Pixar releases RenderMan 25.1 for Blender users

In early June 2024, Pixar released RenderMan 25.1, the latest version of its renderer for animation and VFX. This update mainly brings bug fixes and some minor feature improvements. However, this update is extremely useful for Blender users (Blender versions 3.1 to 3.5 now officially support RenderMan). This means that Blender users can now take advantage of RenderMan 25. x core capabilities. These include new denoising technology, XPU, which may be used for lighting/look dev/visualization due to CPU+GPU rendering, and improvements to stylistic rendering. 

Image source: Pixar

RenderMan for Blender (RfB) allows easy access to RenderMan functionalities through Blender.

The addon also connects Blender to RenderMan Pro Server in new ways, leading to quick interactive results without the need to write RIB. The RIB-out capability continues to work with existing pipelines and farm rendering. RfB gives Blender users full access to RenderMan’s speed, power, and reliability, allowing them to maintain a simple, Blender-centric workflow or leverage the plugins’ flexibility to develop an optimal, customized pipeline.

Image Source: 3DVF

RenderMan 25 has improved denoising technology developed by Disney Research. It makes use of Disney, ILM, and Pixar training data. Pixar claims this technology has been used in every Pixar film since Toy Story 4. Pixar states that “this denoiser excels at preserving fine details, like hair and scratches, which have traditionally been challenging for other denoisers”. Furthermore, this denoiser has improved performance, which will reduce your render times. 

Besides, there is information that RenderMan 25 introduces a next-generation denoising technology called Lasso. This denoising solution aims to efficiently remove noise from rendered images while preserving details and textures, resulting in cleaner and more visually appealing final renders. Lasso utilizes advanced machine learning algorithms to achieve impressive denoising results, making it a valuable tool for enhancing the quality of rendered images.

Image Source: 3DVF

XPU, Pixar’s next-generation renderer, now supports volumes, secondary passes (with full compatibility for LPEs and arbitrary AOVs), and trace groups. The texture cache has been updated to provide better support on GPUs when memory space is limited and out-of-core texture lookups are required. Interactive performance has been prioritized and XPU should be more responsive when you move the camera or tweak shaders.

It is also important to note that XPU is now accessible in Non-Commercial RenderMan. At this point, XPU is ready for look development, lighting, and interactive visualization. RIS is still the preferred renderer for final images, although XPU will eventually replace it.

Cars on the Road © Disney/Pixar 

The stylized styles toolset has been enhanced with line distortion (to help you get a more hand-drawn appearance), an overhauled Toon shading system with Toon Mask support, new hatching settings, and a UI change. The stylized rendering feature in RenderMan 25.1 allows for creating visually appealing and artistically expressive images and effects. This tool provides various options for creating artistic effects like painterly brush strokes, natural media textures, and more, enabling artists to produce captivating and unique visuals.

RenderMan 25 includes many improvements:

• MaterialX Lama: ILM’s new technologies enable more physically realistic renders and a new iridescence material response.
• Global illumination light baking has been increased by up to x2, and more resolution control options have been included.
• RenderMan 25 now supports the most recent versions of most DCCS, including Houdini, Katana, Maya, and Solaris (support for the latest Blender to follow).
• New preset libraries are included for fur, hair, stylistic rendering, and skins. Pyrotechnic settings are also provided, along with various fire and smoke presets developed in collaboration with VFX TD Hope Shroers.

• Non-commercial Users

Download the Non-Commercial RenderMan (NCR) installer: https://renderman.pixar.com/intro 

Run the installer, then enter your forum username and password. Click Next to download an NCR license.

Next, choose RenderMan Pro Server and RenderMan for Blender from the list, then click Next. RenderMan Pro Server will then install automatically for you. For RenderMan for Blender, follow the instructions in the Installing section.

• Commercial Users

Please go to the RenderMan downloads page: https://renderman.pixar.com/forum/download.php

You can download the RenderMan Installer, for the platform you’re running.

When you launch the installer, you will be asked to enter your forum username, password, and serial number.

Next, choose RenderMan Pro Server and RenderMan for Blender from the list, then click Next. RenderMan Pro Server will then install automatically for you. For RenderMan for Blender, follow the instructions in the Installing section.

RenderMan for Blender (RfB) allows easy access to RenderMan functionalities through Blender. The addon also connects Blender to RenderMan Pro Server in new ways, leading to fast interactive results without the need to write RIB. The RIB-out capability continues to work with existing pipelines and farm rendering. Adding Renderman to your Blender project is also an interesting and creative choice to take your project to the next level.

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Reference source: Rentalfop