What happens when an archviz master meets a global audience of archviz professionals eager to elevate their craft? Breakthroughs, inspiration, and stunning visuals.Throughout 2024, Chaos hosted a transformative series of live, online classes attracting over 4300 registrations from eager archviz artists. Led by Nikos Nikolopoulos, the Founder and Creative Director of Creative Lighting, the Archviz Masterclass series offered participants a rare opportunity to learn from a seasoned trainer who has worked with some of the worlds most renowned architects, designers, and visualization studios.Over eight lessons, Nikos covered topics from creating emotional narratives and exterior lighting strategies to mastering color psychology and professional-level post-processing. Under his guidance, the attendees found their creativity ignited and were pushed to elevate their craft. "I loved witnessing the creative breakthroughs participants experienced as they combined storytelling with technical expertise," Nikos said. "It was inspiring to see how each individual brought their perspective to their projects, creating visuals that felt personal yet universally compelling.A collaborative and creative community in actionBecause each Masterclass session was live, this added a liveliness and collaborative atmosphere to the classes. Fellow participants even introduced Nikos to fresh ways to use Chaos products, such as experimenting with V-Ray and Coronas LightMix feature to enhance their storytelling or integrating Vantage to explore real-time adjustments. Seeing these tools reimagined through fresh perspectives highlighted the incredible flexibility of Chaos software and the participants' creativity," Nikos shared.A competitive grand finaleWith the Masterclass series drawing to a close, Nikos introduced a competition for participants to channel their new skills into a challenge inspired by film or TV characters. They developed mood boards exploring light, design, and color palettes, submitting two images that showcased distinct moods. "I looked for designs that transcended technical skill to tell a meaningful story," Nikos explained.Three entries stood out among the other submissions, and each received an annual license for a Chaos product for their hard work. "The winners excelled in their ability to evoke emotion, capture their fictional client's essence, and deliver visuals that were not just stunning but also deeply resonant and memorable."Read on to learn more about the three winning entries and why Nikos found their work outstanding.

In virtual production, this previsualization step is roughly the same, but the construction of the set takes place in a virtual environment instead of a physical space. This is handled by a specific team, called the virtual art department, which collaborates with everyone from VFX supervisors to carpenters to ensure a seamless blend of digital and real.When the set is created in digital space, virtual scouting can take place. Via this process, filmmakers can explore the space with virtual reality headsets and work out the best angles and shots, just like they would with real-world locations. Movies such as The Jungle Book and Avengers: Endgame used real-time engines for on-set previews of how green screen shots would look in the finished movies.Main virtual production techniquesUse of LED wallsWithout good-quality LED screens, ICVFX would fall apart. These fundamentally rely on the same technology that displays imagery on your TV, monitor, or smartphone, with a few key differences:No bezels: LED stages are created by building literal walls or volumes of multiple panels that seamlessly link together. Bezels are obviously a no-go in this environment, so LED screens feature edge-to-edge displays.Sturdy and versatile: The panels also have to be tough enough to withstand temperamental directors boots and versatile enough to mount in various scenarios, from large flat walls to cavernous volumes, where they can form part of the wall or ceiling.Increased brightness: Film sets are surprisingly bright places. A specialized LED screen is much brighter so it's visible on camera, even with studio lights in front of it, and so it can cast realistic lighting and reflections on physical actors and props. It also has a matte finish to avoid unwanted reflections on the screen itself.Excellent viewing angles: Have you ever noticed how cheaper monitors can look washed out when viewed from a certain angle? This effect would ruin a virtual production, so most LED panels are designed to be viewed from any angle.Low pixel pitch: Likewise, the distance between pixels on the screen (known as pixel pitch) must be as low as possible. If the pixel pitch is too high, theres a risk of a moire effect when the camera is close to the screen, which can cause unwanted wavy or shimmering lines. Today, 1.8mm is considered a good pitch but panels used in the production of Tomorrowland in 2015 featured a pitch as high as 11mm!Color accuracy and calibration: Spot-on color reproduction is essential for seamlessly blending the LED wall or volume with real-world props and actors. For instance, a virtual desert shot might use real sand on set, so its crucial that the colors and lighting match accurately.Rear projection and virtual setsRear projection is nothing new. Those unconvincing shots of actors driving cars against shaky backgrounds in old films made use of this technology by placing a car in front of a projector and replaying footage of a road. Fortunately, its come a long way since then but the fundamental principle is the same.In an ICVFX production, a car can be placed in front of a moving CG landscape to create a convincing illusion that the vehicle is in motion. However, unlike old rear projection systems, the angle, lighting, and content of the backdrop can be changed if necessary. We used this technique to create the moving steam train footage for Ray Tracing FTW.

