Only low GPU usage (below 50%, Rhino)

[Micha3D]

Hi,

I installed the demo for Rhino and try to get a test animation per Bongo working. My current problems are:

* GPU usage is below 50% (GTX780 6GB, Dual Xeon machine)

* are there tricks to keep the loading time short between the frames (I use object based update and convert my objects to meshes (joined per material)?

* I can't find the options to control the typical environment slots like GI/background/reflection/refraction. I use a HDRI, but like to see a white background.

Ciao,
Micha

[Micha3D]

I found that I need to set the device priority at high to get the full power. I see now, it's not like the CPU priority, where at low priority the full power is used until other applications need it. Could be great if this functionality could be build in. On the other side also at high priority other software runs quite smooth. Maybe high priority could be the standard setting since most user will not see the low GPU usage and may think, the engine is slow. But if the high priority should be a problem the user will see it and find the easy solution.

I understand now that there is no independent control for different environment slots, only it's possible to set the background transparent. Could be great if this could be added in the future.

Interesting for me is that Octane isn't limited to unbiased calculation, per default it's working quite biased (hot pixel removal blurry, filter blurry, direct lighting mode, AO, ...). I like biased calculation.

PS: It's a pity that standalone and plugin must be bought and not only one of both is enough. Since additional graphic cards are useful too, only needed for octane use, the whole story can be quite expensive.

[RickHavoc]

I am on the same boat. I wish it came with at least one slave.. that would be awesome..

[face_off]

My apologies for not responding to this post earlier - I do not monitor the Demo forum as closely as I should.

* GPU usage is below 50% (GTX780 6GB, Dual Xeon machine)

You can adjust the render priority in the Cuda Device tab. It is recommended you have a separate card (on-board graphics) as your display adapter, then you can run you rendering card at full throttle. In some instances Rhino will use you GTX rendering card (even if it is not your windows display adapter) - so you can tweak the Rhino OpenGL settings to adjust this.

* are there tricks to keep the loading time short between the frames (I use object based update and convert my objects to meshes (joined per material)?

In general, the plugin will reload the entire scene each animation frame. The "No Meshes Live" setting in the Octane Options will probably load the fastest. If you are only doing a camera fly-thru, you can export the scene to OCS or ORBX and open it in Octane Standalone and use the fly-thru generator, and that will not load the entire scene each frame. OR, if you tick "Use Viewport Rendertarget Geometry When Rendering", then open the Viewport, then render out the animation in Rhino, the current Viewport geometry will be used, and only the camera will be updated - so there is no scene reload between frames.

* I can't find the options to control the typical environment slots like GI/background/reflection/refraction. I use a HDRI, but like to see a white background.

Octane is an unbiased renderer, so it uses the IBL for the GI, background, refections and refraction. If you want a white background, enable Kernel->Alpha Channel and load a white background image.

Interesting for me is that Octane isn't limited to unbiased calculation, per default it's working quite biased (hot pixel removal blurry, filter blurry, direct lighting mode, AO, ...). I like biased calculation.

The Direct Lighting kernel is biased (and the fastest to render). The Path Tracing (the default) and PMC kernels are unbiased. If you want Direct Lighting to be your default, set the kernel to Direct Lighting then rightclick the tree and "Save as Default".

Again, sorry for the lateness of my reply.

Paul