V-Ray Expands Gaussian Splatting Support to Cinema 4D

In an exciting update, Chaos has announced that V-Ray 7 now includes support for Gaussian Splatting in Cinema 4D, building on its earlier integrations with platforms like 3ds Max. This marks another major step forward in enabling powerful Radiance Field methods for 3D artists and professionals. Following our previous article on Gaussian Splatting support in V-Ray, this update introduces new capabilities and expands the toolkit for creating photorealistic 3D environments.

Gaussian Splatting is a Radiance Field representation for constructing hyper-realistic 3D scenes from images or videos. Unlike traditional mesh-based approaches, Gaussian Splats represent scenes as a type of point cloud, where each point corresponds to a 3D Gaussian. This innovative technique allows for more realistic environments, complete with accurate parallax and view-dependent effects.

How It Works in Cinema 4D

With V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4D, Gaussian Splats can now be integrated into projects with ease. The plugin provides a range of tools and options for managing splat geometry:

• Gaussian Splat File: Load splat files in .ply format directly into V-Ray for Cinema 4D.

• UI Path: Access Gaussian Splats through the V-Ray menu > Geometry > V-Ray Gaussians.

• Adjustable Parameters:

  • Scale: Modify the size of the Gaussian Splats.

  • Flip Axis: Choose the orientation of the vertical axis.

  • Affect Camera, Shadows, Reflections, and Refractions: Control how Gaussian Splats interact with the scene and other objects.

Key Use Cases

1. Extended Environments: Gaussian Splats can represent entire environments derived from photo or video data. Compared to traditional environment maps, they offer proper parallax, occlusion, and dynamic view-dependent effects.

   • Enable the “Affect Matte Surfaces” option for environment rendering.

   • Disable the “Affect Shadows” option to prevent shadow interference.

2. Individual Objects: Use Gaussian Splats for smaller, detailed objects within a scene.

   • Turn on the “Affect Shadows” option to allow objects to cast shadows.

   • Note that lighting and reflections are baked into the Gaussian Splats and are not influenced by scene lighting.

Preview Options

Gaussian Splats in Cinema 4D can be visualized in multiple ways:

• Bounding Box: Displays the splats as a simple bounding box.

• Limited/Unlimited Point Cloud: Shows Gaussian Splats as points, adjustable by radius and count.

Examples in Action

• Affect Camera: Gaussian Splats can be hidden from the camera, appearing only in reflections or refractions.

• Affect Reflections/Refractions: Control how Gaussian Splats appear in reflective or refractive surfaces.

• Affect Matte Surfaces: Integrate Gaussian Splats seamlessly into backgrounds, enabling them to interact naturally with other scene elements.

• Color Adjustment: Apply filter colors to Gaussian Splats for customized visual effects.

This update reinforces Chaos’ commitment to advancing Radiance Field methods across its ecosystem. While Gaussian Splatting in V-Ray for Cinema 4D opens new possibilities, it’s worth noting that this feature is not yet available for V-Ray GPU. As V-Ray continues to expand its integrations, users can expect further innovations and enhanced workflows in the near future.

Stay tuned for more updates as Chaos expands the possibilities of Radiance Fields and learn more here!