D5 Render 2.6 is out! What improvements can this latest version bring to architects and designers?

Last week, Dimension 5 Techs released the latest version D5 Render 2.6 with a range of exciting updates for AI, Rendering, Features, Asset Library, and Workflow.

In this post, come with Chip Render and explore all about what’s new in D5 Render 2.6.

D5 Render 2.6 introduces 38 new features and improvements. The major updates include AI Atmosphere Match, AI-generated Material Texture Maps, UV Randomizer, Multimedia Material Transparency, and the intuitive Camera Path Editor.

You can also unleash your creativity with procedurally generated Vines and enjoy seamless integration with 3ds Max through D5 LiveSync.

Moreover, the D5 Team has added 267 items to the D5 Library including new HDRIs, characters, plane fog models, and a curated selection of futuristic assets.

Multimedia Material Transparency

The ‘Video Material’ has evolved into ‘Multimedia Material,’ with the ability to handle both videos and images. You can fine-tune the Transparency option for that perfect translucent effect.

Either with Global Matte to change the overall transparency or pixel-brightness-based Luma Matte for a nuanced fade where darker areas blend smoothly away. This comes in handy when creating transparent LED screens or 3D holograms.

UV Randomizer

If you get tired of dealing with repetitive textures with large UV, D5 Render 2.6 is here to save the day with its ‘UV Randomizer‘ feature. You just switch this option on and watch your textures vary seamlessly, enhancing realism in everything from exterior ground surfaces to water materials.

D5 LiveSync for 3ds Max

Following the launch of D5 LiveSync for SketchUp, D5 Render 2.6 offers you Livesync for 3ds Max. Hit F9 for full-screen mode and view your design brought to life in real time, boosting both the speed and quality of your creation.

With the new Livesync plugin, changes in 3ds Max such as models, lights, and camera movements sync in real time with D5 Render. As a result, there is no need for repetitive imports or manual updates.

Optimized Video Editor

Optimized Video Editor is another significant update, with camera path display and editing. You can simply head to the video panel, pick the clip you want to tweak and click ‘Edit Path‘ to access the camera path editing panel. You will see your camera’s path clearly in the scene with each node ready for you to adjust. The path is updated in real-time.

In addition, you can watch the camera’s movement along the path with the play button and preview the shot in the PiP window. When you finish, hit ‘Done’ to exit.

Camera Movement Templates

D5 Render 2.6 brings you brand new ‘Templates‘, taking the Video Editor to new heights. You can find them on the right side of the video panel, offering a variety of preset camera movements like panning, and dolly in and out.

Do you need a shot that glides forward? Simply select the corresponding template and D5 will seamlessly animate your scene from the existing perspective.

Orbit shots are very simple to create; simply place them and then tweak the pivot, distance, and sweep for a custom fit. It is all about ease of use and effectiveness.

Optimized Section Tool

The section tool in D5 was a hit with architects and designers and is now improved in version 2.6. To accommodate both interior designers who prefer to exclude environmental lighting from interior space and architects focusing on exteriors who need it, D5 Render 2.6 has added an ‘Affected by Light‘ toggle for better control over interior lighting in sectioning.

• Adding Section flip action.
• Sectioning outside (B side) shows more clearly the internal structure and details of the model.
• In addition to choosing a fill color, Fill supports custom map import. Feel free to experiment with any texture you want.
• The maximum number of section tools in one scene has been increased from 3 to 10.

SketchUp Grouped Import

In D5 Render 2.6, SketchUp designers will be pleased to find that the plugin has been updated to support grouped import. You place objects along the path in SketchUp, batch-select them, and click ‘Export’ to export the layers of the group structure. When imported into D5, the imported objects appear in the resource list.

By choosing the ‘Replace‘ button in the top-right corner, you can select all objects inside a group and perform a bulk replacement. You can rotate a single object within the group to ensure that it is correctly orientated as a whole. Repeat this process on other objects.

Additionally, the objects are fully editable. For example, after you switch the trees for a different species, the new set will automatically adopt the existing orientation and scale settings.

Flowing Water Material

A new material template is added in D5 Render 2.6: Flowing Water, which comes with a few presets to apply directly or adjust accordingly. This material can simulate running water like streams, waterfalls, and water walls. You can tailor each template through adjustable parameters.

D5 will generate flowing water animations automatically following its UV direction if your model has a proper texture mapping.

Human Point-of-view Walk Mode

A new navigation method is available: Walk Mode. You can now switch between Orbit, Fly, and Walk in the upper right corner.

You may turn on Walk Mode to bring the camera down to the level of a human eye. Then, you can move around the area in first-person view at a set height, experience collision simulation when encountering barriers, and even climb up and down stairs or slopes.

The prompt box in the lower left corner displays the height and speed information of the current viewport.

