It's real time global illumination. VXGI is one approach to real time global illumination. Enlighten takes a different approach. They are just different methods of achieving real time GI.
From what I know of Geomerics, the lighting can be dynamic but it requires data to be preprocessed and affects only static geometry. On the other hand, it's sure to run better than Nvidia's VXAO and isn't restricted to only certain Geforces.
I don't know much about Geomerics, but looking at the attached slides (specifically the 6th one), it reads like it can still handle moving dynamic objects. It just preprocesses the static geometry to speed up the realtime solving. I could be misunderstanding how they are doing it though.
Right, I want to identify technologies that do similar things in order to compare them. I wonder what sort of hit this would take on a map size like Witcher 3?
Unity is incorporating Enlighten, so you'll see this everywhere in the next few years.
It seems very efficient, but partly that is because it isn't actually realtime GI. Enlighten requires a big chunk of its lighting equation to be pre-computed for the scene geometry, which in turn requires that most of your geometry is static. The dynamic/realtime part doesn't relieve Enlighten of the main limitation of ordinary pre-baked lighting.
It is still a very cool piece of tech and a step in the right direction- true dynamic GI.
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nathanddrews - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
So... kind of like NVIDIA PCSS for lighting? Maybe a closer comparison would by VXGI?LawrenceM96 - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
It's real time global illumination. VXGI is one approach to real time global illumination. Enlighten takes a different approach. They are just different methods of achieving real time GI.Mat3 - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
From what I know of Geomerics, the lighting can be dynamic but it requires data to be preprocessed and affects only static geometry. On the other hand, it's sure to run better than Nvidia's VXAO and isn't restricted to only certain Geforces.Trefugl - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
I don't know much about Geomerics, but looking at the attached slides (specifically the 6th one), it reads like it can still handle moving dynamic objects. It just preprocesses the static geometry to speed up the realtime solving. I could be misunderstanding how they are doing it though.nathanddrews - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
Right, I want to identify technologies that do similar things in order to compare them. I wonder what sort of hit this would take on a map size like Witcher 3?SleepyFE - Tuesday, March 15, 2016 - link
From what i understand not much. If it's too far to be seen it isn't processed.Timbrelaine - Wednesday, March 16, 2016 - link
Unity is incorporating Enlighten, so you'll see this everywhere in the next few years.It seems very efficient, but partly that is because it isn't actually realtime GI. Enlighten requires a big chunk of its lighting equation to be pre-computed for the scene geometry, which in turn requires that most of your geometry is static. The dynamic/realtime part doesn't relieve Enlighten of the main limitation of ordinary pre-baked lighting.
It is still a very cool piece of tech and a step in the right direction- true dynamic GI.
Timbrelaine - Wednesday, March 16, 2016 - link
Like pre-baked lighting engines, it can handle dynamic objects but only in a limited way, with limited distances, objects and light sources.