[Richard]

Quick question for eddy experts?

I've always shyed away from using displacement due to the added render times, though I question on something I'm not sure of.

Does using displacement add to the initial commencement (vox / computing) only, or does it have an effect on render times thereafter?

[zdeno]

both, there is more complexity in scene so rendertimes are longer , but it is worth every second !

[Richard]

Hmmm? Thanks mate! Really do need to get a new PC to take advantage of it! Yes it certainly improves quality over trying to solve many applications just with bump!

[zdeno]

Yes !

8 cores is minimum to have great time with unbiased engines.
I have 2 PC with quadcores and even material previews I do as cooperative renders

Give a chance to normalmap instead od plain gray bump it is much more sofisticated, and as I read in 2.0 this is much more better than in older version, but to be honest - displacement is displacement and nothing can beat brick wall done this way .

[JTB]

I think displacement is not needed in many cases like exterior arch. renderings for example... The plaster looks ok with bump or normal bump and the grass or lawn is never correct with displacement because you don't have the random look you need... It depends on the 3d app you use but for Max, I use ForestPack or particles or scatter modifiers... it seems makes the scene more natural...
Displacement looks great on stonewalls for example but if you look at the building from 30m there is no need to use it... For closeups it really makes a difference.

[zdeno]

all truth !!

displacement costs time and ram so use it wisely, that is conclusion.

[tom]

Oops! Correction >> ...costs time but not RAM in Maxwell

[zdeno]

oh! sorry for laing in front of everybody , thanks Tom for correction.

[Brett Morgan]

OK gotta add my 2 cents, always wondered if the amount of displacement is related to render time, so if I displaced an object 25cm instead of 2.5cm do I save any time there?

Cheers

[tom]

so if I displaced an object 25cm instead of 2.5cm do I save any time there?

Opposite.

[Bubbaloo]

True. Lower displacement height = higher benchmark.

[Richard]

Thanks guys for the replies! Just another quick one - would the rendering time using displacement be similar after processing to that generated using a similar level of actual geometry?

[Mihai]

It would be faster if you use real geometry, but then you would need a way to model it. Some applications can create geometry from an image, and as long as you have enough ram for Maxwell, it will be faster than using displacement. But it depends on the detail you need in the scene. Displacement can be fast if your initial geometry is subdivided enough so you can use lower precision value.

[Richard]

Mihai

Thanks you as always for great advices!!!