Chaos Releases V-Ray 7.2 for Houdini with New Features
Chaos presents version 7.2 of its rendering engine V-Ray for Houdini. This update focuses on accelerating the workflow and providing more creative tools to artists, allowing them to handle more complex scenes and render faster. 🚀
Key New Features in Rendering and Data Handling
Version 7.2 incorporates two main systems: V-Ray Enmesh and V-Ray Decal. Enmesh allows covering objects with detailed geometry repetitively without consuming as much memory, ideal for creating complex walls, roofs, or floors. Decal is used to project textures and materials onto any surface non-destructively. Additionally, integration with V-Ray Proxy is improved, and support for Solaris Custom AOVs is added. GPU rendering also advances, as it can now process VDB volumetrics using Out-of-Core mode, freeing up memory resources. 💾
Main Improvements in This Area:- V-Ray Enmesh: Generates complex geometric patterns with minimal RAM impact.
- V-Ray Decal: Projects logos, damage, or dirt onto models without modifying the base mesh.
- Solaris Support: Custom AOVs now work within the LOPs workflow.
- GPU Out-of-Core: Renders large VDB volumes using system memory.
Artists can debate whether using Enmesh for a brick wall is more efficient than modeling each unit, or if it's a smart way to avoid heavy work.
Advances in Materials, Lighting, and Performance
The V-Ray Material receives a new subsurface scattering mode that simulates more accurately how light scatters in translucent materials like wax, skin, or marble. The Light Gen tool integrates directly into the Houdini viewport, automatically generating multiple lighting scene setups for the artist to choose from. CPU rendering speed is optimized for scenes using many threads, and render farm startup is accelerated. The V-Ray Volume Grid also benefits from a faster cache. ⚡
Performance and Quality Improvements:- Subsurface Scattering: Greater realism in materials that scatter light under their surface.
- Integrated Light Gen: Test lighting configurations quickly from the 3D viewport.
- Optimized CPU Render: Better scaling on processors with many cores.
- Fast Farm Startup: Less waiting time when sending jobs to render.
Impact on Professional Workflow
This update to V-Ray 7.2 for Houdini consolidates tools aimed at optimizing every stage of production. From creating complex geometry with Enmesh to adjusting lighting instantly with Light Gen, artists can dedicate more time to the creative part and less to waiting or managing technical limitations. The combination of speed improvements and new creative capabilities positions this version as a significant update for any pipeline using Houdini and V-Ray. 🎬