Using X-Particles Over a Network

Proxy server support

X-Particles includes support for proxy servers. To enable this, create a plain text file named 'proxy.ini' in the X-Particles folder. The file must contain the information needed to access the proxy server. The content of the file must look like this:

[settings]
port=1234
domain=192.168.1.2
username=user
password=pass

Of course, you would replace the port, domain, username, and password with those applicable to your proxy server. Once this is done X-Particles will use the proxy for connection to the net.

Very important: the 'domain' value in proxy.ini MUST be an IP address, as shown above. DO NOT try to use a URL instead, it will not work. You will need to obtain the IP address of the proxy and use that in the domain setting.

Password encryption

If you would prefer that the proxy server password is not saved in plain text in the proxy.ini file, then when you create the file, leave the password field empty. X-Particles will prompt you for the password and will encrypt it then save it into the proxy.ini file.

Net Render

X-Particles is compatible with Cinema's Net Render. The plugin will load in both the server and client versions of Net Render. It will work in both the server and as many clients as you wish without requiring a licence. This means you can develop scenes using X-Particles on your own machines (for which you will require a licence, of course) then give the scene to a render farm for rendering. The farm will not need to buy any licences if it uses Net Render.

Due to the complexity of some scenes with X-Particles we strongly recommend caching the scene first if using Net Render.

Team Render

X-Particles can also be rendered using Team Render in Cinema 4D R15 and up, but in all cases X-Particles should be cached before using Team Render. There is a detailed page on how to use X-Particles with Team Render provided with this manual.

Known issues

One problem with rendering over a network is that erroneous results may be obtained if using machines with very different specifications as part of the network, due to hardware difference between the machines. This becomes more noticeable as more calculations have to be carried out; the Cover/Fill modifier and Volume Shader are particularly calculation-intensive, as are collisions. One workaround therefore is to use machines of a similar specification in your network.

The solution to this issue is to cache the particles. The X-Particles caching system has been designed to be flexible and easy to use, in particular when rendering over a network.