Part 3A: Selecting the right resolution / version for your projects - Low Rez is KING!

Designing the LDP was a challenge. Optimizing it was even more of a challenge. The original version had almost 200 lights in total - making some pretty amazing renders - at the cost of speed. As people are different, and have different needs and systems - the LDP was optimized in order to work for most people.

The final version renders at 45-50% of the original render time, but keeps 85% of the original quality. Still, rendering time is a huge issue for many artists. Some can leave their computer overnight - some want results NOW. This tutorial is what you need to understand the difference of all the LDP resolutions and versions.

Understanding the strong sides / weak sides of all versions, will save you a lot of rendering time.

You can achieve some AMAZING results just using the Draft mode. And at the same time you can get very dissapointed when using the High EX version, without any remarcable difference.

So, let´s start off by taking a look at a simple render. Here you can see a BMW model on a flat texture-less plane. Untextured surfaces will often look less good when used with the LDP - and you will most likely see "shadow edges". This is less unlikely to happen with the High EX version, but still - textured surfaces have the nice habbit of eating up rough shadows... The more pattern a texture has - the better it will hide any shadow edges.

Mid Day Preset, Draft Mode - no adjustments.

So, what can we learn from this render? The sky shadow underneath the car looks great! The sky shadow around the car, particualy seen in the front of the car (left side of the image) - look a bit rough though.

But this would propably not be seen on a textured surface.

The sharp sun shadow looks ok, and other than that we can´t say it´s good or bad until we see the other versions.

Mid Day Preset, Low Rez - no adjustments.

Moving up to Low Rez, we imediately see a difference in the sky shadows around the car. They look much more soft and we hardy can´t see any edges.

The Sun Light, will look just as good whenever you use Low / Draft. It´s no difference at all.

So, the only difference in Draft / Low - is that Low has a more smooth Sky Light Shadows.

Low will render at approximately 4-5 times longer render time compared to Draft.

Mid Day Preset, Low Rez EX - no adjustments.

Time to spice it up!

Or?

When switching to the Low EX, from Low, you will add to the rendering time. But is it worth it?

When does the EX version excel?

Compare the Low and Low EX renders. Can you spot the difference? Well, if you get a maginfiying glass, and study this at 800% zoom - you might!

The ONLY effect of the EX versions, besides longer rendering time - is the enhanced sun shadows. But the advantage of that can´t be seen, unless you have some distance between the object that creates the shadow - and the shadow itself.

More on this later, as we try renders where the EX will amaze you.

Mid Day Preset, Medium Rez - no adjustments.

Medium. Sounds better than Low - doesn´t it?

The first thing that strikes us, is the slight different intensity of the Sky Light. This is due to a larger no of lights, that hit your scene from different angles than the Low rez.

If you carefuly obeserve the Sun Shadowed area on the ground, besides the side of the car - you notice it´s somewhat smoother Sky Light than the Low rez.

Again, this might come in handy as we put the LDP to the test in more advanced scenes - but here?

I´d say no. Save your rendering time...

Mid Day Preset, Medium Rez EX - no adjustments.

As with the Low EX, the Medium EX ONLY adds more advanced Sun Shadows. And we still can´t see any remarcable difference here.

Which means, Low Rez is still our best choice for this render.

Let´s try the heavy version - and see if that changes!

Mid Day Preset, High Rez - no adjustments.

So, here we are with the High Rez - ready to amaze the world... And what?

Nothing happends...

A slightly more intense apparence of the Sky Light.

Again, looking at the shadowed area besides the side of the car, it looks even more smooth then Medium Rez. But with textures, this won´t be seen - and hardyly anybody will be left happy with the longer rendering times - compared to the modest quality ehancements.

Let´s switch to the best version possible, shall we?

Mid Day Preset, High Rez EX - no adjustments.

Wow - are we rocking the world yet? No..?

So, the conclusion with this small test - is that the Low Rez looks almost as good as the mighty High Rez EX - for this particular render. Even the Draft looks ok, and with a textured ground - hardly nobody would spot the difference.

Would this save you some rendering time?

You bet!

High Rez EX can take as much as 8 times longer to render than the Low Rez. Not to mention the Draft!

So, keep this in mind: Similar renders to this example will work great with Low Rez. Use the EX only when you need enhanced Sun Shadows - that will ONLY show when you have some distance between the object that cast the shadow and the shadow itself.

More on selecting the right resolution / version coming soon - as we put the LDP for some challenges and difficult situations.