Archive notice: This article was originally published on February 6, 2014. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Simple and fast—these, in short, are the benefits for 3D artists that Chaos Group cares about. The Ray Tracing Core has been thoroughly optimized, so Brute Force GI, Progressive Path Tracing, Relfections and Refraction run up to five times faster.
In terms of user-friendliness, the manufacturer has polished its interface. Three UI modes can now be set for different levels of knowledge: Basic, Advanced and Expert. The new V-Ray toolbar includes Quick Settings with dropdowns of production-ready and frequently used presets for Archviz Exterior, Archviz Interior and VFX. Settings for quality and the Shading Rate can now be fine-tuned with sliders.
The improved subsurface scattering includes the option for object-based and raytraced illumination, faster hair rendering, view-dependent tesselation that automatically smooths hair curves, and a skin shader with layered reflections. With UDIM and UVTILE support, it is now easier to integrate assets from Mari and Mudbox into V-Ray.
Version 3.O also provides a range of workflow shortcuts and support for open-source technologies. You can find an overview of all V-Ray 3.0 features here.
The upgrade from V-Ray 2.0 starts at 300 euros, while the complete workstation license costs 750 euros. Chaos Group has provided an upgrade calculator for the precise calculation of the various upgrade bundles.
Further information on the V-Ray community page.
Image: Progressive Rendering by Ciro Sannino
