Is it time for a new benchmark scene?

[Ricowan]

With the multi-threaded rendering option available now in 1.9.99.1, I think we need a new benchmark scene that features more of the, well, features of Terragen.    I tried out the old KK3D benchmark on my new laptop and it finished in 53 seconds.  Does anyone have a scene that might be more challenging to modern computers?  One with water and instancing of both the built-in objects and possibly some external ones?  OR is benchmarking blase now?  heh heh

Rich Allen
P.S.  Been a while since I've been here, but the new laptop has got me rendering again. 

[PG]

Yeah we should have a mini competition for a new one. 

[pagan]

how do you set up a multi threds rendering?
My scene is not majorly complex(some vegetation population and other external oblects) but I have to render quite a lots of shots
Also is there a way to render in the background(without TG interface) and in the meantime use another istance of TG

[PorcupineFloyd]

Multi threaded rendering is enabled by default. You just need multiple CPU cores in order to see some advantage. If you have for example two cores, you can set rendering only on one core (by setting tgd.exe process on CPU0) and then run second instance of tgd.exe and set it on CPU1. This way you'll have some rendering going in the background and one core dedicated to second terragen instance.

As far as I know rendering without the gui isn't possible (but I might be wrong).

[bigben]

how do you set up a multi threds rendering?
My scene is not majorly complex(some vegetation population and other external oblects) but I have to render quite a lots of shots
Also is there a way to render in the background(without TG interface) and in the meantime use another istance of TG

You can render without the gui using TGDCLI.exe. Check win_command_line.txt in the docs directory for usage. (and next you're going to tell me you're on a Mac  )  You can run ultiple instances of TG2 but beware of running out of memory. Be sure to check virtual memory usage as well, as the RAM usage can be relatively low when other apps are running.

Never try and work on a TGD that you're rendering in another instance of TG2. Make a copy of the file if you want to tweak a file while running a test render.

[Ricowan]

I guess there isn't enough interest in this.  Bummer!

[PG]

I guess we have to know what's needed for a real benchmark test. 3d Mark uses things that will test the capabilities of GPU cores, RAM and CPUs. E,g, vertex shaders and pixel shaders are popular testing tools. What are the most intensive parts of TG2? reflections most definately.

[moodflow]

Well lets make a list of "effects" that TG2 can do.

Here is a start:
-transparency
-reflections
-displacements
-clouds (at a certain sample level)

Please add others... then we can all put together sample images and choose which one is the best as the new benchmarker.

[Ricowan]

Object instantiation
Object populations

[Mandrake]

Well lets make a list of "effects" that TG2 can do.

Here is a start:
-transparency
-reflections
-displacements
-clouds (at a certain sample level)

Please add others... then we can all put together sample images and choose which one is the best as the new benchmarker.

If I can load it, I can render it.. Oh, Oh You said CAN Do.. sorry...