Fans of DreamWorks Animation’s visually stunning films, rejoice! The studio’s in-house production renderer, MoonRay, is now even more powerful thanks to the release of version 1.5. This update adds major compatibility and brings exciting new features.
What is MoonRay?
MoonRay is a high-performance Monte Carlo ray tracer that helped bring gorgeous worlds to life in films like “The Bad Guys” and “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”. Open-sourced in 2023, it means artists and studios outside of DreamWorks can also harness its power. MoonRay excels in both stylized and photorealistic rendering with all the bells and whistles of a VFX-grade renderer.
Key Upgrade: VFX Reference Platform 2023
The biggest highlight of MoonRay 1.5 is the integration of the VFX Reference Platform 2023. This ensures greater compatibility with industry-standard tools and smoother workflows. One exciting result is that MoonRay’s Hydra render delegate (hdMoonRay) now works seamlessly with Nuke 15, Foundry’s flagship compositing software.
Exciting New Features
MoonRay 1.5 also debuts an initial implementation of a new adaptive light sampling scheme. This promises to make rendering even more efficient, especially in complex lighting scenarios.
The Evolution of MoonRay
Since its initial open-source release, MoonRay has rapidly evolved. Some notable additions include:
- GPU denoising: Cleaner renders in less time thanks to Open Image Denoise 2
- Hybrid XPU mode: Leverages both CPU and GPU power for optimal speed
- VR rendering: Experimental support for the PresenZ volumetric format
Get MoonRay Now
Ready to try it yourself? MoonRay is available under an open-source Apache 2.0 license. Keep in mind, it’s currently a Linux-only tool with specific hardware requirements (check the documentation for details).
The Future of Open-Source Rendering
DreamWorks Animation continues to push the envelope of open-source rendering with MoonRay. We’re excited to see what the community creates with this powerful tool now even more accessible and versatile!
