"SubDivision Level" versus "Render SubD Level (Minimum)"? (mesh resolution)

prizm4

In a character's Mesh Resolution settings, can someone please clarify the difference between "SubDivision Level" and "Render SubD Level (Minimum)"?

Is "SubDivision Level" the amount of detail in the preview window, while "Render SubD Level (Minimum)" is the actual SubDivision level when you render the character? Because that's the way the wording makes it sound like.

Based on the settings in the above screenshot, will my character render with a SubDivision Level of 1 or 4?

Thanks

crosswind

The former is for display, i.e. the SubD you may see in Viewport. The latter is for rendering. So you char. in the final render will be with SubD Level 4 (very high)

Richard Haseltine

It says minimum because surface settings can increase it, though that won't smooth the mesh.

crosswind

Richard Haseltine said:

It says minimum because surface settings can increase it, though that won't smooth the mesh.

You mean the properties with Displacement or anything else ?

Richard Haseltine

crosswind said:

Richard Haseltine said:

It says minimum because surface settings can increase it, though that won't smooth the mesh.

You mean the properties with Displacement or anything else ?

Yes, I couldn't recall the exact name but the surfaces allow you to further tesselate the mesh for displacement - the actual number of divisions will be the maximum of the object setting and all the surface settings (although it can be set per-surface it can't acctually vary across the mesh, so the highest value is what counts)

barbult

Also, if the value you set is too high for the density of the base geometry, the actual value that gets used may be smaller than the value you set. When this situation occurs, it will be reported in the DS log file.

crosswind

OK, thanks guys !  I'll further check and test.