Photorealistic Renderers Add Over 30 Features/Improvements for Beginners and Specialists Working in AEC, Product Design and MoreKARLSRUHE, Germany December 10, 2024 Today, Chaos releases V-Ray 7 for SketchUp and V-Ray 7 for Rhino, helping designers tap the power of Gaussian Splats, virtual tours and eye-catching effects all in one place. With V-Ray 7, designers can start accelerating everything from 3D environments to immersive experiences, using presets and other tools that reduce most processes down to a couple of clicks.3D Gaussian Splats, the talk of this years SketchUp 3D Basecamp, are becoming prized as a rapid way to create complex 3D environments from photos or video. With native support for Gaussian Splats, SketchUp and Rhino users can now leverage this trend, as they easily place buildings in context or render rich, detailed environments that can be reflected and accept shadows.V-Ray 7 is also a fast path to creating interactive virtual tours that will entice clients and effectively communicate design intent. These immersive, panoramic experiences can easily be customized with floor plans, personalized hotspots and other contextual details that will highlight a spaces unique attributes.New Material Override options have been added to make massing/form studies a breeze. While anyone can make a model monochrome with a click, V-Ray 7 allows them to also preserve specific surface details like bump maps, and material characteristics like refractions, reflections and self-illumination, offering more control over the final presentations. Stylized rendering presets are also available, including options for clay, plastic, wood and more.Additional Features and Improvements Include:V-Ray Frame Buffer UpdatesFreeform Render Region Designers can now re-render specific parts of their image with any shape they want. With limitless flexibility, users can render multiple regions at once, or hone in on a single area they want to fine-tune.Color-Correction Presets A new color-correction filters library can quickly boost the visual appearance of a render, providing users with quick access to many high-quality grading options.Vignetting Layer Vignette camera effects can now be added using quick shaping controls, helping users bring more attention to the center of an image.Artistic AidsLayered Textures A powerful new layering system will bring a Photoshop-esque experience to high-detail textures. Each texture layer can be stacked and tweaked with complete control over opacity, blending modes and more.Gradient Texture Remapping Advanced UV mapping capabilities now enable an advanced texture recoloring workflow. This is especially useful for procedural texture edits like pattern colorization, brick randomization and custom wallpaper designs.V-Ray Luminaires The ever-expanding Chaos Cosmos asset library, accessible through V-Ray, now brings a new light fixture optimization called Luminaires, which preserves the accurate light distribution while optimizing render times. Most of the light fixtures within Chaos Cosmos are now Luminaires in V-Ray 7.Light Mix for Emissive Materials Light Mix now lets designers adjust the intensity and color of specific emissive materials after rendering, for better lighting control and customizable renders.Enhanced V-Ray Sun & Sky For designers looking to create nautical twilight looks, V-Ray 7 offers an improved PRG sky model that can create more realistic images and immersive animations. V-Ray Sky can also now render various observer altitudes up to several kilometers.Firefly Removal V-Ray 7s new algorithm automatically detects and finishes unresolved pixels, known as fireflies, during bucket rendering, greatly reducing the time needed to produce final images.Scatter ToolsEdge Trimming Scattered elements now fit perfectly within set boundary lines, making it easier to populate any precisely defined area.Camera Clipping Users can now limit scattered instances to the current view of their camera.Chaos Cosmos ImprovementsNon-Destructive Material Override Users can now swap out Cosmos object materials without breaking the assets connection to Cosmos.Asset Variants Support Chaos Cosmos now has more asset variations to choose from, including seasonal options for 3D vegetation models (ex: summer or autumn leaves). Once users select their desired variant, they can just drag and drop it into their scene or even change the variant at a later stage.400 New Render-Ready Assets V-Ray 7 incorporates the latest Chaos Cosmos update, which is packed with 250+ vegetation models, 70+ static people featuring both single and couple-based poses and new furniture from IWC Home and Fanuli.GPU BoostsFaster Time to First Pixel New optimizations for scatter rendering, texture heavy scenes, data uploads and geometry compilations offer a better interactive rendering experience and a faster time to first pixel for speed-conscious users.Caustics Support V-Ray GPU now supports caustics, enabling realistic surface reflections and refractions in both production and interactive rendering. The new Caustics solver is also optimized to fully utilize GPU hardware, delivering significantly faster results than a CPU.RAM for Texture Memory Textures are no longer processed by V-Ray GPU, giving users the ability to employ even bigger textures without worrying about memory constraints.Up to 3X Faster on MacBooks New Metal support triples rendering performance when using both the GPU and CPU sides of Apple M4 processors, while doubling performance on M3 processors.SketchUp-Only UpdatesFaster Rendering in the SketchUp Viewport Users will find a significant speed boost when utilizing the viewport rendering overlay in SketchUp 2024.Simplified Material Binding Users can now configure the way V-Ray materials are displayed in the SketchUps viewport in a more intuitive and straightforward way.Rhino/Grasshopper-Only UpdatesNew Object Modifiers UI A new and improved user interface makes managing object modes like Fur, Clipper, Mesh Light, Displacement and Scatter a lot easier.Swarm in V-Ray for Grasshopper Distributed rendering is now possible in Grasshopper, making it easier to use the power of multiple machines to turn out faster renders.To see all the new features, explore the Whats New pages for V-Ray 7 for SketchUp and V-Ray 7 for Rhino/Grasshopper today.Pricing and AvailabilityV-Ray 7 for SketchUp is available now for Windows and MacOS, while V-Ray 7 for Rhino/Grasshopper is available for Windows. All V-Ray subscription plans work for all supported host applications, including Rhino, SketchUp, 3ds Max, Revit, Maya, Cinema 4D, Houdini and Blender. Pricing can be found on the Chaos website.About ChaosFounded in 1997, Chaos is a leading global visualization technology company. Chaos is defining visualization by offering accessible tools, simplifying and accelerating workflows, and empowering visual storytelling for artists, architects, designers and other creative professionals.Chaos portfolio of visualization technologies for architecture and design, media and entertainment, and product e-commerce includes:V-Ray, a physically based renderer that has been honored with an Academy Award and an Engineering EmmyEnscape, a high-quality real-time rendering and virtual reality pluginCorona, an artist-friendly photorealistic rendererCylindo, a 3D furniture product visualization platform for e-commerceAnima, a 3D/4D animation software to add realistic people and crowds to visualizationsHeadquartered in Karlsruhe, Germany, Chaos has nearly 800 employees and offices in 11 cities worldwide. It is actively seeking new talent across multiple departments to continue expanding its ecosystem.For more information, visit chaos.com, chaos-enscape.com, chaos-cylindo.com and axyz-design.com.Press ContactsChaosYara Ryabovayara.ryabova@chaos.comwww.chaos.com

Join the beta now at V-Ray for Blender at https://bit.ly/41orUMB Explore award-winning, production-proven rendering to achieve state-of-the-art results. This brand-new V-Ray for Blender includes all essential rendering features to craft any look and create stunning images and animations, whether photorealistic or stylistic. Plus, it expands your creative possibilities with tools that go beyond rendering essentials.

The renderer trusted by Oscar-winning filmmakers and artists around the world is coming to Blender. Join the V-Ray for Blender beta and help shape the best rendering workflow for you.

Accelerate 3D environment creation, streamline your design workflows, and deliver immersive experiences to your clients with V-Ray 7. Its innovative toolset is both intuitive for beginners and robust for experienced visualizers, empowering you to meet tight deadlines while achieving exceptional quality results effortlessly.00:00 Meet V-Ray 7 for Rhino00:08 Gaussian Splat00:45 V-Ray Luminaires01:17 Enhanced V-Ray Sun & Sky01:52 Shading Improvements03:14 Chaos Scatter Enhancements03:53 Chaos Cosmos Asset Variants04:28 Material Override & Presets05:22 Custom Render Regions06:32 Self-illuminated Materials & LightMix07:12 Automatic Denoiser Switch07:43 V-Ray GPU: Faster TTFP08:04 V-Ray GPU: Caustics SupportSee all thats new in V-Ray 7 for Rhino. https://www.chaos.com/vray/rhino/whats-new For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Create 3D environments faster, optimize your design workflows and deliver immersive experiences for your clients. With an innovative toolset that is intuitive for beginners and powerful for seasoned visualizers, with V-Ray 7 you can meet tight deadlines and produce high-quality results quickly. 00:00 Meet V-Ray 7.00:08 Gaussian Splat00:47 V-Ray Luminaires01:20 Enhanced V-Ray Sun & Sky01:55 Shading Improvements03:17 Chaos Scatter Enhancements03:56 Chaos Cosmos Asset Variants04:30 Material Override & Presets05:25 Custom Render Regions05:47 Vignette Layer06:06 Color Correction Presets06:35 Self-illuminated Materials & LightMix07:19 Automatic Denoiser Switch07:56 V-Ray GPU: Faster TTFP08:13 V-Ray GPU: Caustics SupportSee all thats new in V-Ray 7 for SketchUp. https://www.chaos.com/vray/sketchup/whats-new For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

