If you're getting lots of reflection and refraction (two-way recursion)
slowing down the photon-map building process using the unions, try just
using refraction for the photon map and ignoring reflection.  Alternatively,
you can specify an ADC bailout specifically for the photon mapping to try to
decrease reflected photons that don't add much to the scene.

I'd definately at least start with a lower density of photons (more
separation between the photons).... at least for testing... you can increase
that density for the final render.

-Nathan


Larry Fontaine <lfo### [at] isdnet> wrote in message
news:37E43DBA.2072F339@isd.net...
> After I posted my "Twysted Dodeca" image, Chris Huff said I should put
> photons through it. Boy, that would look cool!
> Well, I just downloaded uvPov, and tried to render the scene with a
> glass twyst, sitting on a brick surface, with photon refracted caustics.
> We went out to eat, and an hour and a half after it had started I
> checked and it was still building photon maps! So I just shut it down
> :-( Simply changing the twyst from a union to a merge, with just a
> simple pigment texture, jumps the render time up some 40000%!!!! OUCH, I
> apologize to my poor little P3 450 with a measly 128 RAM. I am beginning
> to doubt if even networked Crays can render my scene.
>

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