Transitions from prior versions to using Lumion 2024

Critical foundational developments that were needed to take Ray Tracing to the next step have been included in this release.

You are likely to be familiar with the capabilities and features that rolled out over the year for Lumion 2023.

Lumion 2024 continues a process of strong, significant and rapid updates in this new and major release. 

The Updates for Lumion 2023 tended to be more about establishing and getting some core features included that were not part of the initial 2023.0 release.

Lumion 2024 is about consolidating the pathway to Ray Tracing as a fundamental choice you can make for your renders.

Rasterization is still an option and continues to provide a solid foundation that Lumion is renowned for.  

Rendering an animation as Ray Traced in Lumion 2023 posed difficulties due to the limitations of the Denoiser. Of course render times are significantly more than those for Rasterization due to the inherent computations needed, and depending on Scene requirements.

Lumion 2024 takes big stride in implementing two core technologies:

• To greatly improve the iterative Preview to render process via NRD Denoising in Photo and Movie Modes. (NRD: NVIDIA's Real-Time Denoisers - ReLAX and ReBLUR)
  
  
• To significantly improve the render outcome for animations via NRD and MIS (see sections later: 4.2.1: Temporal Denoising using NRD and 4.2.3: Multiple Importance Sampling).
  
  
• By implementing these technologies now, Lumion is able to take advantage of a further key benefit.  That the number of Ray Traced Samples can be significantly reduced to achieve the same level of quality.

Lumion 2023 did have a number of limitations that we openly advised about.  The impact was that some Scenes or Projects that required the content or materials not yet in the Ray Trace rendering pipeline could not be fully achieved with Ray Tracing.

The biggest of those was the impact of not having Nature Objects, especially with Lumions' large Library.  Plants could be included by importing models, but that of course was not always practical and you understandably wanted to make use of the Lumion Nature Library.

Lumion 2024 solves that now and Nature is fully integrated in the pipeline.

There are however still some materials and content yet to also be included but planned for (hopefully) as early as release in a 2024.x Update.  Whilst it would  be great to have everything fully sorted, included and wishes met, that was not possible given the significant steps taken.  More will certainly be done for Lumion 2024 now that phase of development is nearing completion.

See Section 6 for the update on Technical Limitations.

And for all that's new:

• See the following Sections 3, 4, and 5.
  
  
• Web Site:  Discover What's New in Lumion 2024
  
  
• Knowledge Base:  Lumion 2024.0: Release Notes
  
  
• Video Tutorials:  Lumion 2024 - Tutorials

 

Many, many, significant changes have occurred from your version.  

Massive and important changes occurred in Lumion 2023 that saw the introduction of a Ray Trace rendering engine along with a full rewritten Material System fully supporting PBR (Physically Based Rendering) materials, and an integrated Lighting System.

 

2.1: Understanding the Changes

In moving from your version to Lumion 2024 we suggest absorbing the changes using the following, and preferably in this order.

2.1.1:  These articles provide a guide on the changes for Lumion 2023. 

• Knowledge Base: Transitions: Why does my Project look different in Lumion 2023 compared to previous versions?
  
  
• Knowledge Base: Transitions: How to Set up Lumion 2023 for Good renders

Those articles also refer to this article:

• Knowledge Base:  Transitions: From prior versions to working with the Lumion 2023

You can ignore section 1. Technical Limitations as this is now superseded by those remaining in Lumion 2024 until developed as part of the Roadmap and development plan.  Also now covered by Section 6 below.

2.1.2:  A guide to feature changes and improvements since version 10 through to Lumion 2023.  This will help you get up to speed for Lumion 2024 based on where you came from:

• Knowledge Base:  What are the changes in Lumion since my version? - Summary

2.1.3:  This guide for the main changes.

2.1.4:   You may also find it useful to work through these quick and easy to read guides:

• Knowledge Base:  Learning Pathways

2.1.5: Jump right in:

• In-Built interactive Tutorials in Lumion 2024:

• Video Tutorial:  Lumion 2024 - Tutorials
• Video Tutorial:  Lumion 2023 - Tutorials
• Knowledge Base: Your Guide to Learning Lumion
  
  
• Open Lumion 2024 and explore the updated Example Projects and New Project Templates.
  
  
• Create a New Project, import your model and create a Photo with Effects.  Add in the Ray Tracing Effect to also see how that works.
  
