How do I get (animation) render times down?

[Michael J. Brown]

I know this question evokes a broad array of answers - simply because there are so many ways to skin the proverbial V-Ray cat. And also because different scenes and compositions call for different render settigns to optimize render time.

 

With that said though, I'd still like to get a hold of some good starting points (settings) using V-Ray 1.5 to optimize render times on animation frames.

 

I was really dissapointed when on the last animation I produced I had to revert back to Mental Ray simply because the frames took only about 1/3 of the time they did in V-Ray. I'm sure more setting could have been optimized in VR, but I was too new to the software and had too little of a window to go experimenting. Even though I've used MR exclusively for the last 6 or so years, I find it easier to generate my desired results in VR. I just wish I could get render times down (on a 32bit system, btw).

 

Can anyone help - perhaps with links to a site with some good starting-point animation settings?

 

Thanks a bunch.

[Thablanch]

For sure Vray should be faster than Mental ray.

 

If you are doing an animation without moving objects, the tutorial in the help file should cover everything.

 

If you have moving object; this thread should be really usefull

 

http://www.chaosgroup.com/forums/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=42860

[Koper]

I think you will find the visualization insider very handy, especially week 25, the one about vray proxies. although Brian talks about proxies, he also explains merory usage, which if you get it right you can almost half you render times.

 

And hey, its a video tutorial. One of the best tuts I have followed

 

http://www.cgarchitect.com/upclose/VI/default.asp

[manta]

Well just a couple things...

 

Are you using saved maps ?

 

Are you using vray materials only, and did you create them...I've noticed some pre-made materials with outrageously high subdiv. which will cause very long render times...

 

How does the scene render at default settings, compared to MR, is MR still 3 times faster ?

 

Is the an indoor animation or outdoor ?

 

Are you using any opacity maps ?

[Michael J. Brown]

Well just a couple things...

 

Are you using saved maps ?

 

Nope.

 

Are you using vray materials only, and did you create them...I've noticed some pre-made materials with outrageously high subdiv. which will cause very long render times...

 

Typically about 95% of my materials are VR - I've since done an audit and conformed everything in my scenes to VR mats. No premades. All my materials are from scratch. I used to have medium-large subdivision settings on some mats (around 48). But that was to clean up noise that would develop from having glosiness set below about .95

 

How does the scene render at default settings, compared to MR, is MR still 3 times faster ?...

 

Haven't tried rendering with default VR settings

 

Is the an indoor animation or outdoor ?

 

Indoor with light from outside

 

Are you using any opacity maps ?

 

No.