Frequently asked questions about LightWorks
LightWorks rendering engine is incorporated into ArchiCAD from version 9. LightWorks rendering engine is developed by LightWork Design
Q: Does LightWorks in ArchiCAD supports radiosity?
A: No, currently Ray-tracing is supported
Q: Does LightWorks in ArchiCAD support multi-threading?
A: Yes, although not all of the rendering modes in LightWorks are multithreaded. Therefore some settings cause the rendering process to use one processor only.
Q: What settings are limiting the multi-thread functionality?
A: There are two settings:
If Antialiasing is set to "best", then the projection will use scanline rendering which is a single-thread rendering mode in LightWorks
If Realistic Sun is used, then the rendering will break down to separate threads, but only one of these threads will be active most of the time, while the others will be idle, therefore there will be no performance benefit over a single-processor computer .
Q: When do I need to set Antialising to best?
A: You will probably only need this option when you have very thin (1-pixel) elements (e.g. wires) that run at a steep angle in your composition.
Q: When do I need to turn Realistic Sun on?
A: Realistic Sun has the benefit of most accurate shading, because it uses ray tracing algorithm. The rays of the Realistic Sun will penetrate transparent materials, while the simple Sun will not penetrate such materials, creating a less realistic shadow casting. Since the use of Realistic Sun puts a heavy burden on performance, use it only when you do the final renderings. You can improve rendering speed by setting the Number of Samples value lower.
Q: Can LightWorks take advantage of more than 2 processors?
A: LightWorks will use as many processors as many you have. However, do not expect rendering times to be divided by the number of processors compared to a single processor. Photo rendering has 3 stages: creating 3D model, converting model to LightWorks format, then rendering. Only the 3rd stage is multi-threaded.
Q: Is ArchiCAD LWA-Enabled ?
A: This feature is not yet implemented in ArchiCAD.
Q: Where can I learn more about LightWorks rendering in ArchiCAD?
A: Dwight Atkinson's 'LightWorks in ArchiCAD book is a highly recommended read if you are interested in learning more about this topic