  
• Later, load a Project you worked on in a prior version. 

 

2.2: Too much? Dive right in to this starting place: 

2.2.1: Import your model into one of the nice, new Templates.

2.2.2: Follow the overview for Importing and Materials:

• Learning Pathways: Importing and Working with 3D Models
• Learning Pathways: Materials Workflow

2.2.3: Add the Ray Tracing Effect and see how simple it can be to render with Ray Tracing:

• Knowledge Base: How do you use the new Ray Tracing Effect?

2.2.4: And if you have already used the Lumion 2024 Pro Trial then you are already on your way.  If not and you do not have Lumion 2024, then try it:

• Knowledge Base: Is there a Trial of Lumion?

2.2.5:   Important:  Please take some time to read these two articles (see also 2.1.1).  And if any questions, let us know in Technical Support.

• Knowledge Base: Transitions: Why does my Project look different in Lumion 2023 compared to previous versions?
• Knowledge Base: Transitions: How to Set up Lumion 2023 for Good renders

 

 

Lumion 2024.0 is a major release but also now follows the Update cycle of improvements established with Lumion 2023.

Future updates will further enhance the software and features and include more of the content that is, as at 24.0, not possible to have included in the Ray Trace rendering pipeline.  Those things are being worked on as priorities. 

Please also refer to the Roadmap for Lumion:

• Lumion website: Lumion Product Roadmap
• Lumion website: Charting Lumion's roadmap in 2024 and beyond

4.1:  Improvements - highlights

• Real-time temporal Denoising in the Preview window (Photo Mode and Movie Mode) using NRD.  NRD refers to NVIDIA's Real-Time Denoisers - ReLAX and ReBLUR).
• Render time temporal Denoising for Movies using NRD.
• Rendering quality/performance subsystem: Multiple Importance Sampling (MIS).
• New, advanced Fully Ray Traced Glass: supports refraction (IOR), emulated glass depth, absorption, colored light and shadow transmittal, etc.
• All Nature Objects have been converted are now in the bindless pipeline and can be rendered with Ray Trace rendering as well as Rasterization.
• Parallax interiors. 
• Camera Controls.  Three (3) new ways to control your camera aligned with camera control in leading CAD software.
• Batch importing and glTF Importing.
• Landscape tiling:  quality of render improvement for Landscapes and also materials (Standard).

 

4.2: At a glance

The development focus has been on establishing further foundational, complex and highly useful real-time and rendering processes.

Those significant developments include:

 

4.2.1: Temporal Denoising using NRD

Real-time temporal Denoising in the Preview window (Photo Mode and Movie Mode) using NRD. (NVIDIA's Real-Time Denoisers - ReLAX and ReBLUR).

The Preview is now instantly denoised allowing for a more accurate visual representation in the Preview window.

This change along with an adjustment to the Color Correction Effect now means that:

• You can see the HQ Preview image dynamically change according to the Color Correction Effect changes and stay as an HQ Preview. (In Lumion 2023 this would reset each slider change, resulting in the need to update the Preview to HQ Preview each time.)

 

4.2.2: Render time temporal Denoising for Movies using NRD

NRD requires less Samples than OIDN (the original Photo Mode Denoiser) to output a result of similar fidelity for a final render (Movie/Clip).

(NRD: NVIDIA's Real-Time Denoisers - ReLAX and ReBLUR).

The temporal aspect of NRD considerably reduces the shimmering effect in Movies/Clips compared to denoisers that do not take previous frames into account.

 

See Section 1.1: Real-time Ray Traced Preview:

• Knowledge Base:  Lumion 2024.0: Release Notes

 

4.2.3: Multiple Importance Sampling (MIS):

See also Section 1.7 in the Release Notes.

This algorithm has been introduced in Lumion 2024 to improve light distribution on objects and rendering efficiency. MIS employs multiple sampling techniques and takes into account the dimension of a light source. As such, it is able to approximate the contribution of light to a pixel and produce a higher accuracy result.

This technology is embedded in the rendering process.  There are no settings you need to select for any options.

The positive impact is clearly in the rendering outcome and its impact on the number of Samples when using Ray Tracing.

(click this image for a larger, close up view)

 

4.2.4: Glass: Fully Ray Traced Glass and Shadows

The Glass Material is now more physically accurate in Ray Tracing and allows for better control when aiming to achieve a look closer to reality. This is especially visible in more intricate geometry as the shape will correctly reflect and refract light.

