V-Ray 3.60.01 is now available!

[konstantin_chaos]

V-Ray 3.60.01, the first official V-Ray 3 for SketchUp Service Pack update is now available!

It can be download here:
http://download.chaosgroup.com

Here is a list of some of the new features and improvements:

Optimizations

• Implemented Adaptive Lights sampling algorithm. It is enabled by default and will improve render times significantly. Projects with many light sources will get the biggest speed boost
• On-demand mipmapping mode has been added for texture maps used by the GPU (CUDA) engine. This is a smart algorithm that resizes textures automatically during render time and loads the smallest texture version for the rendered view
• The number of automatically generated texture handler plugins has been decreased
• Materials applied at different levels of the scene object hierarchy (inherited materials) are now handled in a more optimized way
• Scene loading (before the ray-tracing process starts) has been optimized. Multi-threading has been utilized
• Stochastic and Clip opacity modes have been added to the VRayBRDF shader

GPU (CUDA) Engine Improvements

• Implemented Hybrid Rendering. The GPU (CUDA) engine can now utilize CPUs as well. It is listed as "C++/CPU" in the devices list in both the Asset Editor Devices list and the GPU Device Select Tool
• GPU (CUDA): The Subsurface Scattering shader is now supported
• GPU (CUDA): Displacement is now supported
• GPU (CUDA): Section Plane (Plane Clipper) is now supported
• GPU (CUDA): Aerial Perspective is now supported
• GPU (CUDA): Texture Placement parameters are now rendered correctly
• GPU (CUDA): Plane Light Directionality parameter is now supported
• GPU (CUDA): Materials Fog Color parameter is now supported
• GPU (CUDA): Matte surface and matte shadows are now supported
• GPU (CUDA): Improved support for procedural textures
• GPU (CUDA): Environment texture and color multipliers supported

V-Ray Frame Buffer

• VFB color corrections are now saved with the SketchUp file/project
• The history of the VFB can now have the Use Project Path option enabled. It saves images in a folder relative to the .skp file
• The rendering progress and messages are now displayed in the lower right corner of the VFB
• The Progress Window can now be accessed via a shortcut in the VFB
• Lens Effects (Bloom/Glare) and Denoiser result can now be viewed together in the effectsResult render element.

V-Ray Proxy

• Implemented a Proxy export options window. It allows for changing the mode of the preview geometry
• Refined Clustering and Vertex Clustering proxy preview types have been added. They automatically generate a low-poly version of the model and use that as proxy scene representation
• Proxy Preview Geometry options have been added for proxies already loaded in the project: Proxy Preview, Whole Mesh, Bounding Box, Point(Origin), Custom Preview
• Proxy Animation options have been added. V-Ray now supports animated vrmesh files that can be created by the V-Ray plugin in other platforms such as Maya or 3ds Max.
• Replacing a proxy file will now automatically change the viewport preview
• The Custom Preview option allows for changing the proxy file without affecting/updating the preview geometry.

VRScene

• VRScenes (.vrscene files) can now be imported and rendered in SketchUp. A vrscene can be exported from Rhino, 3ds Max, Maya, Revit, ... Lights and materials are included.
• VRScene Preview Geometry options have been added for scenes already loaded in the project. The following preview types can be selected and changed on demand: Preview Faces, Bounding Box, Point(Origin)
• The VRScene preview faces count can be changed at any point. This allows for re-generating viewport geometry with approximate predictable poly-count

Materials and Textures

• Implemented VRscan materials. Materials generated with Chaos Group scanning technology can now be loaded, edited and rendered in SketchUp
• Dim Distance set of parameters have been added to the BRDF V-Ray and BRDF Reflection shaders. With it the reflections can be faded out based on a distance and a falloff value.
• Updated Blend material. The layers of the shader can now be moved and re-arranged at will
• The visual layer ordering of the Blend material has changed.
• A way to access sub-materials in a shading network has been implemented. Next to each input material drop-down menu a material link icon is available.
• Implemented V-Ray Temperature map. It allows for specifying a color using Kelvin degree temperature
• Implemented Noise B map. It uses an intuitive set of parameters to control the noise appearance
• Implemented Gradient (Ramp) texture. This texture can easily create and edit gradients useful in many different situations
• Added a Lift/Gamma/Gain corrections in the Color Corrections texture
• Color Manipulation parameters section has been added to all texture types that can use it
• The Material Quick Presets and settings have been updated. The presets can now be used as a material creation wizard every time you start working on a new shader.

