Topic: first impressions with lumion v.3

[tug]

really disappointed and a bit annoyed with some changes, for example

worse things

1.- With handling weather's characteristics, having to do it from the animation options is more uncomfortable, because you can't see the process in a static image and you can not adjust as before.

2.- Shadow's control, fog, sun or camera is definitely worse to use, you can't control it unless you are in animation mode, and it must be on build mode,  since it you are constructing scenes and not doing final animations. I feel really frustrated with this, rather to make more easy use Lumion some new changes make uncomfortable the manage.

3. Malfunctions with lateral movements with the mouse, is very very very slower than in previous versions and thus responds worse, even using the Shift key.

4.- Where are section plane? have disappeared from where it was

For statics images I guess still have to use Lumion 2 Pro. I suppose this is the first step and have to solve all those things a new version take with it.



Better thing:

All new effects are nice as new implements, and all the possibilities that them open to animations.

Sound, reflections,  new elements are nice options.a bit annoyed with some changes, for example

I can see to where is Lumion ongoing, but new versions can not lose funcionality and options than previous versions or have to inform to customers to decide to buy or not.

[Andrew-DPR]

So far for me my biggest issue has been render times.  I'm redoing a scene I did in 2.5 and in 3.0 the render time has doubled.  I really liked the planar reflections, they can really make a scene pop, but they doubled, on top of the overall doubled time, the total render time needed.

I will add, my scene is a rather complex, and large, interior scene, so I'm prepared for longer render times.  It's too bad I have to turn off some of the settings in order to keep the render under 50 seconds/frame.

Where Lumion continues to excel and blow me away is with exterior shots, they simply look amazing, and 3.0 makes them that much better.  Interior shots are a different story, but if you stay small the program seems to be able to handle them.  Any large areas, like for my conference center, you have to make a lot of sacrifices.

[ryste3d]

Properly the first software in the world where they take a way functions and charge you for it. This should be a free update.

All thy have done is fixing stuff that did not work in 2.5 like the reflection.

[Nico RVArq.com]

Come on Ryste, either way, so exaggerating, all you will get is that they not take you seriously from now on. Free update?? Come on 

[byzantium1200]

Lumion 4.0 sneak preview:

Hit the button and it will do something so magical it will blow your mind off.

[Nico RVArq.com]

  so subtle

[ryste3d]

Come on Ryste, either way, so exaggerating, all you will get is that they not take you seriously from now on. Free update?? Come on 

You are right, , of cause we should pay for it.

But I am very impressed by the Lumion User in general. They are so happy no matter what

[Michael Betke]

But its normal that rendertimes are higer if more/advanced stuff is on screens, isn't it?
If all people need reflections then there is something which reflects and needs to be rendered. 

What you can do is to use the cubemap reflections and move the reflection sphere or use only small clips with the planar reflection. So you have not so many minutes to render with planar reflections.

As an alternative to Lumion you could use a GPU render-engine like "Octane" (which is my choise) and render a project there. Different workflow - more difficult and pro as for an architect -  but with 3 or even a quad-SLI you get very good quality with 30sec / frame at the moment.

I just think its time for Lumion to ge multi-CPU support. Imagine an invest of 400€ for a card and get your rendertimes shortend at 100%. I hope this will happen!

[ryste3d]

3. Malfunctions with lateral movements with the mouse, is very very very slower than in previous versions and thus responds worse, even using the Shift key.

Also had trouble with this: Try Shift + W or Shift + E and press Left mouse butten at the same time.

[ryste3d]

But its normal that rendertimes are higer if more/advanced stuff is on screens, isn't it?
If all people need reflections then there is something which reflects and needs to be rendered. 

What you can do is to use the cubemap reflections and move the reflection sphere or use only small clips with the planar reflection. So you have not so many minutes to render with planar reflections.

As an alternative to Lumion you could use a GPU render-engine like "Octane" (which is my choise) and render a project there. Different workflow - more difficult and pro as for an architect -  but with 3 or even a quad-SLI you get very good quality with 30sec / frame at the moment.

I just think its time for Lumion to ge multi-CPU support. Imagine an invest of 400€ for a card and get your rendertimes shortend at 100%. I hope this will happen!

Totally agree with you...


Question: How did you make the fotter in your post? (with info about your website)

[stucki]

Hi guys,
i really dont understand your concerns about lumion 3.0 update.
okay there is not everything finally polished, but otherwise you have been delayed on the release.

i personally think 3.0 is the by far biggest and best update till now !
i am in cg scene for some years and really like the new possibilities lumion 3.0 offers to our company !

i have some small problems with some design choices myself but i know the lumion team will work on them.

but 3.0 update is really outstanding:

-global illumination: makes your scene look so more real
-up to 5 accurate reflections : adds so much realisme, too
-better transparencies and 2 sided glass ( and they will try to make it even better in the future )
-3d sounds in the engine
-video support for textures
-the new trees and plants are truly beautiful (and the dont even impact on framerate )
-new 3d people (and more will come ..)

naturely more complex calculations make rendering times longer, but i am sure next grafik cards will equal this. And if your are making money with this software you really should invest in the fastest grafic card out there - it shouldnt take you even one job to get it back)

give 3.0 a fair chance. Work a while with it, try to adobt to its changed features and i think you will become to love it.

thats my thoughhts about 3.0
kind regards
stucki

[Michael Betke]

I also think its a great release which was worth the money. Now I need some jobs to use it lol. Only rendering at the moment here. No real-time.

[tug]

give 3.0 a fair chance. Work a while with it, try to adobt to its changed features and i think you will become to love it.

thats my thoughhts about 3.0
kind regards
stucki

Hi Stucki

Of course we love the new features, them are amazing, really nice and powerful.

We exposed the comments for those functionality features fundamental for work day by day in an architecture firm, where changes are a constant and we need a UI more accurate, even the previous wasn't perfect, but better than some parts of this new one.

for instance, a easy sun and environmental controls are basic for us, and we can't be changed between VM to PhM for modify this for each view. Shadows, camera focal length, fog, exposure.... are fundamental for each view and we have to have an easy control of them, quick, easy and accurate.

Have I explained?

1.- We love Lumion as well.

2.- We need some previous controls for our better work.

3.- We all are involved with this adventure and it will be so ever.

regards

tug

[tug]

I also think its a great release which was worth the money. Now I need some jobs to use it lol. Only rendering at the moment here. No real-time.

We need real time Michael, we need.

[Morten]

So far for me my biggest issue has been render times.  I'm redoing a scene I did in 2.5 and in 3.0 the render time has doubled.  I really liked the planar reflections, they can really make a scene pop, but they doubled, on top of the overall doubled time, the total render time needed.

I will add, my scene is a rather complex, and large, interior scene, so I'm prepared for longer render times.  It's too bad I have to turn off some of the settings in order to keep the render under 50 seconds/frame.

Hi amartindill, every time you add 1 reflection plane, Lumion has to mirror all models + render the entire scene once more. If you already have a complex scene, you can imagine what this does to the vertex count and memory usage.

The same principle applies if you add a spotlight with Shadow cache turned off (in Edit properties).

Example:
Let's say you have a scene with 1 million vertices and 8 spotlights with Shadow cache turned off, so the scene is already rendered 9 times per frame. That's 9 million vertices.

You then add 1 reflection plane which mirrors everything in your scene.

Now your scene has to be rendered 18 times per frame. That's 18 million vertices

As you can see, reflection planes combined with spotlights with Shadow cache turned off are real performance hogs.

For that reason, try to use as few reflection planes as possible and always make sure your spotlights use Shadow caches when you use the Reflection effect in your scene.