Upgrade to leading rendering software features a new object scattering tool, procedural clouds, and more.
Chaos has just released V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max, a major upgrade to its all-in-one photorealistic rendering software. Artists can now use powerful new world-building and workflow tools to quickly distribute 3D objects, generate detailed 3D surfaces, and add procedural clouds to create beautiful custom skies -- helping them do more without additional plug-ins. V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max also introduces a cloud collaboration tool to speed up reviews and approvals.
Chaos Scatter enables artists to easily populate their scenes, with millions of 3D objects to produce natural-looking landscapes and environments without adjusting objects by hand. Objects can now be distributed, spaced, and randomized with a system that is built to conserve memory, even more so when used with V-Ray Proxy objects that only load at render time. To help users get started with Chaos Scatter, there are free 3D models and scatter presets available in the Chaos Cosmos content library.
New procedural clouds, built on technology from Enscape, have been added to the V-Ray Sun and Sky system, so artists can create custom skies. Artists can now easily simulate a variety of cloud types and weather conditions, from partly cloudy to overcast. When these clouds are ray traced with V-Ray, they respond accurately to lights, shadows, and volumetric effects, rendering them as realistic as possible. Procedural clouds can also be animated to create dynamic time-lapse skies and streaming streaks of sunlight.
VRayEnmesh is a powerful new tool that tiles patterns of 3D geometry across objects to create complex surfaces at the highest level of detail. Because the surfaces are created with full 3D geometry, it's ideal for making intricate panels, fences and fabrics that can be viewed at close range. VRayEnmesh efficiently generates huge amounts of geometry at render time, without bogging down scene performance.
V-Ray 6 for 3ds Max also incorporates a free Chaos Cloud Collaboration service that shares images from V-Ray to Chaos Cloud. Clients, team members and other stakeholders can now easily review, markup and comment at any time, streamlining the process for everyone involved in the project.
Other new features include:
- Upgraded V-Ray Frame Buffer – An improved V-Ray Frame Buffer includes a 360-degree panorama viewer, a flip composition button, helpful composition guides, and the option to share renders via Chaos Cloud.
- Improved dome light – A new Finite mode lets users specify the height and radius of a dome light. Dome light ground projections are also improved with full control over blend settings.
- More accurate reflective materials – Metals and rough reflective surfaces are rendered more accurately using a new energy compensation method.
- Thin-film materials – A new thin-film layer in the V-Ray Material helps users create iridescent materials like soap bubbles and oil spills.
- Improved subsurface scattering – Subsurface scattering in the V-Ray Material renders faster, and low-polygon translucent objects render smoother.
- Decal displacements – VRayDecal can now project displacement maps onto any surface to add realism to cracks, rocks, embossed details and more.
- Batch loading of multi-sub textures – Multiple textures can now be added to the VRayMultiSubTex map all at once.
- Improved UI – Material and texture interfaces are now faster for a smoother experience.
- V-Ray Proxy hierarchy – Through a new hierarchy view, users can control object visibility and material overrides within a V-Ray Proxy.
- V-Ray GPU Improvements – Supports nearly all new V-Ray 6 features and enables faster Light Cache and a new Device Selector to assign processors to tasks.
Watch the What’s New video below – you can also register for the upcoming webinar on July 28, 2022. For more information on pricing and availability, visit chaos.com and enscape3d.com.
Max Weinstein is a writer and editor based in Los Angeles. He is the Editor-at-Large of 'Dread Central' and former Editorial Director of 'MovieMaker.' His work has been featured in 'Cineaste,' 'Fangoria,' 'Playboy,' 'Vice,' and 'The Week.'
