Chaos has released the public beta of Vantage 3, its real-time ray tracing software. The update introduces support for open standards such as Universal Scene Description and MaterialX, along with new rendering capabilities aimed at both architectural visualization and visual effects production.
The beta includes initial support for 3D Gaussian splats, enabling rendering of real-world captured environments directly in Vantage. Users can combine splats with 3D objects while maintaining real-time performance. Volume rendering has also been added, allowing fog, smoke, and light rays to be represented directly within scenes.
A new material editor is in development, allowing parameters to be adjusted inside Vantage without returning to a 3D content creation tool. An AI Material Generator is available through Chaos Cosmos, which converts photos into physically based rendering materials, intended for use on secondary surfaces that do not require detailed art direction.
Other features in the beta include scatter clustering for landscape population, with several placement modes for generating, painting, or mapping object distribution. A night sky system is planned for a future update, offering accurate astronomical data for rendering stars, the Moon, and the Milky Way based on time and location.
With USD and MaterialX support, Vantage 3 can now integrate more easily into pipelines beyond V-Ray, allowing the same assets to be used throughout different stages of production without conversion.
For more information, visit Chaos’ website
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