[Software] Bluerender, a rendering engine for LDD

[Flipz]

Any word on the next release coming out? I'd really love to have the updated part materials in by default.

[___]

Any word on the next release coming out? I'd really love to have the updated part materials in by default.

I 'm a bit afraid you won't get it from him as a direct default materials as he complains my mateials added some additional minutes to the rendering time (which I find quite ridiculous cos it is still far far less than comparable result in POVRay, like 5 or 7 minutes instead of 2 minutes where in POVRay it would take many hours, but once again he is the boss here), sorry.

Actually I know he was/is trying to make new shader(s) that would do what my approach did, fingers crossed.

Edited September 4, 2015 by bublible

[msx80]

Any word on the next release coming out? I'd really love to have the updated part materials in by default.

I'm still trying to tweak them.. the solution of bublible looks great but some of the materials use a tecnique which slows the rendering down considerably. I'm looking for some alternative setup for those materials.

[___]

I'm still trying to tweak them.. the solution of bublible looks great but some of the materials use a tecnique which slows the rendering down considerably. I'm looking for some alternative setup for those materials.

Just to make things even detailed and more understandable what we are talking about:

This huge render of 1920x1080 pixels took cca. 1 hour to render with my materials, without them it was like 25 minutes (link to the MOC here for those interested: http://www.eurobrick...howtopic=113100).

Edited September 4, 2015 by bublible

[msx80]

and that's unacceptable.

Also considering that the portion of the image representing "special materials" is minuscule, it's even more unacceptable. A moc made mainly of those materials rendered close up would take forever.

[___]

and that's unacceptable.

Also considering that the portion of the image representing "special materials" is minuscule, it's even more unacceptable. A moc made mainly of those materials rendered close up would take forever.

Oh, Nicola, c'mon now - would take forever? That is not true at all (you most probably did not tried it yourself where I am working with it constantly even with really big MOCs so I can tell from the first hand how it is): it would take longer, right, like 3x or 4x longer but definitely not "forever", if such a huge one like this took only 1 hour compared to 25 minutes + ppl want those materials as default + the only other real alternative (POVRay) would really take WEEKS TO RENDER, in such case I find it unbelievable saying it is unacceptable.

Anyway as I said above you as the main developer has the final word so do as you wish - at least I will provide my materials to those who are interested if they ask me for it, if no one asks I will just leave it to myself being happy having quite good looking materials.

P.S>: most of the materials on this particular MOC are those my "special" materials, so you are wrong once again in your assumption here...

Edited September 4, 2015 by bublible

[Calabar]

What about add something like a radio button menu for different material profile?

Default profile will use the standard materials, while bublible profile will be accessible as an option (adding a warning about rendering time).

This solution could satisfy all the tastes and could allow to add more and customized profiles in the future (including the one on which msx80 is working).

[___]

What about add something like a radio button menu for different material profile?

Default profile will use the standard materials, while bublible profile will be accessible as an option (adding a warning about rendering time).

This solution could satisfy all the tastes and could allow to add more and customized profiles in the future (including the one on which msx80 is working).

Yes, I can agree with that.

Actually I am doing something similar all the time: in my .sc I have separate line pointing to my materials.sc therefore I can have different materials for every render - if I want - with ease.

Edited September 4, 2015 by bublible

[Flipz]

I'm having a little trouble with spherical lights.

Basically, I want to put the lights inside the flame pieces so that the torches appear to be the light sources for the scene; however, no matter what settings I tweak, I always get this unsightly white circle, which is fantastic for helping me put the light where I want it, but not so great for an actual finished image:

Juvenile Miirym v4.lxf by Poochythegenius, on Flickr

Can someone please help me figure out how to turn that white circle on and off? (I've already tried reducing the light radius and then increasing the radiance to compensate, but no matter how high I push the radiance it doesn't illuminate the scene properly.)

[___]

I'm having a little trouble with spherical lights.

Basically, I want to put the lights inside the flame pieces so that the torches appear to be the light sources for the scene; however, no matter what settings I tweak, I always get this unsightly white circle, which is fantastic for helping me put the light where I want it, but not so great for an actual finished image:

Juvenile Miirym v4.lxf by Poochythegenius, on Flickr

Can someone please help me figure out how to turn that white circle on and off? (I've already tried reducing the light radius and then increasing the radiance to compensate, but no matter how high I push the radiance it doesn't illuminate the scene properly.)

