V-Ray 3.0 for 3ds Max Beta Open!

[Svetlozar Draganov]

Yes that's true. You could open as many 3DSMax instances as you like and you could render with all of them simultaneously - they will occupy just a single Interface and RenderNode license.

[Markus]

Chris_ChaosGroup so just to be clear... with 1gui+1rn I can have 5x max started on my 1 PC and they all can render at the same time? Like its possible now (I dunno if its possible I run maya but anyway). I wont get some stupid no license found on my remaining 4 copies of max right? - on 1 pc

Yes that´s an interesting question i would like to know as well?
Just to clarify this.
With ONE vray 3.0 lic + ONE RN lic, i still can open like a handfull of MAX sessions with vray and render at the same time them, ALL on the SAME workstation of course?
Or will I need a lic for each session (opened max on the same machine) then?

[ajroane]

Thank you, Chris.

[Christophe.Cot]

@Andrew,
Based on the way you define a render node, you are correct.
The reason to pick up the definition here is that technically this render license is not limited to be local, it is really a "render node" license (can be seen through the V-Ray License Server) so it could be used on any network-attached computer.

@Steve,
I do share the same opinion on that which is why in my explanations I prefer using "User license" which is understood as what is needed by a "user" to work on a workstation (i.e. 1x GUI + 1x RN).
I suggested that many times internally and hope that this naming convention (or another but still a less confusing one for the artists) will be adopted.
Thanks for your feedback.

[stevesideas]

I think you should just drop the confusing terminology for vray. Just release Vray 3.0 without the need to mention you get 1 render node license. I mean who would buy vray 3.0 without a render license. It's like purchasing photoshop without the ability to save the document. Then after you purchase Vray 3.0 you can purchase additional render nodes. just like every other piece of software out there that uses a similar render node based system. It makes much more sense that way I think ! I don't think you could buy any other piece of software that didn't include a license for either rendering or simulation etc

Edit: I mean, there is transparency that works and then transparency that confuses people...

[ajroane]

If you buy either a full new license or an upgrade, by default at minimum we include 1 GUI + 1 render node.

Chris, the way this license is presented is very strange.

To define this, in my own way: 1 GUI + 1 render node = Vray 3.0 on ONE computer, with zero real "render nodes". Right?

It depends on how you define what a render node is. Don't most CG artists define a render node as a network-attached computer, separate from the artist's workstation? So a single license upgrade does not provide any "render node" licenses, as defined by many (if not most) artists?

Please clarify, if I am wrong.

Thank you,
Andrew

[3DKodo]

I've made some test whit the beta, and the feature for light include/exclude from list for vray RT is unsupported yet.
In this reply http://forums.chaosgroup.com/showthr...667#post567667 Vlado says is not too difficult to port it for 3ds Max (dec 2012).

When some news for this features?

[JabbaTheNut]

I am a Maya user with VRay 2.0 for Maya. No pricing has yet been released for VRay 3.0 for Maya. However, I expect that it will be similar.

I too am saddened by the change in upgrade path and the way it is being implemented. I have a great deal of empathy for those persons that bought VRay for 3dsMax on August 3 (how surprised are you?). The manner in which this change is being implemented seems to me to be a slap in the face of those customers that Chaos Group has depended on to fuel their growth.

I realize that Chaos Group needs to adjust their pricing as they grow. In fact, I fully support the idea. They have a great product. However, it would seem appropriate that "new" customers be the focus of such a radical change to the upgrade path.

If this were a standard upgrade, I would think that upgrade assistance would be appropriate for only "very recent" customers (i.e., a few weeks or so). However, in this case, they are changing the entire upgrade paradigm for the product. I believe more consideration should be given to "existing" customers. Think of it as paradigm shift assistance rather than upgrade assistance.

Upgrading from 3.0 to 4.0 would be a different story. By then, the upgrade paradigm would have been well understood and expected by those who were purchasing VRay for the first time or upgrading from 3.0.

I would suggest that Chaos Group offer a "meaningful" upgrade from 2.0 to 3.0 for those customers that bought 2.0 prior to the announcement (e.g. a few render nodes at no additional cost, or something like that). When 4.0 comes out, then everyone should be faced with the same costs to upgrade (i.e., no favors for those who purchased more than a few weeks or so prior to the upgrade release/announcement).

This would be a great way to thank the existing customers while at the same time enabling Chaos Group to change its revenue model.

[Dariusz Makowski (Dadal)]

Chris_ChaosGroup so just to be clear... with 1gui+1rn I can have 5x max started on my 1 PC and they all can render at the same time? Like its possible now (I dunno if its possible I run maya but anyway). I wont get some stupid no license found on my remaining 4 copies of max right? - on 1 pc

[Christophe.Cot]

This is confusing. Are you saying that we can not even do a render without buying the license upgrade and 1 render node? So people that do not use extra computers, render nodes, they can not do a render with only a license upgrade?

No, it's not what I meant so let me rephrase if I was unclear about that.

If you buy either a full new license or an upgrade, by default at minimum we include 1 GUI + 1 render node.
We do not sell only GUI separately because as I explain a render node license is required to either to work on a V-Ray shader in the material editor, launch a production rendering or RT rendering.
I doubt that anyone would use a GUI just to change parameters on a shader or on a render setting without wanting to do a quick test render.

