Sample video using "performance mode", and my wish list

Raylectron (https://Raylectron.com) is a 3D rendering engine for Trimble Sketchup (https://sketchup.com)
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yawningdog
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Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:55 am

Sample video using "performance mode", and my wish list

Post by yawningdog »

I've got some feedback regarding the greatness of Raylectron. Here's a simple video that I have just created for a meeting (and some rendered images). Model created in Turbocad, exported to Sketchup for landscaping & rendering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CINKIuyG5g

On my system, it would take way too long to render an animation with the normal quality. Judging by my experiments, a video without fuzzy graininess would require at least 12 samples. For a high def video, that could take hours, or worse.

So I have accepted that the "performance mode" quality is the best that I can achieve. But since the last Raylectron update, this has become really viable. The animation tool has gone from a pie-in-the-sky feature to something that's really useful. Ok, the quality's not perfect, but it is definitely presentable in meetings.

On this basis, I will continue to use performance mode but ask that the Raylectron people could think about my wish list...

1) Sequences - A tool that allows you to create independent sequences that consist of different scenes. At the moment, you can only create one sequence by using scenes. So if I create a tracking shot of the front of a building, I then have to delete the scenes to create a new animation at the rear of the building. If I want to redo the 1st tracking shot, I can't, because I just deleted it.

2) Editable Sequences - The ability to insert scenes within an existing sequence. The ability to change the duration between each scene (rather than the whole sequence) and the camera movement style in and out of each scene.

3) Editable Scenes - The ability to edit the lighting and other elements from one scene to the next. In my video example above, I had to create 4 x separate animations in order to reposition the sun to a new orientation. I then had to fade 5 x times between the different animations in my video editor. For instance, you could create a cool time of day animation of a building, where a single slow tracking shot towards a building could show the shadows changing from morning to evening. A great way of presenting how a building would change during the day. You could do this also for fog, interior lights, focus pull with depth of field? Can this be keyframe'able.

4) I've discussed this before, but the we need the ability for 2d objects to continuously look towards the camera. This is another reason why I had to shoot 4 x separate animations.

5) Slightly related to point 4, I have tried to place 3D instances into an animation, but they don't show up during performance mode. It would be great if this was possible, that would ease the problem of point 4.

6) For me, I am happy to trade off full quality for performance mode because the speed advantages are so great. I am not a computer expert, so I don't really know what OPEN GL really means. But if it is possible to continue to develop performance mode, and enhance its quality without affecting speed, then I would be absolutely overjoyed.

Well done for creating something so useful
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Support
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Re: Sample video using "performance mode", and my wish list

Post by Support »

Thanks for posting a video (very nice design, well done) and the suggestions.

1,2,3) Yes, we will do this, good idea.

4,5) We could do this but we strongly discourage the use of 2D objects. We are working on making the instances work in performance mode as well, will that be good for you or do you absolutely need 2D object?

6) We will improve the quality of the performance mode as we find ways to do it without slowing anything down. OpenGL is part of the video card driver that allow a software to interact with the video card for fast drawing, but there is a lot of limitations and tricks or hacks needs to be implemented when doing things like reflections. Have you tried the GPU version (if you have a really good video card such as the GTX-690)? it's very fast for outdoor scenes (no instancing either just yet) almost as fast as performance mode but fully rendered.
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
yawningdog
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Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 4:55 am

Re: Sample video using "performance mode", and my wish list

Post by yawningdog »

When instances are available in performance mode, then I can ditch the 2d objects. Need to upgrade hardware at some stage.
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Re: Sample video using "performance mode", and my wish list

Post by Support »

Perfect, that will make it much easier for use not to use the 2D stuff.
Your support team.
https://SoftByteLabs.com
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