Price Increase

[TomG]

GPU is not happening for Corona, it would take an entire re-write of the code (which would mean suspending development of anything else for a year or more), have drawbacks in the final quality, etc. We have always held to that - people would expect GPU to be identical to Corona, and it would not be, and not as suited for what people use Corona for (the ultimate in realism).

Some level of Vantage support is planned for Corona 12, we'll know more as we develop it :) This hopefully will be the solution for those who want some GPU rendering of their scenes.

Scatter is shared between the two, I am not aware of any core differences in functionality (you can let me know which things you mean specifically of course, please do) other than our quick implementation of Edge Trimming which V-Ray improved upon via checkbox when they implemented it later. We've already swapped to checkbox on internal builds, so you'll see it in a daily soon. Overall though, Scatter is Scatter, it's the same core, so there should be no major features different in one implementation than the other.

Infinite Plane would be nice, not sure if there is something about Corona technically that makes this something hard to implement compared to V-Ray. I'll check in with the devs :)

[TomG]

Power Tools did not rank highly - it was in fact written and near complete some years ago, and we just took the small amount of time to polish and QA it and release it. That was better than having it sat there unused and it could prove useful to some.

As I mention, some folks will have a different ranking of how useful they think Toon is, it is not something that has so far been weighed high enough over other features to be developed for a release.

[dj_buckley]

Power Tools did not rank highly - it was in fact written and near complete some years ago, and we just took the small amount of time to polish and QA it and release it. That was better than having it sat there unused and it could prove useful to some.

As I mention, some folks will have a different ranking of how useful they think Toon is, it is not something that has so far been weighed high enough over other features to be developed for a release.

So what was the intention and reasoning behind the implementation of Corona Wires map?

Also I think when most people refer to 'toon' they don't actually want to create 'toons' in terms of realism.  They just want a better CoronaWires map for reasons highlighted in the numerous threads about it.  Hence my excitement and subsequent disappointment about the 'Edge Map'

[lupaz]

What about ALL the small features that would make our work easier and we never see in Corona but we do in V-Ray.

Like what?

Some level of Vantage support is planned for Corona 12

This makes me sad. It sounds like a major undertaking that will consume tons of resources for the foreseeable future, leaving core features behind.

[TomG]

Shouldn't do, for example the VFB 2 is planned for Corona 12 too, and that is a major undertaking to a core feature :)

[Tom]

Just because you don't see toon on Behance doesn't mean it isn't used.  Why would anyone show their previz workflow on a platform design to show your shiny final images?

+1.

100% of my work is doing photorealistic archiviz, and yet ALL my projects start with camera angles using a Corona Toon effect, an effect that doesn't exist and that I have to manage as best as I can using other techniques. So, as said above, this is not because this effect is not showcased on social media that there is no need for it. I'm sure pretty much all artists in the archviz industry would love to have such a feature.

[matteosperi]

Hi;
I read the very interesting comments.

I am also very disappointed with the corona development and the price increase, but:

1- first I used octane render (gpu) and then vray (gpu); I switched to Corona for two reasons:
stability guaranteed by the CPU, lower cost (GPU makes sense if you always buy the latest GPU model every year, at most two and it is very expensive:
to have a serious workflow you need at least two GPUs ); it makes no sense to ask for corona gpu.

2- in vay frame buffer there is the direct cryptomatte option; I don't understand why it isn't integrated into corona render.
It is a very useful solution for us users and I hope it will be developed.
M.

[piotrus3333]

I would suggest to take a step back for a moment (mid 2010's I guess if you value precision).
Archviz crowd fell in love with Corona exactly for the reason of it having less features than VRay. It was way more streamlined, focused on specific needs. Good product, good value.

A decade passed.
Everything has evolved and improved: Vray, Corona. Even 3dsMax. VRay Premium yearly sub with more features is 50% more expensive than Corona's. I would say: a good deal. Quite Fair.
If you do not need all the Premium "gimmicks" but would happily enjoy some of VRay's features: VRay Solo being priced exactly as Corona Premium might be the option for you. Again: fair deal.

Please accept some facts before complaining:
+ VRay is the flagship product and it will always get more attention: you are paying less for less. Fair deal.
+ Corona would have never got to its current state if it stayed independent. It would be a few years behind. Because of the support from Chaos the development progress is still there, it is naturally slower now, as was stated here many times: all the easy features had been already implemented and new stuff takes more and more resources, not less.
+ You are a consumer, last decade spoiled you with so many choices: if you're not content with something - shop around. Vote with your wallet as this is pretty much the only vote you have in the free market.
+ And the most important one: You as a user changed as well. Corona might have been the right choice for you in 2014 but in 2024 your needs are probably much different.

[dj_buckley]

I would suggest to take a step back for a moment (mid 2010's I guess if you value precision).
Archviz crowd fell in love with Corona exactly for the reason of it having less features than VRay.
If you do not need all the Premium "gimmicks" but would happily enjoy some of VRay's features: VRay Solo being priced exactly as Corona Premium might be the option for you. Again: fair deal.

