V-Ray 3 for SketchUp - Now Available!

[corey]

On behalf of the entire Chaos Group team I'd like to say that V-Ray 3 for SketchUp is here!

V-Ray for SketchUp has been redesigned from the ground up to help you focus on being creative without worrying about the technical stuff. The new user interface is clean and simple, with quick presets and streamlined controls. Now, it's faster and easier than ever to create great looking renders right in SketchUp. The V-Ray 3 for SketchUp release notes: https://goo.gl/4hi2pW

For more information, visit - https://www.chaosgroup.com/vray/sketchup

Best regards,
Corey

[peerman]

Great! Congratulations!

Can't wait to use the final build/release. I downloaded the trial version to see if swarm render is included for mac, but I couldn't find it in the installer dialog I was hoping it would be in the released version!
Do you have any idea when the updates can be released through the dealers?

Best,

[billpollock]

Great news & and well done, Im also wondering if swarm render is included for mac, and also how many node we will get with each licence.

[peerman]

Sorry another question, but if DR becomes available, do you need additional render nodes? I want to know if we can upgrade just one node or we need to buy an additional 5. And can you buy extra nodes after upgrading, because if there's no DR for Mac right now, we won't buy the extra 5 of course...

Best,

[billpollock]

Hi Peerman

I had assumed that we would get 10 nodes per licence same as the previous version, is that not the case?

[vlado]

All V-Ray 3.x versions so far have required separate licenses for render nodes (V-Ray for 3ds Max, Maya, Modo, Cinema4D etc). There are several upgrade options depending on how many render nodes you need. If you have any concerns or questions, it would be best to email our sales guys at sales@chaosgroup.com

Best regards,
Vlado

[dusan_marcinko]

Hello,
I am very shocked by the difference between version 3.4 beta and 3.4.1. Extensive library materials pleased me, but there is still no option to save custom material to library. Lots of settings disappeared. Where is the color mapping, light cache detail options and other settings? The ratio of speed versus quality has fallen a lot without these detailed settings. The current version of v-ray looks like a toy for children.

[peerman]

Hi Vlado,

Thanks for the reply. Too bad you have to pay extra now for a couple of nodes compared to v2. I can imagine you get at least 3 or something... Ah well, when DR comes available for Mac, we'll see how much extra nodes cost.

Best,
Peter

[Peter.Chaushev]

Great! Congratulations!

Can't wait to use the final build/release. I downloaded the trial version to see if swarm render is included for mac, but I couldn't find it in the installer dialog I was hoping it would be in the released version!
Do you have any idea when the updates can be released through the dealers?

Best,

Great news & and well done, Im also wondering if swarm render is included for mac, and also how many node we will get with each licence.

Swarm installer is available only for Windows. Mac OS machines cannot be used as render nodes (for now).
Swarm UI is part of the NeUI for both Win and Mac OS, meaning distributed rendering can be initiated using both Mac OS or Windows machines.

Hello,
I am very shocked by the difference between version 3.4 beta and 3.4.1. Extensive library materials pleased me, but there is still no option to save custom material to library. Lots of settings disappeared. Where is the color mapping, light cache detail options and other settings? The ratio of speed versus quality has fallen a lot without these detailed settings. The current version of v-ray looks like a toy for children.

We will include the ability to save custom materials to the library in the first update. As a temporary workaround, you can add your custom folders with materials in C:\Program Files\Chaos Group\V-Ray\V-Ray 3.4 for SketchUp\extension\materials and this way you will be able to access them through the UI.

After careful consideration for each setting, the UI was streamlined and all parameter values optimized. Most essential advanced settings can still be found in the Raytrace > Optimizations section. The improved VFB also provides enhanced color correction capabilities which can be applied even while rendering.

Any further feedback you have about the settings UI or V-Ray 3.4 in general would be highly appreciated!

Could you please provide us with a scene for investigation to determine what is the exact cause of your dissatisfying render results?
(please use Extensions > V-Ray > Export > Pack Scene and send it to support@chaosgroup.com)


Kind regards,
Peter Chaushev

[billpollock]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your response, it's disappointing that Vray 3 swarm render doesn't work for mac, I will stick with version 2 for now as distributed rendering is essential for our business, please keep us informed when swarm render is working for mac.

[Brian Bradley]

Hello,
I am very shocked by the difference between version 3.4 beta and 3.4.1. Lots of settings disappeared. Where is the color mapping, light cache detail options and other settings? The ratio of speed versus quality has fallen a lot without these detailed settings. The current version of v-ray looks like a toy for children.

Must confess to being quite shocked and a bit disappointed as well. Locking Image Sampling and Color Mapping options away from more advanced users seems like a bad idea. Why not just stick them in an advanced settings UI as per the Raytrace and Physical Camera Controls?

