Author Topic: General concerns about Corona Renderer for Blender development  (Read 34836 times)

2020-04-28, 19:56:12

quadrays

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To be honest I can see some good and bad things happening with development of Corona export add-on and Blender development (also other known add-ons development)

Let's go.

 / Good things /

- Generally V-Ray for Blender is coming, it would be good to take a research about operability between rendering engine and Blender. V-Ray is going to be interactive.
Octane does have more interesting way - to run rendering inside Blender build, even in interactive mode, is using the licensing server that shoud be runned in the background.
- Things, in general are getting really seriously. I see some known 3ds Max modelers, archviz artists and plug-in developers are considering to move to Blender with their stuff.
- Personally, and not only personally, Blender seems to be stable while doing archviz and modeling is even faster than in 3ds Max. Here even are some people who really are using Blender and then exporting to 3ds Max just cause of Corona Renderer.
-For archviz geometries can be optimized/proxified for viewport display and work. Already. In. Blender.
-New Standalone format. Nothing to add or deduce. Simply - great news, this should improve operability with general 3D softwares.

/ Bad things /
- Many freelancers are using Cycles engine, but Cycles and Octane for Blender are still lacking some necessary features. Rendering speed on CPU, especially when working on single GPU is the huge pain while using those engines. Corona seems to deal with it a lot better. Oh, we can't forget about BlendLuxCore, but this is still not the same like really artist-driven Corona.
- Blender license seems to be an obstacle for Corona development, the stuff have been stucked on "watching the development of Blender". But I am sure here is a way to solve this or by-pass this completely legally. Why not? Really, never say never.
- Economical crisis caused by SARS-CoV-2 panic, which seems to freeze most of economy. I think here Blender is going to be more a way to go as software which features and workflow can be really profitable.
- Lack of proper amount of development funds. I really suggest you to donate the Blender add-on/build for Corona project.
- Blender development seems really ignored, like another Sketchup. I think the time to ignore this and for waiting until Blender will be bigger is a huge mistake.
I think the market of Corona engine between Blender users can look really good. What a surprise it will be when users will just move to Blender cause the engine gives a good speedup if we're saying about CPU calculations. Not to be a Blender evangelist or nazi (lol) but the Max Indie licensing seems unsure, Autodesk's policy became worse, also Maxon's one. Cinema 4D but in Prime versions lacks features that Blender actually does have. Also... C4D Prime is no longer being sold :)
- Optionally, people who are still having Max libraries have to use Max to use or convert them. But I am planning some workaround on this.
Also it will be nice when I would be one of those who inspired or funded the development of Blender Corona support for network rendering and known renderfarms. It's really important.

To be honest, who seriously sticks to Max or C4D for the features and the already owned huge library, still are going to stick here. Bigger studios etc.
But freelancers have to deal with the fact they can change the primary 3D tool. Also Corona with its affordable licensing method, without Blender development seems to really miss the point which is to be authentically affordable for freelancers. Just remember that many of us aren't student license users. And here are still many doubts - you can't use student Max commercially, but Corona rendered images can... :) sounds funny.

If you are really wanting to change the world, I suggest leaving here some ambitious and argumentative comments. More informations can improve whole think-tank and give a proper shape of further decisions.

Thanks,

Adam

2020-04-29, 10:56:23
Reply #1

Zorian

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I love Corona, and I was using it from almost 2 years in Blender 2.78/2.79. After changing to 2.8 Corona, even the free exporter written by Glen is something that I miss really much. Even tried to go back to 2.79, but 2.8 is much better optimized so i stuck with Cycles/Octane.

I'm looking forward for V-ray and Blender, but I am afraid that developing it isn't go so well. They wrote that they made it work, but didn't show any proof, screenshot. Only words. No Nightlies to check how it works.

Many developers were annoyed by changing Blender Api all the time, but currently with long term support it shuldn't be a problem? Right?

I think that Corona for Blender should bring many users from 3dsmax to Blender, because Belnder is becoming much more friendly software than 3dsmax. And if it will be possible to use proxies made in 3dsmax in Blender it shouldnt be so painful witch changing Softwares:)  I miss Corona proxies the most in my workflow  Using Corona Proxies saved me a lot of memory - for example two scenes one made in Corona and proxies and the second Cycles, which was even less complicated than this in Corona.


Everyday i see many people on Blenderartist forum who are making archviz. If Corona developers arent sure if it is a good place for possessing new clients, than you can make an topic there to ask how many of them should be ready to pay for working and official conection between Blender and Corona :)

https://blenderartists.org/

I was paying for license even if it wasn't full supported.


