The Ultimate Render Engine Comparison

Welcome to our community project for "The Ultimate Render Engine Comparison."

We're thrilled to have you on board, and this guide will provide you with all the information you need to participate effectively. Please read these instructions carefully before you begin.

1 Introduction

Our goal is to compare various architectural rendering engines using the same 3D model. Your contribution will help us showcase the differences in outcomes objectively. We'll be featuring rendering engines such as Lumion, D5 Render, Enscape, Twinmotion, Vray, Unreal Engine, and more in this ultimate comparison. If you're skilled in a rendering engine not listed here and believe it would add value to this project, please feel free to join us!

Before we dive in, please note that not all submitted images will make it into the final video. Only the best submissions will be selected for inclusion.

2 Download the files

The files are packed into a ZIP archive for your convenience. Make sure you have WinRAR or WinZip installed to unzip the files.

The 3D model was created using SketchUp and saved in an older Sketchup version for compatibility with most 3D modeling software and rendering engines. No other file format will be provided.

There are reference images included in the download. These images were the inspiration for the basic model. Feel free to use them to help create the final renderings.

3 Scene Requirements

Before you start rendering, take a moment to review the reference image provided. It will guide you in terms of framing and essential details.

• Render the scenes provided, which include one exterior and one interior.
• Maintain the original 16:9 (landscape) aspect ratio.
• Avoid making alterations to the existing furniture in the scenes. However, you can enhance them with accessories and decorations, as mentioned in the "Adding Life" section below.

4 Materials and Textures

Use materials from the asset library of your chosen rendering engine; do not use external paid PBR materials.

The materials are tagged with their correct names as references, and no diffuse textures are included. Therefore you're allowed to choose the best type of texture to fit in the image, as long as it follows the overall theme of the image. For example, there's a texture for the decking called "rough wood", so any type of not-so-polished and rough wood works here. Or the metal cladding as the cabin outer layer... feel free to use any type of cladding you see fit, but stay in the "metal" type of material.

4.1 Exterior scene:

• Create a realistic cabin in the woods with details like patches, decals, leaves, and grunge textures.
• Aim for daytime scenes with natural light sources, such as HDRI or sun, for realistic shadows.

4.2 Interior scene:

• Focus on the interior lighting, reflections, and texturing.
• Add accessories from the asset library, but do not change the existing furniture.
• Feel free to add details like books, vases, or other elements to make the scene more lifelike

5 Lighting Guidelines

• Aim for daytime scenes with visible natural light. While you can simulate evening or morning scenes to showcase interior and exterior lamps, avoid creating fully dark night scenes.
• The primary light source should be either an HDRI, the sun, or a combination of both.
• For the interior scene, let sunlight enter through the windows and illuminate the space naturally. Also, light up the floor lamp to splash some light onto the side wall. If you need extra light inside, you can use filler lights to make it brighter (as long as it doesn't feel fake or these extra filler lights are visible in reflections).

6 Adding Life

Feel free to add as much "life" to the image as you can. For example, in the interior scene if you want to add books lying on the ground next to the chair, go for it! Or if you have access to a hanging vase plant in your asset library and want to include it on the shelf, also can!

Important 1: Do not include extra furniture or change the existing furniture.

Important 2: Do not add any 3D people.

And in the exterior scene, if you want to add patches and decals, leaves on the ground, grunge textures, and make the exterior space feel used and torn, you can! Aim for a realistic cabin in the woods.

Be creative but maintain the original framing and aim for realism.

7 Submission

1. Render the images at a minimum resolution of 1920x1080 pixels.
2. To maintain fairness in the comparison, please avoid extensive post-production. We encourage you to showcase the capabilities of your rendering engine as accurately as possible.
3. Once your scenes are rendered, submit the images as .JPG files to community@learnupstairs.com.
4. You can send them through WeTransfer, via a cloud link, or directly attached to the email if the files fit.
5. Include in the email body: your name and the rendering engine you used (+ which version you used).
6. Don't forget to include your Instagram handle, Behance profile, or a link for proper credit.

Please note that this is a voluntary opportunity and not a paid job. It's a chance to be part of a YouTube video that will put all major rendering engines to the test. We've opened it to the community to ensure an unbiased comparison.

8 Selection Process

Our team will review all submitted images and select the best ones for inclusion in the video. Images will be chosen based on quality, realism, and adherence to the guidelines.

All images used in the video will have credits along with it. So don't forget to send them via email with the images!

9 Deadlines

You can send your images until the end of October (31st). After this date, we'll be fully engaged in the scriptwriting and video production process.

However, we understand that creativity doesn't always adhere to a strict schedule. If you need a few extra days, we'll accept submissions after the due date. Please be aware that submissions received after the deadline are not guaranteed to be considered for the final selection.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at community@learnupstairs.com