The Ultimate Guide to Using Octane Render Plugin for Revit 16
How to use Octane Render plugin for Revit 16
If you are looking for a fast and easy way to create stunning renderings of your Revit 16 projects, you might want to try Octane Render plugin. Octane Render is a GPU-accelerated render engine that uses unbiased, physically based methods to produce realistic images in seconds. It can be integrated with Revit 16 through a plugin that allows you to use Octane Render as an alternative rendering solution within the Revit environment. In this article, I will show you how to use Octane Render plugin for Revit 16 and what are the benefits and features of this render engine compared to other render engines available for Revit.
Octane Render Plugin For Revit 16
Introduction
What is Octane Render and why use it for Revit 16?
Octane Render is a rendering software developed by Otoy that uses the power of your GPU (graphics card) to render scenes with high quality and speed. It is based on a path-tracing algorithm that simulates the behavior of light in a realistic way, taking into account materials, reflections, refractions, shadows, caustics, volumetrics, and more. It also supports RTX raytracing GPU hardware acceleration, which can boost the rendering performance even further.
Octane Render can be used as a standalone application or as a plugin for various host applications, such as 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D, Blender, SketchUp, and of course, Revit. By using Octane Render plugin for Revit 16, you can take advantage of the following benefits:
You can use the same materials and lighting settings that you have in your Revit project, or you can customize them with Octane Render nodes and materials library.
You can preview your renderings in real-time with the Octane viewport, which is fully integrated with the Revit interface.
You can adjust your render settings and camera parameters interactively with the Octane render preview window.
You can export your renderings as images or animations with various formats and resolutions.
You can apply post-processing effects and denoising to enhance your renderings without losing quality.
How to install and activate Octane Render plugin for Revit 16?
To use Octane Render plugin for Revit 16, you need to have both Revit 16 and Octane Render installed on your computer. You also need to have a compatible GPU with enough VRAM (video memory) to handle your scenes. You can check the system requirements and compatibility list on Otoy's website .
To install Octane Render plugin for Revit 16, you need to follow these steps:
Download the latest version of Octane Render from Otoy's website or from your Otoy account page.
Run the installer and follow the instructions. Make sure you select the option to install the plugin for Revit when prompted.
Launch Revit 16 Launch Revit 16 and open your project file.
Go to the Add-Ins tab and click on the Octane Render button to activate the plugin.
Enter your Otoy account credentials and click on Login. You should see a message that says "Octane Render is activated".
Congratulations, you have successfully installed and activated Octane Render plugin for Revit 16. Now you are ready to start rendering your scenes with Octane Render.
Basic workflow
How to set up the render settings and materials in Octane Render?
Before you can render your scene with Octane Render, you need to set up some basic render settings and materials. You can access the Octane Render settings panel by clicking on the Octane Settings button on the Add-Ins tab. Here you can adjust the following parameters:
Render Mode: You can choose between Direct Lighting, Path Tracing, PMC, or Info Channels. Each mode has different advantages and disadvantages depending on the complexity and lighting of your scene. For most cases, Path Tracing is recommended as it produces the most realistic results.
Kernel Settings: You can fine-tune the quality and speed of your render by changing the kernel settings, such as max samples, ray epsilon, filter size, alpha channel, etc. You can also enable or disable features such as caustics, alpha shadows, ambient occlusion, etc.
Camera Settings: You can adjust the camera settings, such as exposure, white balance, depth of field, motion blur, etc. You can also choose between different camera types, such as thin lens, panoramic, orthographic, etc.
Render Region: You can enable or disable the render region option, which allows you to render only a portion of your scene for faster feedback. You can also adjust the size and position of the render region by dragging the corners or edges of the rectangle in the viewport.
Render Target: You can specify the resolution and aspect ratio of your render output. You can also choose between different formats, such as PNG, JPEG, EXR, etc.
Octane Render plugin for Revit 16 supports most of the native Revit materials and maps. However, if you want to have more control and flexibility over your materials, you can use the Octane Render nodes and materials library, which I will explain in the next section.
How to use the Octane viewport and render preview?
One of the best features of Octane Render plugin for Revit 16 is the Octane viewport, which allows you to preview your renderings in real-time within the Revit interface. You can access the Octane viewport by clicking on the Octane Viewport button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane viewport will replace the default Revit viewport and show you a live rendering of your scene with Octane Render.
The Octane viewport has several tools and options that you can use to navigate and interact with your scene. You can use the mouse buttons and scroll wheel to pan, zoom, orbit, or tilt your view. You can also use the keyboard shortcuts to switch between different views or cameras. You can also use the toolbar at the bottom of the viewport to access some common functions, such as:
Render: You can start or stop the rendering process by clicking on this button.
Pause: You can pause or resume the rendering process by clicking on this button.