What is 3D modeling?3D modeling is the process of creating a digital object in a virtual space. Like sculpting, youre creating a three-dimensional digital representation of something, but instead of clay, you're using specialized software. In essence, its like sculpting with digital tools.Types of 3D modeling and its applicationsThere are several types of 3D modeling. Let's explore them below.Polygonal modelingPolygonal modeling involves building objects using polygons, which are flat shapes with three or more sides and hard edges. You can think of it like building something out of Legos. Each Lego brick is a polygon, and you put them together to create the overall shape. Polygonal modeling is particularly useful for visualizations, where large, detailed environments like architectural spaces need to be created quickly.NURBS modelingFor objects with smooth curves, like cars, handheld devices, or various mechanical parts, you would use NURBS modeling. NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines) is a way of creating smooth-flowing surfaces using mathematical curves. To picture it better, just imagine bending a thin sheet of metal into any organic shape thats the power of NURBS.Subdivision surface modelingLike NURBS, subdivision surface modeling is often used to create smooth, organic shapes such as characters or vehicle bodies. The main difference is that subdivision surface smooths shapes by subdividing polygons for organic forms, while NURBS uses mathematical curves for precise, smooth surfaces in hard-surface designs.Digital sculptingFor modeling super realistic characters, or specialized architectural features such as detailed facades, or intricate ornamental designs, you would use digital sculpting. You use digital tools to shape and mold the virtual model, adding details like wrinkles and pores in a character, or use a V-Ray wood material to model scratches and wear in a wooden cabinet.BIMBuilding Information Modeling (BIM) is used in architecture, engineering, and construction. It focuses on creating a detailed, data-rich 3D model of a building or infrastructure project. It is especially useful for collaborative construction projects as it integrates data like materials, cost estimates, and project timelines, into the design.Procedural and Parametric ModelingProcedural and parametric modeling combine algorithms, rules, and parameters to generate objects and environments, rather than relying on manual creation. Procedural modeling is ideal for large-scale environments like cities or terrain, often used in game design and film production, while parametric modeling creates objects based on adjustable constraints, such as building height or gear radius, making it perfect for architecture and product design where flexibility and easy modifications are key.Volumetric modelingVolumetric modeling is used to create 3D models that represent volumes, such as smoke, fog, clouds, or liquids, and is commonly used in simulations and visual effects for movies and video games. Chaos Phoenix offers an easier, more dynamic approach than traditional modeling by simulating these effects in real-time, allowing for customizable and realistic results without pre-modeled assets.3D scanning3D scanning involves capturing real-world objects or environments using a 3D scanner, which creates a digital model based on the shape, size, and texture of the scanned object. This method is commonly used in industries like architecture, heritage preservation, and manufacturing for quickly creating accurate digital replicas of physical objects or spaces.Popular 3D modeling softwareFor animation and character designAutodesk Maya is known for its strengths in animation and character design, seamlessly integrating with V-Ray for cinematic visuals, while Cinema 4D is popular for motion graphics and 3D modeling, also integrating with V-Ray for detailed animation rendering.For architectural visualization and designAutodesk 3ds Max is a favorite for 3d modeling in architectural visualization and product design, heavily integrated with V-Ray for photorealistic images.SketchUp, widely used in architecture and interior design, supports both V-Ray and Enscape for intuitive, real-time, and photorealistic rendering.Revit, commonly used in architectural design and BIM (Building Information Modeling), is compatible with both Enscape and V-Ray for visualization, while Archicad and Vectorworks, also favored by architects, are supported by Enscape for real-time rendering and walkthroughs.Rhinoceros (Rhino) is ideal for industrial and architectural design, with V-Ray for detailed rendering and Enscape for real-time visualization.Archicad and Vectorwarks are useful for 2D and 3D drafting, parametric modelling, BIM and are both compatible with Enscape.

Leveraging V-Ray for photorealistic resultsOne of the key elements that allowed the Digital Domain artists to progress with the project so efficiently was their in-depth knowledge of V-Ray, the photo-realistic ray-traced rendering software created by Chaos. V-Ray has been Digital Domain's go-to render solution for almost all of their recent creative projects. Its versatility and ability to deliver stunning photorealist results made it an obvious choice for the project. V-Rays integration into Digital Domain's pipeline ensured not only speed and efficiency but also unparalleled visual quality.Ultimately, it just gets us to the finish line so quickly, compared to a lot of the other standards. You get 80 percent straight out of the box, and then you refine it a little bit from there, says Bob White, head of CG at Digital Domain. Its often the case with a lot of other rendersyou have to work your way up to get to that 80 percent, which is far more time-consuming when youre against a deadline.With Maya as their primary modeling and texturing tool and Houdini on hand for visual effects, the synergy between software components laid the groundwork for the projects success.Central to the creative vision of the project was the concept of beauty amidst decay, something that is a thematic cornerstone of the world of The Last of Us, both in the TV series and the video game. The team meticulously crafted environments that portrayed natures relentless overtaking of man-made structures. Drain explains, This was supposed to have almost a kind of beauty to it, and to convey that nature is taking over man. One of the main things that we got was this idea that its supposed to be beautiful in its own way. Theres decay, but in that decay, they wanted beauty.

Get a wider range of 3D model choices in one place! Chaos Cosmos Update 12 introduced assets with variants, available for V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max, SketchUp and Rhino. It enables designers to quickly preview & select the right variant of the same 3D model. Depending on the asset there are two types of variations that can be adjusted: material and/or geometry. Switching variations is done via the Cosmos Asset object after the asset is imported into the scene. ssets with variants are currently available for selected 3D models in the vegetation and people categories, and will continuously expand.Read more about Chaos Cosmos: https://www.chaos.com/cosmos Browse the Chaos Cosmos library: https://cosmos.chaos.com/ For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Coming soon! Chaos Innovation Labs rides into Hollywood (and brings a few familiar faces from the #VFX industry) to create a new take on the classic Western in #RayTracingFTWthe first film to use our virtual production solution, #ProjectArena. You dont want to miss this, stay tuned. Learn more about virtual production at https://www.chaos.com/virtual-production For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

A completely new way to achieve more accurate light distribution - fasterFind out more about a completely new method for rendering complex light fixtures in V-Ray 7 for Max, SketchUp or Rhino with V-Ray Luminaires in this article by Vlado Koylazov.You can choose between over 190 Cosmos assets, working perfectly with V-Ray Luminaires - 3D models by vendors like Evermotion and CGAxis as well as the digital twins of real physical products like Lumina and Two Parts.Over 6000 render-ready assets at your fingertipsYou now have access to a vast content library of more than 6000 high-quality assets ready for your projects. In Update 12, we focused on enriching our vegetation and people categories, offering even more diverse possibilities for creating dynamic, realistic environments.Vegetation: 250+ new assets, selected models - with seasonal variantsCosmos Update 12 expands the vegetation category with over 250 new high-quality models, featuring trees, plants, and shrubs in different sizes, shapes, and seasonal variations with multiple levels of detail. Whether you're designing an urban park or a sprawling natural landscape, these render-ready assets will help you add depth and realism to your scenes while saving time on manual adjustments.

Try Chaos Vantage at https://www.chaos.com/vantage/free-trial Follow this short video to learn how to create and copy (Ctrl+D) lights, edit their parameters from the Light lister, and set up translation snapping.3D model provided by Evermotion.For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Chaos Envision is a standalone 3D visualization tool for architectural visualizers seeking photorealistic, real-time rendering, and next-level animation capabilities. Assemble large, complex scenes and maintain performance Animate your architectural visualizations quickly and easily Add crowds of animated humans Manipulate on object level and adjust any aspect of the scene Explore designs via unlimited visualization variations Enjoy full support within the Chaos EcosystemLearn more at http://www.chaos.com/envision-beta For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

0:07:43 Jason Smiths 25 years at ILM0:10:03 Childhood fascination with creatures and early inspirations0:13:58 Transitioning to computer graphics and early days at ILM0:18:13 Learning through render support and stepping into rigging0:22:48 Developing Blockparty and its impact on creature rigging0:27:28 Dynamic rigging breakthroughs for Transformers0:32:13 Working on The Avengers and Bumblebee0:38:03 Becoming senior VFX supervisor for The Rings of Power0:43:33 Tackling scale challenges and mixing practical and digital effects0:48:53 Creating photoreal creatures and world-building for The Rings of Power0:55:13 Reflecting on the evolution of visual effects and winning a Sci-Tech Award1:00:28 Thoughts on collaboration and advice for aspiring VFX artists1:05:53 Future trends in VFX and closing thoughts

