Hello everyone,
This letter has NO specific point but to share my thoughts and wishes about FStorm.
A bit of background, i've been in the CG VFX and VIZ business for almost 20 years now. I tested almost all renders out there since then. I used 90% Vray the most part of the time until last 2-3years. Times changes. Also needs.
I've been working for the last 3 years with another renderengine (CPU though): Corona Render. All i can say so far is how happy i am with it. Finally, a whole new generation of artist focused render engines and not technicals ones. These years fashion.
Problem with CPU based renders is that still need a lot of CPU computation. In other words, very expensive CPU units; workstation based. My work is mainly focused on CGI animations (either full-CG or VFX) for films and advertising commercials.
That said, of course, i don't usually render the whole -let's say- 90secs commercial at home. I use online renderfarms. So, these days real-time feedback is what really bumps production and final product. RT feedback and speed.
As i previous said, CPU solution(s) still do the trick for me but i travel a lot because of my job. So, a laptop is highly needed. Not even top-notch series can beat workstation CPUs (ThreadRippers p.e.) so, basically i barely can't keep production while i'm on a trip.
Hence that i started to look into GPU based solutions. Started with Octane, then 1 year internal beta testing RedShift (my fav untilo now, still lot to do). Even Cycles, Maxwell and GPU Arnold version! Couldn't find a proper "match" for Corona to intercut final shots seamlessly. Until now. Until a few months ago. Until i found FStorm (i know, i'm coming late to the party). Finally, i'm pretty sure i found what i was looking for all these past 3 years.
Accuracy and simplicity in a robust and powerful engine.
So, the bottom line here is to say how happy i am with FStorm and hoping my posted samples in a real production environment (see attached below) and personal reflecions could be help or useful to another members of the community.
https://vimeo.com/407303849 -----------------> pass: FStorm_2020
https://vimeo.com/407303679 -----------------> pass: FStorm_2020
Now, after testing a lot the last DEMO version, i'm 99% sure that i'll integrate Fstrom in my prod. pipeline from now on. This is kinda saver for me. Thanks a lot Andrei.
In a personal different terms; i still have some doubts, wishes and concerns about FStorm. I have some weird thinking that, somehow, FStorm development is "slowly dying" and few people is still on the boat. ALL my hopes are that i'm absolutely wrong regarding this matter. Simply becasue far from being perfect and complete (a piece of code never is), Fstorm is, by far, the best GPU based option out there. and i am dying to keep it this way for many years.
So, in a more personal and direct way; Karba , can i ask you if it will be possible for you to make a public Trello.com site so the community can stay updated and be aware of the FStorm RoadMap? Also, bugs, improved and core new features polls would be more than welcome. Possible? Thank so much in adavance.
All the best.
Alex.
Ps. After testing FStorm for months now, i have several wishlist that i will post soon on the proper thread.
Ps2. These images belong to a WIP ad commercial spot. High-end one. I DO hope to finally be able to include 100% Fstorm shots in the final edit. 2m and 3m per frame each shot HDTV in one 1080GTX. I'm still in awe. No secondary cache at all. Just pathtracing.
This letter has NO specific point but to share my thoughts and wishes about FStorm.
A bit of background, i've been in the CG VFX and VIZ business for almost 20 years now. I tested almost all renders out there since then. I used 90% Vray the most part of the time until last 2-3years. Times changes. Also needs.
I've been working for the last 3 years with another renderengine (CPU though): Corona Render. All i can say so far is how happy i am with it. Finally, a whole new generation of artist focused render engines and not technicals ones. These years fashion.
Problem with CPU based renders is that still need a lot of CPU computation. In other words, very expensive CPU units; workstation based. My work is mainly focused on CGI animations (either full-CG or VFX) for films and advertising commercials.
That said, of course, i don't usually render the whole -let's say- 90secs commercial at home. I use online renderfarms. So, these days real-time feedback is what really bumps production and final product. RT feedback and speed.
As i previous said, CPU solution(s) still do the trick for me but i travel a lot because of my job. So, a laptop is highly needed. Not even top-notch series can beat workstation CPUs (ThreadRippers p.e.) so, basically i barely can't keep production while i'm on a trip.
Hence that i started to look into GPU based solutions. Started with Octane, then 1 year internal beta testing RedShift (my fav untilo now, still lot to do). Even Cycles, Maxwell and GPU Arnold version! Couldn't find a proper "match" for Corona to intercut final shots seamlessly. Until now. Until a few months ago. Until i found FStorm (i know, i'm coming late to the party). Finally, i'm pretty sure i found what i was looking for all these past 3 years.
Accuracy and simplicity in a robust and powerful engine.
So, the bottom line here is to say how happy i am with FStorm and hoping my posted samples in a real production environment (see attached below) and personal reflecions could be help or useful to another members of the community.
https://vimeo.com/407303849 -----------------> pass: FStorm_2020
https://vimeo.com/407303679 -----------------> pass: FStorm_2020
Now, after testing a lot the last DEMO version, i'm 99% sure that i'll integrate Fstrom in my prod. pipeline from now on. This is kinda saver for me. Thanks a lot Andrei.
In a personal different terms; i still have some doubts, wishes and concerns about FStorm. I have some weird thinking that, somehow, FStorm development is "slowly dying" and few people is still on the boat. ALL my hopes are that i'm absolutely wrong regarding this matter. Simply becasue far from being perfect and complete (a piece of code never is), Fstorm is, by far, the best GPU based option out there. and i am dying to keep it this way for many years.
So, in a more personal and direct way; Karba , can i ask you if it will be possible for you to make a public Trello.com site so the community can stay updated and be aware of the FStorm RoadMap? Also, bugs, improved and core new features polls would be more than welcome. Possible? Thank so much in adavance.
All the best.
Alex.
Ps. After testing FStorm for months now, i have several wishlist that i will post soon on the proper thread.
Ps2. These images belong to a WIP ad commercial spot. High-end one. I DO hope to finally be able to include 100% Fstorm shots in the final edit. 2m and 3m per frame each shot HDTV in one 1080GTX. I'm still in awe. No secondary cache at all. Just pathtracing.
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