I upgraded to B6 and started getting deeper into doing some nice landscapes(regular default size)and tutorials. The default sun works ok, but I have to "fill light" rocks and trees with it most of the time, so I thought I'd give the HDRI a try outside. I can't even preview most, because the HDRI is so slow, even the nano preview has a hardtime.. Quality=0, Intensity=50 or so, HDRI effect=50 to 100, or shadows don't turn out right. Light domes work sometimes, but I shouldn't have to use those for landscapes.

 I am also not using volumetric, special lighted anything, just sun and landscape with water, couple rocks, no tress etc...nothing complex. Plop rendering sections doesn't help much with large outdoor scenes IMHO.

Just curious,...did DAZ intend HDRI to be for landscape(outside) or just a indoor feature type thing? Bryce is first a landscaper isn't it? Was DAZ trying to compete at all with Vue or other? I've read alot about HDRI but not anyone using it for landscapes. Im not trying to be negative, I like the feature and Bryce, just wondering why it is so slow technically. 

 My other 3D program finishes a similar type scene in half the time, but its not made for landscapes. For anyone using Carrara, Vue, Terragen, is rendering/previews much faster for terrain building? I have B6 Lightning 2.0b running to help, but it doesn't seem to work as fast as it should. 

If the 6.1 update can't fix some things(better network rendering, HDRI features and speed) I will have to jump ship and I wish I didn't have to, but Im forced with needing better lighting/speed, especialy when I do more complex scenes. I can't afford the newer quad systems to do fly throughs either, but I like to do animations too etc...
Thanks. Discussion/suggestions.?.

Well it can work very well.even on landscapes and indoor scenes.

Well, in bryce's defence.. Indirect lighting on complex objects such as trees are a pain in the ass for any render program. Did u try using TA for it? It's slow too but with noisy textures such as u get often in terrains u can get away with 36 or 64 samples per pixel instead of insane 256 samples per pixel like u'd have to do with stuff like architectural scenes.

Thanks for Pics and replies. Im surprised that more aren't doing landscapes with B6, especialy with new features(terrain brushes etc..). I did try TA(but don't remember if it was outdoors). I'll experiment more with TA in outdoor... I know trees and complex objects are hard on any 3D app, but Im not having problems with what Im doing, just wondering what could be used with landscapes for faster HDRI previews, or if HDRI can be used for any type of, mostly, real looking(lighting) outdoor scenes for Bryce.

 HDRI seems over saturated for outdoor scenes to me(maybe because of softer shadows),... and if you use any HDR with alot of color, you can forget using the DTE or presets to preview  materials, you'll have to make your own. If Bryce could only export metaball created objects, then I could use Bryce as a plug-in type tool for my modeling app Shade for some really nice landscapes. GI in Bryce would make things alot easier, maybe version 7.

btw, @Incognitas, nice renders, how long did those renders take?, any postwork?

The first one was my first experiment and took about 20 minutes on default.with quality at 0 and intensity about 50 and HDRI at 100%.

The other was about 3 hours on regular render with the above settings for HDRI.Howevr as I say The pause render and save aspect of Bryce has saved my sanity as in this next one.It took about 6 hours in all.Mind with the reflection of the mirror and the glass and bottle I suppose I got off lightly.

You do know that you can do indoor scenes provided you click on the ceiling and or walls and in the material lab click on the options on the left(opposite the preview window) and click on cast shadows.This will allow light to pass into the building.

Incognitas, yes the last pic does look really good. Thanks for the tip on indoor scenes and HDRI, I have seen a few at DAZ forums use something like that. I will try to experiment with HDRI more on outside scenes, as well as fake radiosity and more light situations. I wish Bryce had more text in the GUI, cause I find sometimes when a scene doesn't look right, its hard to mouseover everything only to find that a HAZE setting was set to high and messed up HDRI or similar.

Excuse the brain-dead question, but what is "TA"?  I'm also trying to get more realistic lighting in outdoor situations via HDRI.  I'm running up against the render times being so slow.  I'm not sure I want to try changing apps, but I may have to.

Sandy

Lol Sandy; TA = True Ambience (AntiAlias Options/ Premium settings)

So far I can't see any difference in Bryce sun vs. TA in certain outdoor lighting(but is does make brighter scenes for other). HDRI simply ruins the outdoor shadows for heavy daylit scenes, so, Im going to stick with the default sun for now, unless anyone has tips on HDRI w/default sun suggestions. HDRI is still tooo slooow for previewing complex outdoor scenes. Bryce can get very close to Vue for alot of things, if Bryce only had a brighter sun, or did I miss a setting.

In order for TA to work optimal you need to turn the scene ambience to full black. Also, theres no use to turn the sun off when using TA, TA doesnt replace the sun.