What sets Envision apartEnvision helps you to showcase your design with ray-traced photorealism, endless variations, and smooth, uninterrupted workflows, ensuring your project is always presented at its best.This is just the beta, but already, there are a few things that set Envision apart.Smooth integration with Chaos toolsWith Envision, you can benefit from a smooth integration with many Chaos tools, including Enscape, V-Ray and Corona, the Cosmos asset library, the Anima engine for super realistic humans and crowd simulation, and Chaos Scatter for fast, creative object scattering. Thanks to the .vrscene file format, data exchange is easy. Geometry, materials, lights, and assets can be shared between your design tool (SketchUp, Revit, Rhino, Vectorworks, Archicad) or DCC (3ds Max, Cinema 4D, Maya, Houdini, Blender) together with Envision.Real-time advanced animationEnvisions 3D animation for architectural visualization is both powerful and easy to use from moving objects on paths to coordinating crowds of animated humans, from showing construction phasing to design variations and sun studies.Massive scene support & seamless scalingEnvision effortlessly handles massive scene sizes. It offers robust scene assembly with granular control, so you won't need to worry if your scene is getting too large. Additionally, thanks to scene scaling, as your scenes get bigger, you can take advantage of advanced visualization features, such as animation, without the performance or image quality degrading.Scene manipulation at object levelEnjoy greater creative editing by being able to manipulate specific objects in a scene. Manipulate transformations like position, rotation, and scale, as well as material assignments, grouping, and instancing, for both referenced scenes and custom content. This saves you from having to return to the design tool every time you need to adjust something.Realistic animated humansThanks to the integration of the Anima engine, its easy to add humans in Envision that are realistic, follow the paths you draw, and avoid one another in crowds. Animas renowned high-quality 4D humans and more crowd capabilities will be added in a future beta release.Incredible visual qualityThanks to 100% ray tracing, Envision offers enhanced rendering quality and realism. It can consistently and accurately calculate reflections, refractions, and global illumination while supporting scenes that can grow into trillions of instanced faces.No scene prep neededSince the scene data shown in V-Ray or Enscape can be transferred directly to Envision via the .vrscene file format, your visualization process can start right away. No scene prep needed! This is a big workflow and time-saving advantage, as there is no need to reduce complexity in order to meet the needs of a game engine or a different environment.Envision supports V-Ray and Enscape materials, lights, cameras, and asset libraries, saving you time from having to recreate and adjust these elements.Continuous design workflowAll designs evolve, and Envision makes it easy to keep your visualization up to date by respecting your decisions and keeping them applied as your exports change.

Networking, collaboration, and challengesConnecting with fellow artists is a critical step on your journey as a 3D visualizer and an important habit to get into on a daily basis. Chaos Campus is an educational community of like-minded creatives who live and breathe 3D visualization, and passionately discuss rendering, give regular feedback and encouragement to beginners and advanced alike.It is your go-to place for sharing scenes, materials and models, but also portfolio tips and career advice that very well may land your next dream job. Want to collaborate with someone who will bring a fresh style to your archviz animation? Just post the storyboard with a short description, and youll be sure to find an artist who has just the right idea to take your project to the next level. With over 5K members, Chaos Campus is also a great place to get matched with a mentor who is willing to share his knowledge and experience with you, giving you invaluable insight on areas of improvement and encouraging you to experiment in new ways.Additionally, participating in challenges and contests, such as the CG Architect 3D Awards, can help artists hone their skills and gain recognition within the archviz community.

