Itoo Software Forum

Forest Pack => Forest Pro (*) => Topic started by: NCViz on August 08, 2016, 03:06:16 PM

Title: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: NCViz on August 08, 2016, 03:06:16 PM
I've been seeing a frustrating problem recently in my network renderings.  Random frames rendered by random nodes will be missing trees.  I've seen trees not render before but there was always a pattern that could be narrowed down to a bad configuration on a render node.  And it's always been all trees or no trees.  This time some trees render, some do not.  The node that shows the error will render fine on another frame.  The problem seems to happen randomly on all nodes.  Attached are two frames rendered on the same node.  One shows all trees the other has some missing.
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: Michal Karmazín on August 08, 2016, 04:03:54 PM
Hi,

Are you using the Camera - Distance Falloff - Density/Scale feature? As mentioned in our on-line reference guide (http://docs.itoosoft.com/display/FORESTPACK/Camera#Camera-Density/ScaleFalloff):

"Be careful if you use falloffs with camera motion, because items may appear or disappear suddenly (the distance to camera changes when moving)."

If the issue persists, would you mind to send us (http://forum.itoosoft.com/index.php?topic=3648.0) your scene to analyse it here? Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: NCViz on August 08, 2016, 04:34:50 PM
I do actually have Distance Falloff Density on with a Min distance of 0 and a Max distance of 21600.  The area where the trees are missing in the attached image is approx. 10000' from the camera.  When this happens the frames just before and after can render with all the trees.  Would an issue with Distance Falloff be that random?
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: NCViz on August 09, 2016, 05:42:50 PM
I sent a test render with Distance Falloff turned off and still had the issue.  I am sending you my file.

Thanks.
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: Michal Karmazín on August 10, 2016, 11:51:51 AM
Hi,

Thanks for all provided assets. Thought all objects in the main scene "MissingTreeTest.max" seem to correct, we've found, that the "Forest General" Forest object in the "Ash-Pine-Maple.max" is corrupted (unfortunately there's no data identifying what happened). I would suggest you to recreate such object, that should avoid these problems.

Actually, a recommendable work-flow would be to link these XRefs directly to source objects (stored in ash_tree_03.max / maple_1_03.max).

Best regards,
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: NCViz on August 11, 2016, 01:12:28 PM
I'm sorry, but can you provide more details about your recommended workflow?  The "Ash-Pine-Maple" file was created as a preset following the instructions on your site.  I'm not sure what you mean by "link these XRefs directly to source objects"
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: Michal Karmazín on August 11, 2016, 04:12:03 PM
Hi,

Well, there's nothing wrong with your actual set-up. I mentioned that possibility (optional) to simplify the "XRef path" (and avoid the necesity of accessing the actually corrupt Forest object in the Ash-Pine-Maple.max scene) - as you're using XRefs in both of Forest objects (in master / source scenes). Your Ash Tree 3 item points to XRef Object loading the "_forest_library_PFKQGXA" object from the Ash-Pine-Maple.max scene. In such scene this is also an XRef Object loaging the "ash_tree_03" object from the ash_tree_03.max scene. In such kind of set-up you can easily XRef directly the "ash_tree_03" object in the master scene from the original ash_tree_03.max.

Best regards,
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: NCViz on August 12, 2016, 10:24:15 PM
I reloaded the trees from the library so the corrupt file is no longer being referenced and the problem still persists.
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: Michal Karmazín on August 16, 2016, 10:52:09 AM
Hi,

Sorry to hear you're still facing those troubles. Are you able to reproduce this issue rendering locally / using network rendering / with distributed rendering? Would you mind to send us (http://forum.itoosoft.com/index.php?topic=3648.0) your modified scene to analyse it here? Thanks in advance.

Best regards,
Title: Re: some trees randomly not rendering
Post by: NCViz on August 17, 2016, 01:56:27 PM
I have not been able to reproduce the issue locally.  It only happens when network rendering.  Turning off distance falloff and re-loading the trees from the library has minimized the problem enough that I am going to just fix the bad frames in Photoshop for this project.  I don't have time to troubleshoot right now.  I will investigate further and send you a file when I can.