D5 Render

[johnvamo]

Hello,

I found a relatively new render...

https://www.d5render.com/lear 

Has anyone used it? It seems a very good and fully featured render engine. it has a lifetime license deal until mid-2021.

Formz could enter in talks to get a plugin integration.

Please check it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bbuxton]

Any insights into how this might be a better solution than TwinMotion/Unreal or Marmoset Toolbag?

All of the above struggle with transparent materials and I imagine it is the same with D5.

Given that Autodessys have already worked hard on Twinmotion/Unreal integration, I think D5 is perhaps distracting at best.

If I wanted to divert attention, Keyshot or Maverick integration would be more useful for those of us that design products rather than architecture.

[Justin Montoya]

At this point, we already have VRay (v5 Update coming soon), Maxwell, RenderZone, Shaded Full, and now TwinMotion is coming soon.  I don't see how another option is going to really work out well for our already swamped developers.  

I do believe they each have their place.  However, RenderZone should likely be replaced with an updated High Quality open source render engine... Cycles.  That would really add to selling FormZ's core product, which is fast and efficient solid modeling.  Shaded mode could also be updated for higher quality and better lighting support (Emitter light materials are available in OpenGL, but not implemented in our Shaded render).  

There's dozens of other great rendering platforms out there, but there's simply no point in chasing down the obscure engines with our already small user base that is barely supporting the options we already have.  Maxwell almost stopped making their plugin for FormZ because there had been so few users!  So first we really need to add users to FormZ, then maybe one day they can chase after those cool new engines and plugins.

[snow]

On 4/6/2021 at 11:02 PM, bbuxton said:

If I wanted to divert attention, Keyshot or Maverick integration would be more useful for those of us that design products rather than architecture.

+ 1 for a direct Keyshot link.  I won't even ask for a plugin.  Just the ability to open .fmz files in the Keyshot program would be HUGE.

[santa]

On 4/15/2021 at 6:42 AM, Justin Montoya said:

However, RenderZone should likely be replaced with an updated High Quality open source render engine... Cycles. 

Absolutely!! I wouldn't hold my breath though. This was suggested in the forum way back in 2013, but nothing has happened ever since.

I love Cycles, but cannot see how it can be easily incorporated into Z. It's node based for a start, and as such, completely foreign until you get used to it.

The steep learning curve is worth it however, because it can produce phenomenal renderings. Z plus Cycles.....yeah baby!

[Justin Montoya]

Actually Cycles is being used outside of Blender without nodes.  

It's been incorporated as the default renderer in Rhino 7 now and uses PBR materials as default. These physically based materials are very platform agnostic and cross-platform compatible and are much easier to use and very similar to what we're used to with V-Ray, Twinmotion, Unreal.  This should make it very approachable to old school RenderZone users as well.

 

More info:

https://www.rhino3d.co.uk/rhino-for-windows/rhino-3d-v7-rendering-denoiser-and-physically-based-materials/

Edited April 23, 2021 by Justin Montoya

[snow]

To build on Justin's point, Cycles in Rhino 7 feels akin to Keyshot, so even if you don't know how to use this renderer, the learning curve is ridiculously low.

[santa]

7 hours ago, Justin Montoya said:

Actually Cycles is being used outside of Blender without nodes.

Great! In that case there may be two other factors preventing its adoption:

1. The effort required to modify and to maintain the source code, and

2. The unfounded fear of producing production work in open software. I believe that this is the reason why many pro users are sticking to the likes of Maya, for example.

I'm wondering if a full OpenGL implementation is the preferred alternative to RenderZone? In my view the current shaded full option is nearly there. Apart from the abysmal shadow rendering quality, I reckon that it can give RZ a run for its money, as is.

A few more tweaks may just do the trick!

[santa]

OT, but related.....is RenderZone limited to a single CPU? I am asking because it is still painfully slow on my 72 core dual Xeon workstation. I do not see any way to assign more resources to speed up rendering by it. Any thoughts?

PS. FZ is set to use all CPU's in preferences, so it must be RZ.

[Justin Montoya]

I think you are right about the OpenGL based Shaded Full, it could really just be updated to give RZ a run and maybe replace it too!

RenderZone is still multi threaded as always.  I haven't really used it in years, but I just tested it for you and it appears to be very fast and running on all cores on my 24 core / 48 thread AMD Threadripper.  Still the quality is so bad compared to VRay, that I won't ever actually use it again.  I would try a restart and maybe reinstall to see if this clears up for you, otherwise email formZ support.

 

[santa]

I do not use RZ either, but simply wanted to take it for a (final?) spin in response to our discussion. My observation is relative of course, after becoming used to GPU grunt!

[¢hris £und]

Yea, I seriously doubt it leverages the power of GPUs.

 

¢£