Weekly Update 46/2024 (Patreon)

Ladies and gentlemen!

The work on the visuals for the next game update is complete, and all that’s left is the coding phase. Everything is progressing smoothly, and the update will be available in early access next week.

This week brought an unexpected moment of self-reflection on how I create images. For years, I’ve relied on a well-honed, efficient process using the Iray Interior Camera product, which automatically cuts off geometry outside the frame to reduce rendering time. This stable and practical approach allows me to render an image in 10–15 minutes and animation frames in 3–5 minutes. To address the altered light caused by this method (since geometry gets cut off), I’ve created custom HDRI maps for every room, resulting in consistent, soft lighting.

However, I’ve recently started questioning whether this method is holding me back creatively. It’s efficient, but does it allow for dramatic, natural, and photorealistic lighting? While working on a Jeshka event this week, I decided to try something different—using a standard camera and multiple light sources, as many 3D artists do.

Here’s what I discovered:

1. After years of working with one method, my understanding of lighting is more limited than I realized.

2. Rendering took nearly twice as long per image.

That said, I liked the results! The images looked fresh, even if the animation quality needed more refinement. This experiment gave me a lot to think about and opened a new avenue for my growth as an artist.

Next week, I’ll focus on coding, and early access for the update will be ready in the second half of the week.

Thank you for your ongoing support, and have a wonderful weekend!

Regards,

Nemiegs