I have 2 annoying problems with Poser when I try to render anything with about 3000 pixels or more on a side at 300 dpi.

there are two things that often happen.

The 1st is the render reaches a certain point and though I can tell the processor is going hard it just can't get past that point no matter how many hours I let it try. 

The 2nd is larger renders just finish early as in half to 3/4's the way through. The render progress panel just dissapears as if Poser thinks it has finished the job but it hasn't.

both are baffling and frustrating me so any advice would be wonderful :)

Your render settings are too high. Post a screen shot of your render settings.

Quote - Your render settings are too high. Post a screen shot of your render settings.

Thanks for that but my render setting definitely are high because I want a large printable render so it has to be high quality as it is for a glossy magazine.

I have no troubles rendering lower qualities or high qualities at lower sizes. I don't really understand what all the different settings do so I was using the automatic settings set to "final". There is one step above that and I would like even more to be able to use that one. 

So really I am trying to find out what could be stopping it because I really want to use the high settings. Maybe it is one particular setting like the bucket one or maybe it is my laptop that only has 8 gigs of RAM or perhaps it is related to a windows setting I can change. 

http://www.alienskin.com/blowup/index.aspx

This is what I use...I print my graphics 13x19 and no disortion at all.. Only works as plugin with Adobe Photoshop though.

Poser9 is 32 bit, and you do not say what OS you are running.

I think you are boucing in the 2GB Memory limiter.

Monitor your Memory consumption during the renders.

What bucket size?
Reduce bucket size to 16 or 8 or 4 to get the renders to finish.
And set MSR to 1.

And is texture catching enabled in General preferences? => Enable it.
And set all textures to quality or crisp. (Crisp is better.)

And??? What lights, and how many??????

Try this in manual render settings:

Cast shadows ON
Raytraying enabled
Raytrace bounces 1, you rarely need more
IC can be set to ZERO
IDL ON
IDL quality to 7
Pixel samples 3, or to 4 to 5 for extra hi quality
MSR to 1,
Bucket size : For 64 bit systems :128 if you have lots of RAM, for medium RAM set at 64, short on RAM leave it at 32. On 32 bit systems lower to 16, 8, or even 4.

If you ahve dynamic hair leave bucket size at 32 or lower on low end RAM systems.

Smooth Polygons if required
Use Displacement maps if required
Post Filter size on 3 at sync

Quote - http://www.alienskin.com/blowup/index.aspx

This is what I use...I print my graphics 13x19 and no disortion at all.. Only works as plugin with Adobe Photoshop though.

Thanks Vitachick. I have a couple of high end enlarging programs but it is much better to produce the original as a large on if I can so I'll kick poser a bit more before I have to resort to one of those.

Quote - Poser9 is 32 bit, and you do not say what OS you are running.

I think you are boucing in the 2GB Memory limiter.

Monitor your Memory consumption during the renders.

What bucket size?
Reduce bucket size to 16 or 8 or 4 to get the renders to finish.
And set MSR to 1.

And is texture catching enabled in General preferences? => Enable it.
And set all textures to quality or crisp. (Crisp is better.)

And??? What lights, and how many??????

Hmm, not sure what the 2gig memory limiter is. I am using Windows 8 professional 64 bit and Poser 9. I know P9 is 32 bit and have considered Pro to get past that but can't really justify the cost of it for my uses and experience level.

As for what lights, not sure which ones now but I think it is a DM set and there are 5 that I have tweaked a bit.

I'm about to have another go at it using your settings from the next message so thanks for those :)

Have you set the rendering to "Separate Process" in your preferences?

Laurie

Quote - Have you set the rendering to "Separate Process" in your preferences?

Laurie

ah, there is just so much I don't know !!!. I'll look when this current render attempt finishes so thanks for that :)

5 Lights?

For outdoor scenes, render with IDL and use BB's sphere and one infinite light at 55%.

Usually that is more then enough light for an outdoor scene. => There is only one sun out there, so there can only be ONE direct light source. The rest of the light comes from the indirect light, (that is what the sphere does)  as it happens in real life.

And as LauriA sugested; Goto general preferences and set rendering to Separate process. "Be sure to let it go though your Firewall."

Rendering to a separate process should help ;). I know I can never render unless I do that (and I have even less ram than you do). However, your renders, by their size, are still going to take a very long time ;). I do think that may be your main problem tho. Good luck!

Laurie

Well, thanks Vilters. I just ran a full render at 3700 pixels and the long end and 300dpi using your suggestions and it went all the way to the end. 

As for my lights, well I'm a photographer more than a 3D artist and so using lots of lights mixing angles and colours is just something I like doing.

Quote - Rendering to a separate process should help ;). I know I can never render unless I do that (and I have even less ram than you do). However, your renders, by their size, are still going to take a very long time ;). I do think that may be your main problem tho. Good luck!

Laurie

Had a look in my general prefs and now I remember finding that Render in a seperate process thingy a few weeks back and changing to it just because it looked like a good idea. So thanks for that as because it is good to know I did one thing right :).  

Martin

Glad it worked out OK.
Happy Posering.
Tony