During the first in a series of planned
“Unboxed” events, visualization technology leader
Chaos offered the first look at its upcoming
2024 roadmap, including new products, tools, and an ongoing commitment to unify the entire Chaos ecosystem. The event also highlighted the software maker’s first foray into AI tools through a trio of new features, as well as the first look at an all-new visual storytelling product for 3D assembly and animation.
“Visualization technology is no longer limited to specialists,” said Christian Lang, CEO at Chaos. “Any designer, architect or computer graphics artist benefits from visualization technology to create and communicate their best designs. Our mission is to continue this democratization by simplifying creative workflows."
Chaos AI Lab: AI-Powered Tools
In the first half of 2024, Chaos will introduce three original AI-powered tools developed by the new Chaos AI Lab — with more to come. Chaos users with the
Chaos Cosmos browser will soon have access to the groundbreaking new “Text to PBR Materials” tool, giving artists the ability to create new PBR materials simply by describing them. Those materials can then be further refined by adding specific details, such as metallic sheen, scratches, logos, and much more. Once complete, the materials can be used in any project that can access Cosmos, including
Enscape,
V-Ray, and more.
The popular e-commerce platform
Cylindo is also set to receive an AI infusion through its upcoming “Instant Lifestyle Images” tool. Users will be able to create stunning product visuals, while using natural language prompts for composition control.
Enscape's AI upgrade will include a new feature that will offer hard-drawn aesthetics that can be stylized in real time, allowing for greater artistic flexibility.
Additional information on each new feature, including specific release dates, will be announced in the coming months.
A New Visual Storytelling Solution
Later in 2024, Chaos will release an intuitive new storytelling product designed to help streamline 3D assembly and animation projects. Currently under development under the codename “Project Eclipse,” the new tool will seamlessly integrate 3D scenes from any Enscape or V-Ray project using a noiseless path-tracing renderer, making it ideal for creating digital scenes for architects, virtual production and any visualization specialists.
The visual storytelling product will allow users to easily add assets with a smart drag-and-drop toolset, enhance materials using advanced PBR editing and even include scatter vegetation. Scenes can then be presented as views, panoramas and animations. Additional AI tools will also help further speed up the creation process.
“This new storytelling solution will work across all the products Chaos supports, ensuring a rapid start and no dead ends,” said Phillip Miller, VP Product, Solutions for Artists. “This is a powerful new tool that will help architects and visualization specialists to rapidly enhance scenes, explore design variations, animate possibilities and even orchestrate crowds and traffic — all at an unprecedented speed.”
Additional details will be revealed later this year.
Building Sustainability: Building Performance Module for Enscape
For architects and visualization experts looking to enhance the sustainability of their creations, Enscape is preparing to release a new module that will offer users a look at the energy efficiency of a building as it is being designed, in real time.
By integrating the building information modeling (BIM) models with performance analysis and visualization, users can receive updates in real time while making modifications, giving the designers a better understanding of how to optimize things like natural light and space, all without sacrificing occupancy comfort or aesthetics.
The new module will roll out later this year.
Additional Announcements
Chaos Cosmos will receive full integration into Enscape, support for animated assets and additional asset management capabilities.
Cylindo will launch customer portals to give external agencies the ability to give their clients rendering services.
Vantage will soon offer a faster path to LED walls via Vantage on Virtual Stage, offering an end-to-end solution, from pre-production to post-production, in a single toolkit.
V-Ray for Blender is back in active development and will have an official release later this year.
Enscape will soon seamlessly connect to the new visual storytelling product and Chaos Cloud.
During the event, Chaos also renewed its pledge to continue to unify the Chaos ecosystem to allow users of any Chaos product to seamlessly take advantage of other Chaos tools. Work on this is already underway and can be seen in recent product updates, including last year’s
Enscape to V-Ray Bridge.
The complete “Chaos Unboxed” event recording can be found
here. Additional “Chaos Unboxed” events are being planned all over the globe. To see if your city is on the list, please visit the
Chaos Unboxed page.