Maxwell Render
 | |
| Developer(s) | Next Limit Technologies |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 26 April 2006 |
| Stable release | 3.2[1] / 5 October 2015 |
| Operating system |
Linux (on x86-64) Mac OS X (on IA-32 and PowerPC) Microsoft Windows (on IA-32 and x86-64) |
| Available in | English |
| Type | Raytracer |
| License | Proprietary commercial software |
| Website |
www |
Maxwell Render is an unbiased 3D render engine, developed by Next Limit Technologies in Madrid, Spain. This stand-alone software is used in the film, animation, and VFX industry, as well as architectural and product design visualization.[2] It offers various plug-ins for 3D/CAD and post production applications.[3]
Overview
Maxwell Render was released to the public as an early alpha in December 2004 (after 2 years of internal development) utilizing a global illumination (GI) algorithm based on a metropolis light transport variation.[4] Next Limit Technologies released Maxwell Render V3.2 in October, 2015.[5]
The physically correct render engine was originally used as a tool for animation and visual effects. Maxwell Render’s trademark Multilight feature, that permits the changing of light intensities and colors in real time, was used in the feature film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.[6]
General Features
Physically-based Advantages
- Accuracy
- Advanced Ray Tracing
- Physical Sky
- Fast Scene Set-up
Multilight™ FIRE: Fast Interactive Rendering
- Immediate feedback to make adjustments to lighting, materials and camera settings
Materials Realistic Camera Model
- Real camera parameters: f-Stop, Focal length, Shutter speed, ISO, film size, diaphragm blades
Memory Saving Instances Accurate 3D Motion Blur Hair, Grass and Fur
- Compatible with many hair systems: Maya Shave and a Haircut, Maya hair, 3ds Max hair, CINEMA hair, Ornatrix
Volumetrics Particle Rendering
- Integration with RealFlow software
- Maxwell Sea
Industry Standard Support
- Alembic
- Deep compositing
- Pixar Open SubDiv
- Python scripting
Network Rendering Post Production
- Post production plug-ins
- Channels
- Custom Alphas
New Features in V3.2
- Virtual reality stereo lenses with two new lens types: Lat/Long and Stereo Fish Lens
- Subsurface scattering speed improvements
- Nested dielectrics priority method; render complex water/glass/ice surface without numerical issues
- PSD Output support: save renders in PSD format in 8, 16 and 32 bits
- Extensions API that allow third party developers to develop their own procedural geometries, geometry modifiers, procedural textures, camera lens, etc.
- Procedural emitters to apply emitter materials to entities that are not triangle meshes – such as hair/fur, particles and grass.
- Separated Reflection & Refraction channels such as “Diffuse”, “Reflections”, “Diffuse + Reflections”, “Refractions”, “Reflections+Refractions”
- ‘Reflectance’ channel shows plain colors without the influence of global illumination.
- Improvements in Multilight editor
- ‘Asset Reference’ extension can reference many different file formats as the geometries are no longer pre-converted to MXS. Some of the supported formats include: OBJ, FBX, Blender, Alembic, DAE, STL, LXO, 3DS, LWO, 3D, etc.
- World-Y Grass allows you to define the overall growth direction of your grass blades towards the world-Y axis (sky direction)
Interaction with other software
Maxwell Render for SketchUp[7] is a simplified version of Maxwell Render, fully integrated into the SketchUp software application. Users can set the camera, lighting and environment, apply SketchUp or Maxwell MXM materials, and render and save image files. It is widely used in product design, architectural and engineering visualization.
Plug-ins
3D application plug-ins
- SolidWorks
- SoftImage
- MODO
- MAYA
- Houdini
- Rhinoceros
- SketchUp
- LightWave
- Graphisoft ArchiCAD
- Bonzai 3D
- REVIT
- 3DS MAX
- CINEMA 4D
- form Z
Post Production application plug-ins
- Photoshop
- Nuke
- After effects
Third party supported plug-ins
- solidThinking
- blender
Version History
| 2004 | Maxwell Render Alpha version |
| 2005 | Maxwell Render Beta version |
| 2006 | Maxwell Render 1.0
Maxwell Render 1.1 |
| 2007 | Maxwell Render 1.5
Maxwell Render 1.6 Maxwell Render 1.6.1 |
| 2008 | Maxwell Render 1.7 |
| 2009 | Maxwell Render 2.0 |
| 2011 | Maxwell Render Suite 2.6
Maxwell for Google SketchUp |
| 2012 | Maxwell Render 2.7
Maxwell Render Learning Edition Maxwell Render 2.6.1 |
| 2013 | Maxwell for SketchUp
Maxwell Render 3.0 |
| 2014 | Maxwell Render 3.0.1
Maxwell Render 3.0.1.1 beta |
| 2015 | Maxwell Render 3.1
Maxwell Render 3.1.0.2 Maxwell Render 3.2 |
See also
- Ray tracing
- Indigo Renderer - Another commercial unbiased renderer.
- Kerkythea - A free unbiased renderer.
- LuxRender - An open source unbiased renderer
- Octane Render - A commercial unbiased GPU-accelerated renderer.
References
- ↑ http://www.maxwellrender.com/news
- ↑ http://www.maxwellrender.com/products/maxwell-render-suite
- ↑ http://www.maxwellrender.com/index.php/products/maxwell-render-suite/plugins/
- ↑ http://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2010/Volume-33-Issue-2-Feb-2010-/Review-Next-Limit-s-Maxwell-Render.aspx
- ↑ http://www.novedge.com/next-limit/products/2231/tab/3
- ↑ http://blog.novedge.com/2015/07/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-maxwell-render-1.html
- ↑ http://www.maxwellrender.com/products/maxwell_for_sketchup
External links
- Official Website
- Maxwell Render V3
- Next Limit Technologies (Parent Company)
- Official Forum
- Maxwell Render Resources
- Maxwell Render Tutorials
- Maxwell Render on Facebook
- Maxwell Render on Twitter