Here’s a video overview of some of the new features in this release:
This update is free for all V-Ray Next users.
The builds are available for download on the Chaosgroup.com website.
The full change log is below.
New features:
(*) V-Ray: Improved light sampling on scenes with thousands of lights;
(*) V-Ray: Added memory tracking options to V-Ray Render Settings;
(*) Cryptomatte/VRayProxy: Cryptomatte support for V-Ray Proxy sub-objects;
(*) V-Ray GPU/VRayAlSurface: AlSurface support on GPU;
(*) Chaos Cloud: Cloud window allowing direct submit from Maya;
(*) V-Ray: Added peak memory consumption in EXR metadata;
(*) V-Ray: Added an option for consistent render elements for better compositing. Enabled by default on new scenes;
(*) VRayLightSelect: Added new light select indirect modes;
(*) V-Ray: Faster translation of mesh geometry;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Resumable rendering with GPU bucket sampler;
(*) V-Ray GPU: VRayCurvature support on GPU;
(*) Cryptomatte: Cryptomatte support for all deep merge modes;
(*) V-Ray: Added AppSDK with Python binding to installation;
(*) V-Ray: Added Lighting Analysis Render Element;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Support of Glossy Fresnel feature on GPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Added support for CUDA-CPU rendering to the GLSL and MDL plugins;
(*) vdenoise: Ability to apply lens effects in vdenoise;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Added subpixel mapping checkbox for GPU bucket rendering;
(*) V-Ray: Added efficient instancing for hair with “dynamic hair tessellation” and “stored in global hair tree” disabled;
(*) V-Ray: Added matte backfaces output to the surfaceLuminance mode;
(*) VRayMultiSubTex: Added a random “Seed” and “Loop Textures” parameters to MultiSubTex;
(*) V-Ray: Added inverse exposure texture shader for compensating changes in physical camera;
(*) V-Ray: Command line interface tool for selecting rendering devices;
(*) V-Ray: Added an option to automatically exit vray -server if idle after a specified amount of time;
(*) VRayMtl: Added the anisotropy axis and anisotropy derivation controls to the VRayMtl;
(*) VRaySun: Added the color mode option to the VRaySun;
(*) VRayToon: Added support for VRayToon in glossy refractions;
(*) VRayFastSSS2: Added “Color Mode” dropdown in the VRayFastSSS2 material;
(*) VRayMtl/V-Ray GPU: Self Illumination GI for VRayMtl now visible in GPU-dependent UI;
(*) VRayToonMtl: Added support for spline interpolation in VRayToonMtl ramps;
(*) VRayTriplanar/Viewport 2.0 Triplanar texture projections support for viewport 2.0;
(*) VRayOSLMtl/VRayMDLMtl Material select support for MDL and OSL;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Faster updates in IPR when moving heavy geometry;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Support for multiple map channels for TexBitmaps in MtlGLSL;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Support for the frame offset of the Maya file node when an image sequence is used;
Modified features:
(*) VRayProxy: Optimized proxy visibility list controls for better proxy node performance in Maya;
(*) VRayProxy: The VRayMeshPreview node will be created during the vrayCreateProxy command, not on an idle callback, making scripting easier;
(*) VRayProxy: Removed unnecessary file reads when loading scene;
(*) VRayProxy: Shader names list generation no longer happens on idle and is now more script-friendly;
(*) VRayProxy: Removed the deprecated “use Maya shader” option from the VRayMesh node;
(*) VRayProxy: Fixed slowdown and many warnings printed when instancing a VRayMesh with missing filename;
(*) VRayProxy: XML material assignment override will now appear in the filepath editor;
(*) VRayProxy: The vrayCreateProxy command will now return a string with the newly created node;
(*) VRayProxy: The Maya Archive cmd will now take into account .vrmesh assets;
(*) Cryptomatte/VFB: Cryptomatte data channels will not be visible in the VFB, only the preview channel;
(*) VRayAlSurface: Fixed AlSurface GI contribution going into the SSS channel;
(*) VRayAlSurface: The global SSS toggle will now affect AlSurface;
(*) Chaos Cloud: Pre/Post Render MEL scripts are now executed when exporting for Cloud;
(*) V-Ray: Faster time to first pixel with V-Ray Fur;
(*) V-Ray: Changed the default frame number separator char to . in PTex baker;
(*) V-Ray: Automatic conversion from Color to AColor when using -parameterOverride in V-Ray Standalone;
(*) V-Ray: Added extra attribute for controlling 3dProjection’s number of motion blur samples;
(*) V-Ray: More informative error messages for image file errors;
(*) V-Ray: In DR, automatically delete cache_info_<portNum>.txt on render end if VRAY_LOCAL_CACHE_LIMIT_VALUE=0;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed inconsistencies with the merge by z-depth mode of deep rendering;
(*) V-Ray: Temp files are now created with read/write permissions for all users;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed VRayPlaceEnvTex Ground Projection not respecting Up Vector;
(*) V-Ray: The Up Vector default value now respects Maya Preferences;
(*) VRaySoftbox: Fixed Softbox not having a swatch preview;
(*) VRayMultiSubTex: MultiSubTex indexing will start from 1 for new scenes, making randomization work correctly;
(*) VFB: Save current channel from VFB no longer appends the channel name to the user-defined file name;
(*) VRayMtl: Fixed some VRayMtl attributes not being listed in the channel box;
(*) V-Ray: No longer force-switching to progressive sampler when changing the production engine to GPU CUDA;
(*) V-Ray: Faster export of user attributes;
(*) V-Ray GPU/VRayEdgesTex: Show the “Show subtriangles” option in VRayEdges texture on GPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Dome lights will contribute to ZDepthRE;
(*) V-Ray IPR: More responsive IPR for heavy scenes;
Bug fixes:
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed crash when stopping IPR while compiling geometry;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed crashes when switching the viewport subdivisions ON/OFF while rendering;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed a crash and wrong subdivision of geometry in specific cases;
(*) VRayAlSurface: Fixed incorrect render of ALSurface if lighting render element is enabled;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed changed material on instanced object not reflected in IPR;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed Streak particles having wrong transformation;
(*) SamplerInfo Fixed Sampler Info relative coordinate system not working correctly;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed crash when baking textures with GPU;
(*) VRayLightSelect: Fixed Light select not respecting alpha of a textured light when the texture is constant;