The material is updated with two new Properties.

You now have the option of using Standard Ray Traced Glass - receives Ray Traced Reflections*.

Useful for good quality large window pane/window walls with reflections rendered fast without the need to the im-depth glass render (as next).

Or using the Fully Ray Traced Glass* via the Ray Trace Effect setting:

You may recall that in Lumion 2023 there was a change from the use of Waxiness to one where: "It now takes into account the Transparency, Frostiness, and luminosity of the color of the Glass. But as yet not the color."

Now the light/shadow transmitted through the semi-transparent surface is colored along with the other values that affect its look on other surfaces.

See details on using the Glass Material:

• Knowledge Base:  The New Glass Material for Lumion 2024 and the Glass setting for Ray Tracing

And:

• Knowledge Base: How do you use the new Ray Tracing Effect?

 

* for those Objects in the Ray Trace rendering pipeline, see Section 6. Technical Limitations.

 

5.1: Build Mode

5.1.1: Landscape tiling: 

Quality of render improvement that uses hexagonal mapping (Hex tiling) to reduce repetitiveness and tiling lines. 

This feature is also available for you to use as an option in Materials based on the Standard Material.

See Section 10.4.1: Landscape Tiling (Hexagonal Tiling/Hex-tiling):

• Knowledge Base: What do the properties of the Standard Material mean in Lumion 2023?

 

5.1.2: Build Mode:  Effects Library:  Parallax interiors:

Quickly and easily create complete rooms based on real-world images of the content of a room.  

Instead of placing 3D Objects in to a room so that it shows some occupancy, use these special resources from the Effects (F/X) Library and place as a complete room in one go.

Day and night variants. With options covering offices, residential spaces, and retail areas, these interiors provide a quick and effective way to elevate the visual impact of architectural renderings.

You can control the lighting and height and scale as needed to fit most spaces.

Lumion 2024 includes 26 of these Objects.  Currently there is no feature to import your own Parallax images from other resource sites.

 

5.1.3: Camera Controls

This has been a frequent request, but usually to provide some sort of keyboard mapping extra interface to change the input keys to match another software.

Making the option very easy to implement for you you will find there is now the option to control the Lumion workspace using consistent controls with 3D modelling software has been added for SketchUp, Revit and Rhino.

See also Section 1.13: Camera Controls:

• Knowledge Base:  Lumion 2024.0: Release Notes

Also covered in our:

• Knowledge Base:  What are the keyboard shortcuts in Lumion 2024?

5.1.4: Batch importing

There have been a few requests over the years some some when they have a number of file to import and would like to do that all at once.

Multiple Models can now be imported at once when clicking the Import Model button.

Note that it is not possible to place each Objects at a different Position.  All models imported will be placed at the Lumion world center automatically.  Unlike importing a single model where you can choose to Place or not, this import process does require that all models be placed. 

Intended for use also with Animated Phasing, so that you can bring in multiple parts of a model at once for the Animated Phasing Effects process.

As such you may find it better to use an empty New Template to do such batch importing, then close the Project without saving so that they are only in your Imported Models Library.

If you want those models included in your Project then you will need to re-position them after the import.

• Knowledge Base:  How do you type in position coordinates for an object?
• Knowledge Base:  How do you move one model to the position of another model?

If the models are offset from their own world axis then like other models imported they will also be offset but still have the correct Lumion world center when placed at any time from the Imported Model Library.

 

Materials:

Ray Traced Subsurface Scattering:

Lumion 2024 also brings an improved Ray Traced Subsurface Scattering that accurately depicts the natural diffusion of light through surfaces and volumes.

Although a new Subsurface Scattering system was introduced for Lumion 2023 and with the new PBR Materials system, it was limited and there could be issues with Fireflies when using this property (Standard Materials).  This system has been significantly updated.

 

Lumion Library Objects:

There have been new models and resources added in each version of Lumion over the years.  In Lumion 2023 the major version to 2023.0 and some of the Updates during the year also added further resources.

Lumion 2024 adds another set of new models and resources.  Notably 100 Fine-detail Nature: 100
18 Plants, 82 Trees and 45 People and Animals.

As always, these are provided for quick easy direct placement into your Projects.  They have been optimized for use in Lumion real-time environment and rendering system.

