doc/notes/rpict.options

                        SETTING RENDERING OPTIONS

The table below gives some useful ranges for some Radiance 2.4 parameters.
The "min" value gives the fastest, crudest rendering.  It is not
necessarily the smallest value numerically.  The "fast" value gives
a reasonably fast rendering.  The "accur" value gives a reasonably
accurate rendering.  The "max" value gives the ultimate in accuracy.

Param   Description             Min     Fast    Accur   Max     Notes
=====   ====================    =====   =====   =====   =====   =====
-ps     pixel sampling rate     16      8       4       1
-pt     sampling threshold      1       .15     .05     0
-pj     anti-aliasing jitter    0       .6      .9      1       A
-pm     pixel motion            0       0       1       1       B
-pd     pixel depth of field    0       0       depends inf     B
-dj     source jitter           0       0       .9      1       B
-ds     source substructuring   0       .5      .15     .05
-dt     direct thresholding     1       .5      .05     0       C
-dc     direct certainty        0       .25     .5      1
-dr     direct relays           0       1       3       6
-dp     direct pretest density  32      64      512     0       C
-ss     specular sampling       0       .3      32      inf     B
-st     specular threshold      1       .85     .15     0       C
-aw     ambient weight          0       100     10      inf     A
-ab     ambient bounces         0       0       2       8
-aa     ambient accuracy        .5      .2      .1      0       C
-ar     ambient resolution      8       32      256     0       C
-ad     ambient divisions       0       128     1024    8192
-as     ambient super-samples   0       32      512     2048
-ms     mist sampling dist.     0       10      1       .01
-lr     limit reflection        0       6       8       16
-lw     limit weight            .05     .01     .002    0       C

NOTES:
        A) This option does not affect the rendering time
        B) This option adversely affects image sampling (ie. use -ps 1)
        C) Maximum value disables optimization and can be very expensive

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                ARTIFACTS ASSOCIATED WITH OPTIONS

Param   Artifact                                Solution
=====   ===================================     =========================
-ps     "missing pieces" to objects             decrease value by 50%
-pt     some soft edges are very jagged         decrease value by 50%
-pj     diagonal edges are like staircases      increase value to 0.9
-pj     edges look too erratic                  decrease value to 0.4
-dj     shadows are unnaturally sharp           increase value to 0.9
-ds     large sources cast unnatural shadows    decrease value by 50%
-dt     some shadows disappear                  decrease value by 50%
-dc     inaccurate values with many sources     increase value to .75
-dr     missing multiple mirror reflections     increment value
-dp     incorrect mirror reflections            double value
-ss     specular reflections too fuzzy          decrease value to 0.2
-ss     specular reflections too noisy          increase value to 16
-st     some specular highlights missing        decrease value to 0.02
-aw     shadows appear to glow                  set value to 0
-ab     lighting in shadows too flat            increment value
-av     overall light level seems too high/low  decrease/increase value
-aa     uneven shading boundaries in shadows    decrease value by 25%
-ar     shading wrong in some areas             double or quadruple value
-ad     "splotches" of light                    double value
-as     "splotches" of light                    increase to half of -ad setting
-ms     "noisy" mist scattering                 divide value by 2
-lr     some multiple specular reflections gone increment value
-lw     some specular reflections gone          decrease value by 50%

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                TIMINGS ASSOCIATED WITH OPTIONS