AI Atmosphere Match

D5 Team is taking steps further to enhance D5’s AI capabilities. They are also continuously improving the AI model, so expect even more stable and precise results.

A ground-breaking new feature is AI Atmosphere Match, which is designed to swiftly align your scene with a desired vibe. You simply upload a reference image, select the perspective to match, and hit ‘Start Generating’ for an instant transformation.

AI-generated Material Texture Maps

For designers, it is not uncommon to find yourself in need of various maps. Now, thanks to D5’s AI-powered texture map generation, you can effortlessly fill in the gaps.

Fill the base color map slot with your diffuse map. Then, with a simple click of the button in the top-right corner, D5 instantly produces the corresponding normal, roughness, and displacement maps for a complete material set.

Procedurally-generated Vines

Another innovative feature is the procedural generation of vines

You can pick from 6 procedurally generated vines from the library and place them vertically against a model surface. Don’t forget to keep adjusting until the leaf-shaped decal appears on the surface. On the right, click ‘Generate‘ to create a realistic climbing vine effect with customizable parameters and a ‘Random‘ regeneration option.

Local Exposure

In Effect＞Post-processing, D5 Render 2.6 has added:

• Highlight Local Exposure

• Shadow Local Exposure

They allow for more precise adjustments of the local highlight/shadow exposure in the scene. You can increase the Highlight Local Exposure to darken the sky for more details and increase the Shadow Local Exposure to prevent certain areas from being too dark.

Optimized Water Material

Water material has also been improved and editing its base color can now be more noticeably represented.

In the base color section, a new scattering color option is available, which defines the color of the water body beneath the surface. These allow you to have more control over the water material effect.

Cinema 4D Camera Animation Sync

Camera animation sync, which has been introduced to the D5 Sync for C4D plugin, allows you to import camera animations with position keyframe information from C4D to D5.

Importing multiple selected cameras is now also possible.

Custom Sun in Geo&Sky

In Geo and Sky, Custom Sun is added with adjustable Altitude, Azimuth, Sunlight Intensity, and Sun Disk Radius parameters. 

Optimized interaction for Scene List and Advanced Camera

Scene List has been optimized with the integration of an advanced camera.

While you can still click on a scene to revert to the view and update it in the list, in version 2.6, each scene created corresponds to a new camera.

A new camera button activates camera editing mode with one click. Then, set the camera as you like. The aspect ratio and other changes made to the camera are auto-saved. However, when you go for a new perspective, you will need to click the update button to manually save the changes.

After necessary adjustments, exit the camera mode by clicking the camera icon. When you start navigating to edit the scene, the set aspect ratio will be automatically canceled, which can be switched back when you click on the scene to preview it.

Click on a certain scene’s camera icon in the scene list whenever you need the camera viewport. Hit the pin to fix it in the viewport and click fullscreen to maximize the window.

All in all, cameras have been seamlessly integrated into the scene list to make it more robust and convenient to use.

.abc Animation Control

More animation control settings are now available for the imported.abc files.

Unit Display of Light Sources

D5’s artificial light sources now feature calibration with real-world measurement units, namely candela and lumens. They can be interchanged at will to enhance lighting setup precision.

Rect Light Attenuation Intensity

Rect lights now support attenuation intensity, enabling precise control over the light’s reach for a rectangular-shaped light source.

You can effortlessly create rect lights with higher intensity while having a confined area of effect.

Drag&drop Material Maps

In pursuit of a more refined workflow, D5 Render 2.6 remains dedicated to ongoing improvements, which include drag-and-drop maps to the texture slot for easy uploading.

Optimized Render Queue

Render Queue is optimized with more information displayed on thumbnail hover: format, resolution, channel export, video duration, frame rate, and more.

File Compression

You can save the Compressed File option in Preference > General to save storage space for project archives.

New HDRI Library

Finally, the asset library is a primary focus of D5’s ongoing efforts to elevate its services. In D5 Render 2.6, more aspects of the user experience are enhanced, including a new HDRI library.

The new HDRI Library is where you can search for, select, and directly apply an HDRI.

Optimized Search Feature

The search bar is updated with an optimized UI to provide you with a better search experience. To switch between libraries, use the ‘Tab’ button.

Fuzzy search is also available. As a result, when you enter text into the search box, it intelligently suggests related assets or tags, simplifying the search process.

Optimized Library Asset Classification, Order, and Filter

The user interface for the primary and secondary menu expansion has been improved to provide a clear visual distinction between categories. In this 2.6 version, when a new category is expanded, a previous one will auto-collapse.

With new order features, you can now sort the assets by name, latest, and free first.

Favorite is also added to the asset filter.

That is a wrap-up of significant new features and enhancements in D5 Render 2.6. It is an amazing update, giving architects and designers more possibilities, especially for AI.

Check out a full list of all updates in D5 Render 2.6 here.