Date: Tue, 3 Feb 1998 13:04:56 -0400 From: Scott Sutherland Subject: [IML] AMIGA: ACUP differences in .config (5.0 to 5.1) Hello All: Well, to further determine why my IM 5.1 is 2.5 X SLOWER than my IM 5.0 on the test project, I looked at the .config files for each and tried to isolate functions that might affect speed. Here are the settings: PARAMETER IM50 IM51 DESCR ----------- ------- ------- ------------------------------- OLDA T F use "old" anti-aliasing in trace USAA T T use AA chip set if available S256 T T run 640x480 imagine in 256 color RTGS F F show real-time grey scale image... EDLE 30 10 Anti-aliasing threshhold AARC 255 20 Anti-aliasing rays per pixel limit RSDP 8 8 "Resolve Depth" (multiple reflection) OCTD 6 6 # levels in oct-tree (max) SMOD 0 0 imagine screen width (0=640) OTRL -1 -1 max oct-tree RAM in KBytes (or -1) OTFL 40 40 min free RAM after oct-tree (Kb) (or -1) SSLE 45 45 Soft Shadow Light Elements USCG F T flag-imagine uses cybergraphics.library graphics routines These are the major items of note. Basically, as you can see, the major differences that stand out are the EDLE value (is a higher number more or less anti-aliasing? I forget), the anti-aliasing rays per pixel limit (does this have any effect on trace times?), the use of OLD anti-aliasing in my IM50.config, and NOT using the cybergraphics.library graphics routines in IM50. I will change these tonight to see what happens. Any comments/suggestions in the mean time would be helpful. Scott Sutherland ---------------------------------------- From: "Ash R. J. Wyllie" >EDLE 30 10 Anti-aliasing threshhold That is the line that makes all the difference. raise the threshold and you will get a huge increase in speed. EDLE determines when more rays should be tried in order to do antialiasing. I have noticed a significant speed increase in quickrenders with my 040/40. -ash (Where is John Galt when you need him?) ---------------------------------------- From: Nick Curcio Using old AA in your Im5.0 will make the rendering drastically faster. The higher EDLE value (less AA) makes it faster, too. The number of rays/pixel has no effect if you are using the old AA. So, using old AA and the higher EDLE value will make your Im5.0 run a lot faster...as you have seen for yourself. ;) nik ---------------------------------------- From: Eric van Velthooven > PARAMETER IM50 IM51 DESCR > ----------- ------- ------- ------------------------------- > OLDA T F use "old" anti-aliasing in trace From: Clae & Deborah Tanett in trace I'll bet you kazillions, this is the setting responsible... old AA seems to be a lot faster than the fancy new AA they out into v5.x of imagine. > EDLE 30 10 Anti-aliasing threshhold > AARC 255 20 Anti-aliasing rays per pixel limit From: Clae & Deborah Tanett pixel limit I think these settings influence new AA Eric ---------------------------------------- From: Clae & Deborah Tanett Hi Scott, Eric Clae here This talk of the OLDA and how it sends down the rendering times made me relook at things in mine. I have the OLDA set to T (I just used my old Imagine.config - didn't want to mess around redoing the colors in the prefs... not to mention adding all my custom buttons). Back to track... I heard you discussing the OLDA slowing down the rendering times sooo I set mine to F in the OLDA... the 060 blasted through it. Just as fast with F as T. (my system is an A4000/Mk II 060 w 80megs ram:) Just a note. Martin also asked if I saw a big rendering difference... "no." Hey... what can I say... "That's the 060." The object I rendered was a 19,200 figure (no textures - in setup stages yet), screen: 640x400 24-bit; 30 seconds from go to palette color/clean up end. Clae F Tanett cd@accutek.com ---------------------------------------- From: Scott Sutherland Hello All: Well, I answered my own question when I had to go home for lunch today to get my briefcase. I tested the effects of the various differences between my IFA 5.0 Config file and the default 5.1 Config file. I post the results here for general interest and to pose a question. PARAMETER IM50 IM51 DESCR ----------- ------- ------- ------------------------------- OLDA T F use "old" anti-aliasing in trace EDLE 30 10 Anti-aliasing threshhold AARC 255 20 Anti-aliasing rays per pixel limit USCG F T flag-imagine uses cybergraphics.library graphics routines Here are the results: My original 5.0 rendering time was 60 seconds (frame 13). My original 5.1 rendering time was 153 seconds. The following changes to the 5.1 config resulted in the following rendering time changes: Changing EDLE from 10 to 30 reduced the rendering time to 77 seconds. Changing from the new AA routine to the OLD one reduced the rendering time to 53 seconds. Changing AARC and USCG had no effect on the rendering time. So, final results: IM 5.0: 60 sec. IM 5.1: 53 sec. A similar change to the other posted times. I was NOT surprised at the effect of changing EDLE, but I was very surprised at the magnitude of the effect of changing from the NEW AA routine to the old one (~ 30% reduction in rendering time). BTW, I have created my own project (objects, etc.) and ~ the same settings for a comparison of IFA and IFW. My original 3000 '030 with IFA 5.0 was 40X slower than my IFW on a P120 using this project. Now the difference is ~ 1.5X slower with my PPC(200 MHz)/060(50 MHz)/60 ns RAM/IFA 5.1. Quite a difference. Can't wait for the PPC IFA! Thanks. Scott Sutherland