This time for the implementation of the new Effect Parallax Interiors (see above, Section 5.1.2: Build Mode:  Effects Library:  Parallax interiors) there is the addition of 25 new Parallax Interior scene resources/Objects.

Overall 309 new Objects.

Search and Tags:

Along with the above is also enhancements to the Search feature in the Lumion Objects Library and new Tags to help make finding things easier.  Some of these changes are in direct response to feedback.

See also Section 1. Models: and Section 4 Lumion Object Categories: 

• Knowledge Base:  What is the new content added in Lumion 2024?

See also the 'New in Lumion' button in this article:

• Knowledge Base: What Models/Objects are in the Lumion Library 2024? Gallery

See also Section 1.12: Lumion Library content:

• Knowledge Base:  Lumion 2024.0: Release Notes

 

Materials:

There are also 26 new materials.  

And the thumbnail preview has been updated for better display accuracy in response to feedback:

 

5.7: Effects:

5.7.1:  Ray Tracing Effect:

This Effect received a number of changes.

Three key changes occurred.

1.  Presets:  a series of presets have been introduced for more intuitive use:

See Section 2.3.1 Ray Tracing Effect for a table of the preset values:

• Knowledge Base:  Lumion 2024.0: Release Notes

If you change any of the settings then the Quality is reverted to Custom.  For example you could set the Ray Trace Quality to a Preset of Balanced (64 Samples) but turn Fully Ray Traced Glass to On.  

See all the details for the Effect in this article:

• Knowledge Base: How do you use the new Ray Tracing Effect?

 

2. Fully Ray Traced Glass:

As noted earlier in section 4.2.4: Glass: Fully Ray Traced Glass and Shadows there is a new button.

Lumion now supports two types of glass: Ray Traced Standard Glass and Fully Ray Traced Glass.

Fully Ray Traced Glass can be enabled in the Ray Tracing Effect and will affect all surfaces that have been assigned the Glass Material:

See further details for the Glass Material:

• Knowledge Base:  The New Glass Material for Lumion 2024 and the Glass setting for Ray Tracing

 

3.  Firefly filter:

This is still made available for certain cases where fireflies might still occur. 

It is now only an On/Off switch, whereas in Lumion 2023 it also included a slider value for making the filter cleanup a lot more aggressive.

 

4.  Denoiser:

The implementation of the new NRD Denoiser for Previews in Photo and Movie Modes, along with NRD for rendering for Movies saw changes in how this switch now works.

NRD is primarily for real-time previewing but is also used when rendering a Movie/Clip.

NRD is NVIDIA's Real-Time Denoisers - ReLAX and ReBLUR.

See also Sections

Photo Mode:

• NRD is on by default in the Preview and is triggered when adding the Ray Tracing Effect.
• The realtime preview is always using NRD.
• The denoiser toggle only effects the HQ Preview and final output.
• When denoiser if off, then the HQ Preview and Final image won't get denoised

 

Movie Mode:

• NRD is also present as a Denoiser in Movie Mode.
• The realtime preview is always using NRD.
• The denoiser toggle only effects the HQ Preview and final output.
• When denoiser if off, then the HQ Preview and Final image won't get denoised

 

 

5.7.2: Styles:

8 new Styles covering Ray Tracing, Rasterization, and conceptual representation now replace the Styles from the previous versions

 

5.8:  Example Projects:

All Example Projects have been updated.
A new Example Project - Museum Pavilion now replaces the Glass House

 

The Lumion team has been working on a roadmap to remove the technical limitations that were required for the release of Lumion 2023. There are certain constraints in the integration of the Ray Trace rendering pipeline with the Rasterization rendering pipeline that still require further development post the release of Lumion 2024.

Please also refer to the Roadmap for Lumion:

 

Impact summary on certain Projects:

As in Lumion 2023 if the Object or Material is not yet in the Ray Trace rendering pipeline then it is rendered using the Rasterization rendering pipeline.

This means their shading (along with possibly some shadowing) and reflections may be inaccurate or not displayed.   In one case, the difference in shadowing may be related to the AO Ambient Occlusion shadows which are specific to the Rasterization process and will be different from Ray Traced shadows.  For example, Landscape Grass now receives Ray Traced sun shadows but no AO Ambient Occlusion, so the darkness at grass depth can be different in some Scenes depending on the lighting and Landscape Materials.