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Anybody make a test to determinate which type of light source is the more efficient one ? classics like aera , spot,... or surface emitters ? I made some scenes with a lot of emitting surfaces and I find this more efficient and versatile (shape I need)... Sure it is more difficult to give a spot like effect (same problem than in maxwell ).
I tested procedurals on light source ( a wall as emitter ) and don't work, tested image map and it sloow down render, gradient seems to give good results. Can we have a little lesson of what to do or not by our Kray masters ?
I want more Emoticons mister webmaster !!!

Heh sorry for late reply. Perhaps you've found out yourself with 1.7 allready which is best?

In theory LW lights should be the fastest because they subdivide in correct way.
Simple square polygons should be fast too. More complex shapes of lumi lights are almost certain to take longer.
It would be great if someone did some tests though so we can see how theory holds in real life.

tiktane, modeling light is fine bout you must be complete in modeling.
i.e you really cannot expect a small circle to behave like a spot. But try to model a tube or a cone around it, so light will be directioned, and you'll have a spot. even better if you model the lamp as a shape so light emitter is not flat - i.e a cylinder.
Make some experiments, but just remember that in Kray tou also have LW spots if you need

Paolo