The Check Render Settings Tool allows to check, before rendering, that all the required elements to render a crowd are correctly set. It takes into account the current renderer and its specific settings as well.

Creation

Tool Settings

If one of the Checker line ends with "NO", it means that the rendering will fail and thus it is recommended to edit the crowd scene settings accordingly. Each "NO" line comes with a Help link to the Reference Guide to help fixing the issue:

Manager Node in the scene

If no CrowdManager node has been detected in your scene, it seems that it is not a Golaem scene.

• If you deleted the CrowdManager node, using any of the Golaem tools will recreate one, but beware, you may need to redo some setup as it is the node storing all scene configuration for Golaem. You may need to restart a scene from scratch.
• If this is a rendering scene, make sure you imported your Golaem cache correctly using the Simulation Cache Library

Render Proxy in the scene and Replay Mode

If you get a NO here, either there is no Render Proxy in your scene, therefore nothing to be rendered, or your RenderProxy is not in Cached Replay mode.

• Did you export your simulation to create one, or imported one from the Simulation Cache Library?
• Are you in Replay Mode? Check your Golaem shelf

CrowdField names are set

If NO, it means that the CrowdField attribute of your CacheProxy is empty and then, there is nothing to load from cache and render.

• Did you select a CrowdField in the Simulation Export when you exported your simulation?
• Did you modify this attribute manually?

Simulation cache names and dir are set

If NO, then it means the Simulation Cache Name / Directory attributes of your CacheProxy are empty and there is no simulation to be loaded.

• Did your simulation export generate a cache?
• Did you create this CacheProxy correctly (either after simulation export, or by loading it through the Simulation Cache Library)?
• Did you modify these attributes manually?

Render Callbacks are set

For some renderers, Golaem prepares your scene for rendering through functions which are called before/after each rendering. These are set in your Render Settings.

If you get this warning, probably they were removed (by a script?) and Golaem will not be able to render. Either re-set them manually or create a new CacheProxy for them to be added again

See the CrowdRenderProxy for more information

Character File paths are valid

We need to find your character file descriptions to be able to render them.

• Is the path for each gcha in the Character Files attribute of your CacheProxy valid?
• Are these files really existing?
• If you imported this file from another computer, maybe you need to use tools like the dirmap command to help Golaem find your files in their new directory

EntityTypes Linked with Rendering Types

To be able to be rendered, your characters (gcha files) need to contain a valid RenderingType.

• Did your import the geometry of all your character in the CharacterMaker Geometry Tab?
• Did you save the character file after doing it?

Current Frame is Valid

If you get a NO here, it seems that you did not export any simulation cache for this frame.

• Check that your simulation cache is valid and that you are in the exported frame range
• Note that you have enable Motion Blur, you also need to account for the Motion Blur window and will not be able to render the very first/last frames of your exported range.
• Last but not least, remember: Golaem never exports a frame 1...

Shader Attributes have been exported

Shaders can sometime be controlled by attributes from your simulation. These attributes values need to be exported with your simulation cache. If you get a NO here it means some needed attributes are not found with your simulation cache

• Did you select all the attributes referenced by your shaders (see CharacterMaker / Geometry tab) when exporting your simulation?

Shaders / Groups are loaded in the scene

As Golaem character file does not contain your character shaders, you need to import them in your scene before rendering.

• Did you import your characters shaders?
• Are the names exactly the same as in your character file Geometry Tab? (check namespaces too)
• Are they assigned to a geometry in your scene? (even if not visible from camera or no Primary visibility)

This version of your render is supported

If the rendering engine version line ends with "NO" with the sub line "Requires manual install", it means the rendering engine version is supported by this version of Golaem but must be manually installed. Please check the Script Editor and how to manually install an alternative version of the rendering plugin here.

If the rendering engine version line ends with "NO" and no sub line, it means the rendering engine version is not supported by this version of Golaem. Please check the Release Notes to know which version are supported

Environment variables are set

To be able to render with your favorite renderer, it needs to be able to find the Golaem plugin. This is usually done trough specific environment variables. They are usually set by the Golaem .mod file when loaded by Maya.

If you are installing Golaem a specific way, or a script / another plugin overwrite their values, the Golaem procedural plugins may not be found by your renderer.

Check the list of these environment variables for each renderer in the Environment Variable List