[konstantin_chaos]

Must confess to being quite shocked and a bit disappointed as well. Locking Image Sampling and Color Mapping options away from more advanced users seems like a bad idea. Why not just stick them in an advanced settings UI as per the Raytrace and Physical Camera Controls?

Hi Brian,

With the new UI we were going for ease of use, without limiting professionals users.
We've put a lot of effort into determining the best, most optimized values for settings no longer visible in the UI.
Besides the 'Quality' slider (and presets), there is still access to many settings that can be tweaked.

The Adaptive (DMC) image sampler options are still available and custom values can be used (for 'Min/Max Subdivs' and 'Noise Limit').
A new option called 'Shading Rate' was added to the 'Optimizations' roll-out. It gives you custom quality control for secondary effects like blurry reflections, refractions and shadows.

The 'Color Mapping' roll-out had a lot of legacy options and that's why it's no longer available.
I believe that we have used the most optimal combination of color mapping parameters in V-Ray 3 and that it will suit most needs.
The 'Sub-pixel mapping' and 'Clamp output' parameters are still visible in the new 'Optimizations' roll-out.
The 'Reinhard' 'Burn Value' effect can be achieved using the 'Highlight Burn' slider in the VFB(color corrections) without the need to re-render the image.

Is there any other option that you would like to see exposed?
If you can give examples, you'll help us a lot.

Thank you for the feedback,
Konstantin

[Brian Bradley]

Hi Konstantin,

Appreciate your input.

Whilst I certainly understand trying to make things easier for new users to use, one of my big concerns here is that as a user with 10+ years
experience of using V-Ray in a number of packages, I have accumulated a good knowledge of the types of problems that certain types of
scenes can throw up and also which corresponding V-Ray controls can be tweaked/disabled in order to get me what I need. When controls are
taken away or dumbed down quite a bit, applying this kind of 'production tested' knowledge can become either a) difficult, or b) impossible.

That said though, I think my biggest concern is the in-ability to set up a workflow that is compatible with versions of V-ray in other applications.
For instance the last beta I checked this in, the 'Linear Workflow' option was enabled by default ... this produces a workflow that I really don't like
as it doesn't give me the same results as per my V-ray in Max or Blender workflows. Assuming that has still been left on by default, but hidden
away, I can no longer change that so as to be able to work in the way that I prefer ... i.e to NOT have colour information in a material (just colour not
bitmaps) linearised.

Obviously these are not 'deal' breakers but the approach to UI setup in Max, so using basic, expert and advanced modes, seems MUCH more user friendly to
your 'experienced' customers to me.

regards
Brian

[konstantin_chaos]

Hi Konstantin,

Appreciate your input.

Whilst I certainly understand trying to make things easier for new users to use, one of my big concerns here is that as a user with 10+ years
experience of using V-Ray in a number of packages, I have accumulated a good knowledge of the types of problems that certain types of
scenes can throw up and also which corresponding V-Ray controls can be tweaked/disabled in order to get me what I need. When controls are
taken away or dumbed down quite a bit, applying this kind of 'production tested' knowledge can become either a) difficult, or b) impossible.

That said though, I think my biggest concern is the in-ability to set up a workflow that is compatible with versions of V-ray in other applications.
For instance the last beta I checked this in, the 'Linear Workflow' option was enabled by default ... this produces a workflow that I really don't like
as it doesn't give me the same results as per my V-ray in Max or Blender workflows. Assuming that has still been left on by default, but hidden
away, I can no longer change that so as to be able to work in the way that I prefer ... i.e to NOT have colour information in a material (just colour not
bitmaps) linearised.

Obviously these are not 'deal' breakers but the approach to UI setup in Max, so using basic, expert and advanced modes, seems MUCH more user friendly to
your 'experienced' customers to me.

regards
Brian

Hi Brian,

You are right about the workflow consistency/compatibility between all the different V-Ray plug-ins.
We have that in mind and if an option proves irreplaceable, it might make it back in the UI.

By the way:
The 'Linear Workflow' was the topic of a big discussion before this release.
As a result we have disabled 'Linear Workflow' and it no longer has an effect.
The bitmaps loaded will still be 'linearised' (except for linear images such as .exr or .hdr) but with an option in the bitmap loader itself.

Regards,
Konstantin

[dusan_marcinko]

The 'Reinhard' 'Burn Value' effect can be achieved using the 'Highlight Burn' slider in the VFB(color corrections) without the need to re-render the image.

What about gamma 1.0 and 2.2 workflow, what about linear or exponential workflow? How can I setup render for 32-bit post–production after default exponential correction with default setting I can't change?