mental images - rendering imagination visible

Class 102: Using mental ray -- Finalgathering

Class Description: Using mental ray -- Finalgathering
Intended for artists, this one-day class focuses on using mental ray finalgathering techniques for global illumination. We also cover ambient occlusion techniques and examine the similarities and differences. Exercises within the 3D application provide hands-on practice with the material covered in lecture.

Using mental ray -- Finalgathering
One day, 10AM-6PM

Full Day

Introduction

  • Introduction to Final Gathering

Part 1 - Render Concepts

  • Photons and Rays
  • Final Gather Rays
  • Render Phases
  • Illumination - Direct and Indirect
    • Exercise 1 - Enabling Finalgathering

Break

Part 2 - Light Paths

  • Light path notation and depiction
  • Primary FG Rays
    • Exercise 2 - Virtual light
  • Ray tracing with primary FG rays
  • Secondary FG Rays
  • GI with secondary FG rays
  • FG trace depth
    • Exercise 3 - Using FG trace depth

Lunch Break

Part 3 - Final Gather Point Interpolation

  • FG Points
  • FG point computation phases
    • Exercise 4 - FG point patterns and diagnostics
  • Number of FG rays
  • FG radii and interpolation
  • FG point density control
    • Exercise 5 - FG point density

Break

Part 4 - Optimizing FG performance

  • FG filter
  • FG falloff
  • FG files
    • Exercise 6 - Using FG files
  • Understanding FG statistics
    • Exercise 7 - Reading FG statistics
  • Parallel rendering of FG
  • FG flags
    • Exercise 8 - Using FG flags

Break

Part 5 - FG flicker tips

  • Causes
  • Solutions
    • Exercise 9 - Reducing render-time FG points
    • Exercise 10 - Using FG maps for flicker reduction

Break

Part 6 - Ambient Occlusion

  • Compared to Finalgathering
  • Ambient occlusion shader
    • Exercise 11 - Using ambient occlusion
  • FG occlusion shader
    • Exercise 12 - Using FG occlusion