Photon kernel + octane daylight/sun = flickering animation

[epicmind]

Hi,

I was rendering out an animation where I'm in need of caustics and noticed the sun is flickering in size/intensity in the specular reflections. Any reason for this? Should I avoid using a sun and create an area light that's small in radius, etc? I'm using the Photon kernel.

Thanks!

[ShivaMist]

You should post your scene so the devs can take a look I’ve also encountered the issue but i don’t have any scène file to provide.

[epicmind]

Hey thanks for the reply. I'd love to share with the developers - but I cannot post the file in a public forum as it's client/NDA/based project. I might just create a generic version and post this later if I can.

So you've gotten the same problem? In my scene the sun is moving across the sky, playing with shadows on a metallic object. The sun's specular reflection varies frame-by-frame quite a bit. I am currently exporting 2 test render animations 1 with a octane-sun/inifite light, and one with a very small area light (caustics are better with the octane sun in my initial tests). I'll report this back when done.

I'm kinda new posting here though been using C4D for years lol. I just upload the c4d file? What about materials, etc?

[epicmind]

Hi, so I did a very generic test. This is a metal tube with an octane daylight/sun light source alongside a couple of area style lights. You can see the animation link here, the specular "sun" flickers non stop, like a candle would.

Video: https://vimeo.com/834237541/f15e6dcac2

I uploaded the ORBX file of the above animation here: https://we.tl/t-PpDB1yx1ru

I did another test without an octane daylight/sun but with tiny area lights, they don't appear to flicker, BUT the caustics aren't comparable. Any ideas what is happening?

Thanks!

[epicmind]

Just following up - anyone have any ideas? I see the ORBX has been downloaded several times, but no input. Should I contact Otoy support for insight perhaps?

[epicmind]

Thanks for the reply Elsksa.

After doing more testing, it appears I needed many more samples. At around 1200 for an HD animation output, the flicker was 90+ percent gone. Anything less than that, it got worse and worse. At 600, it was every few frames. Sadly, ever since I'm exporting animations, Windows is crashing and forcing restarts now... which stops my render queues. So frustrating. Latest version of Octane, C4D, and Nvidia's drivers (non gaming).

[epicmind]

Hey,

It happens while rendering animations. Usually overnight, so I do not see the screen. I wake up to a restarted PC, with the render being stopped at some point.

[jayroth2020]

Are you using any of the Post Effects when you see the flickering? Volume shader with Auto Scale Intensity enabled?

[Rik]

Thanks for the reply Elsksa.

After doing more testing, it appears I needed many more samples. At around 1200 for an HD animation output, the flicker was 90+ percent gone. Anything less than that, it got worse and worse. At 600, it was every few frames. Sadly, ever since I'm exporting animations, Windows is crashing and forcing restarts now... which stops my render queues. So frustrating. Latest version of Octane, C4D, and Nvidia's drivers (non gaming).

Late to the party, but I had problems with the rig just crashing to off, no power. Had to upgrade my PSU even though the specs seemed to indicate it should be fine. Not had a problem since fitting new PSU. Other than higher electricity bills