Terragen 2 Release Announcement Discussion

Started by Oshyan, December 12, 2007, 07:10:04 PM

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Harvey Birdman

Quote from: moodflow on January 04, 2008, 01:25:12 PM
 I've having a blast with your current version - a new version was just icing on the cake!   ;D

Well, let's not get TOO carried away with that tone...   ;)   :D

bertrand

Honestly, based on recent history (such as the big disappointment at the recent update), I wasn't keeping my hopes very high as far as this release was concerned - so disappointment is limited. It's more that I was faintly hoping to be pleasantly surprised.
Though I was an early buyer of the Deep edition, I regret to say I haven't done anything in TG2 in months due to the lack of multithreading. Getting less TG2 performance on my brand new Quad than I did on my old P4 just doesn't do the trick for me. So I'll go back to not using it, doing other things in software that works. And please don't bother with pre-announcements next time. You just let us know when you have something that works.

teksurgical

Well, I only recently learned for sure that support for multiple processors would be in the final release of T2, and I had quite the opposite reaction as the last post.  I was so happy to hear for one, that there was an update and it was the simply the real status of development, and also that you would definitely support multithreading.  The 8 core mac pro had been waiting ever so patiently for that info, right now it feels like 7 cores are just waiting with bats at the door, smoking cigarettes and glaring in the window, and all they want to do is slam the detail settings up, raytrace the entire universe, and switch to ludicrous speed, so I'm glad that I know that will be possible and thanks for the update at least.

dhavalmistry

any news on how the beta release is coming??....
"His blood-terragen level is 99.99%...he is definitely drunk on Terragen!"

rcallicotte

Yeah, news would be nice.  I can handle hearing stuff like "we're stuck on 5 problems, all of which are impossible to diagnose", knowing you are still plugging away rather than hearing nothing.  But, that's me.  I develop apps using Microsoft and know what that means.   ;D
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?

Harvey Birdman

Quote from: calico on January 14, 2008, 11:56:37 AM
  But, that's me.  I develop apps using Microsoft and know what that means.   ;D

Let's see... that means you work with the best tested, best designed, most stable software products imaginable to mankind, right? Right? Doesn't it?   ???


Oh, why look! It's a giant talking rabbit! ... what's that? You say you're here to take me back to my room?


;D

sonshine777

Quote from: Harvey Birdman on January 14, 2008, 12:21:31 PM
Quote from: calico on January 14, 2008, 11:56:37 AM
  But, that's me.  I develop apps using Microsoft and know what that means.   ;D

Let's see... that means you work with the best tested, best designed, most stable software products imaginable to mankind, right? Right? Doesn't it?   ???


Oh, why look! It's a giant talking rabbit! ... what's that? You say you're here to take me back to my room?


;D

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Harvey Birdman

Just a BIT of the pent-up emotion of a long-time VS user.   :D

sonshine777


Harvey Birdman

Sorry, Calico - didn't mean to get off topic.   ;)

Will

The world is round... so you have to use spherical projection.

moodflow

This is not meant to be a complaint, but more of a current state of affairs report:

Unfortunately, my progress from here on out is nearly halted until this update comes out.  Of course, I'm still going to use it to dial in my current work.

Bugs: 

I have a few new tests I've been trying to run using water specularity, but it always crashes on resolutions at or above 640x480. 

I also have some images that are affected by the displacement shadow bug.  Hopefully this update will resolve or atleast minimize this.

Node network "movements" eventually cause a crash, though this can be dealt with since it still allows a save of the .tgd

The application crashes if image projection is used and then the camera is moved around in the scene.

Product Functionality improvements:

multicore support - this is one of the most important improvements needed in my book, especially since the renderer is not optimized for speed yet.   Having to render individual crops on 4 separate cores is a pain in the rear, and the GI bug means I have to "overlap", else have visible bands in the image.  The overlapped areas are wasted render areas (aka wasted time).  I found that a good overlap is 12%, and on 4 cores, that means 4 areas of 12% overlap, so 48% is wasted.  This is still better than rendering with 1 core, but still, its a bummer. 

shader transparency - definitely looking forward to this increase of functionality

fractal preview window - this will be very valuable for sure.

better renderer - possibly improved for speed and shadow/GI accuracy.  I know this is being worked.

Final thoughts:  With these bug fixes, the application will be untouchable... but until then, its almost a show stopper.  If you look at the public galleries, there really aren't many high res images generated by TG2 yet, since the rendertimes are just so long.  I know of one incredible artist who gave up on TG2 and went back to TG1 due to this.

Additionally, I think the paying user community could really use frequent micro-updates, rather than less frequent larger updates.  This makes the application more useable.  If this is not possible, atleast more communications on progress of the application, with samples.  I want to see how water transparency will look, and/or comparison images between the old and new renderer, even if just to pique our curiosities!
http://www.moodflow.com
mood-inspiring images and music

rcallicotte

LOL!!!  I just read this (busy troubleshooting the Giant Rabbit's software studio).

;D

Quote from: Harvey Birdman on January 14, 2008, 12:36:31 PM
Sorry, Calico - didn't mean to get off topic.   ;)
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?

moodflow

Speaking of samples, do you guys have any current samples of the new technology yet?  I think this is something we'd all love to see, even if it will be some time before we get new updates.

For instance, when I first saw TG2's example images, I was pretty impressed, but when I saw Oshyan's Mt. St. Helen's render, I had my cash in hand, ready to buy TG2 as soon as it was available!  Then I saw Luc Bianco's work, and was even more fired up and ready to buy.

Anyway, if you guys have any sample renders of some of the new functionality, be sure and post one.   8)

-Jeff

http://www.moodflow.com
mood-inspiring images and music

rcallicotte

Moodflow - Agreed.

I have quite a few TGDs that cannot stand the displacements that I have given them.  This is not because of over-displacement, but due to memory trashing / crashing.  I have pretty much set TG2 aside, until the next update. 

There might a good reason why no one has tried this level of a program yet. 

So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?