NEW FRONTIERS IN ARCHITECTURAL VISUALIZATION: CHAOS GROUP’S LATEST PRODUCTS 

Recently, we stumbled upon one of our old product rendering projects, and in the process, we fondly recalled Chaos Group, a company that often keeps us waiting with its intriguing promises and announcements. But when it comes to delivering on those promises, they’re rock solid – just look at the highly-anticipated 12th release of Corona Render.

In particular, the smoothly functioning Corona Decal feature (one of the standout innovations from that release), which allows you to seamlessly “apply” a brand’s label to a glass bottle without any hassle, software negotiation, or the risk of frustrating distortions, was a real game-changer for us. It was like a subtle yet pleasant alarm tone, gently pulling us out of our endless project grind. And it did so for good reason, as the solutions announced by this global leader in computer graphics technology at the 2024 Autodesk University conference offered us food for thought and a few highly effective tools. There’s even hope that these innovations might be enough to give 3D artists a well-deserved break, as they promise to make architectural visualization faster and easier.

So, get your phones ready for notes and your pens out for writing – we’re about to share the knowledge we gained from the experts in California, who provided a platform at Autodesk for their partners to shine.

Envision 

Chaos Envision is the cherry on top for those who work day in and day out to refine their visualization skills in architectural projects. Just this one statement is enough to convey how much of a “lifesaver” this tool, unveiled at Autodesk University 2024, aims to be!

That’s because it was specifically designed to enhance the quality and dynamism of presentations by 3D artists and designers alike. Besides offering quick 3D scene assembly in a standalone mode, Envision also serves as a solid stepping stone for creating engaging animations. Speaking of which… One of the key features that has generated significant buzz in the community is the ability to easily add lifelike, moving characters (even entire crowds) into renders.

This type of animation can be effortlessly exported into any integrated program (the integration list is quite extensive, including V-Ray, Enscape, and Corona) without the need for additional data preparation. This makes Envision an ideal candidate for managing large-scale projects in real time, which in turn boosts productivity, speed, and overall efficiency.

By the way, if you’re curious, you’ll be able to test the beta version of Chaos Envision starting this November!

V-Ray 7

Fast, high-quality, and convenient – this is how the performance of a render engine is typically described, and now it comes with new updates. This means it continues to uphold its mission as an efficient tool for 3Ds Max.

Firstly, scene setup time will be reduced thanks to an optimized Light Cache calculation. On machines equipped with modern GPUs, rendering will fly by like the fastest Chinese train, which holds the world speed record. As a natural consequence, iteration times will no longer be so intimidating!

We’ll also be delighted by new features like V-Ray Enmesh and the enhanced V-Ray Material. In the case of Enmesh, there’s no need to struggle with complex pattern geometry – repeating patterns will seamlessly apply to object surfaces without performance issues. As for the new V-Ray Material, the unparalleled support for transparency and light scattering will make materials even more realistic (especially when it comes to skin, for example). In practice, this will provide a better visual experience both for those who create and those who consume the content.

And yes, V-Ray 7 now supports Universal Scene Description, enabling smooth data exchange.

Enscape 4.1

You might be wondering what connection German developers have with Chaos Group. Well, we’ve already hinted at Chaos Group’s tendency to either “snack on” smaller players whose products have strong advantages or strike equally profitable partnerships with their peers. That’s exactly why we’re now talking about the new version of Enscape.

Not only does this program allow 3D artists to create incredible real-time visualizations, but now the numerical update “4.1” delights everyone involved with the Chaos AI Enhancer feature. Thanks to artificial intelligence, 3D scenes of shopping malls or even residential areas that previously felt incomplete due to the lack of people or fine details can now be enhanced with additional elements at the click of a button (albeit with low-poly geometry).

Additionally, this version introduces interesting artistic modes that can be applied like a filter to 3D images, resulting in “paintings” stylistically reminiscent of watercolor or pencil drawings.

Among the “fresh” features is unlimited access to Chaos Cloud, no dress code required, as well as the new Enscape Impact plugin. But that’s a whole other story, worthy of an entirely new paragraph!

Enscape Impact
Let’s get straight to it. As promised, here’s a product that truly deserves your attention. Why? This creation, developed with the support of climate tech company IES, allows you to multitask effectively (even though rushing is often a subject of humor in the proverbs of some countries). It lets architects analyze building performance while also integrating real-time rendering into their workflows. Most importantly, it does all this while upholding the principles of sustainable design.

In other words, you can quickly calculate key metrics, such as energy consumption or carbon emissions, and assess their impact without needing time-consuming, in-depth analysis. This capability is based on the principle of minimal data input, requiring only basic information, like location or building type, to proceed.

In short, Enscape Impact is a refined tool that not only enhances the aesthetic aspects of a project but also ensures economic efficiency.

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