(*) VRayProxy: Fixed crashes in proxy export of multiple meshes caused by missing UVs;
(*) VRayLightDome: Fixed error when using Resumable rendering with Adaptive Dome light;
(*) VRayMtl/VRayAlSurface: Fixed compositing with BlendMtl not matching Beauty;
(*) V-Ray: Maya on remote desktop crashes on loading specific file;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed last user attribute not exported correctly in some cases;
(*) V-Ray: Maya drag’n’drop: added a special case for Windows file share paths;
(*) VRayProxy: Fixed crash when loading huge alembic file with many color sets;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed a crash with IPR if rounded edges attribute is added to a mesh-clipper;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed V-Ray not saving output image when data region is empty;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed changing the “Use Image Sequence” parameter in IPR crashing Maya;
(*) Viewport IPR: Fixed slowdown when Hypershade is opened;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed wrong export of referenced render elements in batch;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed fatal error in some cases when starting DR if the host is not found;
(*) Viewport IPR: Fixed slowdown when the “Selection Mode” is set to “Box”;
(*) VRayProxy: Fixed a crash when importing alembic with degenerate faces;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed V-Ray printing an incorrect success message for writing output image with a missing asset in DR;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed noisy reflections with V-Ray Next for objects with cast shadows on, but visible in reflections/refractions off;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed refractive objects rendering darker with photon caustics from a dome light;
(*) VRayMeshLight: Fixed artifacts with LightMesh and LightMtl with EnvironmentFog;
(*) VRayProxy: Fixed XML material assignment file not getting transferred in DR;
(*) VFB: Fixed Lens effects settings not resetting on a new scene;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed slowdown with viewport IPR caused by an animation rig;
(*) V-Ray: Set a min limit of 1.0 to the AA Filter size;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed flickering in IPR;
(*) VRayProxy: Fixed crash when opening a scene with alembic layers;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed incorrect reporting of primitives with embree hair;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed crash when enabling/disabling reference scenes while running IPR;
(*) VRayProxy: Fixed preview bugs with multiple proxies with different settings pointing to the same file;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed wrong rendering of rounded edges in Next GPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed wrong Cryptomatte in animation with V-Ray GPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed Volume Grid crashes with VRayFastSSS2 on GPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed missing secondary reflections on CUDA CPU with Stochastic flakes;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed VRayClipper not working correctly with disabled clip lights geometry and dome light;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed buckets different in sampling (noise level) with bucket sampling enabled;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed unhandled exception loop on specific scene when rendering with IPR and turning off lights;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed wrong worldNormals RE for SSS material hits in V-Ray GPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed a crash when a V-Ray Fast SSS2 material is used inside a V-Ray Override material;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed wrong normals of VRayLight Plane in V-Ray GPU normals render element;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed hybrid rendering failing with AI denoiser;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed Environment ZDepth color not matching V-Ray CPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed crash on render end;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed DiffuseFilter render element for FastSSS2 rendered incorrectly with V-Ray GPU;
(*) V-Ray GPU: Fixed crash with XGen;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed OSL crashes on post-Haswell processors;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed EXR files loaded in the VFB not having their integer REs displayed;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed slowdown on many-core machines with light linking;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed flickering of distant light sources with the adaptive lights and many light sources;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed slower adaptive lights with V-Ray Next compared to V-Ray 3.6;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed incorrect full light select element with VRayFastSSS2;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed -velocityAttrName parameter of ply2vrmesh not working for Alembic input files;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed resuming a bucket render resetting the progress to zero;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed artifacts with matte (matte for refl/refr = off) and adaptive dome light;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed super bright lens effects when using the NVidia AI denoiser;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed crash when enabling Bloom/Glare in the VFB while A/B compare is also enabled;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed bucket artifacts with adaptive lights;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed error with AI denoiser “Optix does not support cross-frame denoising”;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed DR may have watermarks if licenses are unstable;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed transparent objects with “cast shadows”=off rendering black when there is a VRayDomeLight behind them;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed “Direct visualization” option for caustics not working;
(*) V-Ray: Fixed aborting render after the last bucket skips saving img_file, keeping unfinished resume file;
(*) V-Ray IPR: Fixed unhandled exception in IPR when VRayPlane is shaded with direct VRayLightMtl;
(*) VRayScene: Fixed crash when V-Ray accesses UV-coordinates from an imported .vscene;
Best regards,
Mihail Djurev
V-Ray for Maya Development Team Lead
Generally speaking by looking at maya update / stability history from v2016 onward its only usable/stable from up4-5 no earlier imho. I’d probably wait until it reached that many service packs before switching. I tried working in 2019, it was next to impossible still.