Samples: You can see how many samples have been calculated for your render by looking at this number.
FPS: You can see how fast your render is updating by looking at this number.
Resolution: You can change the resolution of your viewport by clicking on this button and choosing from a list of presets or entering a custom value.
Fullscreen: You can toggle between fullscreen and windowed mode by clicking on this button.
Settings: You can access the Octane Render settings panel by clicking on this button.
If you want to have a separate window for your render preview, you can use the Octane Render Preview window instead of the Octane viewport. You can access the Octane Render Preview window by clicking on the Octane Preview button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Render Preview window will show you a larger and more detailed rendering of your scene with Octane Render. You can also adjust your render settings and camera parameters interactively with this window.
How to export and save the render output?
Once you are satisfied with your render preview, you can export and save your render output as an image or an animation. To export your render output as an image, you can follow these steps:
Go to the Octane Render settings panel and choose the Render Target tab.
Specify the resolution and aspect ratio of your image. You can also choose between different formats, such as PNG, JPEG, EXR, etc.
Click on the Save Image button and choose a location and a name for your image file.
Wait for the render to finish and save your image file.
To export your render output as an animation, you can follow these steps:
Go to the Octane Render settings panel and choose the Animation tab.
Specify the frame range, frame rate, and output folder for your animation. You can also choose between different formats, such as PNG, JPEG, EXR, etc.
Click on the Export Animation button and wait for the render to finish and save your animation files.
You have now learned how to export and save your render output with Octane Render plugin for Revit 16. You can use your render output for various purposes, such as presentations, portfolios, marketing, etc.
Advanced features
How to use Octane Render nodes and materials library?
Octane Render plugin for Revit 16 supports most of the native Revit materials and maps. However, if you want to have more control and flexibility over your materials, you can use the Octane Render nodes and materials library. Octane Render nodes are building blocks that you can use to create complex materials with different properties and effects. Octane Render materials library is a collection of predefined materials that you can use or modify for your scenes.
To use Octane Render nodes and materials library, you need to open the Octane Node Editor window by clicking on the Node Editor button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Node Editor window will show you a graphical interface where you can create and edit your materials with nodes. You can also access the Octane Materials Library window by clicking on the Materials Library button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Materials Library window will show you a list of categories and subcategories of materials that you can browse and apply to your objects.
To create a material with nodes, you need to follow these steps:
Select an object in your scene that you want to apply a material to.
Go to the Octane Node Editor window and click on the Create Material button. This will create a new material node with a default diffuse shader.
Add more nodes to your material node by dragging them from the node palette on the left side of the window. You can choose from different types of nodes, such as textures, colors, gradients, math, mixers, etc.
Connect the nodes by dragging their output ports to their input ports. You can also disconnect or rearrange the nodes by clicking on their ports or wires.
Adjust the parameters of each node by using the sliders, color pickers, buttons, or text fields on the right side of the window.
Preview your material in the Octane viewport or render preview window. You can also rename or delete your material by using the buttons at the top of the window.
To use a material from the materials library, you need to follow these steps:
Select an object in your scene that you want to apply a material to.
Go to the Octane Materials Library window and browse through the categories and subcategories of materials. You can also use the search bar or the filters to find a specific material.
Double-click on a material that you like or drag it to your object in the viewport. This will apply the material to your object and create a new material node in the Octane Node Editor window.
If you want to modify the material, you can go to the Octane Node Editor window and edit its nodes and parameters as explained above.
You have now learned how to use Octane Render nodes and materials library to create custom materials for your scenes. You can experiment with different nodes and materials to achieve various effects and styles for your renderings.
How to use Octane Render lighting and environment options?
Octane Render plugin for Revit 16 supports most of the native Revit lighting options, such as sun, sky, artificial lights, etc. However, if you want to have more control and flexibility over your lighting and environment, you can use the Octane Render lighting and environment options. Octane Render lighting options allow you to create different types of lights with different properties and effects. Octane Render environment options allow you to change the background and atmosphere of your scene with different presets or custom settings.
To use Octane Render lighting options, you need to open the Octane Light Manager window by clicking on the Light Manager button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Light Manager window will show you a list of all the lights in your scene and their properties. You can also add new lights by clicking on the Add Light button and choosing from a list of light types, such as point, spot, area, IES, etc. You can also access the Octane Light Tag window by clicking on the Light Tag button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Light Tag window will allow you to assign different tags to your lights, such as visible, shadow caster, daylight, etc.
To use Octane Render environment options, you need to open the Octane Environment window by clicking on the Environment button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Environment window will show you a list of environment presets that you can apply to your scene, such as daylight, sunset, night, studio, etc. You can also customize your environment by changing the parameters of each preset, such as sun direction, sky color, turbidity, etc. You can also use your own HDR images or textures as your environment background by clicking on the Texture button and browsing for your files.
