TG2 Batch V4: Panorama - Wedges - Large tiled Images - distrib Rendering

[shadowphile]

Neon22: I'm still in need of HDR images so I've been tackling the ImageMagick HDR issue, but I'm not a (modern) programmer and I'm getting in over my head.  I managed to compile ImageMagick with VSC++6, but the code is old and the OpenEXR files are much newer and at this point I'm getting overwhelmed.  I'm attempted to rope in a friend who is much more savvy.

That issue will affect my ability to tile large HDR images.

I still have the other issue of getting Nona to tile HDR images for me.
I read through the latest Nona header file and it WILL recognize EXR files as an output.
I tweaked your nona script to pull in and output EXR files.  It stitches great but the EXR is a faux HDR file.  The dynamic range seems to be that of an LDR file.  Converted to HDR, opened in HDRShop, dropped the exposure, my sun just dims along with everthing else.  I've confirmed that the original EXR cubefaces don't do this.

[neon22]

Hmmm. I personally have noticed that the sun in exr renders from TG2 is not as bright as I would expect. Also there are black squares when viewed in an exr viewer. So not sure whats going on there.
But I think the dynamic range of EXR renders could be a lot higher in the "sun zone" than they currently are...
Personally this woudl help with using the results as envornment maps for lighting.

[Matt]

The sun in Terragen EXRs is usually too *bright* to be viewed in some EXR viewers, and this is why its pixels appear black. You can spread the energy around a little by increasing the diameter of the Terragen sun. This reduces the brightness of each pixel in the sun to something that the viewer can handle it, and also makes it easier to deal with as an environment map or IBL source. The total energy from the sun's pixels remains approximately the same regardless of the diameter you use.

Having said that, it's possible that one my constants is wrong for calculating the pixel brightness. It's not far out though.

Matt

[shadowphile]

I did notice the sun is maybe less bright than I expected, although it took me 17 stops down to get it to start dimming. It has an angular disk of 4, I think.
It was only after it was stitched by Nona that the sun behaved like an LDR, dimming even with one stop down and no discernible difference between the corona and the sun itself.

[shadowphile]

Hi Neon22.  Have you examined the impact of 2.1 on your batch render?  Your batch program seems to be the only way I can handle some of my scenes, despite my PC being maxed out.  thanks.

[neon22]

Just got 2.1
will be checking over Xmas. but its sunny down here :-(

[shadowphile]

enjoy the sun!
when you get tired of it , please give one of my previous suggestions a serious thought: render time info with each wedge image.  I just finished a 59 hour render while on vacation and doing wedge studies now to specifically speed things up. (and using file timestamps, a real pain)
thanks

[shadowphile]

Hi Neon22.  I attempted to use your batch file for my first ever! TG animation.
Question: Do I need the animation module for TG2 as well?
Do the channel files work in a non-animation-version of TG2?
For now I went with a wedge that moves the camera position, but that is capped at 100 frames and only allows the single translation.  I couldn't see how the animation range controls would do anything in my file otherwise.
thanks

[shadowphile]

Hi, been a long time.  Is it likely you will try to update your batcher for the latest TG releases? 
thanks

[neon22]

Yes - it is - I am rewriting using Qt so it is easier to install and use.
UI is finished - done hooking it back up now.
Then I have to update the xml mappings for the new fields.
Also remove the old dead ones.
Working on a big Earth animation right now - so its not going so fast....