I am using Microstation V8I SS3 08.11.09.608
I am trying to render 16000 frames for a video. My problem is that 439 of these frames render incorrectly. In these frames parts of the foreground surfaces disappear exposing some of the background surfaces. I have tried the following:
Grouping elements (Ctrl G). This has helped in other renders.
Making some or all of the files iModels. This doesn't solve the problem and adds problems with textures having an incorrect rotation.
Saving the frames to almost all of the file formats available including pcx, rle, jpg, pmg, bmp, rgb, cit.
recording the video using Aecosim
The video is a recording from the driver's viewpoint of a train travelling along a railway. It's a simple animation of a camera, no target, following a path split into several sections. The number of frames per section calculated to simulate acceleration, deceleration and constant velocity. there are no other moving parts. The model is comprised of several reference files (15) containing various elements of the railway modelled as surfaces or solids. Textures have been applied to most of the elements.
The problem manifests as a missing area defined by a line from the centre point of the bottom of the screen running vertically to the centre of the screen with a second line running from the centre of the screen to a point approximately 1/3 of the height of the screen on the right hand side. The area inside the small 'quadrant' disappears. If the track and ballast surfaces are separate the track disappears. If they are grouped, they both disappear.
I are using HDTV(1920x1080) at 60 fps settings to suit the client's requirements. I have had limited success when reducing the resolution but the resulting video was deemed unacceptable.
This is an issue we have been trying to resolve for several months, on and off.
I have attached three consecutive image files from the point that it starts to go wrong.
I'd appreciate any help that anyone can offer.
Paul
Hi Brendan
Thanks for your quick response. I'm not sure which cache you mean. Also, in all probability I won't be able to change anything as the machines in this organisation are locked down quite tightly. If I knew which cache I could possible get IT to alter it's settings.
I located a setting in Preferences:Operation called Resource Cache. I increased this from 1000k to 2000k then 10000k and, lastly 24000k. Nothing changed as far as my renders were concerned.
Hi,
I assume you are rendering using smooth render mode ? Can you try switching the clipping on for the cameras. So use the modify animation camera tool to switch front and back clipping on then set them to reasonable values.
The other thing you could try is switching off the levels with the geometry which is causing a problem off. Or using a display set for just what you need.
BTW you can just rerun those frames you need if you delete them and do continue recorded sequence. Provided you have the .asf file and you place the frames in the same location as all the other frames.
Hi Paul,
It looks like the buildings on the right side of the scene are being rendered on top of the tracks and balast for some reason. Not sure why that would be happening.
You could try trimming the bottoms of the building off near the ground surface instead of extending so far below. That might help since the problem doesn't seem to be effecting the slope or wall on the right.
In the Render Settings dialog, do you have the option Render Geometry Outside View checked? If not, check it and see if that helps.
Regards,Ron
Hi Paul
Yes we are using smooth render mode. The default setting on my computer for a camera includes front and back clips on and both set to 3.00
Switching off the levels isn't really an option. It's the Rails or the Sleepers that are causing the problem, without them a railway video isn't really a railway video, if you see what I mean.
We've done a few of these videos and we're comfortable with the process, except when we hit snags like this one. Thanks for the tip about re-running frames anyway.
Thanks for all your suggestions.
Hi Ron
The file with the buildings in it was bought by the company I work for. It's not mine to alter although I might mess around with a copy of it one day. The issue has been with us for some time and it's more about nearside surfaces becoming transparent in bottom right hand corner. When the rails and the ballast are not grouped, only the rails disappear. The ballast remains intact so the buildings can't be seen below the DTM. The problem we have had when the track and the ballast are not grouped is that the track disapears for a much greater time (many more frames).
I checked the setting you mentioned but it made no difference
Just to let everyone know. The solution to my particular issue was to merge the reference file containing the track and ballast graphics into the live file. So simple!
Thanks to everybody who contributed
Answer Verified By: pirdoppaul