V-Ray 3.0 Launches: Faster Ray Tracing and Rendering Performance

February 4, 2014 by Leave a comment

Image Credit: Artwork by FAMA, Courtesy Chaos Group

Image Credit: Artwork by FAMA, Courtesy Chaos Group

V-Ray 3.0 introduces a powerful set of new features and improvements. If you’ve been waiting to upgrade, now is the time to invest in an improved production-focused rendering engine:

Artist-friendly Controls
Designed with new and experienced users in mind, V-Ray 3.0 offers a simplified user interface with fast access to common settings.

Render set up is now faster and easier with V-Ray 3.0’s Quick Settings. Artists can choose from a variety of production presets and fine tune quality with slider controls. And a new V-Ray Toolbar puts all popular V-Ray tools in one place.

Faster Ray Tracing and Rendering Performance
Optimizations to V-Ray’s ray tracing core make rendering in V-Ray 3.0 significantly faster. Depending on scene complexity beta users are reporting speed increases up to 5X.

Faster Feedback
Using a powerful path-tracing engine, V-Ray 3.0’s new Progressive Image Sampler delivers instant feedback to artists and makes look development faster and more intuitive.

An improved V-Ray Frame Buffer adds Lens Effects and advanced color corrections for Contrast, HSL, and Color Balance.

Production-Focused Tools
New tools designed to give artists more control and flexibility include Max Ray Intensity, Probabilistic Light Sampling, Reflection/Refraction Trace Sets, and Render Mask to specify exact render regions with an object selection or image mask.

Open Source Workflows
Support for open source tools and formats include Alembic 1.5, Deep Images and OpenEXR 2.0, programmable OSL shaders, and advanced color management with OpenColorIO.

V-Ray 3.0 also introduces new licensing and pricing policy:

Here are the highlights:

• Universal render nodes to be used across multiple 3D platforms (V-Ray 3.0 for 3ds Max and Maya will be the first tools to support the universal render nodes).

• Workstation Licenses to reduce the cost for an individual user license.

Purchase Options
Workstation and Bundle Licenses available here.

Have more questions?
We can provide quotes to you for your studio, assist with set-up planning and help you determine what will best meet your needs. Contact us at support@archvision.com or call us Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm ET, +1 859.252.3118 ext 117.

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V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp Officially Released!

September 17, 2013 by Leave a comment

sketchup

SketchUp is one of the most widely used and easy to learn 3D modeling software applications on the market. And, V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp only improves the experience! This artist-friendly rendering solution for SketchUp features dramatic improvements to visualization workflow (V-Ray RT®), image-based lighting quality (V-Ray Dome Light), and a designer’s ability to quickly manage complex scenes with highly detailed models (V-Ray Proxy).

V-Ray 2.0 for Sketchup can be purchased here. ($799 USD)

Existing V-Ray for SketchUp users can upgrade here. ($320 USD)

Click here to view the new V-Ray 2.0 for SketchUp product at ArchVision and view the PDF for new features.

Have questions? Contact us at support@archvision.com.

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V-Ray 3.0 for 3ds Max Beta Announced

September 5, 2013 by Leave a comment

Image Credit: Marek Denko, Courtesy Chaos Group

Image Credit: Marek Denko, Courtesy Chaos Group


Chaos Group has officially announced the V-Ray 3.0 for 3ds Max Beta Program. ArchVision welcomes you to participate in this program and discover the advantages of the latest edition of the V-Ray render engine. Learn all about the V-Ray 3.0 for 3ds Max Beta program here.

During the beta process, you will also have direct access to Chaos Group’s development team and the beta community via the V-Ray 3.0 for 3ds Max Forum.

As a beta tester, you will have access to new V-Ray features including-:

  • Faster Ray Tracing: Faster Brute Force and Path Tracing calculations
  • New User Interface: New artist-friendly UI with easy access to common controls
  • Progressive Rendering: New path-traced rendering engine with intuitive set up
  • Quick Settings: New presets and controls for tuning quality and speed
  • VRmats: Universal V-Ray shader for use across multiple applications
  • New Shaders: New Skin shader, ray-traced SSS, and support for OSL
  • Improved Hair: Faster render speeds and optimized shading for hair and fur
  • Alembic: Integrated support for Alembic Caches
  • Advanced Color: Improved color workflow with support for LUTs, ICC, and OpenColorIO
  • Deep Data: Complete support for Deep Data and OpenEXR 2.0
  • Render Mask: Define render areas using an image mask
  • RT GPU Render Elements: Support for render element in V-Ray RT GPU
  • Improved Distributed Rendering: Automatic asset collection for Distributed Rendering

Check out all of the V-Ray products currently available at ArchVision here. Visit this blog often for more news on the development of V-Ray 3.0 for 3ds Max.