Displacement

• Implemented 2D Displacement mode. This is a very optimized method for rendering highly-detailed displaced surfaces

Clipper

• Implemented clipping modes: Subtraction and Intersection

Workflow Improvements

• Implemented View Port Rendering (VPR). This is a V-Ray overlay that appears in the SketchUp view-port. It is rendered interactively and allows for scene changes while looking at the final rendered result.
• VPR render regions have been implemented. Multiple regions can now be selected while the VPR is running
• V-Ray Denoiser can now be updated with new settings without re-rendering the image
• Implemented the V-Ray File Path Editor. This is an editor that allows for file path management of textures, proxies and light files.
• Sun animations are now supported by V-Ray. Light study animations can now be easily set up and rendered
• Implemented a way for assigning object ID in SketchUp. The IDs can then be used for shading purposes or for render element object masking
• V-Ray UV Tools implemented. The set of tools can be found in the right-click context menu of SketchUp with a group or component definition selected.
• V-Ray/SketchUp Material binding improved. The internal method for binding/synchronization of materials has been updated
• Implemented V-Ray Environment Fog volumetric effect. It scatters light and can simulate realistic fog and light rays effect
• Highlight Burn value added to the Raytrace/Optimization parameters
• Shading Rate and Bucket Size parameters have been moved outside the Optimizations roll-out for easier access

User Interface

• The V-Ray Toolbar icons have been updated and re-arranged
• The toolbar icons now scale properly on a 4K (high resolution) displays
• View Port Rendering (VPR) icons have been added: Start VPR, Draw a Render Region in the Viewport
• Implemented V-Ray Color Picker. The new color picker allows for specifying colors precisely in both Screen(sRGB) and Rendering color space.
• Implemented V-Ray Proxy export window.
• Added Engine switch widget in the Basic Settings Renderer rollout. It changes between the V-Ray CPU engine and the new GPU (CUDA/Hybrid) solution
• Added Device Select menu in the Basic Settings Renderer rollout
• Added intensity and color controls for easy access in the Light List of the Asset Editor
• Improved V-Ray proxy UI
• Improved V-Ray Fur UI
• Improved V-Ray Clipper UI
• Implemented VRScene UI
• Implemented VRScan material UI
• Implement V-Ray Temperature UI
• Implement Noise B texture UI
• Implemented Gradient texture UI
• Improved UI for all the existing Materials and Material Layers
• Procedural textures renamed to better illustrate their behavior
• Updated icons in the texture creation list. The new icons are much more visual and easy to remember
• The Texture creation list has been re-arranged in categories
• Improved UI for all the existing Textures
• Implemented 3D World texture placement UI and functionality
• Implemented 3D Object texture placement UI and functionality
• Updated 2D texture placement UI
• Updated Environment texture placement UI. The Ground Projection options allow for flattening the bottom side of the environment sphere
• Added a quick toggle to enable Denoiser in the Basic Settings Renderer section
• Implemented file specific output image options. Image file specific options are now accessible and can be changed.
• Implemented File Path Editor widow and UI
• Implemented Color Picker widow and UI
• Implemented Volumetric Environment and Environment Fog UI
• Parameter tooltips improved
• Quick material preset icons updated
• Asset Editor footer icons updated
• All settings button icons updated

After installation, you will find more detailed info about the changes in the 'VRayForSketchUpReleaseNotes' and the 'changelog' files:
./Chaos Group/V-Ray/V-Ray for SketchUp/extension/VRayForSketchUpReleaseNotes.html
./Chaos Group/V-Ray/V-Ray for SketchUp/extension/changelog.txt

More information about the update as well as the V-Ray 3.6 for SketchUp overview video can be found here:
https://www.chaosgroup.com/vray/sketchup

More information about the VRscans technology supported in V-Ray 3.6 for SketchUp can be found here:
https://www.chaosgroup.com/vrscans

Best regards,
Konstantin

[Mousa_SA]

Great improvements, Thank you !