LightWorks Rendering Engine (Add-On)
To access the settings for the LightWorks rendering engine, choose LightWorks Rendering Engine from the Engine drop-down menu in the PhotoRendering Settings dialog box (Document > Creative Imaging > PhotoRendering Settings).
Method: These options determine the shading method and thereby the rendering quality.
•Normal results in the fastest rendering time.
•Better improves the quality.
•Use Final for your final renderings.
•For the highest quality rendering, choose Best.
Antialiasing: The Antialiasing feature simulates a higher screen resolution. This technique can be useful in reducing jagged-line problems, but increases rendering time. Use the slider to set your preferred antialiasing level at one of four levels ranging from Fastest (lower antialiasing level but faster rendering) to Best (highest-quality rendering, but can be more time-consuming)
•Off: Check this box to switch off antialiasing.
Get model data during rendering process: Check this box to allow two processes to proceed simultaneously when you execute a PhotoRendering: ArchiCAD will analyze model data at the same time that it generates rendering effects for the model. As a result, the rendered model might take longer to appear in full on screen, but the process will require less memory.
Effects: Choose PhotoRendering Effects among the checkboxes:
•Reflection causes elements to reflect light.
•Transparency: Transparent elements (such as glass) will be rendered as transparent. (If you leave this box unchecked, such elements will be shown as opaque.)
•Smooth surface: With this option checked, the engine will smooth large curved surfaces that are usually approximated by polygons.
Light sources: Choose any or all of the following light sources to illuminate objects within the rendered plan, by checking the boxes:
•Sun: Illuminate objects using sunlight.
•Ambient: Illuminates objects according to ambient (environmental) light.
•Camera: Illuminates objects with “flash” effect.
Use the numeric fields to the right of each of the three above light sources to adjust the intensity of the light, by changing its value in percent. (The intensity is set to 100% by default.)
•Lamps: Use the objects placed with the lamp tools as sources of light.
- The SunObject (placed with the Lamp tool) has parameters that are similar to those of the SkyObject lamp object.
- The WindowLight Lamp object has both a Light Intensity and a Light Resolution parameter: these define how many individually light sources are generated to simulate diffuse light coming through the Door/Window.
For more information, see SkyObject, SunObject and WindowLight.
Shadow Casting: Choose one of the three radio buttons to determine Shadow Casting.
•Off means that no shadows will be cast regardless of the settings defined for any individual lamp.
•Choose Hard for all placed lamp objects to produce shadows with hard contours.
•By lamp settings means that shadow-casting is determined separately for each lamp, in the Lamp Settings dialog box (use the Shadow item on the Parameters panel).
Shadow Resolution: If you have opted to use Cast Shadows, use these controls to determine shadow resolution.
•By lamp settings means that shadow resolution depends on the settings used in each lamp’s Settings dialog box (switch the Light Shadow Casting on or off in the Parameters list).
•Override: Alternatively, override the individual lamp settings (uncheck the lamp settings checkbox) and set a global Shadow Resolution value using the slider switch.
LightWorks uses shaders to define the properties of surfaces in photorenderings. Use the Environment panel to choose shaders and edit their parameters.
Note: To limit the number of editable parameters for the shaders, check the Show Essential Only checkbox.
Shaders in the LightWorks Environment panel are divided into three classes: Sun, Foreground, and Background.
•Sun: The Sun shader is the classic, faster shader for rendering sun shadows. The Realistic Sun shader results in a more sophisticated sun shadow rendering, which requires increased rendering time.
•Foreground: These shaders contain parameters defining the appearance of elements in the foreground.
•Background: These shaders contain parameters defining the appearance of elements in the background.
To activate the Background class of shaders, you must first uncheck the box that follows:
Render Background with Internal Engine: If checked, this option means that the photorendering background will be generated by using the settings in the Background panel.
To define shaders and their settings:
•Click the name of the class to activate the list of associated shaders.
•Choose a Shader from the list. (The Sun class contains only one shader; it has no corresponding list.)
•Edit its parameters in the right side of the dialog box: click on a parameter, then edit its settings at the bottom of the dialog box. (Depending on the parameter you will use color tables, sliders, text/numeric fields, buttons, or menus.) To access the entire list of available parameters, make sure the Show Essential Only checkbox is unchecked.
For more information, see Editing Shaders.
LightWorks Background Panel
This Background panel is identical to the one associated with the Internal Rendering Engine settings.
For a detailed description, see Internal Rendering Engine Background Panel.
LightWorks Brightness Panel
This panel is identical to the Brightness panel associated with the Internal Rendering Engine settings.
For more information, see Internal Rendering Engine Brightness Panel.
For more information on LightWorks, see Basic LightWorks Options, Expert LightWorks Options, Exterior LightWorks Example and Interior LightWorks Example.