Chaos launches V-Ray 7 Update 3 for 3ds Max, an update that brings practical tools without frills. The star is the VRayParallaxTex texture, which allows creating interiors with real depth on facades without modeling the interior. Also arriving are fast solar caustics and improved support for relightable Gaussian Splats.
Depth without geometry and caustics without headaches 🎯
The VRayParallaxTex texture simulates interiors with parallax directly in the shading, eliminating the need for internal geometry. This streamlines workflows in architectural visualization. On the other hand, Quick Sun Caustics generates believable water effects without photon setups, although its calculation is limited to CPU. Additionally, 3D Gaussian Splats can now be relit with scene lights and animated, expanding their use in VFX and motion graphics.
Fast caustics, but only if your CPU isn't on strike âš¡
Quick Sun Caustics promises believable underwater results without touching a single photon. However, the feature only works on CPU, so if your processor is already sweating from a skyscraper's geometry, you might have to choose between rendering or having a nice pool reflection. At least Gaussian Splats now move and relight, so you can animate a 3D Christmas tree without it looking like cheap plastic.