After some initial testing, I decided to delete the two earlier prototype renderers (Phong & Co), because I like it very, very much.
One wish, though. This version (1.6.1) uses the mini interface. That may be a good idea for people on laptops and netbooks, but doesn't make sense when using a 22 inch screen. I make frequent "fast" renders at around 400x300 pixels to get a quick, general idea of what I will get, especially when fine-tuning the quantity of light and deciding whether or not to add a few "degrees" of extra light. I never save these previews, only "best" previews are worth saving for in-depth scrutiny (imho).
Thank you Hans for your kind comments. One wish, though. This version (1.6.1) uses the mini interface. That may be a good idea for people on laptops and netbooks, but doesn't make sense when using a 22 inch screen. I make frequent "fast" renders at around 400x300 pixels to get a quick, general idea of what I will get, especially when fine-tuning the quantity of light and deciding whether or not to add a few "degrees" of extra light. I never save these previews, only "best" previews are worth saving for in-depth scrutiny (imho).
Originally I was going to create a dedicated Preview button but after carrying out some timed renders, I found it to be only 3-4 seconds faster for a basic scene, or around 25 seconds for a very complex scene, compared to the new "Fast" setting, a "Preview" button could still be a possibility for the future though!
Is it possible to add (a) a button that lets you choose between "mini" and "maxi" or (b) a drop-down menu that lets you choose S-M-X-XL, where you get previews that are (say) 150, 300, 450 or 600 pixels high (or wide) ?
Hans
That's quite an interesting idea being able to switch between between mini and maxi, this could be automated depending on the users native screen resolution, although I would prefer to be able to choose whether I wanted a large or small interface.Hans
The size could be made even bigger still, like X or XL, but it would possibly only serve a small range of users?
As long as Emmanuel is happy with the new plugin, I can also release the full size AdvancedRendering-1.6.1 version.
