X3 Ray Trace

[Doug Park]

X3 is designed to run on multi-core systems. We have tested extensively on systems down to dual core and a little on older single core P4 systems.

Performance is tuned for newer hardware not older hardware. This means that performance on older hardware, especially P4 systems, may suffer a little. It also means that if you invest in newer hardware you should be rewarded with much better performance.

Our design goal was to make dual core or better as fast or faster than X2. I don't think we achieve that in every case but we have in many.

A quad core system or better is what I would recommend. If you can't afford a quad core system then a dual core system is a good choice.

Even though Chief will run on single core systems, these systems are not recommended.

Ray tracing in particular speeds up dramatically the more cores you have.

Ray tracing is a bit tricky to benchmark because certain settings can make a huge difference in performance so it is critical when comparing speeds to make sure you are comparing the same things.

Ray tracing is a very computationally intensive operation. Computers that we typically have available to us today can do ray traces in minutes that a decade ago would have taken hours or days.

I'm curious to see how X3 runs on 6 and 12 core systems.

[Pat1217]

I'm curious to see how X3 runs on 6 and 12 core systems.

12 core??? Oh dear!!! I do have an antique!

I'm going to have to sell a lot of renders to afford that.

I do have a quad core desktop but I use my laptop to do my Chief work so I can take it with me when I go out of town.

[Dan Park]

12 core??? Oh dear!!! I do have an antique!

I'm going to have to sell a lot of renders to afford that.

I do have a quad core desktop but I use my laptop to do my Chief work so I can take it with me when I go out of town.

I would definitly use the quad core to do your ray traces.

[Pat1217]

Here's the test I ran. Standard Med quality no Photon map.

Notice the bump on the floor...it doesn't match. I re-did the bump map to make sure it was the same image as the floor and yet the bump is off.

The lighting needs work and I haven't figured out how to get it to look right.

Also I can't get a good stainless look (stove and dishwasher). I tried several different ways to get it to look shiny but haven't come up with anything yet.

I couldn't get the sunlight to come through the window either.

I tested the water glass (on the island) and didn't come up with anything that will make the glass look like glass. I used "flint" and also the normal material.

Allen..... how do I send you the plan with textures? I can't find a way to do it in X3. It's not the same as X2.

[Susan Jeffery]

Here's the test I ran. Standard Med quality no Photon map.

Photon Mapping calculates how light bounces around the room. For a truly realistic ray trace, you will need photon mapping.

The lighting needs work and I haven't figured out how to get it to look right.

My magic recipe is to turn my interior ambient light way down (15% or less) and then start placing lights in my scene. This will give you a good idea of how the lights you are placing are lighting the scene. Also, a little post image correcting can work wonders.
Select the adjust image properties button then adjust the sliders (image attached). I almost always increase the intensity and contrast to brighten the scene.

Also I can't get a good stainless look (stove and dishwasher). I tried several different ways to get it to look shiny but haven't come up with anything yet.

Use your rainbow tool to adjust the material properties. Select predefined metal and stainless steel. Lighting in the room will bring out the "shininess."

I couldn't get the sunlight to come through the window either.

For sunlight through your windows, you will need a high level of caustic photons. Place a parallel light outside your window, angle it down 45 degrees and crank the caustic photons.