Integration will enable PLY files to be rendered alongside standard CG content
Gaussian splats, a technique which uses AI to create a rich 3D scene from a series of photos or videos, can now be rendered in the beta version of V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max.
The technology enables users to place buildings within their real-world context, or integrate scanned objects directly into the 3D scene
“We can get correct raytraced camera effects like motion blur, DoF and distortion, as well as proper interaction with other CG elements in the scene – reflections, refractions and matte/shadow surfaces,” explains Georgi Zhekov, product manager at Chaos.
The implementation works with Gaussian splats .PLY files produced by other popular tools like Postshot, Polycam, Luma.ai, Kiri, nerfStudio etc. PLY files are imported through a V-Ray Gaussian Geometry node.
Gaussian splats will first be supported in 3ds Max but will also be rolled out to other V-Ray integrations, including Maya, Houdini and Cinema4D.
Test rendering of Gaussian splats with V-Ray. The splats were created with PostShot out of drone video footage of the city of Hanoi. Image / video credit: Vladimir Koylazov, Chaos.
