formZ | Render Options | Scene

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ben (Unlicensed)
Last updated: 03 Aug, 2016
4 min read

 

Scene Tab

These general settings influence how the formZ project is converted into a Maxwell scene.

Launch Application

When Maxwell Render is invoked from the display menu or Render button, the application specified here is launched to handle the resulting MXS.

  • Maxwell: The plugin translates the formZ project into an MXS file (Maxwell Scene format), then launches the Maxwell application, which immediately renders the scene described in the MXS file.
  • Studio: The plugin creates the MXS file, then opens the scene in the Studio application.
  • None: The plugin creates and saves the MXS file, but no application is launched. This option is sometimes used in preparation for sending the scene to the Maxwell network renderer.

  • Network Render: The plugin creates the MXS file, then launches the Maxwell Network Manager and loads it into the Add Job Wizard.

    The use of Automatic filename with the Timestamp option enabled is recommended when doing network renderings; enabling this will avoid a situation where mxs files might otherwise be overwritten.

Quality / Performance
  • Time: Time is the maximum time Maxwell will render before stopping. As it is possible to stop Maxwell at any time, it is generally best to leave this set to a higher number of minutes than will be necessary to obtain a clear image.
  • Sampling Level: Rendering will also stop if it reaches the specified Sampling Level (SL), if it is unable to reach the specified SL before the Time has been surpassed.
  • CPU Threads: This parameter specifies how many threads will be spawned by the Maxwell render process. Setting this to zero will cause Maxwell to auto-detect and render using all available CPU resources. Setting the number of threads to [CPU physical cores – 1] represents a good trade-off between rendering speed and machine responsiveness, in case the machine must be used for other purposes while rendering.
  • Extra Sampling: Enables additional sampling of specific regions within the rendered image. Click the corresponding edit icon to define regions. See Extra Sampling.

In Maxwell, the image is regularly updated during rendering. You can terminate a Maxwell render at any point in time, and save the resulting image at the time of render termination. For single image renders it is generally better to keep the sampling level limit high (the default of 25 works well); the render can always be stopped at any time if the result is satisfactory with a lower sampling level. Also, renderings can be resumed (processed further) later, by opening the MXI file in Maxwell and clicking on Render. See Rendering in Maxwell.

For animations, the sampling level is often set to a lower value and the maximum render time left high, so that a consistent sampling level is achieved for each frame.

Lights
  • Multilight: Enables Maxwell’s Multilight. Multilight is a unique and very useful feature that allows you to interactively adjust the intensity and/ or color of the emitters in the scene and to alter the ISO and shutter speed during rendering or after the render has finished. The adjustments may be keyframed and animated over time, and a sequence of images can be saved. With Multilight, with just one rendering you can save different images of the same scene under different lighting conditions or make lighting animations. Multilight will result in significantly larger file sizes and increased RAM usage, especially when the Color option is enabled.
  • Export Point and Cone lights: Globally enable/disable export of formZ point and cone lights. If disabled, these light types will not be exported, regardless of the ‘enable’ setting on each individual light.
Geometry
  • Export By Layers: All objects on each formZ Layer will be merged into a single object in the MXS. Useful when scenes will be further worked in Maxwell Studio.
  • Allow Maxwell Studio to Export Geometry: This option to allows the MXS file to be exported from Studio to other 3D formats later. If this option disabled, the geometry from your formZ project is protected.
Materials
  • Override: Override all project materials (except emitters). Click the corresponding edit icon to select an MXM, or leave the filepath empty to use a default gray "clay" material.
  • AGS Hidden to GI: All objects assigned with an Architectural Glass material hint (in "Translate Shaded") will not contribute to global illumination. e.g., these objects will not cast shadows. Note that this can be done on a per-object basis as well, by accessing the Maxwell Attributes for specific objects. (See Object Attributes)
Animation
  • Base MXS for Static Entities: When enabled, the plugin will generate one base MXS containing all the static entities in your animation, and one numbered MXS for each frame containing only animated entities, such as moving cameras and objects. Each frame MXS refers to the base MXS as an MXS reference. This scheme dramatically reduces write times and storage requirements. When disabled, a single MXS will be created for each frame containing all entities in the scene. See Rendering an Animation.
  • Consider Components Animated: Option to include all Component objects in the animated frames, allowing formZ "Align to View" Components to orient properly. (Available only when Base MXS for Static Entities is enabled.)
Maxwell Features

For faster test renderings, it is often useful to disable certain Maxwell features temporarily. These controls affect the exported MXS, not Fire (which has an independent set of controls.)

Scale Model
  • Scale Model: Render scene as a scaled architectural model for enhanced depth-of-field effects.

  • Scale Factor: Settings for common architectural scale factors following the metric 1-2-5 rule, and fractional inches-to-foot for english units projects

    Camera exposure will most likely need to be adjusted when using Scale Model

    Rendering at a scale other than 1:1 may result in unrealistic materials and longer render times.

Command Line
  • Specifies command options that affect the rendering process, including some lesser-used features not available through the graphical user interface of the plugin. For example, -priority:low launches the Maxwell Render process in low priority mode. Multiple commands may be entered on the same line. See Running flags.

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