V-Ray Tip: V-Ray and DCC Version Synchronization for Stable Pipelines

Keep V-Ray and your host DCC in lockstep to prevent surprises, unlock performance gains, and ensure pipeline stability.

• Update in sets, not in isolation. Sync these components together:
  • V-Ray plug-in matched to your host’s supported version (3ds Max, Maya, SketchUp, Rhino, Cinema 4D, Houdini).
  • Chaos License Server (use the latest LTS where possible).
  • GPU drivers (prefer NVIDIA Studio drivers for stability with V-Ray GPU/RTX).
  • Chaos Cosmos Browser and V-Ray Material Library.
  • USD/vrscene import/export add-ons used in your pipeline.
• Baseline before you upgrade.
  • Archive a golden test scene (geometry, proxies, textures, LUT/OCIO) and save a reference render in the VFB Render History.
  • Export a .vrscene and package external assets; keep it alongside your project for rollback comparisons.
  • Run VRayBenchmark and note scores to quantify performance changes after the update.
• Pilot, then roll out.
  • Test new versions on a small project or a representative sequence first.
  • Compare new/old renders with VFB A/B and match settings (Color Management, tone mapping, Max Ray Intensity, clamping).
  • Validate denoiser behavior (CPU/NVIDIA/Intel) and render element naming if your comp scripts expect specific AOV IDs.
• Keep your farm identical.
  • All render nodes must run the same V-Ray build, license server, and GPU driver branch to avoid mismatched buckets or LightMix inconsistencies.
  • Pin versions for long-running jobs; store installers so you can roll back if a deadline looms.
  • For Distributed Rendering/Swarm/Chaos Cloud, verify plug-in versions and CUDA/RTX device lists are consistent.
• Mind pipeline integrations.
  • Reinstall or update companion plug-ins (Phoenix, Forest Pack, RailClone, Ornatrix, tyFlow, scatter tools) compiled for your new host/V-Ray combo.
  • Rebuild or re-export proxies if introduced features (material parameters, displacement, velocity channels) changed between versions.
  • Confirm OCIO/ACES configs and LUT paths are still referenced; versioned configs reduce color shifts after upgrades.
• Troubleshoot version drift quickly.
  • If a render changes, first check color mapping, tone mapping/highlight burn, and gamma/display transforms.
  • Fireflies after updating? Revisit Max Ray Intensity, clamp indirect, and HDRI intensity/texture color space (use Raw for non-color data).
  • Clear cached configs and rebuild light caches to eliminate stale settings.

Where to get and manage updates:

• Purchase, renew, or upgrade V-Ray through NOVEDGE for expert guidance on versions that match your host app.
• Track release notes and compatibility matrices on the Chaos documentation site, then confirm availability with NOVEDGE before studio-wide rollouts.

Pro tip: schedule updates at project boundaries. Lock a show to a specific V-Ray/host/driver trio, and only move the baseline once you’ve validated renders, comps, and farm performance. With disciplined versioning and a short pilot cycle, you’ll get the latest features and speed-ups—without the last-minute surprises.

You can find all the V-Ray products on the NOVEDGE web site at this page.