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Workflow: Rendering HDRI Maps

Follow these steps to generate HDRI maps directly from your TrueSKY scene using the HDRI panel.

This guide assumes you already have a configured TrueSKY scene (see the Setting Up a Scene and Creating Atmospheric Worlds workflows).

1. Open the HDRI Panel

  1. In the main TrueSKY panel, open the Miscellaneous dropdown.
  2. Choose the HDRI lower tab to display the HDRI controls.

If HDRI-specific guidance is needed (for example, missing camera), this panel will show contextual hints.

2. Create or Verify the HDRI Camera

  1. In the HDRI tab, click Setup HDRi Camera.
  2. This will:
    • Create a dedicated panoramic camera if one does not exist, or
    • Reuse and focus the existing HDRI camera if one is already present.
  3. If the camera is missing or misconfigured, the panel provides instructions to correct it before rendering.

Use this camera exclusively for HDRI rendering; keep your shot cameras separate.

3. Set Resolution and Output

  1. In the Resolution section:
    • Pick a preset (for example, 2K, 4K, 8K) that fits your needs.
    • For 12K/16K/24K or custom sizes above 10K x 5K, expect the add-on to switch the compositor to CPU automatically to avoid GPU stalls. A warning will appear in the panel when this happens.
    • Optionally enable custom width, height, or percentage controls for non-standard sizes.
  2. In the Output section:
    • Choose the HDRI output directory.
    • Confirm or edit the base file name.

If no directory is chosen, the add-on may fall back to the global HDRI Output Directory preference defined in the TrueSKY preferences panel.

4. Choose Format and Render Settings

  1. In the File Format section:
    • Select a file format suitable for HDRI lighting—OpenEXR is strongly recommended.
    • Set color depth (16-bit or 32-bit float) and any EXR codec options.
  2. In the Render Settings area (if shown):
    • Review or override key render parameters such as samples, bounces, and denoising specifically for HDRI renders.
    • This lets you keep your scene’s regular render settings separate from the HDRI-specific configuration.

Using a high-dynamic-range format and sufficient samples ensures clean, accurate lighting when the HDRI is used elsewhere.

5. Render the HDRI

  1. In the HDRI tab, decide whether to enable:
    • Background Render: Runs the HDRI render as a background process so you can keep working.
    • Open Directory After Render: Automatically opens the output folder when rendering finishes.
  2. Click Render HDRI to render out the HDRI map.
  3. If the compositor must switch to CPU for oversized HDRIs, you will see a warning; the render still completes, just slower.
  4. Wait for the render to complete; then check the output directory for your new HDRI file.

6. Use the HDRI in Other Scenes or Tools

  • In Blender or other DCC tools, load the generated HDRI as an environment texture for lighting.
  • Keep notes or naming conventions that capture key settings (for example, "sunset_cloudy_4k.exr").
  • If you need variations (different sun angles, cloud coverage, or exposure), return to your TrueSKY scene, adjust the relevant tabs, and repeat the HDRI workflow.

By keeping a single, well-configured TrueSKY "HDRI factory" scene, you can quickly generate a library of environment maps for many projects.