It's that time again, and I really need to get back into the habit of doing these before the last day of the month (or at least get it typed up and scheduled). This monthly update is going to be pretty short, unlike the last one I don't have a ton to talk about.

This month I spent most of the time working on code related changes, mostly how the codex works and some menu layout changes. The renders done this month were mostly focused on the Summer 2024 extras.

I know I have said this for a while (like the past year or so), but I have been setting aside some of my own money, not just what you all support development with, and I think I am pretty close to pulling the trigger on a GPU for a second rig (or to toss in the server running my Plex server and just toss a Windows or Linux VM on there to run iray server). While there are alternatives like Boost for Daz3D that enable basically the same effect, but without buying the hardware. However, I am a big believer in owning the hardware, especially when it doesn't take much to break even and then after that point you're actually saving money. For example, the card I am potentially considering buying is the RTX A5000, which can be found on eBay for anywhere between $1200 and $1500, closer to $2100 if you buy new from a retailer. Well, Boost for Daz3D charges you $6.52/hr to use a setup that has that same card, using those eBay figures, after about 183 hours (~7.6 days) to 230 hours (~9.6 days) of rendering, you will have broken even on costs (not considering electricity).

Now some of you may be thinking, that is a lot of time rendering, that would take a while to hit wouldn't it? To which I'd say no not really, when rendering animations in the past (and is a reason I don't do too many animations) they can take the better part of a month on my current rig to render, and its not like my current rig is particularly low powered for the GPU (RTX 3080 12GB). And unfortunately during that time I am limited with what I can use my system for, so I often end up needing to start and stop those renders when I want to use my system for stuff, which further makes the renders take longer. But if I can offload those to a second rig then I can more easily just set and forget them, and of course can have my main PC join in as an additional node when I'm not using it. I also won't need to spend quite as much time trying to find ways to speed things up that possibly lower the quality.

So I will possibly be making that purchase closer to the end of the year, potentially as a Christmas present type thing, baring any major changes in my finances, like winning the lottery (in which case I'd buy 4 and that is only half joking).