[JPMays]

Anyone know why my render is not matching my preview?




Enlarged preview:


You can see that the preview window shows nice shadows and sun coming in through the glass, but the actual render does not match. What gives?

[JDHill]

It's because the preview shows where you will be after more SLs; looks like the render is only at SL8.3 or so, at this point in time.

[JPMays]

Yeah, but there is nothing that remotely looks like the shadows there - shouldn't I see something like what's in the preview?

[JDHill]

Well, there are two ways to make that happen: speed up the renderer, or slow down the preview. Since we can't arbitrarily elect to speed up the renderer, that leaves only one option.

[JPMays]

Ok, I'll just accept that eventually it will look that way.

Thanks.

[polynurb]

you need high SL or try AGS in the windows or some other glass with a hint of a ghost layer to reveal the sun more quickly.
it's because of caustic light, and it is extrapolated in the preview hence much earlier visible.