Introduction to Rendering

Rendering is the process of depicting a 3D model through the display of shaded surfaces. MicroStation V8 provides a comprehensive range of rendering choices from the simple modes, which include Hidden Line Display, Smooth, and Phong shading, through to the sophisticated photo-realistic rendering modes such as Ray Tracing, Radiosity solving, and Particle Tracing.

How you approach rendering will depend largely on what you require as the finished result. At the outset you should decide whether your goal is interactive images, or photo-realism:

• Interactive — where the goal is rendering speed, or frame rate, rather than realism. This may be to produce simple conceptual images, or animations, through to more sophisticated images in which elements are given basic material characteristics.

• Photo-realistic — where realism is the requirement. These images require more time and care with setting up material definitions. Similarly, the setting up and placement of light sources is more critical with photo-realistic rendering modes. With both Radiosity solving and Particle Tracing, real-world lighting values always are used. With Ray Tracing, real world lighting values are used if Real World Lighting is enabled in the Ray Tracing dialog box. You can use IES lighting data files, also, to provide even more realism to your lighting. Another important consideration, particularly with photo-realistic rendering, is that of Gamma Correction of your output.