Final Quality Radiosity works by splitting each surface in your design into three seperate triangles (as opposed to one), these triangles subsequently reflect light and pass it onto surrounding surfaces. This mode of rendering is at least three times more accurate and realistic than any other rendering type in VectorWorks, but will also take as three times as long as any other rendering type.
You should use radiosity render modes when:
- The usual direct lighting and ambient light does not capture the lighting subtlety, contrasts, or color tones satisfactorily.
- One bounce of light is not enough, in a Custom RenderWorks rendering with final gather rendering enabled.
- There is a large contrast between the darkest and brightest parts of the model, or there are large color contrasts among the lit areas in the model.
- You are rendering interiors, where the light energy would eventually be dispersed to many surfaces.
- You are rendering exteriors, and you want to see “washes” of light from overhangs, patios, sidewalks, etc.
Applying Radiosity can acheive very realistic results when implied to an interior that demands more from its lighting, particularly in designs with a lot of contrasting colours and surfaces.
However, Radiosity should not be used when:
- You can quickly produce satisfactory lighting by combining existing VectorWorks light objects, or easily “fake” the indirect lighting with fill lights.
- You can use area lights or a dome of directional lights to provide satisfactory soft lighting effects.
- There is not significant contrast between the brightest and darkest areas of the model, or there is not much color contrast between the lit surfaces in the model.
- Almost all of the light energy that falls on the model's surfaces will be lost into space and not hit neighboring surfaces when re-emitted.
- A satisfactory rendering can be achieved with Custom Renderworks including final gather rendering options.
- The geometry is so complex that an effective radiosity solution would take too long. In this instance see Custom Radiosity.
