Render nXt has three rendering engines. - Packet Mode, the Path Tracer, and the newest engine which is just called Engine 4.
Packet Mode is the fastest for creating quick renderings. I does this by taking some shortcuts on how light, reflection and transparency are processed. The other engines use a more precise algorithm to process the end result for each pixel, but start out with a rough looking image for the first 100 or more passes until the various calculations for adjacent pixels start to converge.
Packet Mode processes packets of rays. This produces a very goo rendering in the shortest time.
Path Tracer processes individual light paths This requires more passes, but produces better results.
Engine 4 - This is faster per pass than the Path Tracer, and has special processing of Caustics for transparent and reflective surfaces.
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http://forum.irendernxt.com/forum/topics/100-pass-comparison-on-the...
Render nXt has three rendering engines. - Packet Mode, the Path Tracer, and the newest engine which is just called Engine 4.
Packet Mode is the fastest for creating quick renderings. I does this by taking some shortcuts on how light, reflection and transparency are processed. The other engines use a more precise algorithm to process the end result for each pixel, but start out with a rough looking image for the first 100 or more passes until the various calculations for adjacent pixels start to converge.
See: http://www.renderplus.com/wp2/wk/NXt_Rendering_Engines.php