A rendering engine refers to the software that generates 2D images or animations from a 3D model and scene by simulating light, shadow, texture and other visual effects. Rendering engines come in all shapes and sizes, designed for a variety of purposes, ranging from real time visualization to photo realistic rendering.
Types of Rendering Engines
Real-Time Rendering Engines: The emphasis is on real-time, which shows designers almost immediate results while working with such engines like Eevee (Blender), Unreal Engine, etc. They are often employed in video games and real-time simulations.
Great For: Gaming, VR/AR and speedy previews.
Ray Tracing Engines: Ray tracing is the method used by most of the engines you are familiar with: Cycles, Arnold, V-Ray, etc. — to simulate light as it behaves in the real world. Reflections, refractions, and global illumination will be calculated for realistic results by these engines but are slower than real-time engines.
Ideal For: Film, architectural design, and product visualization.
GPU-Accelerated Engines: Using GPU-accelerated engines that leverage the power of discrete graphics cards to speed up rendering. These make a perfect option for artists who want quick results without the compromise of quality.
Ideal For: Professionals who work on high-quality projects with equal emphasis on speed and realism.
Selecting the Appropriate Rendering Engine
Which rendering engine to use Well — that really depends on the nature of work you are doing. For quick previews and real-time experience, you want a real-time engine. If you need to render high level of detail with photorealistic results, then a ray-tracing engine is the way to go. Engines with GPU acceleration are trade-offs between performance and quality.
Now that we have seen the types of rendering engines and their strengths, you can select one that works right for your project.
Sign up for cloudrender.farm! Free credits applied on registration.
Already signed up? Please email support@cloudrender.farm with any further questions!