Access Chaos Cloud in the V-Ray 7 Framebuffer, go to the "Collaboration" tab and create panorama virtual tours with automatic hotspot generation. Explore Chaos Cloud's additional customization options - add floorplans, contextual details, and design elements as well as personalize hotspots and transitions.Read more about Chaos Cloud's virtual tours: https://www.chaos.com/blog/chaos-cloud-virtual-tours-at-your-fingertips-with-v-ray-7 Find out more about the Chaos Cloud features: https://www.chaos.com/cloud For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Whats Next?Its too early to make promises as to what next year will look like, but we can share the things we are considering.First, we do expect a Corona 12 Update 2 version sometime toward the end of Q1, though this will not have many (or any) new features and will be a maintenance release (part of the reason we still called this one Update 1, knowing that an Update 2 will be needed). After that release, it will be back to business as usual in terms of naming and release cycle, with Corona 13 planned for the middle of the year, and 14 toward the end of the year.What gifts might Corona 13 and 14 bring? Well, most likely improvements to the Live Link as we refine this initial implementation and look into adding rendering animations from your DCC in Vantage. We also want to investigate the possibility of developing a Toon / NPR shader, as this is one of the most requested items on our Ideas Portal.Were listening to feedback from you on some new items that debuted in V-Ray 7, such as Gaussian Splats, to see how much interest there is in those coming to Corona.Weve heard whispers about AI image enhancement and PBR material generation. Imagine this happening in the clouddigital assistants upscaling a preview or generating material options in seconds without bogging down your machine. Although still in development, these would be exciting additions.Corona is now on Chaos.comJust a quick reminder that since Corona 12 released, all things Corona can now be found on Chaos.com. You can access the latest versions, Corona Benchmark, blog articles, customer stories, and more on Chaos.com.As a reminder from our last release, a few pages you may wish to bookmark include:Corona homepageWhats new in CoronaCorona BenchmarkDownload CoronaCorona Community ForumThe Chaos Blog (featuring all Chaos products, including Corona)Additional smaller improvements in Corona 12 Update 1General(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)Added Max Photon Repeat parameter into advanced settings that influences noise of caustics.(3ds Max)Added support for ForestPack Ivy Generator.Added a decal arrow pointing in the Decal projection direction. The arrow will scale with the size of the Decal object.Added Depth of Field range indicator for 3ds Max Viewport, when Corona Camera is selected.Added aLock Aspect Ratio button to CoronaBitmap.Added a Fit to bitmap button to CoronaBitmap, available when the Lock Aspect Ratio is not active.(Cinema 4D)Scene conversion improvements: Added conversion of V-Ray Standard material.Added possibility to convert V-Ray and Cinema render settings to Corona render settings.Added option to save CXR file directly in Save tab in render settings. This should work in batch rendering or when rendering takes.Added Film Offset X, Film Offset Y and Focus Distance to Camera Listers.Vantage(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)Added basic support for exporting Triplanar shader.When exporting to Vantage, Corona exports to a running Vantage application if there is one, instead of starting a new one. When Vantage is not installed, an error is shown to the user.VFB(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)VFB 2: Added a Separate IR button instead of the dropdown menu option.VFB 2: Place new history items at the top of history instead of at the bottom.VFB 2: Added the option to load multiple CXRs into VFB history at once.VFB 2: The correct render stamp is shown when loading or comparing images.VFB 2: Camera Tone mapping override is now correctly displayed in VFB when editing CXR and returning back to VFB.(3ds Max)Added option to system settings to disable overwrite confirmation dialog when using history autosave.History autosave now also saves animations.(Cinema 4D)CXR files can now be drag&dropped directly into VFB2 to load in history tab (was already possible in 3ds Max).Installation Changes(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)Updated licensing server to 6.2 and Cosmos to newest version.Removed the Corona Material Library component from Corona installer. If you do not have it installed already, a download button will be shown on opening the Corona Material Library from inside 3ds Max or Cinema 4D.Command line arguments were changed. You can use -auto instead of -acceptEulaAndInstall. For more command line arguments use -help.Added new Legal Agreements dialog, which is shown only after "--auto" installation (when the eula/privacy policy is not shown).Note: The new installer requires SSE 4.2, released in 2008 for Intel and 2011 for AMD, so any machine newer than 13 years old should be unaffected. This would be around one tenth of one percent of users at our estimate, and some of those may be using an older Corona version anyway since Corona itself needs SSE 4.1 already.(Cinema 4D)Similar-looking installer is now used both on Windows and macOS.Size of macOS installer was reduced to half of its original size. Note that the macOS installer is still twice as big as Windows one as it contains version for both Intel CPUs and Apple Silicon.Bug Fixes in Corona 12 Update 1Crash Fixes(3ds Max)Fixed issue where showing VRayMtl in material editor without VRay installed leads to crash when Corona is active renderer.(Cinema 4D)Fixed crash in some scenes when CPU limit was set to non-default values.Fixed crash when exporting some specific configurations of the native Cinema 4D Layered shader into Chaos Vantage.Fixed crash when exiting Cinema 4D when the Node Material Editor is open.General(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)Fixed issues with decal/media and heterogeneous media when material-based medium resolving is used.Fixed computing of curves operator histogram - histogram now updates during rendering and is computed from an edited item as well, not always from the main render.Fixed Bloom&Glare missing when saving multiple elements with B&G.Fixed incorrect order of render elements in case the Rest render element was not the last one.(3ds Max)Small behavior fixes of the button used to select the node for fitting PatternMod crop box.Fixed issue where animated texmaps would in some cases render without animation.Fixed Memory Report dialog preventing render from completing, it is closed automatically for render to finish.Fixed changing of "Locked IR resolution" when rendering with docked interactive.Fixed animated camera unexpectedly changing position when switching target on and off.Fixed issue where camera name in Tone Mapping disappears after editing history item and rendering again.Fixed issue where fitting decal and then changing the size with locked aspect ratio would result in incorrect decal aspect ratio.Fixed issue where Cosmos lights were imported with wrong units.Fixed issue where some OSL maps (e.g. those using user-defined attributes) were not working properly.LUT path is no longer converted from local to UNC after arbitrary UI operations.Paths to assets used in Corona Material Library downloaded from Cosmos are no longer converted from mapped drives to UNC paths.Fixed issue where debug.log file is created in 3ds Max project folder.Fixed 3ds Max hotkeys being wrongly reenabled after clicking from Cosmos to another Corona spinbox.(Cinema 4D)Performance fixes for UI freezes on some high-core CPUs.Fixed updates of rigged geometry in IR (and so also in Live Link).Fix of some Cosmos lights having incorrect rotation after import.Fixed some minor memory leaks.Solo node shows correct state after scene load.VFB Fixes(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)Fixed issue where clicking on Save in VFB would not save the currently displayed image, but the rendered image instead.Show image comparison splitter at the center even when zoomed in + draw also overlay A/B when zoomed in.(3ds Max)Fixed not being able to maximize the VFB while IR was running as it re-adjusted its size.Responsiveness has been improved when using the docked VFB.Caustics Fixes(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)Interactive rendering restarts are now faster when using Caustics solver.Fixed issue where caustics did not work correctly with Slicers.Fixed issues in Caustics solver when Camera physical size is enabled - specifically incorrectly shaded caustics and shadows cast by the camera box.(3ds Max)Fixed issue where caustics did not work correctly with Phoenix Foam.Scatter Fixes(3ds Max and Cinema 4D)Scatter is now uninstalled with Corona, but only if V-Ray of corresponding version is not found.(3ds Max)Fixed issue when a selection of non-defined map channel could affect scatter distribution.Fixed issues with value precision sensitivity of scattering in some scenarios and improved consistency of scattering results across various scatter integrations.OCIO Fixes(3ds Max)Fixed issue where OCIO would convert everything to black when alpha is NAN.Fixed issue where saving values over 1 to PNG/JPG with OCIO would give incorrect results.OCIO config path from the environment variable "OCIO" is used only when the respective mode is selected in Color Management settings.Try Corona 12, update 1If youre an existing Corona user, download Corona 12 here, and please share your feedback, questions, and results in the Corona Forum. Wed love to know what you think, and were even more excited to see what you create!For those not yet using this easy-to-use renderer thats capable of producing incredibly realistic results, try it out for free.Thanks to everyone who tested the Corona 12, update 1 release candidates and shared their feedback. We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy using the latest version!

Real-time rendering and advanced techniquesReal-time rendering tools like Enscape and Vantage have revolutionized architectural visualization by allowing designers to visualize changes instantly. These tools are particularly useful for creating virtual tours and walkthroughs, which provide clients with an immersive experience of the architectural project. Real-time rendering makes it easy to adjust lighting conditions, materials, and other architectural elements on the fly, helping architects and clients collaborate more effectively.For higher-end architectural projects, hyper-realistic renderings provide the ultimate in visual fidelity. Advanced techniques like ray tracing and physically-based rendering (PBR) are employed to create renderings that are nearly indistinguishable from real-life photographs. These architectural visualization techniques are often used in final client presentations to ensure that every architectural design detail is accurately reflected in the 3D renderings.Essential elements of effective renderingsEffective architectural renderings require mastery of several key elements. Proper lighting is essential for creating depth and mood, while texture mapping brings materials to life. The level of detail (LOD) in 3D renderings varies depending on the phase of the project. For initial concepts or quick reviews, a lower level of detail may be sufficient, while final presentations require intricate detailing of materials, architectural elements, and surfaces.Lighting and shadowsProper lighting is fundamental in rendering to create depth and realism. Whether it's natural or artificial light, dynamic lighting can change the mood of a scene, enhancing how a space is perceived. Natural lighting can emphasize openness, while artificial lighting adds warmth or dramatizes a scene. To dive deeper into the topic, check out our lighting rendering tips.Texture mapping and materialsIn architectural rendering, texture mapping and materials are essential for giving surfaces a realistic appearance. This process involves applying textures like wood, metal, or fabric to 3D models, allowing them to closely resemble real-world materials. Tools like Chaos Scans and V-Rays material libraries offer highly accurate textures, ensuring that surfaces react naturally to lighting conditions. Techniques such as bump mapping and displacement mapping add depth to surfaces by simulating roughness or subtle imperfections, making textures feel more authentic. Properly applied textures bring a rendering to life, helping viewers connect with the materiality of a space.Level of DetailThe level of detail (LOD) in a rendering determines how much complexity is included in the scene. For final presentations, high levels of detail are critical for showcasing intricate textures, materials, and design features. However, in early design phases or quick client reviews, simplified renderings are often sufficient and can speed up the workflow. Reducing unnecessary detail during concept discussions allows for faster iterations without sacrificing clarity. Managing the level of detail helps maintain performance efficiency while ensuring the rendering serves its purpose at different stages of the project.Mapping TechnologiesIn addition, mapping technologies such as Street Mapping and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are increasingly used to enhance the realism of aerial renderings and urban architectural visualizations. These technologies allow architects to place their architectural designs within real-world environments, providing clients with a more comprehensive view of how the project interacts with its surroundings.

