Gentle Engine releases Gentle Tracer Render 2.6

 
Initially posted on 5 November 2021. Scroll down for information of the Gentle Tracer Render 2.6 replace.

Gentle Engine has launched Gentle Tracer Render 2.0, the most recent model of its bodily based mostly GPU renderer, accessible as a each industrial product for Home windows and macOS, and as a free browser-based service.

The replace provides help for IES lights, mesh lights, clear shadows, and a brand new caustic mode; provides shadow and reflection catchers for product renders; and reworks the software program’s dealing with of coated supplies.

A phyically based mostly GPU ray tracer for net and desktop
First launched in 2019 as an experimental browser-based renderer, and pitched because the “world’s first bodily based mostly GPU renderer for net”, Gentle Tracer Render is an unbiased GPU ray tracer.

Over the previous two years, it has acquired a standalone desktop version, which runs on Home windows and macOS, and grown steadily in performance, notably for architectural and product visualisation.

Gentle Tracer Render imports fashions in commonplace 3D codecs together with OBJ, FBX, Collada and glTF, and CAD information in STEP/IGES format and Rhino’s 3DM format.

The software program helps the Disney Principled materials mannequin extensively utilized in different DCC software program, and comes with a library of over 300 readymade PBR supplies.

Though initially designed for HDRI-based lighting, it’s more and more supporting different lighting workflows. Render options embrace render passes, publish results, filmic tonemapping, and CPU and GPU denoising.

Being based mostly on WebGL 2.0, the software program is hardware-agnostic, working with each AMD and Nvidia GPUs: Gentle Engine says that it’ll run on “nearly on any GPU produced after 2012-2013”.

New in model 2.0: IES and mesh lights, shadow and reflection catchers, and correct caustics
Key modifications in Gentle Tracer Render 2.0 embrace help for IES and mesh lights, rising its usability in architectural visualisation workflows.

For product visualisation, the replace introduces shadow and reflection catchers, to assist combine rendered 3D objects into photographic backplates or solid-colour backgrounds.

Different modifications embrace a brand new mode for rendering caustics results based mostly on path guiding, and higher dealing with of shadows forged by clear and translucent objects, as mentioned on this weblog publish.

Dealing with of coated supplies like automotive paint and varnished wooden has additionally been reworked, with the outdated clear coat mannequin changed by a brand new bodily right layered mannequin.

Workflow enhancements embrace the choices to retailer and change between digital camera views; to cover objects from the render digital camera, however permit them to proceed to contribute to scene illumination; and a brand new modelling widget for including 3D primitives to a scene, primarily meant for mesh lights.

 
Up to date 24 December 2021: Gentle Engine has launched Gentle Tracer Render 2.2.

New options within the replace embrace a bodily solar and sky system based mostly on the Hosek-Wilkie mannequin, additionally supported in render engines like OctaneRender and Blender’s Cycles renderer.

Gentle Tracer Render additionally now helps PBR supplies following the specular-glossiness workflow, in addition to the extra widespread metallic-roughness workflow, mechanically changing parameters on import.

As well as, the replace provides help for materials layers and a brand new bodily believable bloom publish impact.

 
Up to date 5 March 2022: Gentle Engine has launched Gentle Tracer Render 2.3.

The replace reworks the software program’s animation toolset, with customers now capable of loop or retime imported animation tracks from a devoted Animation tab, or apply readymade digital camera animations.

Customers also can now import and export skeletal animations in glTF format, in addition to FBX format.

As well as, it’s now potential to import fashions in PLY format and SketchUp’s SKP format; and to import vertex color information – for instance, floor colors from ZBrush’s PolyPaint toolset – in glTF and PLY information.

Different modifications embrace new built-in libraries of studio gentle set-ups and PBR supplies – the latter from on-line CC0 materials library ambientCG – and a brand new Shade Correction widget for grading rendered output.

 
Up to date 20 June 2022: Gentle Engine has launched Gentle Tracer Render 2.3.2.

The replace focuses on the net version of the renderer, which will get “nearly all” the brand new options from the desktop model, together with the brand new libraries of PBR supplies and studio gentle set-ups.

As well as, the brand new model options “vital enchancment” of the UI when used with contact screens, and is now appropriate with the cell version of Apple’s Safari browser, making it potential to make use of on iPads.

Based on Gentle Engine, the net version will even run on iOS and Android telephones, with “acceptable efficiency” on the most recent cell processors, though the small display dimension makes it more durable to make use of.

 
Up to date 27 July 2022: Gentle Engine has launched Gentle Tracer Render 2.4.

The replace provides a brand new physics-based format system based mostly on Guerrilla Video games’ Jolt Physics library, making it potential to put objects in a scene, and have them settle naturally below gravity.

Workflow enhancements embrace the choice to edit the scene hierarchy and modifications to choice behaviour: by default, clicking on an object now selects all the object, not part of it.

 
Up to date 11 October 2022: Gentle Engine has launched Gentle Tracer Render 2.5.

The replace reworks the software program’s animation toolset, with new options together with the choice to create digital camera animations by connecting saved digital camera views right into a clean digital camera path, as proven above.

The modifications additionally make it potential to automate widespread duties, like rendering a number of digital camera views from a scene, or rendering a mannequin in a number of completely different CG environments.

Different modifications embrace help for floor projection of HDRI surroundings maps.