Next Limit released Maxwell Render version 2 today. This initial release is for current customers only, new users will be handled later on it seems. This major new version is said to bring an arsenal of new features, enhancements and additions. I’ll have to check these all out in the following weeks.
Some of the improvements in a nutshell
- Speed and noise reduction with optimizations in caustics, emitters, mirrors, HDRIs and more.
- Significant quality improvements in roughness, color output, light distribution, sunlight and more.
- Stacked Layers – Materials can now be stacked on top of each other, much like layers in a photo editing application. Each layer can hold a number of components and an opacity mask can be used to determine the influence of each layer. The Stacked Layers system makes it much easier to create extremely complex materials and materials that were impossible to create in V1.7.
- Thin SSS – Subsurface scattering in V2 now has a special mode which can handle single-sided geometry. This mode is very suitable for leaves, lampshades, paper, and curtains amongst others.
- An easier to use, more robust, and customizable network system.
- Support for IES and EULUMDAT files.
- Color Multilight™ – It is now possible to edit the color of emitters in real-time.
- Built-in compatibility with RealFlow, enabling users to generate procedural geometry and meshes at render time, using Maxwell Render.
- A new plug-in for Modo.
Whats new in Maxwell Render 2
Complete feature list of Maxwell Render 2
There seems to be some controversy over the way Next Limit is pricing the upgrade, segmenting the US and Europe currency and thus creating a rather noticeable price difference. But what is a Maxwell Render release without some controversy, ahhh?
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