Nxt - Opinions so far :)

[Sampdoria]

Hello team

 

Wanted to first of all thank everyone for responding quickly to my queries especially Roy and Peter.

 

I started out working on Exteriors on an experimental basis with Ar3 in my other hand for finallized work but I had not expected to generate final work from Nxt so soon, and I have!

 

I must admit I like a lot of new things in Nxt

- The loading model situation is gone! Now the model is there on demand

- I must admit the non-stop render engine seems bizarre but its actually really good!

- I love the save Tif with Alpha option

- I like the environmental settings and options

- The Material Editor is tricky and it will take some work to get the imported AR3 materials to run smoothly but seems positive

 

Some tricky things which will take some getting used

- Setting a Cam in CAD and using that in Nxt was tricky but it a quick learn

- Moving around  with invisible arrows (mouse pointer) is tricky in Walkabout but I think I got the hang of it

- The Plants editor is really tricky and Im still trying to figure out how to resize the plants.

 

Attached is a raw render image.

 

Cheers

[Ros. Riha]

very good for the first raw rendering:-)

[Peter Milner]

That's an excellent starting point.

Maybe just let it run for a few more passes to smooth out the shadowed areas.

[George Ioannidis]

Very good start Kamal. For exterior renderings (yes, 99.99% of my rendering work are exteriors :) ) I use path tracer rather than the other one (default). I actually like its granulated "photographic" look.

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

Nice work. I agree with George.  I'd love to see this one with the Path Tracer.  (It may take quite a while to resolve the interior spaces but it should add some nice detail to the rendering such as better lighting under the roof overhang.)  Turning on caustics for the pool surface, in conjunction with the Path Tracer, may add some nice effects. 

 

Try it if you have the time and patience.

[Sampdoria]

tx all,  also for the tips. Sure, I will try what you guys recommend.

 

[Sampdoria]

Hi guys

 

Here is a Re-Render with Pathtracer on and Caustics turned on for the Pool.

 

I let it run during the weekend and it notched up 11200 passes. Definately more clarity and ambiance. I believe Roy, via caustics, you were expecting reflection of the water onto the canopy above? Maybe because the sun is coming from behind the house, it didnt reflect it on the ceiling. I will try another sun angle. So far I'm enjoying Exterior Renders which seem to be much easier and realistic to render so far. I am not using the lush green lawns like most users on Nxt because this is  desert country! :)

 

[George Ioannidis]

I think there is really no compare point between the two images isn't it? :)

[Roy Hirshkowitz]

You ended up with some beautiful caustics on the concrete floor of the swimming pool-- those nice bright patterns.

[Peter Milner]

Much better.

I find that reflective materials need to be toned down under path tracer.

[Ros. Riha]

exactly - the glass on pathtracer looks too dark

To Sampdoria: on packetTracer version, did you turn the "Indirect" switch on?

Generally speaking of the overall appeal of the image I like the packettracer version more than the pathtracer one - pathtracer looks generally overlit, there is less smooth transitions from light to dark and also the bottom side of the roof overhang looks very very overlit... 

Surprisingly to me, there are completely different shadows on the surface of the swimming pool - as sun direction seems to be the same, why is it so? I would not expect that much of a difference... the same goes to patches of the light on the floor of the central volume - packettracer does not show them at all while pathtracer does...

[Sampdoria]

Hi Ros, thanks for the inputs. I am not sure if I remember if the Indirect was on. Also, Im sure, I must have moved the sun around a bit  since I was experimenting with the shade/shadow aspect of the model.

 

You are right, the original render engine has some pros as well.

 

Peter, when you say 'toned down' - how so technically speaking, reduced refelctivity etc?

[Ros. Riha]

comparing both images, shadows (the volume on the left) look the same - but that does not explain why do we see two shadows over the swimming pool on the first image and one on the second... and it also does not explain why do we see bright areas on the floor of the central volume on the second image only...