If I up the render resolution in this Default scene to something like 1500 pixels wide, I see the initial irradiance pass (the light sampling dots at the beginning of the render process) but then i get a black render. If I reduce the image to 1200 pixels, I will get a correct render. I have 11 GB of ram on an 8 core MacPro. Is there a setting I need to tinker with to get larger res output?
Did you wait long enough for the image to draw? I get the 'dot' pass, and then a portion of the image goes black as the final render pass starts. Post a small thumbnail of the image if everything final renders black, with the tgo file. Both will be needed for diagnostics.
I have no idea why this would be the case, but does it also happen when you use a heightfield instead of the fractal terrain?
I think I took care not have too small scales in the fractals, which sometimes can create weird irritations. So if you don't use the fractal terrain, does the problem go away?
Frank
I know this might sound like an insult, but it isn't. Did you check to see that your camera is above the surface of the ground?
LOL, I have found that my camera is sometimes beneath the ground... It's embarrassing to admit, but it happens sometimes when I don't allow the preview window to render out enough; 80% seems to be enough of a check.
YEah, I am sure I am above the terrain. Like I said, ther is a cuttoff point in image resolution where it all goes black. Here is 1000x571
(http://files.me.com/danielhruby/8760ji)
I just lowered teh resolution to 800 x 457 and it came out all black. That is counterintuitive to what I thought was happening, which is an increase in size killed it. In this case, a decrease made it black. I dont know what it is, but maybe this image will give a clue.
My preview window looks fine and I can see the right looking image in the dots before it all goes black.
It looks like you have an object in there. Maybe you should send the TGD for people to inspect.
All I do is open the Default file as it is downloaded from site, goto render settings, and set the size to something like 2000 pixels wide and hit render. I get a black image even though I can see the dots show a terrain and my preview looks good. If I reduce to 1000 pixels, the rendering works.
So just to be clear (sorry its been a long day ;) ) is there an object in the top right of your image? If there is testing could be problematic without the object itself...
:)
Richard
I add nothing to the file. I open it as it is from the download and change the size to 2000 pixels wide. The current camera is looking down to the ground. It seems somewhat random. I managed today to get a 2000 pixel image to render. Then I rotated my view to look horizontally across to the nearby mountain and when I render, the image goes black as it renders.... see here..... this is 1/2 way through the rendering. Just to be clear, the menu bar does eventually say finished rendering and I have a black image. If I change the resolution to 1000 pixels, I get the second image.sorry for the image size...
(http://files.me.com/danielhruby/fj2z7i)
If there isn't an object there, I have absolutely no idea what that is. That's one of the strangest TG render errors I've seen, especially since there are no triangles in the black area, all edges are squared. ???
EDIT: The large image posted at the same time I posted this looks to be a normal enough render, it's normal for the GI prepass to disappear at the start of rendering. At only 6m 53 seconds in, this appears to be just that happening. Does it not begin to render at all after that and how long are you leaving it open before you shut it down?
I've still no idea what that black thing is in the other image.
Very odd indeed, since this is a free give away from NWDA, you could upload the file here so people could try some dissection ... I know you have said you have changed nothing but I think this is unlikely, sorry but I have dl'd the scene too and it looks different on my pc, you've moved the camera, activated the clouds and probably some other stuff too. Now obviously this is something you should be doing (otherwise there would be thousands of default renders out there lol) but it dose make it difficult to see what the problem may be. Given that this is an NWDA original file they're your first port of call but also given that its a free "what you see is what you get" give away file they are probably busy with other projects. So if you upload the file maybe we could find out what the issue is.
Couple of things spring to mind right away. Have you got any luminous or reflective surfaces in your scene? Are any of the render settings or quality settings set to a high value. (atmo sample over 512, GI/Detail at 4 etc)
cheeers
Richard
I agree with Cyphyr. Upload your file so we can check it out with you.
Here is the file I used. This problem occurs on my home mac as well as my office mac. Both 8 core MacPros. I was able to get a 2500 pixel image to render if I did nothing to the camera orientation.
http://files.me.com/danielhruby/sw4wbs (ftp://http://files.me.com/danielhruby/sw4wbs)
So, in this example, I changed nothing except a minor rotation in the camera to see the horizon and a nearby mountain peak. I render the full render camera at default resolution and I get this:
(http://files.me.com/danielhruby/l42gsb)
I only change the resolution to 1500 wide and I get this a couple minutes through:
(http://files.me.com/danielhruby/r57z1m)
and final image looks like this:
(http://files.me.com/danielhruby/728k9g)
So, there is no way I have an object in my way or I am buried. Or the first rendering would not look correct either. Something related to size of rendering is causing this. The earlier post seems to capture the effect of a spherical anomaly that is blackening out the image. By luck, perhaps, i chose a resolution that just barley clips the anomaly. Presumably, the sphere is not married to any of the camera position axes. Or it would be centered on the view. no?
download doesnt work for me.
ahh, the link is getting screwy.
http://files.me.com/danielhruby/sw4wbs (http://files.me.com/danielhruby/sw4wbs)
should work.
the render is working just fine for my computer (vista 64bit). did the same thing you did. basically. Try forcing your render to use only 1 core and see if that works? Under your render settings, go to the advanced tab, and set both min and max threads to 1 and try rendering again.
below is my render. also, it took my quad core with 4 gigs of ram just under 7 minutes to render this while on skype, watching hulu, programming, and few other various programs up. It took your 8 core 11 gigs ram 12 over minutes? Sounds like core/memory issues perhaps.