0:08:45 Jo Plaete and Metaphysic0:10:28 How Jo and Chris met through Ed Ulbrich at the Real Time Economic Summit0:12:33 Jos early career in computer science and multimedia0:15:07 Working at Framestore and Animal Logic on Where the Wild Things Are and Legend of the Guardians0:17:45 Collaborating with Disney Research on Aladdin and exploring machine learning0:20:59 Challenges of digital human creation and markerless facial capture0:26:07 Working with ILM on ABBAs digital concert and retargeting challenges0:30:03 The complexities of achieving photorealism and the uncanny valley0:33:14 Jos work on digital doubles, using machine learning to enhance fidelity0:38:22 Discussion on traditional versus AI-driven digital human pipelines0:43:00 Real-time feedback on set for Here and the importance of maintaining performance fidelity0:48:29 How Metaphysics tools enable real-time de-aging feedback for actors and directors0:53:06 The evolving role of visual effects artists and their creative contributions0:59:18 The collaborative nature of AI-driven VFX tools in filmmaking1:03:22 Ethical considerations and the artistic future of AI in cinema1:09:57 Final thoughts on the future of digital humans and Metaphysics upcoming projects

Learn how to get the Twinbru digital fabrics at https://bit.ly/45P37Rd Unlock the doors of design innovation with Twinbru and Chaos Cosmos! Experience a level of detail in your visualizations like never before, with Twinbrus hyper-realistic digital fabric textures available on Chaos Cosmos. Witness your ideas come alive with our high-quality, render-ready assets, perfectly matched to their real-world counterparts. Here's how to get started on your journey: 1. Open the Chaos Cosmos asset library in V-Ray or Corona.2. Dive into the mesmerizing world of 467 free fabrics by Twinbru.3. Select the perfect fabric for your project and download it.4. Import it directly into your scene.5. Apply our high-quality renders and witness the magic unfold.Detailed instructions are readily available on our website to assist you every step of the way.Start your journey towards more realistic, immersive, and spectacular designs today with Twinbru and Chaos Cosmos!For more information about Twinbru: https://www.twinbru.com/ For more information about Chaos Cosmos: https://bit.ly/3RAX9PJ Get a 30-day free trial for V-Ray: https://bit.ly/3LmJlUW Get a 30-day free trial for Corona: https://bit.ly/3PbH6F7

Learn how to get the Twinbru digital fabrics at https://bit.ly/45P37Rd Experience a level of detail in your visualizations like never before, with Twinbrus hyper-realistic digital fabric textures available on Chaos Cosmos. Witness your ideas come alive with our high-quality, render-ready assets, perfectly matched to their real-world counterparts. Here's how to get started on your journey: 1. Open the Chaos Cosmos asset library in V-Ray or Corona.2. Dive into the mesmerizing world of 467 free fabrics by Twinbru.3. Select the perfect fabric for your project and download it.4. Import it directly into your scene.5. Apply our high-quality renders and witness the magic unfold.Detailed instructions are readily available on our website to assist you every step of the way.Start your journey towards more realistic, immersive, and spectacular designs today with Twinbru and Chaos Cosmos!For more information about Twinbru: https://www.twinbru.com/ For more information about Chaos Cosmos: https://bit.ly/3RAX9PJ Get a 30-day free trial for V-Ray: https://bit.ly/3LmJlUW Get a 30-day free trial for Corona: https://bit.ly/3PbH6F7

Kevin Tod Haug has served as VFX supervisor on movies including Fight Club, The Cell, Panic Room, and Quantum of Solace, and pioneered creative VFX shots that allowed cameras to move through tiny spaces or make the unbelievable look real. Kevin talks about his career and how hes managed to catch successive waves of VFX technology from the 1970s to today, sharing how he used new technology to create convincing effects for low-budget Italian war movie Comandante.0:00:00 CG Garage Intro0:04:31 Getting started in the VFX industry0:08:55 How motion control revolutionized VFX0:13:18 Using a plotter for VFX0:19:35 When SIGGRAPH was about getting images on film0:26:22 Shooting "Comandante"0:33:50 The transition from electro-mechanical to digital0:39:20 Moving to movies including "Fight Club"0:46:23 Doing something no one's done before0:48:23 Shifts in the VFX industry0:56:09 A modern approach to low-budget VFX movie-making1:02:35 Artificial intelligenceLinks:Kevin Tod Haug on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0369265/ Kevin Tod Haug on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Tod_Haug Kevin Tod Haugs Vimeo (NSFW): https://vimeo.com/kevintodhaug CG Garage Podcast homepage: https://www.chaos.com/cg-garage

Returning guest Ed Ulbrich is now chief content officer and president of production at metaphysic.ai, which is using AI tools to create photorealistic digital humans in real-time for movies such as Robert Zemeckis Here. Ed breaks down what Metaphysic.ai does and how it can be used by directors to see live versions of digital doubles while slashing production times and costs.0:00:00 Intro0:04:30 What Ed's been doing since his last podcast0:09:20 The evolution of digital humans0:13:13 How the technology works0:18:23 Creating 2Pac0:24:22 Why 2Pac was OK ethically0:28:53 SAG-AFTRA and defeating the AI boogeyman0:33:30 AI as jet fuel for creativity0:38:29 The first AI-generated full body in a movie0:42:23 How AI is changing the economics of Hollywood0:47:29 Are kids still into movies?0:51:03 And how do we entertain them now?0:56:10 What makes music videos unique1:00:20 Cross-border productionLinks:Metaphysic.ai: https://metaphysic.ai/ Ed Ulbrich on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edulbrich/ Ed Ulbrich on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1261724/ CG Garage Podcast homepage: https://www.chaos.com/cg-garage

Chaos Innovation Labs is bringing Hollywood a fresh twist on the classic Western with #RayTracingFTW. Featuring familiar faces from the #VFX industry, this film marks the debut of our groundbreaking virtual production tool, #ProjectArena.See how it was all created, take a look behind the scenes here: https://youtu.be/DUHrM_YtiIs Learn more about virtual production at https://www.chaos.com/virtual-production For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

In this episode, AJ Wedding, founder of Orbital Studios, discusses the filming of Ray Tracing FTW with Chaos Innovation Lab and how virtual production is transforming filmmaking. He shares how he built Orbital Studios during the pandemic, making high-quality production accessible for independent filmmakers, and provides insights into the future of the industry.0:00:00 CG Garage Intro0:04:32 AJ's Journey into Visual Effects0:07:28 Discovering Virtual Production on The Mandalorian0:10:16 Founding Orbital Studios During the Pandemic0:13:18 Saving Snowfall with Virtual Production0:14:55 The Growth of Orbital Studios0:17:12 Economics of Virtual Production0:20:23 Flexibility & Control in Virtual Production0:23:49 Supporting Independent Filmmakers0:34:35 Filming Ray Tracing FTW with Chaos Innovation Lab0:38:18 AI Tools in Virtual Production0:45:33 Streamlining Filmmaking with AI0:51:48 The Future of AI in Filmmaking0:58:07 Future Projects at Orbital StudiosOrbital Studios: https://www.orbitalvs.com/ A.J. Weddings website: https://www.ajwedding.com/ A.J. Wedding on IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1229279/ CG Garage Podcast homepage: https://www.chaos.com/cg-garage

