i HATE this..everytime i render something..i have to do a render preview.. i can't see what i have done in the nano window..it too small.
grumble..grumble
and esp if it's as bad as that image in my last post. i hate to wait for AGES for a render to happen.
twiddle my thumbs..go drink.
oh bother. :mad:

too much brandy for a tummyache i guess.

NANO WINDOW TINY!! NANO WINDOW WAAAYYYY TO TINY!!!!!

I know, I know - I agree - eye strain city - IT SUCKS BIG TIME BABY!!!!

You could save yourself some time by rendering the whole thing and then use plop-render to view changes you make...........?

(Posted via IE6)

good idea thebryster..will do that

Why not set the scene to render at half or quarter size as a preview?

paul..good idea...but i find it easier to catch slight misses if it's a large size.. i do a render to disc.. 56 dpi..or 72..at a 15 inch by 10 inch.. (easier to work in inches than pixels) or something whereabouts.. then open it in photoshop..and voila..i can have that open to work with...

but..then yes..the render to disc times..i get off my butt and do some walking around...

i so can't understand why the nano window has to be that tiny. just doesn't make sense

Agree with Bryster.  PLOP RENDER PLOP RENDER PLOP RENDER

I like the term "PLOP RENDER" - it makes me wanna hide behind some bushes - and then slam a big wad of cookie dough into the first car that drives by...

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!

Plop render is the way to go, I turn the nano off (sky only mode) as all it does is slow things down.

you can also turn the shadows down to zero to test render, that can help speed things up. Even turn AA off to for a quick look at the scene. and yes, Plop rendering parts is your friend. :-D

Quote - "i so can't understand why the nano window has to be that tiny. just doesn't make sense"

There are a couple of things that have a bearing on this.

The Bryce interface was designed when most people were using a screen resolution of 800x600. In that case, the nano-preview doesn't appear so tiny.

The nano-preview uses the same basic render process as the main window (i.e. it's slow), and if it was bigger it would take longer to render. It's often too slow even now, at its tiny size and with modern computers. If you place a complex volumetric material in a scene with multiple lights, the nano-window will slow to a crawl and most of the Bryce interface will not respond to input until it has finished rendering (sensibly, the option to turn off the nano-preview does respond quickly).

The nano-preview size was a reasonable compromise when it was introduced. Nowadays it would probably be better to have a bigger size option and have it update only on user command rather than automatically.

bryce 6 better deal with a bigger size option..and yes. as PJF says.. update it on user command. sigh.
i try turning off AA at times..btu it's so hard to figure out things properly with jagged rough edges..esp if one dealing with metal and glass... can't really see the specularity properly.
next time round..i shall plop render..thanks all...

Remember the theme song to "Goldfinger"? - replace "Goldfinger" with "Ploprender" - it makes for a catchy little tune.

PLOP PLOP FIZZ FIZZ - OH WHAT 'A RELIEF IT IS!!!

RELIEF...Hmmmmm...Another term for a 3D IMAGE!!!

All things are relative.....ZENNNNNN...Synchronicity is balance.....ZENNNNNN.....I just pooped my pants...GATHWARRRRK SCRUNTCHHHHH!!!!!

I agree with all the plop render suggestions.  It's the way to go.   Plop render tiny areas to get a feel for the change. 

Also if the nano window were any larger you wouldn't be able to use bryce..

And... the nano window is still pretty awesome.   Most 3d apps don't have any kind of preview like that.

mugsy, I want whatever medication you're on..;)

@packled:

I disagree with you, to a point..

I also want to know what medication mugsy is on, specifically so I can avoid it.

Strolling through Reading (UK, Berkshire) town-centre whilst inadvertantly "plop-rendering" seems a good way to get arrested..

Hmm... Might be a good idea for a cartoon-type pic, tho. :-)) "but Officer, I was on prescrbed plop-render.."

Cheers,
Diolma

(Diolma<-- turns scatology button OFF!)

My mommy told me a long time ago not to plop render because I could blind or crazy - and my hands would get hairy - er...

I'm not gonna tell you what medication I'm on...Because then you'll send some of those little trolls that live in my walls out to steal it from me. IT IS MINE - AAALLLLL MINE DAMMIT!!!

DEFINITION OF PLOP RENDER: One who savagely tears into dog turds looking for lost jewelry...

GAFWAAAHHH - GAFWAAAARRRRRRGGGGA...

Rember kids ; Caring spelled backwards is Gnirac - and the last thing you wanna do is to find a freaking hungry red eyed Gnirac is some dark alley somewhere...

I usually turn the nano to wireframe preview.... with intense renders it just slows the work flow down...rendering every little change made...

Stephen Ray,
Yep That has been annoying in the past. I've left the little bugger on until the time it took  to render that little window became annoying.

Mugsy,
Yes keep the prescious to yourself please!!!!
Look at all the trouble it caused last time someone found out about it..  

Try my test render method, you might like it.

I set the render size to 800 x 600.

I set up for premium render, then set the ray per pixel (rpp) to 4.

Even a rather complicated scene will render in 5 minutes or less. You lose some detail, but  you can get a good idea of what your final render will look like.

This renders more quickly and with more detail than the non-premium type render settings do for me on my machine (intel 2.0 ghz).

Try it out and see.

PS: I'm using Bryce5, I'm not sure how it will work with 5.5.

Plop means something unpleasant here in England...it's the stuff that can hit the fan.....

I often use the Sky Lab preview, set to Actual Scene. While not a whole lot bigger then the main nano it's sometimes enough.