Rendering on a remote computer/farming

[Anonymous]

I haven't looked too far into this yet, but could someone point me in the right direction for information about archicad's abilities to allocate rendering to a remote system or network. native, via lightworks, 3rd party renderer, you know, whatever's clever.

Thanks.

[Dwight]

If i was you, I'd focus on Cinema.

Artlantis has a speed advantage on a single computer but if you have many computers, Cinema can produce animations more quickly. Check your Cinema license for client software [look up the exact name] enabling distributed processing.

Cinema has a bigger world. It accesses fantastic entourage elements and many more aftermarket things that make an animation look professional. Especially the Archivision products:

http://www.archvision.com/ContentCategories.cfm?Category=1

X-Frog:

http://www.xfrogdownloads.com/greenwebNew/news/newStart.htm


The reason that i downplay Artlantis is that you need the best possible portfolio to succeed as an illustrator. Artlantis serves the designer's need for superior images, but it is far from the most sophisticated. Not that many of our Archicad colleagues haven't done splendid work in Artlantis nor that their new soon-to-be-public release isn't great.

But don't stop with us. The real 3D model/image guys inhabit places like

http://www.renderosity.com/

[muzedesigns]

I agree with you Dwight.. I would be fluffing around on Artlantis Studio pushing my experimentation and learning of CD4 back further. And I want this as my future.. It has never been more clear to me.

If i suddenly need a quick interim solution - i will jump on the artlantis bandwagon for a little while.. but for this weeks job I will stay in my little world of Lightworks and Final Cut.

You guys have been incredible - I will check out the other site as well!

Thank you all for everything and being patient with my naive ways.

Cheers,
Chrissy

[muzedesigns]

Hi guys..

I am returning to this thread in which earlier this year we was discussing the purchase of Cinema 4D with to create high quality renders and animations..

I am now getting closer to purchase.. But before I do so, what is your opinion of it versus 3DS Max?

I have always assumed (through some research) that C4D is the 'friend' of archiCAD where as 3DS was AutoCADs buddy. Is this correct? Does ArchiCAD work well with 3DS??

The reason I ask is because a lot of job postings for Architectural Visualization in Sydney/Australia wide demand 3DS Max and VRay experience.. So I am trying to figure out the best one to learn.. And whether 3DS should be an option worthy of consideration.

Do you guys have any suggestions or comments?

[stefan]

muzedesigns wrote:
Hi guys..

I am returning to this thread in which earlier this year we was discussing the purchase of Cinema 4D with to create high quality renders and animations..

I am now getting closer to purchase.. But before I do so, what is your opinion of it versus 3DS Max?

I have always assumed (through some research) that C4D is the 'friend' of archiCAD where as 3DS was AutoCADs buddy. Is this correct? Does ArchiCAD work well with 3DS??

The reason I ask is because a lot of job postings for Architectural Visualization in Sydney/Australia wide demand 3DS Max and VRay experience.. So I am trying to figure out the best one to learn.. And whether 3DS should be an option worthy of consideration.

Do you guys have any suggestions or comments?

In number, 3ds Max is more used in Architectural Visualization. If you want to learn something to get employed, this might be a motivation.

However, in capabilities, both programs (and others) will be able to generate stunning images, provided you spend enough time with them.

If you only decide for yourself, should the package that 'fits' with you: the one you understand the best and have the feeling that it's talking your language.

ArchiCAD works fine with both.
-- with 3ds Max, you have to do some manual work to update the geometry (which is fairly straightforward if you know what you are doing) if you use 3ds format (the old MS-DOS 3D Studio Format ArchiCAD writes). If you use DWG, you can use file-linking, but be prepared to do the texture mapping in 3ds Max.
-- with Cinema4D, there are better connections between the two programs. And it works on Mac too.

[Anonymous]

Chrissy, there is a thread devoted to C4D, you might find something there that helps with your decision.

If I had more time and energy, I would make C4D my choice for animation.
Lately I have been working on stills with Maxwell.

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=14188&start=0

[Anonymous]

Learn 3dsMax and everything else will be easy -C4D is very similar in structure, and ironically, since most of these apps are pro-modeling proggys, they all have the same rendering pluggins available (Vray, Advanced/Final, Maxwell, Etc., etc) so your 3d MODELING program can kinda be arbitrary based on your time-frame/availability to learn. I'd check out Vray first as it's logical and works in C4D and 3dsM across the board.

I don't know too much about C4D as I just picked it up from work to learn it myself, but 3dsMax is pretty comprehensive- you can do anything with it. The more apps I see like C4D the more they all look like chopped versions of Gmax or 3dsMax.

I think you can demo 3dsMax to check it out. Import AC files via *.3ds format and use whatever rendering app-plugin you prefer. It will probably take at least a few days solid work to get even tings organized for a basic render with some materials, so be prepared for some locked doors and Chinese/Tai take out!

