High Definition Rendering

[joelyboy911]

For a while now, when I've gone to help someone learn how to render in High-Definition (HD), I've had to sift through this thread to find this post where BATters can download SimFox's High Definition (HD) Scripts for GMAX BAT.

I'll give a quick summary of what to do, to save future users from having to sift through the discussion (and arguments) of that thread to find the information.

Downloading the attachment to that post gives you a set of files, with the same names as those found in C:\gmax\gamepacks\BAT\scripts (or an equivalent directory). You can delete all of them before inserting SimFox's ones, or you can simply drop SimFox's ones in and select 'yes' when asked if you want to overwrite the existing file.

Once you've done that, BAT will be mostly the same as before, except in the preview box you will see this:


Image, credit SimFox

Selecting this changes the output, not only in the preview render, but also the export render. Whichever checkbox is selected will be the type of output produced.

So it's pretty easy.

Disclaimer:
HD rendering takes longer, and produces BATs of a large filesize. The implications of this are not fully known. HD may not be best for all buildings.

[thingfishs]

so simple, and yet invaluable. Good thinking Joel

I would suggest a bit more of a warning against using HD though; primarily that it may make zoom 6 look better but it makes zoom 5 worse. If your object is too small to see properly in zoom 5 than it's a good candidate for HD. If not, I don't believe the tradeoff is worth it. Zoom 5 is much more important than zoom 6. 

[callagrafx]

For a while now, when I've gone to help someone learn how to render in High-Definition (HD), I've had to sift through this thread to find this post where BATters can download SimFox's High Definition (HD) Scripts for GMAX BAT.

Why not just search the STEX? 

http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=23088   

And HD is not really suitable for ANY building, for many of the reasons stated by Thingsfish 

[joelyboy911]

so simple, and yet invaluable. Good thinking Joel

I would suggest a bit more of a warning against using HD though; primarily that it may make zoom 6 look better but it makes zoom 5 worse. If your object is too small to see properly in zoom 5 than it's a good candidate for HD. If not, I don't believe the tradeoff is worth it. Zoom 5 is much more important than zoom 6. 

Thanks. I would include more of a warning, but I'm more for letting people make their own decisions.

Why not just search the STEX? 

http://www.simtropolis.com/stex/details.cfm?id=23088   

And HD is not really suitable for ANY building, for many of the reasons stated by Thingsfish 

Well, I disagree with the statement that HD should never be used. That's for the creator and the downloader to decide. And I didn't even know it was on the STEX...  and that file links to a BAT4Max version, the description holds no mention of the GMAX HD output scripts. Anyway it's good for this information to be compiled here for the benefit of people who don't often visit Simtropolis.

[callagrafx]

Thanks. I would include more of a warning, but I'm more for letting people make their own decisions.

Well, I disagree with the statement that HD should never be used. That's for the creator and the downloader to decide. And I didn't even know it was on the STEX...  and that file links to a BAT4Max version, the description holds no mention of the GMAX HD output scripts. Anyway it's good for this information to be compiled here for the benefit of people who don't often visit Simtropolis.

The GMAX scripts are part of the BAT4Max install... as it doesn't work without them.  And as for buildings being HD, well not many people are going to want a CO$ that weighs in at 2MB, are they?  And the ONLY benefit HD has is for small props, such as lightpoles, and ONLY at zoom 6.  At zoom 5 they degrade, as has been said.  We've been on this wagon train before, and like the TV series, this one hasn't got anywhere either.....