Step Behind the Curtain of #RayTracingFTW Join us on an exclusive behind-the-scenes journey of #RayTracingFTW, presented by Chaos Innovation Labs. Dive deep into the making of a film that redefines the boundaries of virtual production with #ProjectArena.Watch, learn and get inspired to think outside the traditional limits of filmmaking. Learn more about virtual production at https://www.chaos.com/virtual-production For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Matthias Christen, lead artist at The Scope, breaks down the groundbreaking work on Ray Tracing FTW, where his team built a massive real-time virtual set with 2 trillion triangles. He dives into working alongside production designer Erick Schiele, using Project Arena to create lifelike visuals, and ensuring consistency from pre-production to post-production. Matthias also shares insights on pushing the limits of real-time rendering, integrating real-world textures, and the future of virtual production. This episode is a deep dive into the cutting-edge tech behind modern filmmaking!0:00:00 CG Garage Intro0:05:53 Introduction & Matthias Journey into 3D0:09:04 Early Career in Advertising & 3D0:13:38 Working with The Scope and Pioneering Visuals0:19:14 Collaborating on Ray Tracing FTW with Chaos0:25:34 Building the Massive Virtual Set for Ray Tracing FTW0:34:19 Pre-production to Post-Production Workflow on Ray Tracing FTW0:40:54 Integrating Real-world Textures and Lighting in Virtual Production0:47:09 Pushing the Limits of Real-time Rendering0:52:09 Challenges of Massive Virtual Sets in Real-time0:58:44 Looking Ahead: Future of Virtual ProductionLinks:The Scope: https://thescope.studio/ Matthias Christen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthias-christen-a3b732207/ CG Garage Podcast homepage: https://www.chaos.com/cg-garage

Discover how narrativ (https://www.wearenarrativ.com/ )a UK-based archviz studiocaptured the transformative journey of the Landsec retail destinations and elevated the shopping experience to extraordinary heights by utilizing the power of anima ALL. At the heart of the revitalization project lies Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth, where a substantial 45 million investment is designated to create an unparalleled experience within Landsec's strategic vision. Read the case study: https://www.chaos.com/blog/narrativ-gunwharf-quays Discover anima ALL for free: https://www.chaos.com/anima-lite Subscribe for the ultimate anima ALL crowd experience: https://www.chaos.com/anima For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Discover how narrativ (https://www.wearenarrativ.com/ ), a UK-based archviz studio, visualized the transformative journey of the new arts, entertainment and exhibition district in London - Olympia, by utilizing the power of anima ALL. Read the case study: https://www.chaos.com/blog/narrativ-experience-olympia Discover anima ALL for free: https://www.chaos.com/anima-lite Subscribe for the ultimate anima ALL crowd experience: https://www.chaos.com/anima For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Something is in motion, and its set to change the way you tell your design story. Sign up to our mailing list to be among the first to know more... and stay tuned. #ChaosEnvision

Explore all the exciting updates Vantage 2, update 6, brings to your workflow! Key features include:Subsurface scattering (SSS) for true-to-life translucent materials.Full opacity support for cutout and semi-transparent materials.Clipper object for complex cutaways and sections.Water object for crafting realistic water surfaces.VR controller support for better position control.Cameras as objects for precise camera manipulation.Smooth camera paths for better looking flythroughs.For an extensive list of the new features, visit:https://docs.chaos.com/display/LAV/Release+Notes+for+Chaos+Vantage+2 For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Try V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max at https://www.chaos.com/try-vray7 Transform how you create and present with game-changing technology designed to accelerate your workflow and fully immerse your clients in your projects. Create highly detailed context for your scenes effortlessly Achieve more accurate lighting, faster Generate immersive, interactive virtual tours automatically Explore new options for complete creative control Bring designs to life instantly with new render-ready asset types Render faster and more efficientlyAnd much more.00:00 - Intro00:10 - Gaussian splats support00:46 - V-Ray Luminaires01:03 - Firefly removal 01:20 - Enhanced V-Ray Sun & Sky01:42 - Custom-shaped render regions 02:04 - Vignette layer 02:20 - Color correction presets02:50 - Chaos Cloud Virtual tours 03:09 - Chaos Scatter Instance brush 03:30 - Faster scene export 03:50 - Chaos Scatter Distribution maps 04:09 - Chaos Cosmos Asset variants 04:29 - V-Ray Profiler 04:48 - V-Ray Lister 05:10 - V-Ray GPU: Faster TTFP05:28 - V-Ray GPU: Caustics Support See all thats new in V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max.https://www.chaos.com/vray/3ds-max/whats-new For more information about our products, visit: https://www.chaos.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/ChaosGroupTV to get useful tutorials and the latest updates from ChaosFollow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chaosgroup On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chaosgroup/

Our own product manager, Ana Lyubenova, gives a run-down of what to expect from this exciting new entry into the Chaos family. Sign up for Envision updates today https://bit.ly/40gvBDl

Chaos CEO Stephan Sieber shares his insights on the upcoming #ChaosEnvision with our friend and Architectural Designer, Joseph Kim, at last month's #AU2024. Be among the first to test Envision https://www.chaos.com/envision See more from Joseph at https://www.youtube.com/JosephKim

Most of the light fixtures in Chaos Cosmos come with luminaire files so using them is simply a matter of drag and drop. If a light fixture doesnt have a luminaire file, it either has no light sources, or adding a luminaire does not improve the results (for example if the light sources directly illuminate the scene and there is no complex light transport). A tutorialon creating luminaire files for customlight fixtures is coming soon.Working with VRayLuminaire light sourcesIf a light fixture has a VRayLuminaire object attached to it, then control of the light emitted from the fixture, like intensity and temperature, should be handled from the VRayLuminaire object. However at this time, disabling a VRayLuminaire light simply disables the light field calculation and not the regular light sources that are a part of the light fixture. An easy way to disable all of the light emitted from the fixture is to set the intensity of the VRayLuminaire light to 0.0.Similarly, in the VRayLightMix system, the original lights in the fixture and the VRayLuminaire light will appear separately; this is something that will be improved in subsequent V-Ray 7 releases.

When you bring Chaos Cloud to your workflow, you can benefit from:Convenient and time-saving stakeholder experience - Remove the need to schedule meetings or appointments. Let your customers explore at their own pace and leave feedback anytime, from any device.Streamlined workflow - Keep everything related to your projects in one place. Create a new project, add all the information there, and let your clients leave feedback directly on your visualizations in a well-structured and easily managed process.A user-friendly solution - Anyone can use the Chaos Cloud virtual tours and design review features, making it a user-friendly solution for any project. However, as a V-Ray 7 or Enscape 4.1.1 and above user, you benefit the most from the tight Chaos interoperability, allowing you to upload files for collaborative projects directly from your desktop application, create virtual tours automatically, and customize them on demand.Free presentations and reviews - Today, Chaos Cloud virtual tours and design review features are free for all users, making it your best budget-friendly collaboration partner.Enhanced engagement - Advanced interactive features, allowing customization and personalization provide project-relevant and detailed visual information, making the client feel both the owner of the project and an integral part of the creative team in a more engaging and exciting manner.How does it work for V-Ray 7 customers?In the V-Ray Framebuffer, go to tab "Collaboration".Start using interactive virtual tours by creating a new project and upload all visual materials to communicate your design concepts.Automatically generate hotspots in the Chaos Cloud Web UI.Personalize the hotspots in your project and provide more information about any design detail, significantly enriching the user experience. Adjust the size of the hotspot and choose from a range of icon and color options.Invite stakeholders to collaborate and share visuals or panoramas, projects and/or selected folders.Manage user permissions by role and access type.Anyone can use Chaos Cloud virtual tours and design reviewsYou dont need to be a Chaos customer to use Cloud virtual tours and collaborate during design reviews. Here is how anyone can join:Open cloud.chaos.com or access it from the product page.Create a Chaos account if this is the first time you are using Chaos products. If you are a CoronaVantageStart using interactive virtual tours by creating a new project and upload all visual materials to communicate your design concepts.Customize the user experience with floorplans, hotspots, and transitions.Invite peers to collaborate and manage user permissions by role and access type.