Sorry, you can not turn off that ball representation of the Spherical light at the moment, BUT I would suggesting you to change the type of the light to POINT that is the closest one to your desired effect, it's syntax would be like:

light
{
   type point
   color 1 1 1
   power 3000
   p 0 10 0
}

...or if you want it to be placed at some specific brick position (actually not aure if msx80 did already implemented this my improvement yet):

light
{
   type point
   color 1 1 1
   power 3000
   transform
   {
       translate 0 0 0 //<--- fine tune the position as you like
       lddbrick <BRICK.MATRIX.VALUE.FROM.LXF>
   }
}

Edited September 5, 2015 by bublible

[Flipz]

What is this "brick matrix value"? Thus far I've been using the brick position you can find by viewing the LXFML file in Notepad+, does this brick matrix value let me refer to the brick directly? Where is this value within the LXFML file, and is it affected by having multiple copies of the same piece in the model?

[___]

What is this "brick matrix value"? Thus far I've been using the brick position you can find by viewing the LXFML file in Notepad+, does this brick matrix value let me refer to the brick directly? Where is this value within the LXFML file, and is it affected by having multiple copies of the same piece in the model?

Yes, the brick matrix value is the one you are referring to + yes, it refers directly to a specific brick.

How can you normally have multiple copies of the same piece in the model made in LDD? That is not possible, BUT you can have as many lights at the exactly same spot as you like.

Edited September 5, 2015 by bublible

[Flipz]

Yes, the brick matrix value is the one you are referring to + yes, it refers directly to a specific brick.

How can you normally have multiple copies of the same piece in the model made in LDD? That is not possible, BUT you can have as many lights at the exactly same spot as you like.

Well, I mean, there are four of the flame pieces in translucent orange...unless the brick matrix value refers to a specific instance of a given brick, rather than all bricks of a given shape? Where in the LXFML can the brick matrix value be found? (Thus far I've been searching by material type and then using trial and error to see if I've found the brick I'm looking for.) (Sorry if I'm seeming dense, I'm still not 100% familiar with everything in the LXF and LXFML files. )

[___]

Well, I mean, there are four of the flame pieces in translucent orange...unless the brick matrix value refers to a specific instance of a given brick, rather than all bricks of a given shape? Where in the LXFML can the brick matrix value be found? (Thus far I've been searching by material type and then using trial and error to see if I've found the brick I'm looking for.) (Sorry if I'm seeming dense, I'm still not 100% familiar with everything in the LXF and LXFML files. )

Well, I just checked it now (as I was not sure of) and that transform{} for lights is not yet implemented in the latest official BR release (v0.004), sorry - you have to wait for the new release.

[Flipz]

Well, I just checked it now (as I was not sure of) and that transform{} for lights is not yet implemented in the latest official BR release (v0.004), sorry - you have to wait for the new release.

Ahh, that's unfortunate. Well, for now I can hopefully get the point lighting to work, so there's that.

Out of curiosity, have you had a chance to experiment with how translucent pieces interact with lights and shadows? I know I had a lot of fun with colored shadows in LDD2POV-Ray, I'd love to be able to play with it some more in Bluerender.

[___]

Ahh, that's unfortunate. Well, for now I can hopefully get the point lighting to work, so there's that.

Out of curiosity, have you had a chance to experiment with how translucent pieces interact with lights and shadows? I know I had a lot of fun with colored shadows in LDD2POV-Ray, I'd love to be able to play with it some more in Bluerender.

Hmm, I do not know - I think I never tried that but it sounds quite interesting.

Edited September 6, 2015 by bublible

[Flipz]

ColoredLightingTest.lxf by Poochythegenius, on Flickr

Apparently, Bluerender does not currently support translucent pieces coloring light. Understandable (since it is definitely a computational strain compared to treating all pieces as solid for the purpose of lighting/shadows), but unfortunate, since it prevents me from making wonderful renders like these:

Alchemist_SecretDoor_s5_real by Poochythegenius, on Flickr

Is this functionality planned for future versions of Bluerender, or will I be waiting a while for this feature?

