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Maxwell Render

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{{Infobox software

| name = Maxwell Render

| logo =

| screenshot =

| caption = Sample Maxwell Render image output by Benjamin Brosdaux

| collapsible =

| developer = Next Limit Technologies

| released = {{Start date and age|2006|April|26|df=yes}}

| latest release version = 5.0{{cite web|url=http://www.nextlimit.com/maxwell/latest-release/|title=Latest release|website=nextlimit.com|access-date=25 Nov 2019}}

| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2019|October|30|df=yes}}

| latest preview version =

| latest preview date =

| programming language =

| operating system = Linux (on x86-64)
Mac OS X (on IA-32 and PowerPC)
Microsoft Windows (on IA-32 and x86-64)

| size =

| language = English

| genre = Raytracer

| license = Proprietary commercial software

| website = {{URL|www.maxwellrender.com}}

}}

Maxwell Render is an unbiased 3D render engine, developed by Next Limit Technologies in Madrid, Spain. This stand-alone software is used in the film, animation, and VFX industry, as well as in architectural and product design visualization.{{cite web |url=http://www.maxwellrender.com/products/maxwell-render-suite |title=What is Maxwell Render? | High quality 3d rendering |accessdate=7 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004013616/http://www.maxwellrender.com/products/maxwell-render-suite |archivedate=4 October 2015 }}{{cite web |title=Maxwell Render |url=https://www.easyrender.com/rendering-software/maxwell-render |website=Easy Render |accessdate=26 November 2019}} It offers various plug-ins for 3D/CAD and post production applications.{{cite web |url=http://www.maxwellrender.com/index.php/products/maxwell-render-suite/plugins/ |title=Maxwell Render | Compatible with 17 3D/CAD/Post production platforms |accessdate=22 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151223021925/http://www.maxwellrender.com/index.php/products/maxwell-render-suite/plugins/ |archivedate=23 December 2015 }}

Overview

Maxwell Render was released to the public as an early alpha in December 2004 (after two years of internal development) utilizing a global illumination (GI) algorithm based on a metropolis light transport variation.{{cite web|url=http://www.cgw.com/Publications/CGW/2010/Volume-33-Issue-2-Feb-2010-/Review-Next-Limit-s-Maxwell-Render.aspx|title=Review: Next Limit's Maxwell Render - Computer Graphics World|website=www.cgw.com|access-date=12 June 2019}} Next Limit Technologies released its latest version of Maxwell Render V4.2 in February 2018.{{cite web|url=https://novedge.com/next-limit/products/2231/tab/3|title=Next Limit Technologies - All Products - (866) 362-8970 Novedge, Authorized Reseller|website=novedge.com|access-date=12 June 2019}}

The physically correct rendering engine was originally used as a tool for animation and visual effects. Maxwell Render's trademark Multilight feature,{{cite web|url=http://www.nextlimit.com/maxwell/multilight-features/|title=Multilight_features|website=nextlimit.com|access-date=12 June 2019}} which permits the changing of light intensities and colors in real time, was used in the feature film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.{{cite web|url=https://blog.novedge.com/2015/07/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-maxwell-render-1.html|title=10 things you didn't know about Maxwell Render|website=NOVEDGE blog|access-date=12 June 2019}}

General features

Physically-based advantages

  • Accuracy
  • Advanced Ray Tracing
  • Physical Sky
  • Fast scene set-up
  • Layer-based materials
  • Multilight

Multilightâ„¢

FIRE: Fast Interactive Rendering

  • Immediate feedback to make adjustments to lighting, materials and camera settings

Materials

Realistic Camera Model

  • Real camera parameters: f-Stop, Focal length, Shutter speed, ISO, film size, diaphragm blades

Memory Saving Instances

Accurate 3D Motion Blur

Hair, Grass and Fur

  • Compatible with many hair systems: Maya Shave and a Haircut, Maya hair, 3ds Max hair, CINEMA hair, Ornatrix

Volumetrics

Particle Rendering

  • Integration with RealFlow software
  • Maxwell Sea
  • Maxwell Volumetric
  • Maxwell Grass
  • Maxwell Scatter

Industry standard support

  • Alembic
  • AxF
  • Deep compositing
  • Pixar Open SubDiv
  • Python scripting
  • VDB

Network Rendering

Post Production

  • Post production plug-ins
  • Channels
  • Custom Alphas

Interaction with other software

Maxwell Render for SketchUp{{cite web|url=http://support.nextlimit.com/display/maxwell4/Plug-ins|title=Plug-ins - Maxwell Render V4 Documentation - Next Limit support site|website=support.nextlimit.com|access-date=12 June 2019}} is a simplified version of Maxwell Render, fully integrated into the SketchUp software application. Users can set the camera, lighting and environment, apply SketchUp or Maxwell MXM materials, and render and save image files. It is widely used in product design, architectural and engineering visualization.

Plug-ins

3D application plug-ins

  • SolidWorks
  • SoftImage
  • MODO
  • MAYA
  • Houdini
  • Rhinoceros
  • SketchUp
  • LightWave
  • Graphisoft ArchiCAD
  • Bonzai 3D
  • REVIT
  • 3DS MAX
  • CINEMA 4D
  • form Z

Postproduction application plug-ins

  • Photoshop
  • Nuke
  • After effects

Third party supported plug-ins

  • solidThinking
  • blender

Version history

class="wikitable"
2004Maxwell Render Alpha version
2005Maxwell Render Beta version
2006Maxwell Render 1.0

Maxwell Render 1.1

2007Maxwell Render 1.5

Maxwell Render 1.6

Maxwell Render 1.6.1

2008Maxwell Render 1.7
2009Maxwell Render 2.0
2011Maxwell Render Suite 2.6

Maxwell for Google SketchUp

2012Maxwell Render 2.7

Maxwell Render Learning Edition

Maxwell Render 2.7.1

2013Maxwell for SketchUp

Maxwell Render 3.0

2014Maxwell Render 3.0.1

Maxwell Render 3.0.1.1 beta

2015Maxwell Render 3.1

Maxwell Render 3.1.0.2

Maxwell Render 3.2

2016

|Maxwell Render 4.0.0.11

2017

|Maxwell Render 4.0.1.1

Maxwell Render 4.1

2018

|Maxwell Render 4.2.0.2

Maxwell Render 4.2.0.3

2019

|Maxwell Render 5.0

See also

  • Ray tracing
  • Kerkythea - A free unbiased renderer
  • LuxRender - An open source unbiased renderer
  • Octane Render - A commercial unbiased GPU-accelerated renderer

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.maxwellrender.com Official Website]
  • [http://www.maxwellrender.com/V3 Maxwell Render V3]{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20141018073136/http://www.nextlimit.com/ Next Limit Technologies] (Parent Company)
  • [http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/index.php Official Forum]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20100215082257/http://resources.maxwellrender.com/ Maxwell Render Resources]
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20070910083631/http://think.maxwellrender.com/ Maxwell Render Tutorials]
  • [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Maxwell-Render-The-Light-Simulator/66133283904 Maxwell Render on Facebook]
  • [https://twitter.com/MaxwellRender Maxwell Render on Twitter]

Category:Rendering systems

Category:3D rendering software for Linux