Outputs
Save the Predict Engine render
The Predict Engine simulation can be saved in two different formats :
LDR (the post-processed simulation, in a PNG file),
HDR (the post-processed simulation, in an EXR file, see section bellow for more details).
Using the engine overlay, the simulation can be saved via the "PredictSuite/Engine/Game Overlay/Save Simulation" menu or using the Save button in the Interactive Settings window.
Using the engine view, the simulation can be saved via the Save button in the view.
You can also save the Predict Engine simulation by script or by defining shortcuts.
False colors and White balance
The false color and the white balance post processes can only be saved in the LDR simulation (PNG file). When the post processed output is in false colors, the false color scale can be saved with the simulation :
Using the engine overlay, the scale is saved with the simulation if the "Display Scale" option is selected on the optical instrument component (section Post Pipeline/False Colors),
Using the engine view, the scale is saved with the simulation if the option "Export false color scale with renders" is selected in the UVR preferences, section Engine Interface.
RAW output format
The HDR output of the Predict Engine render is stored inside an OpenExr image file (.exr). This format is specific to images that contains multiple layers (processed output, raw channels, normals, depth,...). The list of computed layers for an optical instrument can be specified on the optical instrument component when the Expert mode is enabled.
Each layer computed by the optical instrument is saved in an OpenExr layer with the name <LayerName>.<ChannelName>. For instance: "S0.R" indicates the channel R of the layer S0 and "normal.X" indicate the x component of the normal vector. The channel name is omitted when the layer has only a single channel (material IDs, Depth,...).
Batch Rendering : save simulations for different scene configurations
You can save Predict Engine simulations for different configurations of the scene using the Batch Renderer window. Via this interface, you can select a camera, create different scene configurations with a combination of variants from the scene, and use animation clip to animate the scene.
The Batch Renderer is available via the menu "PredictSuite/Engine/Batch Renderer".
The Batch Renderer window is made of six settings panel :
1 : The camera or optical instrument,
2 : The scene configurations defined by variants,
3 : The animations defined by animation clips,
4 : The file name format,
5 : The outputs format, resolution and completion criteria,
A final step summarizes all the frames that will be rendered before the batch renderer is started.
Step 1 : The camera or optical instrument and its transforms
The first step defines which optical instrument in the scene must be rendered. All Cameras and Physical Sensors can be rendered, even if they are disabled in the Hierarchy.
Step 2 : The configurations
The second step defines the different scene configurations that should be rendered.
One configuration is defined by a combination of different Variants from the scene (see the Variants section for more details). If one or several Setup Variants are listed, some elements in the scene will be enabled/disabled depending on the configuration. If other Variants are disabled because of this, they won't be used in the configurations they are not enabled in.
The button on the top right corner of the window enables you to switch between the batch renderer and the variant manager easily.
Step 3 : The animations
The third step defines the different animations that should be rendered.
Each animation is defined by an animation clip and the Transform the clip should be applied to. Animations can be played one after the other (timing "Sequential") or all at the same time (timing "Parallel"). If the timing is "Parallel", you can define a wrap mode for the shorter animation clips : animation clips that end before the longest clip can be played just once, played in loop, or played in ping-pong.
The "preview" buttons let you play in the Scene view each animation clip separately or the full animation.
Step 4 : The file name format
The fourth step defines how the output simulations should be named. Each file name is the combination of different parameters. The parameters you can combine are :
Scene : the scene name,
Camera : the selected optical instrument name,
Setup ID : the configuration ID, each configuration defined in step 2 has its own unique ID,
Frame ID : the frame ID, each frame has its own unique ID,
Animation Time : the time in seconds from the beginning of the animation (combination of all animation clips),
Animation Frame : the frame ID of the animation (combination of all animation clips),
{Variant} ({Variant type}) : for this Variant, the name of the selected option (name of the material, name of the GameObject, name of the skybox,... depending on the Variant type).
Each frame file name must be unique. As long as you have not selected a combination of elements that can differentiate each frame, the warning here against will be displayed and you will not be able to start the render.
A file name will be unique if it contains the frame ID or enough parameters to differentiate the configuration (configuration ID, pickers options, animation frame) for this frame.
Step 5 : The outputs format and resolution
The fifth step defines the format of the output simulations and their resolution. The available formats are the same as when exporting the simulation from Unity (see section above).
The LDR simulations (PNG files) can also be compiled to a movie.
The Predict Engine is a path tracer, this algorithm computes the illuminance incoming at every single point on the surface of the objects of a 3D scene. This calculation takes time and will be more and more accurate, less and less noisy, with an increasing amount of render time. The quality of a simulation can be defined by the amount of time the simulation was given to render, or by the average number of samples that were run for each pixel.
When computing a batch of frames, a completion criteria must be defined to know when a frame is ready and the renderer can move on to the next frame. The completion criteria is either defined in seconds (total render time) or in samples per pixel (SPP, average number of samples for each pixel).
(Experimental) It is also possible to save intermediate simulations : while the simulation is being rendered, intermediate frames are saved to see the evolution of the simulation. Frames can be saved every n SPP or every n seconds.
Step 6 : Summary
The last step summarizes all the frames that will be rendered. Each frame is named following the file name format defined in step 4.
You can click on one frame name to preview the configuration in the scene view. As soon as the Batch Renderer window looses focus, the scene will be set back to its original state.
You can disable the frames you don't want to calculate.
When you are ready, you can start rendering the batch by clicking on the "Render" or "Render Offline" buttons. You will have to select the folder where the simulations will be saved. When rendering inside the Unity interface, the preview of the simulation is visible on the right part or the view and you can cancel at any time using the "Cancel" button. When rendering offline, a console will appear that will render all frames outside the Unity interface, you can cancel at any time by closing the console window.
If the Expert mode is enabled, you can use the Batch Renderer window to export Predict Engine standalone files (OSF and ORS) for each frame and with the required assets for all configurations to a given folder.
This can be usefull to later render the scenes on a GPU cluster for instance.
