02-02-2024, 06:49 AM
(02-01-2024, 05:00 PM)Gwumpy Wrote: While pursuing the forum I read a rendering question which lead me to realize that learning to optimize my time spent in the preview window would be the most efficient way to streamline total time spent since most of my time creating is done in the Preview Window.
In the 'Using XenoDram v2.7' > Creating Objects > Optimizing for quality and speed >
The focus is on rendering, which is a step you would ALWAYS take only after getting your objects to your liking via the preview window.
Keeping the question broad: Are there methods to speed up the image generated in the preview window?
I'd assume the less complex the object(s) are the faster, but I'm not therefore going to create less complex objects.
Yes and yes to the first two parts.
The optimizing topic addresses balancing density to minimize render time for a given shape.
The speed of a shape is not due to the complexity per se, but the actual density of the object, and how efficiently it fills the parts. Two factors affect this.
1. Constructors only use surfaces, not solid volumes, and are mostly efficient. But metamorphs warp shapes, and many can cause some parts to be stretched very thin and take a long time to fill.
2. Iterators iterate into copies, and multiple iterators tend to fill volume rather than just surfaces. The overall scales of iterators, combined with the orientation and positions, determines how dense the effective volume becomes. Filling a solid volume takes a lot of points, and when the density is uneven it takes many more. The more large iterators, the denser the object becomes. The Holon Volume indicator in the Shape page gives some idea, and near 100% or more is generally very slow. But there are situations where it is not bad, eg with an iterator having all scales 100 and a rotation that divides evenly into 360, which is still efficient.
Sometimes you want to fill a lot of space, such as with Sierpinski sponges, castles, and so on, and you expect longer rendering. The trick is not to let iterators overlap any more than necessary.
What I do is create whatever I like, but try to be efficient with iterators. The slower an object is, the more I have to like it to keep it.