And for the smaller render, it took me 1:17 to render, again ~half the time it took yours.
This is a different file than the images you've posted, the camera is pointing in the default direction :)
Can you post the altered file, thanks.
Richard
Quote from: cyphyr on October 08, 2009, 07:03:05 PM
This is a different file than the images you've posted, the camera is pointing in the default direction :)
Can you post the altered file, thanks.
Richard
Hes zoomed in on the mountains that are right near the camera. I was able to get close to the camera angle he used very easily.
That's not why I wanted the file, I'd like to see the exact settings that create the fault, its just that there may be some hidden element that is not obvious from visually recreating the image.
:)
Richard
Quote from: cyphyr on October 08, 2009, 07:06:58 PM
That's not why I wanted the file, I'd like to see the exact settings that create the fault, its just that there may be some hidden element that is not obvious from visually recreating the image.
:)
Richard
yeh but consistently being able to alway have issues? i think its more of a hardware issue, especially since hes using an 8 core 11gb ram machine.
Over speced your thinking? maybe, I'd have thought it was a very capable set up but he could be running into memory leaks or something I guess. Try running on less cores maybe or I wonder if theres a way to limit the ram somehow. I'm still leaning to a bug in the specifiv position/node setup he's used however.
:)
Richard
link works here. right click and download linked file.
Cyphyr,
It doesn't matter where I put the camera. And I have tried several locations to recreate the problem. I even got the black render today using the low quality tiny render. And this is happening on two separate machines. So I doubt a hardware fault. More likely a bug of some sort. For example, I dont have this issue when I dont use the NWDA file. I will try to limit threads to 1 / 8.
Just tried more tests again from the default file on Mac. Results are as follows:
1. Without moving the camera AT ALL, and ONLY CHANGING output size to 1500 in the Full Render. I can successfully render a 1500 pixel wide image. No changes to threads or ANYTHING else.
2. I option drag to ROTATE camera to hill. I don't think this causes the camera to move it's position. Renders fine at 1500 pixels.
3. I move the camera a couple feet to the left and render. BLACK rendering.
4. Close file open again, repeat step 2. Another Black rendering.
5. I tried renders using 1/8 and 1/4 for the threads setting. All rendered black.
6. Go home.
save the file somewhere else when you get a black render then, and upload that one.
Since the camera is fairly high up would it be useful to delete/deactivate the smallest scale Terrain Power Fractal, ... maybe :)?
Richard
Quote from: DanielHruby on October 08, 2009, 07:57:50 PM
3. I move the camera a couple feet to the left and render. BLACK rendering.
Successfully rendered at default plus 1500 width default render with a move "of a few feet to the left" :-\
Really need a (non)functioning sample to check further ... .. .
Will clouds act the same way as terrain does when the camera is inside? I notice the cumulus layer 01 is at 1863 with a depth of 650 and the camera at 1500.
I opened this file again at home on another MacPro. I tried to turn off all the cloud layers, and I still get black output depending on the resolution. I'd post more images, but .Mac is down at the moment. I will try in the morning before I leave for work.
I still have no problems rendering a larger generic scene from TG2. I think there is something with this NWDA file that is causing me issues. Perhaps someone else can try on a MacPro.
I have this file at home and am using a 24" iMac, I will have a look at this later to see if I can see anything?
Hi,
Frank has sent me the file and I'll try it out on my Mac Pro.
Regards,
Jo
Hi again,
I gave it a spin on my Mac Pro at 1500 pixels wide. If I use 16 threads it goes black at the end of the render. If I use 8 threads it renders fine. Right now I would suggest not using more than 8 threads anyway. When I get a chance I'll have a better looking into why it goes black, but I suspect it's running out of memory due to the big chunk allocated for the render caches, which by default is 800 MB for 16 threads.
Regards,
Jo
Just a brief note to say that on my MacPro (8 core, 6Gb RAM) limited to 4 cores rendered default file with no camera move at 2000 px wide no prob. Moved camera nearer to terrain and bbson (big black screen of nothingness !) GI prepass looked OK.
Will do more testing.
Rgds
Chris
This sounds consistent with my results. If you just render straight after opening it works. Moving the camera anywhere else causes an issue. Even with the low quality tiny render.