Global Illumination alternatives

[PLASTICA-MAN]

Please someone give us the direct link on for DFGI. Thanks !

[zeOrb]

@PLASTICA-MAN;226818

Please someone give us the direct link on for DFGI. Thanks !

It’s on previous page =/

@Chariots;222794

Currently distance field gi is disabled, only heightfield gi (landscape) works. If you want to test DFGI, you need to get an older build. Something like this might work: https://.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine/commit/b2e4268390cdecc608018754533f3e1d95069e0a

Disclaimer, I haven’t tried this build, its just a build that is before the heightfield commit.

[PLASTICA-MAN]

@zeOrb;226819

It’s on previous page =/

Huh? I don’t see any zip or clone this to desktop option to get this? How do I download this to compile it? It works for which UE4 version? 4.6? 4.5?

[zeOrb]

@PLASTICA-MAN;226847

Huh? I don’t see any zip or clone this to desktop option to get this? How do I download this to compile it? It works for which UE4 version? 4.6? 4.5?

Browse files button

[PLASTICA-MAN]

@zeOrb;226884

Browse files button

Ok Thanks

[anonymous_user_f2b8b290]

I can have DFGI starting with 4.8 builds as an active option and then it may get even better (faster, higher quality) with later builds ?

DFGI will be disabled by default in 4.8, and will remain until we are happy with performance and quality and consider it to be usable. Right now the bounce distance is too small, the performance cost is too large and there are bright spots sometimes where objects meet. It’s very early.

To test it out before 4.8:

• Get latest master branch on (note this is often broken with compile errors and the like)
• put r.DistanceFieldGI=1 in the [Startup] section of Engine\Config\ConsoleVariables.ini\ConsoleVariables.ini
• Enable GenerateMeshDistanceFields in the project settings under Engine -> Renderer, restart editor (same for all distance field lighting)
• Place a movable skylight. This is required even for GI at the moment.
• Place a movable directional light

Check out the DFAO page for restrictions, in particular only static meshes, instanced static meshes (including foliage with opt-in bAffectDistanceFieldLighting) and landscape supported for bouncing lighting.

[ZacD]

Is there a way to lower the strength or the intensity of the DFGI? I’m working on a night scene and the defaults are too strong.

[anonymous_user_2311c7c3]

@DanielW;226993

To test it out before 4.8:

• Get latest master branch on (note this is often broken with compile errors and the like)

How do you find a build of the Master Branch that actually works?

[zeOrb]

@dinker99;227207

How do you find a build of the Master Branch that actually works?

Promoted branch is “stable” version of master branch

[TAN]

Thanks for clearing DanielW

[PLASTICA-MAN]

@DanielW;226993

Check out the DFAO page for restrictions, in particular only static meshes, instanced static meshes (including foliage with opt-in bAffectDistanceFieldLighting) and landscape supported for bouncing lighting.

Huh, which page to check? Also when 4.7 comes out and a 4.8 preview build will be out in the launcher, will it be available and activated by default in that preview build?

[anonymous_user_2311c7c3]

@zeOrb;227318

Promoted branch is “stable” version of master branch

I tried the latest Promoted and the Editor never even started.

[anonymous_user_f2b8b290]

I don’t know what that error is =( Usually if I got something like that I would manually wipe the Engine/Intermediate and GameName/Intermediate, the generate project files again.

DFAO page is here - note the documentation does not contain DFAO improvements since 4.6 like it working on instanced meshes or landscape

First google result for DFAO btw =)

Also when 4.7 comes out and a 4.8 preview build will be out in the launcher, will it be available and activated by default in that preview build?

No, DFGI needs some work before enabling by default, so you will have to opt-in for 4.8.

[TAN]

By the way sorry for trollin the thread continously but is DFGI the thing that Roadmap mentions as " Dynamic GI Research" ?

[anonymous_user_fc9eac1f]

Hello, i just tested DFAO and it seems really better than LPV to me ^^
Thanks so much for the already work !

Though i don’t see any difference between DFAO and DFGI, i added “r.DistanceFieldGI=1” in the ConsoleVariables.ini but it doesn’t seem to change anything
Is there a way to check if DGFI is active?

Maybe it is because i have not compiled the last master version? I have take a promoted version that seemed to have surfel GI +heightfield GI working together (https://.com/EpicGames/UnrealEngine/commit/a04d3f3b5e189410855939e2e4e95fd8573d9f37)

[anonymous_user_f2b8b290]

Though i don’t see any difference between DFAO and DFGI, i added “r.DistanceFieldGI=1” in the ConsoleVariables.ini but it doesn’t seem to change anything

DFGI won’t be until 4.8, or compile master

In latest master, Distance Field GI consists of both Surfel GI (arbitrary meshes) and heightfield GI (landscape) and they work together.

[Sitrec]

Really excited about this, looking really good thus far! While I see the excitement for VXGI, I think Daniels work is what’s actually going to be the biggest game changer right now.

[Daedalus51]

@franktech;229935

Can anyone offer a comparison of these in Side-by-Side comparison photos / videos :-

HDR vs. PBR vs. GI vs. Enlighten…

… (Thanks in advance)

Sorry, but I dont get it You cant compare those! HDR=High Dynamic Range (which is just a term for something), PBR=Physical Based Rendering (another term for something) GI=Global Illumination (aaaand another term for something Enlighten=A middleware for GI

How can you compare HDR to PBR? Thats not working at all since HDR rendering is part of PBR for example. I dont want to sound rude, but I think you should first read again on what these terms mean etc and then rephrase a proper question

[Daedalus51]

@franktech;230092

Cool, thanks Chariots! Much appreciated!

Before, I never cared much about what was going on under the hood… But with :-

UE4+PBR vs. Unity5+Enlighten vs. Unity4+HDR/PBR_Shaders vs. Cryengine+LPV…

I think its important now to have a sense of the relative strengths and weakness of each render system…

You have it still a bit wrong

Unity5 + Enlighten uses PBR for the shaders and Enlighten is just the middleware they decided on for their indirect illumination. Skyshop does something similar to Enlighten…it provides a indirect light environment for your scene. The difference is, skyshop does this based on an image and it cant change, Enlighten does it based on the lights and colors of your scene and those can change in runtime.

You should write it like that to make it make sense^^ UE4 PBR (wich is using Pixars model) vs: Unity5 PBR (which is using something I dont know) vs. Unity4x (using whatever PBR extension you might want) vs. Cryengines PBR (which is also using something different, since they dont use roughness for example).

Now you got the shading part. Next step would be to compare the different lighting techniques:

Unreal4 Lightmass (static) vs. Unity5 Enlighten (in static mode, yeah I know it sounds weird, but apparently Unity5 uses Enlighten also for static light baking) vs. whatever in Unity4x vs. Cryengine (always dynamic, BUT not LPV. They got removed when they went for PBR)

And finally Unreal4 dynamic lighting (this could be the LPV or the distance field features) vs. Unity5 Enlighten (this time the dynamic version of Enlighten) vs. whatever there is for Unity4 vs. Cryengine.

Sorry for being so picky, but I got the feeling you were still confused about what these terms actually mean and what is doing what

Hope this helps

[DavidBoura]

Thanks for this explanation Deadalus!
(are you the Deadalus i was used to know on Maxwell forum?)