Autodesk Labs has a long history with rendering.

• Who remembers Project Freewheel where we demonstrated MapQuest-like display, pan, and zoom of CAD data using just the browser?
• How about Project Showroom where we simulated a shopping experience with rendered pictures of appliances in configurable kitchens and bathrooms?
• How about Project Neon where we let you supply your own CAD data that we would render in the cloud?

Now the Media & Entertainment division is turning its attention to the cloud in this technology preview as well.

The Autodesk Raytracer (ART) is our free plug-in for 3ds Max 2016 that provides easy-to-use physically-based rendering; physically-based as in simulating reality using principles of physics to model the interaction of surfaces and light. The technology preview runs locally on your computer but also has an option for sending rendering jobs to the cloud. You can even send multiple renderings to be processed in parallel, leaving your machine free. And unlike A360 Rendering (introduced in 3ds Max 2016), ART lets you render animations in the cloud as well as single images.

Join the project.

Please give this a try and share your feedback with labs.3dsmax.art@autodesk.com or in the discussuon forums associated with the technology preview.

Rendering is alive in the lab.