We also fell in love with it because it was cost effective and independent and development was fast etc etc

With regards the 'Solo' option - this is the whole point, we would then lose render nodes and floating licence, so it becomes much more expensive than Premium if you want those features back ...

A lot of us indie's have more than one PC that we use for DR or with Pulze etc so the render nodes that we got as part of our monthly subs back in the day are essential.  Also, as an indie, by nature you can work from anywhere, it's great having Corona installed on your main PC, but then having a floating licence so you can also pick up your laptop and go work from wherever whenever.  You lose both of these things with Solo.  So you're forced to take the Premium option because it's cheaper than Solo + Render node + Render node etc, but then you're paying for premium and the price of premium includes Cosmos and all that Jazz. 

There's no middle ground.  We need a middle option for Floating Licence plus Render Nodes minus Cosmos, Phoenix etc etc.  Call it Solo Plus or whatever you want.

[dj_buckley]

I+ VRay is the flagship product and it will always get more attention: you are paying less for less. Fair deal.

What a tag line, Corona wouldn't have existed at all if this was the case from the start imo

[LukaK]

+ 100 for Toon effect ... not the whole shader, just lines rendering would be more than enough. Visible, invisible, different line-types, line colours etc. Something like FinalToon/Illustrate! or even more simple. Vector output is a plus, but not necessary.
As an architect/interior designer/3D guy this would come sooo handy countless of times. Not just for strict archvis, but also as an addition for shop drawings of furniture for example.

Common guys, this was on Trello board for ages (now removed???) - let's do this! :)

[piotrus3333]

With regards the 'Solo' option - this is the whole point, we would then lose render nodes and floating licence, so it becomes much more expensive than Premium if you want those features back ...

A lot of us indie's have more than one PC that we use for DR or with Pulze etc so the render nodes that we got as part of our monthly subs back in the day are essential.  Also, as an indie, by nature you can work from anywhere, it's great having Corona installed on your main PC, but then having a floating licence so you can also pick up your laptop and go work from wherever whenever.  You lose both of these things with Solo.  So you're forced to take the Premium option because it's cheaper than Solo + Render node + Render node etc, but then you're paying for premium and the price of premium includes Cosmos and all that Jazz. 

There's no middle ground.  We need a middle option for Floating Licence plus Render Nodes minus Cosmos, Phoenix etc etc.  Call it Solo Plus or whatever you want.

Floating licence - you are right - nice thing to have, so: you get some, you loose some. I would consider pricing from Chaos being quite reasonable considering its position within the market. Look at Redshift and Octane (bit cheaper) - priced in relation to Corona exactly the same as Corona is to VRay (VRay being 50% more expensive; sure, both are GPU but GPU is just the right choice for small operations for some years now - licences cost vs hardware scaling-up cost)

And be mindful that those legacy deals with 3 render nodes will not last forever. Nothing does. Just business, nothing personal.

[dj_buckley]

And be mindful that those legacy deals with 3 render nodes will not last forever. Nothing does. Just business, nothing personal.

Appreciate that but if we go back to my original question - this was all part of why a lot of us went with Corona in the first place.  Taking things like that away contirbute to taking away Coronas edge over the competition.  My original question that started the thread was basically "Why am I using Corona these days and not something else?"

I was looking for USP's and so far nobody has been able to give me one really.

I don't know anyone that's happy with paying more for less.  Where else does that happen in the world?  I can't think of anything that I pay for currently that has increased the price and at the same time taken benefits away.  It's akin to my phone service provider telling me the price is going up but at the same time telling me I'll be losing my data limit, but I can buy it back as an addon if I want.  You'd switch providers immediately or I would anyway.

[piotrus3333]

If I remember correctly Corona's subscription started from 20/month. I do not recall the version number but I'm sure you wouldn't trade current Corona for the old one to save 10/month. You are getting more than you used to get. You might not like the things you are getting (Cosmos) but the value is there. Check car prices in Europe from the year Corona introduced subscription model to get some ideas about things getting expensive.

Regarding the USP? It is simply not there for you anymore most likely. But also look around and, if possible, show us a better deal from Chaos' competitors.

[Ink Visual]

Some level of Vantage support is planned for Corona 12

This makes me sad. It sounds like a major undertaking that will consume tons of resources for the foreseeable future, leaving core features behind.

This on the other hand makes ME very happy. I wasn't really expecting Corona Team taking Vantage support too seriously but I am positively surprised some action is taken towards building grounds for it.

To add to the general topic though, in terms of price increase I am mostly unhappy about having to pay for products I never wanted to use or use sporadically (Phoenix, Chaos Player etc).
Only reason I pay for premium is the floating license. Otherwise I am mostly satisfied with Corona Developement.