Point lights are still valid as light source indoors. The use of emitters is great for area lights. Light bulbs are not area lights and are much more efficiently implemented using point lights with proper falloff. Don't get so hung up on a new technique that you think it's the only one to use. It isn't.

I am doing a demonstration. I have an L-shaped room. Three point lights (unseen) are lighting most of the room. One ceiling light above the camera also contributes.

The lower part was a previous render using draft settings and took about 2 minutes.

I am now doing the super crazy overnight final settings. It has been running over an hour, and you can see that the IDL precalc is not even half completed.

I am going out for work today (so odd - I have worked from home almost 90 days in a row). When I return I will post the result.

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Renderosity forum reply notifications are wonky. If I read a follow-up in a thread, but I don't myself reply, then notifications no longer happen AT ALL on that thread. So if I seem to be ignoring a question, that's why. (Updated September 23, 2019)