1 minute per frame animation??

[Tamir]

This suggestion might not help you with your current deadline – many good suggestion where given already (like shaving weight of a racing machine; an ounce shaved here and there, accumulates into pounds at the end), but in thought of the future; perhaps the following worth considering. Let me just add – for ethical reasons - that I’m biased in my views, due to my professional position.

 

The use of central processor units (CPUs) for rendering calculations has long reached a point where brut force is practically the only way to go – unless the alternative is taken and visual quality is reduced in direct relation to render time. This causes the situation - which is all too familiar to most of us - where more often then not, we don’t actualize the theoretical visual potential of most known rendering software – unless of course we have access to ultra high-end multi processor environments.

 

But a different way is possible. There are visual workflows capable of delivering say… a second a frame – give or take a few, and they are available on your workstation desktop. In order to adopt this kind of workflow, you must find a way to harness the power of your graphics processor unit (GPU).

 

By comparison to CPUs, GPUs are far more powerful - they are purpose built to handle vast amounts of 3D data in real-time. Modern GPUs have hundreds of cores working in parallel, and the programmability afforded by modern graphics cards supports an incredible array of shader pipelines. This translates to ever more realistic visuals, calculated at a fraction of the time it takes a CPU to complete.

 

Furthermore, the rapid development in GPU architecture is not only geared towards achieving greater computing power, it is also geared towards adding more and more programmability to the architecture. This translates into ever more types of calculations being offloaded into the GPU – and you may note that more and more types of heavy duty computations (molecular dynamics, DNA mapping, etc), are increasingly done by GPUs through the setup known as a “desktop super computer”.

 

So what this all amounts to? The way we approach visualization will change, and GPUs will be a big part of it. It’s been too long for the pains associated with rendering to go unnoticed. There are tools out there that will change the way we express ourselves as artists. Some are on the drawing board, and some came a long way already. They are all getting better and better as time goes by, and many are already being used in production to a considerable capacity. If you are interested in what GPUs can do for you, all you need to do is look out there.

[amer abidi]

interesting outlook there

[Tommy L]

Indeed, but Im afraid that most working artists are followers rather than leaders when it comes to new technology like this. New techniques maybe, but new hardware experiments? deadlines are deadlines..... it has to just work.

[Tamir]

Indeed, but I'm afraid that most working artists are followers rather than leaders when it comes to new technology like this. New techniques maybe, but new hardware experiments? deadlines are deadlines..... it has to just work.

 

Yes, it is true, in the crunch is hard to consider new technology, we mostly prefer the old and familiar when times are tough. But the idea of this post was to spark interest in a brighter future - the most common thing about deadlines is; they're always too soon :-)

 

In terms of experimentation: there is no need to go for exotic game engines which require special code input and such. There are applications out there that only need a decent video card to run, and a direct X environment (available in any PC).

 

Like you said; deadlines are deadlines. The idea is to achieve the best possible results without endangering the production schedule.

Edited April 28, 2009 by Tamir

[Mario Pende]

Try it with Maxwellrender :-)

[+421media]

Dont try it with maxwell render you'd need a hundred times more computers to get it done on time

 

its past tuesday, hope you managed to get it done on time. can we see the result ? maybe its too late to adivise now, but i saw some overbright areas in your preview image. Such bright light in the scene can also cause slower rendertimes as vray has to calculate with much more light bouncing in the scene.

 

if you still struggle with low renderpower let me know maybe i can free up our renderfarm and help out if you send a few fish&chips over as well