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, on 2nd thought...

If one was really pressed for time, it's hard to say

1) Cd4 seems to be, with the AC plug ins, ready for simply setting up and you're good to go for constant file swapping with AC for rendering using your favorite 3rd party render, etc.

HOWEVER

2) C4D lacks training compared to 3ds Max, which being the standard it is, and with the flexibility it has, as such has a TON of resources of any and every kind.

So

3rd Party Rendering Preferances Aside:

While C4D is easier to get into initially the learning curve might actually be a lot steeper. 3ds is also industry standard, and will without a doubt remain so for a long time, though it is harder to get into initially- but easier in the long run from so many years of support and catering to the industry standards and users. That's hard to beat.

But C4D is now working with AC and while titles of companies being owned by the same conglomerate has never proved to be something to gamble on as a good result for end users (think Hyundai and Ford= this did nothing for the end user except two version of the same horribly made cars), C4D might become even more user-friendly for AC people and architectural renderings (Maxonform, etc).

....3ds really is seriously nice software, mixed with Vray it can do anything. C4D is nice, but I don't know if it can keep up. I think it simply comes down to the learning curve vs. fast results. Vray will give you absolute realism, photo realistic 100%- it's what is used almost all the time in scenes that look real, to the extent that you might not know they were rendered in 3d on a computer (many many TV commercials- like car commercials, are all 3dsMax and Vray or one of the new game engines).

If you want to become a pro rendering for realism, you might want to check out the engine behind the latest FPS games. The word "game" often brings scoffing from "professionals" but consider this

1) more money is invested in game development and more is returned in sales than in ANY OTHER FIELD where computers are used, as such
2) more development happens in making better, faster, more realistic game engines
3) the TOP firms in the world are starting to subscribe to obtain licenses to the newest game engines to render their models not only in 3D but in real-time 3D as MAPS that one can walk around in and on 100% that look like movie scenes... The hardware to do this must be top knotch, but the results- and those who know how to use this code, will far surpass anything we can hope for directly in the Architecture world or any other non-3D world.

Simply, the money is too immense and the profits too huge to compete in development. We'll all be using game engines to render in a few years- and not just that, but we'll love it, as our visions will be in 3d in real time with real lighting and the same quality textures we take 3 days rendering for one frame to make!!!!!!!


3dsMAX interfaces and will remain THE modeling app for interfacing with all these applications that will spawn off of and into this newer application for this code and Architectural needs.
I think 3dsMAX will have to be #1 choice to recommend to you, and if you have time, learn C4D for AC work.

[stefan]

VRay is not included in any of these applications and it is a rather expensive add-one, if you don't do this full-time.

Mental Ray (included in 3ds Max, but created by Mental Images, now nVidia) and the Cinema4D Advanced Render module (based on FinalRender from Cebas) are very usable and in the hand of the right person, it can help you to create stunning images.

Mental Ray is an add-on, but it comes included in 3ds Max.
-- it has a few incompatibilities with it, when compared to the default scanline rendering
-- it takes additional learning to master it (especially Final Gathering etc).

Advanced Render is a C4D add-on (it comes included with C4D XL and Studio, not with CORE).

Vray is an add-on and with it comes:
-- a separate price
-- a separate update scheme
-- some incompatibilities
-- separate training/learning time

You have to decide if it's worth it.

---

All these systems support remote rendering, but not all allow an unlimited amount of rendering nodes. Check your licensing terms carefully.

[Anonymous]

Mental Ray is nice. I haven't used the C4D built-in one, as I installed Vray and Maxwell immediately and set those up as my defaults. I'll check it out.

Yeah Vray isn't cheap, but I love it so far. Maxwell seems a bit slow though.
so Vray is my recommendation, as you can use it in just about everything (Maxwell too). So you can use it with 3dsm or C4D. AC imports into 3sdm and C4D just fine, though I think perhaps C4D importing might be a bit... easier initially. Once you set up either one though for importing from AC....

I still say 3dsm, with Mental Ray, as shown above, you can't loose. And you learn a great app that is industry standard for mulit-purposes. I'm not familiar enough with C4D (Just got it 2 months ago and only spent about 3 days playing with it) to tell if it's a knock off or something more organized for architects and designers. 3sdm is simple and complete though- it lacks nothing in any aspect. And its built in renderer Mental Ray pretty much rocks for most things.


[edit] If you're on a MAC, get MAYA!!!!! They make Maya for windows, but it was, as I recall, native for mac platform. Maya rocks. AND they license a cheap student version you can (or used to be able to) DL for free.

p.s. [edit #2] since this post I've played around with Maya a bit more, and it's more for say, people modeling and "organic" modeling than architectural. 3dsMax excels in the architectural modeling dept. Vray and Maxwell Render so far are the best I've seen and used, outside of the built in ones which can't quite keep up to the independent apps (both Vray and Maxwell Render plug into 3dsM and C4D).