The new version of Renderman’s RIS rendering architecture arrives in the commercial release
Pixar Animation Studios today announced the long-anticipated commercial release of RenderMan’s RIS rendering architecture, introducing advanced methods for physically-based photorealism. Representing a major leap forward in the development of feature film rendering, RenderMan’s new progressive renderer supports multiple types of light transport including a state of the art uni-directional path tracer supplied with source code and a new bi-directional path tracer (VCM). Along with enhancements to Pixar’s acclaimed REYES renderer, this powerful combination provides artists with multiple rendering solutions within one unified framework for the utmost in artistic flexibility and creativity. With a modern architecture built from the ground up to render global illumination with unsurpassed speed and productivity, RIS establishes a forward-looking foundation through which RenderMan is addressing the rapidly evolving demands of visual effects.
“The new RIS is very fast, very stable, and very simple to use. I got great results within my first 2 hours,” said Eugene Riecansky, Creative Director, Rockstar GFX. “This new version is going to be a game changer and I’m thrilled to be using it.“
“Pixar has really outdone itself with RIS for RenderMan 19,” said Brandon Fayette, Lead Artist at Bad Robot Productions. “The speed, quality, and ease of use that the new substrates bring are mind-boggling. You can setup a character in a shot fully knowing that the nature of the shaders won’t change with lighting. It speeds up the look development process significantly.”
Additionally, Free Non-Commercial RenderMan is to be released in early 2015 so that the development of additional supporting materials can be delivered to a diverse user base. Unrestrained by functional limitations, watermarking, or time restrictions, Free Non-Commercial RenderMan will be made available to academic institutions, students, trainers, researchers, developers, and for personal use. Those interested in exploring RenderMan’s latest capabilities are invited to register in advance for Free Non-Commercial RenderMan on the RenderMan website (http://renderman.pixar.com/).
Availability & Compatibility
RenderMan is compatible with the following 64-bit operating systems: Mac OS 10.9, 10.8 and 10.7, Windows 8 and 7, and Linux glibc 2.12 or higher and gcc 4.4.5 and higher. RenderMan is compatible with versions 2013.5, 2014, and 2015 of Autodesk’s Maya, and with versions 1.5, 1.6, and 2.0 of The Foundry’s KATANA. RenderMan is available commercially either as individual licenses with volume discounts or through custom site licensing packages tailored for each customer. In addition, Pixar’s annual maintenance program provides access to ongoing support and free upgrades. For more information please visit www.pixar.com or contact [email protected].
