My First Render Farm

[Orangebugpro]

So I'm sitting in my Computer Art Class, and I'm working on this collage.  And I decide to use a TG2 Image as my main image in the collage.  But rendering the image uses 100% of the CPU... So I ask the prof if I can use a few extra computers 
So I've used crop regien to split the image into 4 pieces, and I'm rendering on four seperate computers Right Now!
I'll post the image when its done.

I just quadrupled my proccessing power!!

P.S.
BTW I own Deep with animation so I've got 5 render node licenses.

[old_blaggard]

That's fun .  I can't wait till winter break here at school, because I'll be staying on campus for half of it and I will be able to monopolize the computers for my own purposes... .

[rcallicotte]

LOL

Can't wait to see what you come up with.

That's fun .  I can't wait till winter break here at school, because I'll be staying on campus for half of it and I will be able to monopolize the computers for my own purposes... .

[moodflow]

Keep in mind you'll need to overlap the images as there is a current bug with GI rendering that Planetside is working on.

I find 12% is sufficient, which can then be stitched together in Photoshop.  Now and then, I've still noticed some errors.

The settings I use for overlap in the crops are:

Image 1:  0.00-0.34
Image 2:  0.22-0.66
Image 3:  0.54-0.88
Image 4:  0.76-1.00

[Orangebugpro]

Keep in mind you'll need to overlap the images as there is a current bug with GI rendering that Planetside is working on.

I was well aware of the GI bug when I started, I just turned off GI. 

In the end I used 9 seperate computers, and I'm really happy that I did.
Final render time was ~3 hours.
Guess-timated render time if i used one computer: 6-10 hours.
http://orangebugstudios.home.comcast.net/Storage/towerflat.jpg  *Warning* not very 56k friendly.  file size: 655kb
The lower thirds rendered in about 40mins, middle 1.5hours, top 3 hours.

I created the model in SketchUp.
It's supposed to look like something from Lord of the Rings.

The yellowish stuff was supposed to be fire like, but the yellow layer covered the red fire layer. However I do like how it follows the terrain in the bottom middle.  Some of the other students in my class thought it looked like city lights.  Oh well, I may end up photoshoping the yellow out of the image for the final piece.

[zionner]

Hmm,

I like the Background texturing in this picture,

But I suggest Increasing your Cloud and Atmosphere samples, As they seem a bit low (I would say 64 samples for atmosphere)

[rcallicotte]

Without reading that this was something from LOTR, this was the first thing I thought.  I like the sun and clouds, but zionner is probably right about increasing samples.  This will of course run your render times up, for now.

[moodflow]

Youch!  Don't turn GI off... thats what makes the images look pro...

[Orangebugpro]

Youch!  Don't turn GI off... thats what makes the images look pro...

I know, but for the purpose of this project time is more important.  And also the fact that most of the render will be covered with other pictures.

[moodflow]

Youch!  Don't turn GI off... thats what makes the images look pro...

I know, but for the purpose of this project time is more important.  And also the fact that most of the render will be covered with other pictures.

Well, thats one of the only exceptions to that GI rule.