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V-Ray 2.0 is Now Available for Autodesk 3ds Max 2013

May 8, 2012 by 6 Comments

The wait is over. V-Ray 2.0 for Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 is now officially available. V-Ray 2.0 license owners can login into www.chaosgroup.com and download it now from the downloads area.

This new version features:

  • Support for 3ds Max 2013
  • Support for motion blur (transformation and deformation) with V-Ray RT and V-Ray RT GPU
  • Optimized interactive rendering using the NVIDIA CUDA™ architecture in addition to OpenCL
  • New “Matte for reflection/refraction” option to the VRayWrapperMtl material and the V-Ray object settings
  • Support for Ornatrix 2.0

View a complete list of features and improvements here: Features and Improvements List (PDF)

Need to purchase a V-Ray 2.0 license? Get it here: V-Ray 2.0 for 3ds Max

Have V-Ray 1.x and want to upgrade to 2.0? Get it here: V-Ray 2.0 for 3ds Max Upgrade

Check out this video from Jimmy at Chaos Group showing off some of the new features:

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10 Years of V-Ray: A Decade of Rendering Innovation

March 15, 2012 by Leave a comment

The rapidly evolving Design Visualization community has seen many advancements in technology over the past 10 years. Today renderings are produced with more realism and detail than ever before. Chaos Group, the makers of the V-Ray render engine, have played a key role in that. Their plug-ins have pushed the boundaries of photo-realism in rendering and set new heights for rendering excellence.

V-Ray has transcended Architectural rendering and found it’s way into nearly every aspect of Design Visualization. From video games, to product design and major motion pictures, if it looks incredible, chances are it was made with V-Ray technology. This month we celebrate 10 years of V-Ray and pay tribute to Chaos Group who’s contributions have changed how the world renders.

ArchVision is a proud reseller of V-Ray products. Learn more about these exceptional tools here:
http://www.archvision.com/products/vray

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Chaos Group Phoenix (FD): Amazingly Realistic Simulation

November 22, 2011 by Leave a comment

Chaos Group just announced the release of their follow up product to Phoenix Fluid Dynamics, Phoenix (FD) 2. Best known for V-Ray, Chaos Group’s products have pushed rendering realism to the extreme, and this product is by no means an exception.

Phoenix FD simulates realistic smoke, fire, liquid, explosions and more. Unlike many other 3ds Max plug-ins, this product is very intuitive. Simply add the PHXSimluator box around the object you want to set ablaze and let Phoenix FD work it’s magic. The simulation calculations can even be viewed directly in the viewport prior to rendering. Control the intensity of the explosion, the density of the smoke or the viscosity of the fluid. This simulator is amazing.

Check out the version 1.2 version of this product demonstrated by Autodesk Certified Instructor and Visual Effects wizard, Michael McCarthy:

Phoenix FD 2.0 now features a foam and splashes particle shader. View a video by Dimitar Krastev showing this new feature here:



Don’t take my word for it though. Download a demo today. You can access the demo at http://www.chaosgroup.com by registering and then clicking on Phoenix FD under the downloads menu.

Phoenix FD 2.0 can also be purchased for $960.00 here:
http://commerce.vismasters.com/catalog/products/phoenix-fluid-dynamics-20_4587.aspx

This product requires a $35.00 V-Ray license dongle.

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SIGGRAPH 2011: Showcases Emerging CG Technologies

August 9, 2011 by Leave a comment

Get a glimpse of emerging industry technologies at SIGGRAPH 2011. A variety of ArchVision friends and partners are participating at the SIGGRAPH 2011 Vancouver Make It Home Conference this week. If you are out and about, we encourage you stop by for the latest updates from some of our industry friends:

* Autodesk (#429) will host product demos and unveil a series of top user requests via The Area.
* Chaos Group (#135) will feature in-depth presentations of V-Ray for 3ds Max, Maya, Rhino and the latest in Phoenix FD 2.0 and presentations by industry experts (including Michael McCarthy, David Lesperance, Paul Ghezzo, Graham Fyffe and many others)
* Hayabusa (#679) will present RhinoAR – an AR plug-in for Rhinoceros and Hayabusa Renderer 2.0 for Rhino.
* Luxology (#631) will showcase modo® 501 and Luxology®s newly released Model Bashing Kit in the AMD booth.
* Next Limit Technologies (#625) will offer demos and insights into their cutting-edge simulation software for applications in 3D computer graphics, VFX, science, and engineering with RealFlow, Maxwell Render, and XFlow.
* Robert McNeel & Associates (#778) will provide insights and demos into Rhino and recent releases including, iRhino 3D for iPhone and iPad.

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