Param   Effect on Execution Time
=====   ==================================================================
-ps     inverse, halving value increases rendering time up to four times
-pt     minor, decreasing value causes modest increase in rendering time
-pj     no effect
-pm     no effect
-pd     no effect
-dj     indirect, increasing value requires -ps parameter to be reduced
-ds     inverse, halving value causes rendering time to approximately double
-dt     inverse, halving value causes rendering time to increase about 50%
-dc     direct, affects rendering time up to 50% over its 0 to 1 range
-dr     direct, depending on the scene each new reflection can double time
-dp     minor, affects start-up time only, higher values take longer
-ss     no effect until > 1, then linear increase for specular surfaces
-st     minor, a value of zero may increase rendering by 50% over maximum of 1
-ab     direct, doubling this value can double rendering time
-aa     direct, halving this value approximately quadruples rendering time
-ar     direct, effect depends on scene, can quadruple time for double value
-ad     direct, doubling value may double rendering time
-as     direct, effectively adds to -ad parameter and its cost
-ms     direct, halving value increases time by a factor of two in mist regions
-lr     minor, increase causes very slightly longer rendering time
-lw     minor, decrease causes very slightly longer rendering time
Revision:	1.5
Committed:	Wed Feb 15 15:43:43 2017 UTC (8 years, 2 months ago) by greg
Branch:	MAIN
CVS Tags:	rad5R4, rad5R2, rad5R1, rad5R3, HEAD
Changes since 1.4:	+9 -5 lines
Log Message:	Updated -ss option and corrected remark for -aa
#	User	Rev	Content
1	greg	1.1	SETTING RENDERING OPTIONS
2
3			The table below gives some useful ranges for some Radiance 2.4 parameters.
4			The "min" value gives the fastest, crudest rendering. It is not
5			necessarily the smallest value numerically. The "fast" value gives
6			a reasonably fast rendering. The "accur" value gives a reasonably
7			accurate rendering. The "max" value gives the ultimate in accuracy.
8
9			Param Description Min Fast Accur Max Notes
10			===== ==================== ===== ===== ===== ===== =====
11			-ps pixel sampling rate 16 8 4 1
12			-pt sampling threshold 1 .15 .05 0
13			-pj anti-aliasing jitter 0 .6 .9 1 A
14			-pm pixel motion 0 0 1 1 B
15	greg	1.5	-pd pixel depth of field 0 0 depends inf B
16	greg	1.4	-dj source jitter 0 0 .9 1 B
17	greg	1.3	-ds source substructuring 0 .5 .15 .05
18	greg	1.1	-dt direct thresholding 1 .5 .05 0 C
19			-dc direct certainty 0 .25 .5 1
20			-dr direct relays 0 1 3 6
21			-dp direct pretest density 32 64 512 0 C
22	greg	1.5	-ss specular sampling 0 .3 32 inf B
23	greg	1.1	-st specular threshold 1 .85 .15 0 C
24			-aw ambient weight 0 100 10 inf A
25			-ab ambient bounces 0 0 2 8
26	greg	1.2	-aa ambient accuracy .5 .2 .1 0 C
27			-ar ambient resolution 8 32 256 0 C
28			-ad ambient divisions 0 128 1024 8192
29			-as ambient super-samples 0 32 512 2048
30	greg	1.1	-ms mist sampling dist. 0 10 1 .01
31	greg	1.2	-lr limit reflection 0 6 8 16
32	greg	1.1	-lw limit weight .05 .01 .002 0 C
33
34			NOTES:
35			A) This option does not affect the rendering time
36			B) This option adversely affects image sampling (ie. use -ps 1)
37			C) Maximum value disables optimization and can be very expensive
38
39			-------------------------------------------------------------------------
40
41			ARTIFACTS ASSOCIATED WITH OPTIONS
42
43			Param Artifact Solution
44			===== =================================== =========================
45			-ps "missing pieces" to objects decrease value by 50%
46			-pt some soft edges are very jagged decrease value by 50%
47			-pj diagonal edges are like staircases increase value to 0.9
48			-pj edges look too erratic decrease value to 0.4
49	greg	1.4	-dj shadows are unnaturally sharp increase value to 0.9
50	greg	1.1	-ds large sources cast unnatural shadows decrease value by 50%
51			-dt some shadows disappear decrease value by 50%
52			-dc inaccurate values with many sources increase value to .75
53			-dr missing multiple mirror reflections increment value
54			-dp incorrect mirror reflections double value
55	greg	1.5	-ss specular reflections too fuzzy decrease value to 0.2
56			-ss specular reflections too noisy increase value to 16
57	greg	1.1	-st some specular highlights missing decrease value to 0.02
58			-aw shadows appear to glow set value to 0
59			-ab lighting in shadows too flat increment value
60			-av overall light level seems too high/low decrease/increase value
61			-aa uneven shading boundaries in shadows decrease value by 25%
62			-ar shading wrong in some areas double or quadruple value
63			-ad "splotches" of light double value
64			-as "splotches" of light increase to half of -ad setting
65			-ms "noisy" mist scattering divide value by 2
66			-lr some multiple specular reflections gone increment value
67			-lw some specular reflections gone decrease value by 50%
68
69			-------------------------------------------------------------------------
70
71			TIMINGS ASSOCIATED WITH OPTIONS
72
73			Param Effect on Execution Time
74			===== ==================================================================
75			-ps inverse, halving value increases rendering time up to four times
76			-pt minor, decreasing value causes modest increase in rendering time
77			-pj no effect
78	greg	1.5	-pm no effect
79			-pd no effect
80	greg	1.1	-dj indirect, increasing value requires -ps parameter to be reduced
81			-ds inverse, halving value causes rendering time to approximately double
82			-dt inverse, halving value causes rendering time to increase about 50%
83			-dc direct, affects rendering time up to 50% over its 0 to 1 range
84			-dr direct, depending on the scene each new reflection can double time
85			-dp minor, affects start-up time only, higher values take longer
86	greg	1.5	-ss no effect until > 1, then linear increase for specular surfaces
87	greg	1.1	-st minor, a value of zero may increase rendering by 50% over maximum of 1
88			-ab direct, doubling this value can double rendering time
89	greg	1.5	-aa direct, halving this value approximately quadruples rendering time
90	greg	1.1	-ar direct, effect depends on scene, can quadruple time for double value
91			-ad direct, doubling value may double rendering time
92			-as direct, effectively adds to -ad parameter and its cost
93	greg	1.5	-ms direct, halving value increases time by a factor of two in mist regions
94	greg	1.1	-lr minor, increase causes very slightly longer rendering time
95			-lw minor, decrease causes very slightly longer rendering time