The wait is over, V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max is here! The release makes the visualization workflow faster, more immersive, and highly intuitive, giving artists the tools they need to meet tight deadlines without compromising quality. V-Ray 7 introduces support for rendering Gaussian splats, upgraded creative controls in the VFB, advanced scattering options, and more accurate lighting, as well as an expanding library of assets in the Chaos Cosmos library, including asset variants. Additionally, V-Ray GPU optimizations make rendering more memory-efficient and faster, with added support for Caustics. So without further ado, lets dive deeper into what makes V-Ray 7 a true game-changer.SomewhereEnvironment building like never beforeYoull be amazed at the ease of creating realistic environments now. With V-Ray 7s revolutionary support for Gaussian splats, you can effortlessly render complex 3D environments with accurate reflections and refractions. Whether placing glass-sheathed skyscrapers in context or crafting detailed natural landscapes, you can achieve a photorealistic render in no time.On top of that, we recognize the vital role of creating impressive presentations that not only showcase your designs beautifully but also facilitate client approvals. That's why we've made it easier than ever to generate virtual tours directly from V-Rays interface. Seamlessly create interactive panorama tours with automatic hotspot generation, or customize with floor plans, context, or customizable transitionsno more exporting, no more hassle. Its never been easier to immerse clients in your designs, allowing them to experience your work firsthand, all within the V-Ray environment.Seamless creative control in the VFBSpeaking of streamlining, weve enhanced the V-Ray Frame Buffer (VFB) to improve your workflow. With V-Ray 7s updated VFB, you can now define custom-shaped regions to focus on exactly what needs adjustmentno need to re-render unnecessary areas. Plus, you can apply the vignette camera effects and experiment with different looks thanks to color correction presets available directly within the VFB, eliminating the need for third-party apps.Next-level scattering for stunning detailsWe know how much time 3D artists spend on fine tuning scattered elementswhether its leaves, pebbles, crowds, you name it. V-Ray 7 just made it way easier with advanced Chaos Scatter features. The new Instance Brush lets you easily add detail where needed or quickly remove unwanted scattered objects with a brushing technique, while Distribution maps offer flexible control over density with a library of presets to choose from. Plus, you can now export scatter-heavy scenes for Chaos Cloud or V-Ray render farm rendering faster and more efficiently. These tools empower you to create intricate, realistic scenes quickly, without the extra time needed for manual adjustments.Lighting enhancementsBut its not just about working faster. Its about capturing those details just right. With improved V-Ray Sun & Sky, you can simulate natural daylight transitions, including nautical twilight, for both stills and animations. New firefly removal algorithm also enhances rendering by eliminating bright spots, helping you achieve high-quality renders faster. V-Ray 7s support for V-Ray Luminaires introduces lifelike lighting assets to your scenes, instantly enhancing the atmosphere and making presentations even more captivating. With a library of ready-to-render realistic lights available in the Cosmos library, its like having a lighting expert on speed dial.Expand your creative toolbox with Chaos CosmosWith V-Ray 7, the Chaos Cosmos library continues to grow, now offering asset variants, starting with seasonal changes for vegetation, making it easier to find the perfect fit for your scene, as well as V-Ray Luminiere assets for achieving more accurate lighting faster. Plus, hundreds of new assets.Supercharged rendering performanceAnd speaking of speed, the new V-Ray Profiler provides insights into rendering bottlenecks, allowing you to fine-tune performance like never before. To add to that, GPU rendering in V-Ray 7 is significantly faster and more efficient now, giving you one less thing to worry about. V-Ray GPU now supports Caustics, and has been optimized to offer quicker time to first pixel, and even more efficient handling of textures, meaning you can experiment more, iterate faster, and get those amazing results even quicker. More experimenting means more creativity!And much more! Check out what's new here.Transform how you create.Try V-Ray free for 30 daysTry now

What is 3D Gaussian Splatting?At its core, 3D Gaussian Splatting is a technique for creating and rendering 3D scenes using millions of tiny, translucent ellipsoids known as "Gaussian splats." Unlike traditional methods that rely on polygons or complex neural networks, 3DGS uses these splats to represent a scene. Each splat carries information about its position, color, size, and transparency. When viewed together, they blend seamlessly to replicate the original subject with striking fidelity.How does 3DGS work?3D Gaussian Splatting creates an accurate representation of scenes captured from multiple photos taken at various angles, a method widely used in computer graphics. Through a training process involving optimization algorithms and differentiable rasterization, these images are transformed into detailed 3D models ready for rendering.The process step by stepThe process begins much like photogrammetryyou capture a subject from multiple angles using photos or video frames. These images are then analyzed to determine camera positions and create a preliminary 3D point cloud of the scene, a method known as Structure from Motion (SfM).Each point in this cloud is converted into a Gaussian splat, which isn't just a point but an ellipsoid with specific properties:Position: Determines where the splat is located in 3D space.Shape and Size: Dictates how the splat stretches or scales, allowing it to represent fine details.Color: Stores the splat's color information. The colors are view-dependent and may change depending on the direction that the splat is viewed from.Transparency: Defines how transparent the splat is, crucial for blending multiple splats together.These splats then undergo an optimization process to refine their parameters. This involves:Differentiable Rasterization: Projecting the 3D Gaussian splats onto a 2D image plane to simulate how a camera would see them.Loss Function: Measuring the difference between the rendered image of splats and the original input images.Optimization Algorithms: Adjusting the splats to minimize this difference.Adaptive Density Control: Removing unnecessary splats or adding more where needed for detail.The result is a 3D representation that closely matches the original subject, ready for rendering.Why is 3D Gaussian Splatting a game-changer?What makes 3DGS revolutionary is its unique combination of realism, efficiency and speed, positioning it as an exciting advancement in computer graphics.Realism3DGS excels at capturing fine details and complex lighting effects like reflections and refractions. This leads to highly photorealistic results that were previously hard to achieve in real-time rendering.EfficiencyThe Gaussian splat representation is more compact than dense polygon meshes or data-heavy neural networks. This means less storage and computational power are needed.SpeedBecause of its efficient data representation and optimized rendering pipeline, 3DGS can achieve real-time or near real-time rendering speeds, making it suitable for interactive applications.ScalabilityIt's capable of handling complex scenes with millions of splats, efficiently representing large-scale environments without a significant performance hit.Rendering 3D Gaussian splats3DGS can achieve very fast rendering speeds, but this comes at the expense of limitations in realism and flexibility. Integrating Gaussian splats into V-Ray's ray tracing engine overcomes these challenges, allowing for accurate representations of the captured scenes and creative control.3D Gaussian Splatting, rasterization, and ray tracingWhile the Gaussian Splats are relying on the process of rasterization to make them render really fast, this comes at the expense of many limitations.Fortunately, one of the exciting developments in 3D Gaussian Splatting is its integration inside of V-Ray, which breaks through these barriers with its powerful ray tracing capabilities.