FR2 or Maxwell : The Christmas decision

[Wokka]

Hi Guy's,
I've got an interesting internal rendering job to work on over the Christmas break and I want to look at upgrading my rendering software. I currently use C4D advance render (9.1) but I'm sick and tired of tweeking the radiosity setting and waiting overnight to look at artifact riddled images.
Maxwell has sooo much promise but is unworkable (I believe) at the moment and FR2 produces great images quickly but apparently also requires a significant amount of 'tweeking' to acheive good results.
Any current users have any comments??
Any insite would be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

At this moment maxwell is "unusible" but when it become stable and fuctional u will get the best. Still, believe me they say that u have press 3 butons to get good picture thats is not true.

First of all u must have eye
second is to be able to "shake" textures to look like in life
third is to know light and how camera works

and many little things and then u will be able to create something like attached.

But maxwell will kill allother render software surly if u ask me. There is something beautiful in maxwell and that is U DONT HAVE TO TWEAK TO GET REAL LIGHTNING

P.S If u know to create extra good images in C4D then u will create them in maxwell to, but if u dont know to create extra good images in C4D then u will be same in maxwell, get it, masters are masters, where ever they fight,

I wote for MAxwell

but what i know ?

NFS

[Wokka]

NFS,
Obviously you know what your talking about with that great little image!

I can create good images out of C4D but it is still pretty combersome and unpredictable and also very scene independant when using radiosity (for me at least). I don't expect maxwell to have a 'click here for great render' button (though it would be nice!) but I'd like to say "if the sun is here, a window is here then there will be enough light over here". I get sick of having to compromise with small omni's infill into the corner or tweaking lots of light fittings to look natural.

To be honest, I don't mind waiting overnight for a render, I do that all the time, as long as my results are predictable.

Thanks for taking the time to reply

[Anonymous]

Have to agree on the C4D, hit & hope radiosity issue...
I have 3 renders to get out before we break for chrissy, & I lost 24 hours yesterday as the first one froze 3/4 finished... Standard settings, nothing obvious that I should've allowed for in the model & I'm not exactly green when it comes to this type of thing, but I gave up on it & re-set it, dropping the accuracy back (& will have to deal with the artifacts in Photoshop). I'm only using the old ArtV7 of C4D, but unless Santa wins lotto, I can't see an upgrade coming I'd like to use this program to it's potential, but don't have 3 weeks to wait for results... & there's always this little thought in the back of my head, 'Is there something I'm doing wrong ? Is there a setting option that will allow twice as good a result in half the time ???' Is throwing money away the only option

[Wokka]

Justin,
I must say the full C4D with advanced render is much quicker that the old R7 (though still frustrating) and I just bit the bullet and payed to upgrade to 9.5.
The jury is still out (in my head) re maxwell or FR2, but if AR2.5 is as good as some reports, I might take a chance on Maxwell.
Depends on Santa

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Just for my own interest, what did you upgrade from, & what did it cost(incl. advanced render module) ???

[Wokka]

Upgrade from 9 to 9.5 = $352 AU
Upgrade Advence render to 2.5 = $176 AU
a little cheaper than my ArciCad upgrade
Cheers

[Anonymous]

& I suspect, just a little bit more to upgrade from my Art V7
edit: Just checked Adimex; AU$1280 to upgrade from XL7 to C4D V9.5+AVF2.5... ON SPECIAL jeez, great... I guess I'll have to keep wishing !
Cheers mate,
Merry Xmas...
(or should I say; happy non-denominational holiday season )

[Wokka]

It's the price we pay to play

Have a good hot break.
Love long hot summers and no snow!

Cheers

[Eduardo Rolon]

Well, I just received my upgrade of C4 R9.5 and though I am just starting to play around with it, the Ambient Occlusion option iin the Advanced Renderer is getting closer to the "one click render wish..."
Basic work sample, no radiosity just A.O. and one infinite light with area shadows, 21 min render time. The only changes from the AC file was the water, glass transparency and reflection, floor reflection and grass material.