Hi there,
I’m having some problems understanding why I get this strange behaviour using realtime GI (enlighten).
Problem #1
When I bake my scene (with a resolution of 1 texels per unit", see next problem number 2) I get a preatty nice result overall, but I get very noticeable shading problems on some of the modules that are used on my map.
Do you have any idea to what would mitigate the problem? I tried every option (ignore normals, optimize realtime UVs, max distance, max angle) but nothing would remove the odd shading. Strangely enough, every time I rebake realtime GI those “systems” change randomly so the issue presents itself randomly in different parts of the map. Is it really possibly to use Realtime GI for a modular interior like this without having major shading issues?
Problem #2
baking using 1 texel per unit overall gives me preatty nice results, but by incresing resolution looks like quality degrades instead of getting any better. This is a comparison between 1 texel per unit (left) vs. 3 texels per unit. As you can see, the one on the left has nice contrast and basically matches the look of a Progressive lightmapper baked indirect; more resolution (right pic, 3 texels per unit) results in washed out, not contrasty at all GI which doesn’t look any good. Again, any idea what could be the problem?
Yeah, about problem 2, I can also confirm from my Enlighten tests many years ago, that after some density threshold things just fall apart and GI starts looking worse.
I don’t think there is anything you can do, since Enlighten is here as a stopgap and they’re not really going to make any improvements to it.
Hey AcidArrow, thanks for the feedback. Well if I can fix at least problem #1 it may actually be a usable solution. I’m fine with sticking to that density if I can get a consistent look accross the map, thing that right now it’s impossible to achieve with my tests
Problem 01: Working with modular pieces is always tricky, whether it’s baked or realtime GI. As you increase lightmap scale, chart size will increase, and you will eventually run out of space in the lightmap atlas. Try reducing the lightmap scale for your objects. Alternatively, create a new lightmap parameters asset, and assign same system tag ID to them.
Problem 02: Keep in mind that Enlighten uses infinite bounces, whereas Progressive Lightmapper is limited to 100. In order to make more accurate comparisons, set PLM bounce count to its max. value.
If you do find that Enlighten produces overly bright results, try reducing light intensity. Alternatively, you could lower indirect intensity as well, but that would mean that the result will not be physically correct.
about problem number 2: I’m using HDRP and I’m basically sticking to “as exact as possible” light values (100 000 for bright sun, getting lower during the day, with Indirect multiplier always at 1) so I’m confused as why the scene looks good at 1 texel per unit but not at 3 since lighting remains the same in both scenarios. Does the increased resolution add some sort of additional quality in regard of number of bounces or something like that? I’m asking just to better understand pros and cons of the realtime GI system
EDIT: just to be sure I’ll point out again, on the pic below the left side is Enlighten realtime GI bake at 1 texel per unit (not PLM!!), on the right side it’s still Enlighten Reatime GI bake but with a resolution of 4 texels per unit, with same identical lighting as per previous bake. It feels wrong because both Enlighten at 1 texel per unit and PLM with 10 bounces are giving me expected and natural results (light enters from windows and gradually fades away keeping the far, opposite wall dark). The “higher resolution” Elighten bake looks just wrong, I get it uses infinite bounces but should it use them even at 1 texel per unit? And anyways, there’s no way natural lighting bounce would look like the scene on the left in real life.