You have now learned how to use Octane Render lighting and environment options to create different moods and atmospheres for your scenes. You can experiment with different lighting and environment settings to achieve various effects and styles for your renderings.
How to use Octane Render post-processing effects and denoising?
Octane Render plugin for Revit 16 also offers some post-processing effects and denoising options that you can use to enhance your renderings without losing quality. Post-processing effects are filters or adjustments that you can apply to your render output after it is finished. Denoising is a process that reduces the noise or graininess of your render output by using artificial intelligence algorithms.
To use Octane Render post-processing effects, you need to open the Octane Post-Processing window by clicking on the Post-Processing button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Post-Processing window will show you a list of post-processing effects that you can enable or disable by clicking on their checkboxes. You can also adjust the parameters of each effect by using the sliders or text fields on the right side of the window. Some of the post-processing effects that you can use are:
Bloom: This effect adds a glow or halo effect to bright areas of your image.
Glare: This effect adds a streak or starburst effect to bright areas of your image.
Camera Imager: This effect simulates the characteristics of a real camera, such as exposure, gamma, contrast, saturation, vignette, etc.
Color Correction: This effect allows you to adjust the color balance, hue, saturation, brightness, contrast, etc. of your image.
LUT: This effect allows you to apply a look-up table (LUT) file to your image to change its color grading or style.
To use Octane Render denoising options, you need to open the Octane Denoiser window by clicking on the Denoiser button on the Add-Ins tab. The Octane Denoiser window will show you two types of denoising options that you can use:
AI Denoiser: This option uses Otoy's AI denoiser algorithm to reduce the noise of your image in real-time. You can adjust the strength and quality of this option by using the sliders on the right side of the window.
OptiX Denoiser: This option uses Nvidia's OptiX denoiser algorithm to reduce the noise of your image after it is finished. You can enable or disable this option by clicking on its checkbox. You can also choose between different modes, such as preview or final.
You have now learned how to use Octane Render post-processing effects and denoising options to enhance your renderings without losing quality. You can experiment with different post-processing effects and denoising options to achieve various effects and styles for your renderings.
Comparison with other render engines
How does Octane Render compare to Cycles, Eevee, V-Ray, and other render engines for Revit 16?
Octane Render is not the only render engine that you can use for Revit 16. There are other render engines that have different features and capabilities that might suit your needs better. Some of the most popular render engines that are compatible with Revit 16 are:
Cycles: Cycles is Blender's native render engine that uses a similar path-tracing algorithm as Octane Render. It can also use GPU acceleration and supports various features such as volumetrics, hair, motion blur, etc. However, Cycles is not as fast or as easy to use as Octane Render, and it requires a separate installation and activation of Blender and the Cycles plugin for Revit 16 .
Eevee: Eevee is another render engine that is integrated with Blender. It uses a real-time rasterization algorithm that can produce fast and realistic results. It also supports various features such as shadows, reflections, refractions, ambient occlusion, etc. However, Eevee is not as accurate or as flexible as Octane Render, and it also requires a separate installation and activation of Blender and the Eevee plugin for Revit 16 .
V-Ray: V-Ray is a popular render engine that is widely used in the architecture and design industry. It uses a hybrid algorithm that combines ray tracing and rasterization to produce high-quality results. It also supports various features such as global illumination, depth of field, displacement, etc. However, V-Ray is not as fast or as simple to use as Octane Render, and it requires a separate license and installation of V-Ray and the V-Ray plugin for Revit 16 .
Other render engines: There are other render engines that are compatible with Revit 16, such as Enscape, Lumion, Twinmotion, etc. Each of these render engines has its own strengths and weaknesses, and you might want to try them out to see which one suits your needs best.
Octane Render is not the best or the worst render engine for Revit 16. It is one of the many options that you have to create stunning renderings of your projects. You should choose the render engine that matches your preferences, budget, hardware, and workflow.
What are the pros and cons of Octane Render?
Octane Render is a powerful and fast render engine that can produce photorealistic images in seconds. However, it also has some limitations and drawbacks that you should be aware of before using it. Here are some of the pros and cons of Octane Render:
Pros
It uses GPU acceleration to render scenes with high speed and quality.
It uses an unbiased, physically based algorithm that simulates the behavior of light in a realistic way.
It supports RTX raytracing GPU hardware acceleration for faster performance.
It integrates seamlessly with Revit 16 through a plugin that allows you to use the same materials and lighting settings that you have in your project.
It has a real-time viewport and render preview window that allow you to see your renderings instantly and interactively.
It has a node-based material system and a material library that allow you to create complex and custom materials with ease.
It has various lighting and environment options that allow you to change the mood and atmosphere of your scene with presets or custom settings.
It has various post-processing effects and denoising options t