So conclusion is that people who do not use extra computers to speed up rendering but simply use their local workstation to render can simply purchase either a new V-Ray 3.0 license at 750EUR (versus 970EUR today for the 2.0) or a simple upgrade at 300EUR (versus 400EUR for the 2.0).
This is where you will surely understand that the new licensing move makes V-Ray more affordable for such cases as savings from 15% to above 20% are possible while having just what you need.

[Christophe.Cot]

thanks for your answer...
I thought that if 5 render nodes = 200eur then*1 render nodes = 40 eur
so 300eur + 40/50 eur = 350eur for 1 gui + 2 rn...

Sales people use different (and sometimes weird) mathematical rules
Bundle packs, such as the User+5RN upgrade or User+10RN upgrade, are always more attractive - these are not simply different products added together price wise, there is always a good incentive to look at them over individual products.

[TRGraphics]

"There is no value added to provide a GUI without at least one render node, otherwise you could not even do a local render or even setup a V-Ray shader in the material editor – that’s why the first offer in for new license or upgrade includes at least 1 render node. From a user point of view, the minimum you want to purchase is 1x GUI + 1x RN, what I refer as “User license” in my explanation."

This is confusing. Are you saying that we can not even do a render without buying the license upgrade and 1 render node? So people that do not use extra computers, render nodes, they can not do a render with only a license upgrade?

[paolo242]

thanks for your answer...
I thought that if 5 render nodes = 200eur then*1 render nodes = 40 eur
so 300eur + 40/50 eur = 350eur for 1 gui + 2 rn...

[Christophe.Cot]

what about 1b) V-Ray 3.0 User license (1GUI + 2 RN) : 350EUR ?
one for the new workstation and one for the old workstation...

Hi Paolo,
Excellent example, will be useful for everyone (seeing the price you mention, I believe you talk about upgrade).

For each V-Ray 2.0 for 3dsMax license, you are of course eligible to upgrade your user license (1GUI +1RN), and also eligible to upgrade up to 10 render nodes.
You have the choice to upgrade your user license (1GUI + 1RN) and remaining 10 render nodes separately.

So let's say today you want to upgrade your user license, in 3 months upgrade 3 render nodes, then in 6 months upgrade the remaining 7 render nodes, it's totally possible.

What you can do in your example :
-> upgrade your user license : 300EUR
-> upgrade 1 render node : 95EUR
Total : 395EUR

I think you would agree that's quite in line with your expectations (only 45EUR difference).

The best of all : at any time, you have the possibility to upgrade your remaining 9 render node licenses.

My personal advise : the bundle upgrade are far more attractive.
For instance the bundle upgrade of 1 User license + 5 Render Nodes is only 105EUR more (500EUR), financially and to prevent future expansion/needs it makes more sense to consider this option.
Times are hard for everyone so if limiting the budget is the priority number one (i.e. 395EUR vs 500EUR is a big deal, does not matter you get 2 versus 6 render nodes), then you can always decide to upgrade a single render node.

[Christophe.Cot]

Hi Everyone,

Let me try to demystify our licensing and explain from where we started until where we are now.

Prior V-Ray 3.0, V-Ray has always been using the same terminology - this can be checked via the V-Ray License Server -> interface and (different) render licenses.

Interface license is what we also refer more accurately as GUI (Graphical User Interface). This GUI license is used whenever you need to access the user interface of V-Ray to setup some parameters, typical example is when you open the Render Settings to define the GI solutions, set the color correction, distributed rendering,... All what is specific to V-Ray.

What happen when you do not have available GUI license ?
if you open the V-Ray render settings, you will see an error message “Could not obtain a license (-xxx)”.

(*) We can also give the example of PhoenixFD - the Phoenix interface license (or GUI) is used when opening the Phoenix user interface to setup a simulation.
Phoenix is not a rendering engine, it does not render and so does not have any render license - it uses V-Ray to render.


Render licenses were until now split is different sub-categories : local render, DR render, Network/Batch render, RT render. Lots of them so quite complicated to follow.
With the new licensing, we simply regroup them in 1 single type called "Render node" (RN) license.
Therefore it becomes very easy to understand – whenever a machine needs to access the V-Ray rendering core library, you need 1 render node license.

What happen when you do not have available Render node license ?
if you launch a V-Ray rendering, you will see an error message in the V-Ray log window stating "Could not obtain a license (-xxx)".

There is no value added to provide a GUI without at least one render node, otherwise you could not even do a local render or even setup a V-Ray shader in the material editor – that’s why the first offer in for new license or upgrade includes at least 1 render node. From a user point of view, the minimum you want to purchase is 1x GUI + 1x RN, what I refer as “User license” in my explanation.

As mentioned Vlado, the RN license is not tied to your hardware nor limited to local render. So this should be seen as part of the render license pool you have available for rendering.

From there, everyone has different needs and requirements - that's why we provide different options.
If anything is still unclear about the new pricing structure or if anyone would like to check a concrete example, feel free to ask either on the forum or to our sales email where our team will reply you quickly.