2020-04-29, 12:13:29
Reply #2

quadrays

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2020-04-29, 12:14:58
Reply #3

jarekhell1

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Since I switched from 3ds max to blender, the big downside is the inability to use corona render. I'm waiting for corona render impatiently and I will gladly pay for the license if necessary, so that it can be used :)
Jarek.

2020-04-29, 12:52:01
Reply #4

Magog

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Good morning.
I can only confirm everything Quadrays wrote.
I have been reiterating it for months, which has been discussed on the various forums and groups.
I am an Accredited Trainer of Blender Italia and in recent months we have noticed a not insignificant increase in requests on training and especially in the transition from other sw (especially 3Ds Max and C4D) to Blender.
The only obstacle that opposes a targeted switch, for many profissionists, is precisely the Corona question.
Many well-known Faculty of Architecture have started to include Blender in their laboratory courses.
Cycles are fast, well integrated and stable, but those who work in the ArchiViz area need a more suitable, more powerful tool.
We are many who dream of a future development of Corona focused on Blender.
I hope that our request will be seriously examined and weighted with the right weight it deserves.

2020-04-29, 12:58:05
Reply #5

quadrays

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Even visualization agency that does have many offices in UK, United States or Hungary seems wanting Corona for Blender.

I think something is up...


@Magog If using GPU, maybe Cycles is fast, but not that efficient as Corona. I have dual Xeon E5-2697v3 and RTX 2070.
On CPU-only it's much slower than Corona, but with GPU still needs some improvements. This clearly says that I still need Corona.

2020-04-29, 13:05:43
Reply #6

Magog

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I'm interested in the final result.
If that means investing money to change my WS, I'll do it.
Currently my HW is composed of :
  • Ryzen Threadripper 2950x
  • 2 x Rtx2080
  • and 1 Gtx1050Ti only for the monitor

2020-04-29, 13:33:29
Reply #7

quadrays

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To gather the most of possible information I am making a portal between two things:

This forum thread

and

Blender for Archviz topic on Corona Renderer

https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlenderArchviz/permalink/709075853180088/

You're warmly welcome.

2020-04-29, 13:38:49
Reply #8

Magog

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I replied a little while ago and I'm spinning the links.

2020-04-29, 14:52:34
Reply #9

Ang

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I swiched to blender and I would pay corona. I have bought skatter, archipack, real sky and models libraries specific for blender. Being a blender user does not mean not wanting to pay for software. The price of other 3d programs are prohibitive for freelancers as me actually
2 xeon 2658 / i7 5820K /i7 3770

2020-04-29, 15:32:55
Reply #10

Zorian

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I was using Corona for almost, but last year I was forced to upgrade PC and i wasnt sure what should I buy - decided to buy RTX 2080 TI isntead of new CPU and use Blender native render engine again - Cycles. Using RTX is fast but I saw that clients require Corona quality renders, so I am becoming to lose clients. Tried to go back to 2.79 was disaster. Once 2.8 never go back:p

I've even made a comparison and tried to get Corona look using Cycles, but still, Corona treat lighting much nicer:)

2020-04-29, 16:19:15
Reply #11

GentileArchitetto

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I surely would be glad to use Corona for Blender and I would consider to pay for it!

2020-04-29, 16:21:37
Reply #12

Marcomor

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Hello everyone!
I want to give my thoughts about having Corona for Blender.. I have to say that i'd love to use a stable and official version of this renderer, the way it renders archviz images (this is my main activity with blender) is just.. so real!
From what i see, it has become the standard for Architectural Visualization and it's just sad that it's hard to make it a real thing for blender users. A lot of companies are investing into Blender, and from my humble opinion, it seems the right time to just invest in the development of this engine for Blender. A lot of artists are switching software, but some are still mainly focused on other ones only because of Corona. If it would be possible to make it available for Blender too, i think it would benefit both the blender users and the corona developers.

And with no doubts i would pay for a Corona engine for Blender. If it speeds up my workflow and it gives me better results.. then, why not?

Marco

2020-04-29, 16:35:54
Reply #13

monkriss

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Absolutely love Corona. I use Vray when i work in a studio around the corner, and still love to come back to Corona. If it was fully integrated into Blender I'd be willing to pay for sure.

And on that note, i've been paying for 3 years and have been quite active here over the years. I also sell models that work with Cycles and Corona for Blender so I'm quite invested haha. I just know Corona is the leader and if Corona can get in there just like Octane (which is kicking off big time in Blender), then it could become the Arch-Vis Go-To engine for Blender

2020-04-29, 16:38:02
Reply #14

Gustavo82

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Corona for Blender???? It's my dream!!!!!