Edited September 8, 2015 by Flipz

[msx80]

There's actually a "mesh light" function in sunflow where you can define any mesh as a light, but i don't think it would work as good as in your example render. I'll add to the TODO list, but i'm afraid you'll have to wait a little :)

[___]

ColoredLightingTest.lxf by Poochythegenius, on Flickr

Apparently, Bluerender does not currently support translucent pieces coloring light. Understandable (since it is definitely a computational strain compared to treating all pieces as solid for the purpose of lighting/shadows), but unfortunate, since it prevents me from making wonderful renders like these:

Alchemist_SecretDoor_s5_real by Poochythegenius, on Flickr

Is this functionality planned for future versions of Bluerender, or will I be waiting a while for this feature?

I know it is not exactly what you want but if you make your light color equal to color of you trans part it could partly simulate that effect but of course only if you have one trans color there.

There's actually a "mesh light" function in sunflow where you can define any mesh as a light, but i don't think it would work as good as in your example render. I'll add to the TODO list, but i'm afraid you'll have to wait a little :)

I think that would not do exactly what he want + there is no actual way how to use LDD brick as a mash for the light...until you release BR version supporting .obj bricks I guess.

[Flipz]

I know it is not exactly what you want but if you make your light color equal to color of you trans part it could partly simulate that effect but of course only if you have one trans color there.

Partly, but the big issue for me is translucent bricks casting solid black shadows when they shouldn't and thus creating ugly lines/making parts of the model poorly lit when they shouldn't be; even just having a check box or config option to turn shadows on and off for parts of a given color would be a huge help.

[___]

Partly, but the big issue for me is translucent bricks casting solid black shadows when they shouldn't and thus creating ugly lines/making parts of the model poorly lit when they shouldn't be; even just having a check box or config option to turn shadows on and off for parts of a given color would be a huge help.

Then I have probably good news for you: as I was playing in the past with noShadow issue I came across ability changing shadow color to anything I want so I may do that sometime later if I find myself a time for that.

Edited September 8, 2015 by bublible

[anothergol]

any ETA for a new version? Would love to try a rotation animation.

[___]

Partly, but the big issue for me is translucent bricks casting solid black shadows when they shouldn't and thus creating ugly lines/making parts of the model poorly lit when they shouldn't be; even just having a check box or config option to turn shadows on and off for parts of a given color would be a huge help.

Then I have probably good news for you: as I was playing in the past with noShadow issue I came across ability changing shadow color to anything I want so I may do that sometime later if I find myself a time for that.

So, as of now I have working initial version - casted shadows by glasses having their color set by the color of the trans part...but I have made some changes before that removes any shadow that is intersected by some other shadow and I simply do not remember where and what I have changed then, gee!

That said: I have working version of it here, just need to find out where I made that shadow removing stuff before to switch it of.

Edited September 8, 2015 by bublible

[___]

Here I am presenting for you my new achievement(somewhat on @Flipz request): BlueRender's "transparent object shadow"

* in BR there is one problem: shadows are not layered one upon another and blended making nice color blends in case shadows have different colors - they are strictly drawn as exact shapes so if you "disable" some shadow that runs thru some other shadow there will be cut-out in the shape of the former "disabled" shadow...I do not know if msx80 would be willing to do something about it cos it would require rewriting quite a lot of the actual BR code - literally we would need to change its internal logic - so that shadows would be rather cast completely even across parts that are occupied by other shadows and then mixed/blended together.

But hey - you know what? Except the problem mentioned above you have at least fully working color shadows if the light goes thru any trans material and not that constant black pitch darkness as before by default!

Edited September 9, 2015 by bublible

[___]

Can someone please help me figure out how to turn that white circle on and off? (I've already tried reducing the light radius and then increasing the radiance to compensate, but no matter how high I push the radiance it doesn't illuminate the scene properly.)

I just want to inform you that your waiting is basically over as a while ago I made successful test of my next enhancement that will do exactly that: switch off that ball representation of the Spherical light, so you can enjoy right away...

I just need to solve one problem with it when it make cut out in case such light (ehm, its ball representation) is placed across some brick...once I make it I will post the preview here, of course, so just wait a bit more.

Edited September 9, 2015 by bublible