SU Podium CPU render user, looking for a GPU real time render extension to acompany it

Extending SketchUp
,
1

I have been using SU Podium for years for my renders. For me, a very cost-effective and intuitive easy to use extension, which uses my good CPU for render jobs.

These render jobs are sometimes big and cost computing power, so I usually find something else to do or let them run overnight.

During my Sketchup workflow though, I have been using it’s brother from the same company, Walker GPU as a real time render machine to quickly check my work before I send compositions to SU Podium. As Walker is GPU based, I can continue to work without problems like over consumed computing power.

Unfortunately, ProWalker GPU is discontinued as of Sketchup 2024 and while the company offers an alternative in the form of PodiumxRT for real time rendering, it is CPU based, giving me the issue that I am unable to continue my work while it is rendering.

So: I am very happy still with SU Podium and am looking for an affordable GPU based real time render alternative to work besides it. The issue I think I might have, is that SU Podium uses its own material base with material settings and I am doubting another renderer would work with that.

If a complete rethink is in order; switch to another package, I am also interested, but it would have to be affordable, easy to use, and use my gpu for real time rendering.

Thank you! Steven

2

Enscape is probably the most widely used realtime renderer - the results you will get from that will also be far greater than Walker, as it is much more sophisticated.

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Thank you Adam, the thought crossed my mind, but looking at the costs, it is not what I am looking for.

4

Twinmotion is another - free to use if your business has less than 1m revenue

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Thank you, I will check that out!

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Enscape,
twinmotion,
D5 render

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I have been trying D5 for a couple of projects now, but It doesn’t really yet gel with my workflow.

Because of Podium, I am very used to applying materials to surfaces within groups/components and adjusting with Podium parameters.

Now it seems a default material model works best and using D5 for applying materials. I am struggling with finding out what the optimal workflow should be while trying some different approaches.

I am now thinking it should be adding basic colors in Sketchup to the separate groups/components (not surfaces) I want to have different materials for within D5. Changing those would mean I would have to go back into Sketchup and assign a different color if that makes sense.

I am struggling and thinking I am a bit lost. Could anyone share what their preferred process is?

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Yes, Podium has a specific way of working, but the likes of D5 sounds typical of the third party rendering rendering workflows.

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I’m biased, but you might want to have a look at Rayscaper (https://rayscaper.com).

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Do they all prefer you to just apply materials to groups instead of surfaces?

I presume v-ray acts a bit like podium, by applying materials in Sketchup instead of through the render interface. Vray is a bit too much for me price wise.

11

Thanks, don’t know this one, I will investigate.

12

Your website hamburger menu doesn’t work on my ios iphone

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Thanks for letting me know!

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