below.

CONCLUSION:  there is a bug either in the rendering or how/when render solution reports the progress as xxx/yyy where xxx is incorrect, or finishing the render further (below convergence of about .25) does not matter much....Either way it ain't right!

BUT: The "work around" is to ignore the numbers of xxx/yyy and look at the image....and try a higher Q if desired.

[Allan Chesney]

Doug,

I have not had a problem with the radiosity not completing - it always goes to 2 short of the full number for that quality setting (3 - 498/500, 4 - 998/1000 and 5 - 1498/1500).  Your file however at Q3 only went to 168/500 - it took 28 seconds.  I tried it at Q5 - it completed also and the difference in the two is neglible really unless you study it hard.  I suspect the non-completion is really making little difference.

Incidentally I tried it with the sun disabled and it turned all the interior lights off.

Allan

[Doug.S]

I forgot to mention...I'm doing only inside views so I have the sun off all the time.....otherwise takes much longer and outdoors too bright and I'm not looking for sun thru the window at this point.

So we get the same results at q3...incomplete...either radiosity does not complete or it is reporting it wrong.

I don't think its an object or materials problem....otherwise it would not render fully at q4 and q5

I hope the programmers try the file and see what they get....reproduce the problem and then fix it.

[Allan Chesney]

Doug,

I miss-typed something in my previous post - I said I tried a render with the sun "disabled" - I meant "enabled".  You had it disabled as you said, I enabled it to see if it made any difference (apart from time) and it did - no lights at all except through the window!

Allan

[Doug.S]

I've resigned myself to render @ q=4 and plan for the extra render time as it completes the renders well...interior lights, no sun.

I see you have suggested using anti-alias of 4.  I have not tried anything other than 1 as there are so many variables already.  Does it render much better/sharper and does it take a lot longer?

I usually render at 1024x768....for final, and the default 400x300 current view for trials....How about you?

I'm also now using an "invisible" light in the room to get better overall lighting and turn all physically seen light fixtures "off" or using them with the light point moved as needed....but with no sun they are all way too bright unless set to low watts and scale = 1 to 20.

Perhaps I need to use sun on and start all over with light wattage settings....or do you have same problem with interior lights with sun on in your designs? In other words have you determined that its better to have the sun on for all renders, even for interior shots? 

At least I can make the sun not shine thru the window if not desired/needed, even if the sun is "on".

[Allan Chesney]

Doug,

Sorry about the delay in getting back to you.  A major project coming up on our website next Wednesday so I have been flat out at work and home as well.

Anti-alias 4 just happened to be the setting that time - to be honest I have not experimented with it as such, just happend to set it that way that time but did not notice any difference.

I have adopted as 'sun always on' approach and set all the lights to miniscule wattage to compensate.  A bit of a pain but once set it is managable.

Generally I do everthing at 640x480 until a final at 1024x768.  Can't set anything larger.

So far mine always finsh completely on the laptop.  The desktop will not render using Advanced at all. (I must raise this again as no replies last time)

Allan