[SS_RS]

Hi,

I've started using Maxwell for Sketchup with a standalone license. I'm really impressed with the easy of use - I use "high end" software, Revit, 3Ds Max Vray etc - The workflow modelling/turnover for getting great result is really fast UNTIL it's time to render, which can be quite slow.

Does anyone know of an online Render Farm that is providing support of SketchUp file using Maxwell Render for SketchUp? I've used Maxwell Studio, but I'm not going to buy it for this.

In summary, is there a render farm with Maxwell for SketchUp standalone license support?

(first post)
Thanks

[JDHill]

It's not possible, as this version is only licensed for standalone use, running from within SketchUp.

[SS_RS]

It's not possible, as this version is only licensed for standalone use, running from within SketchUp.

Theoretically a company could offer to upload the Sketchup model if they had Studio and do the hard work for you?

[JDHill]

There may be some confusion here; Studio does not enter into the question, as it's not involved in any type of network/farm/etc rendering.

In order to render a SKP file using the plugin, you need to have SketchUp, the license for which should be much more expensive, than for a Maxwell Render Node. You would also need a technician to (manually) start the rendering, and stop & save the result when it's done.

There is then the fact that rendering from within SketchUp can never be quite as fast as rendering directly, since SketchUp itself requires some machine resources. Furthermore, Maxwell Render (the application, whether running with GUI or as a node) itself contains many features essential to the successful implementation of a render farm, the most important being Maxwell's ability to split rendering of a given scene among several machines, and then combine the results into one output.

So, I'd say, you should probably not expect to find any farm offering this. For customers whose professional level is in this range (i.e. of needing to put out enough work to justify using a farm), the product offered is Maxwell Render Suite, and the workflow is to produce MXS files with a plugin, and send them to a farm for rendering.

[SS_RS]

Thanks, yeah I understand all the technical side of things you are mentioning. I should have been clearer with the use of the words "render farm", more like "someone that has a render farm who'd sell their time to render from SketchUp". All someone would need is SU Make and a Maxwell Standalone license a very high spec PC(s) and off you go... I don't think that just because an office needs a high spec imagine that instantly justifies the full suite package. We mostly do full design in Revit but sometimes a client needs beautiful render for marketing. I'd rather get paid for that and have my Mac running for 30hrs.

That said, something Next Limit could think about is providing a way of sending to an online service for fast rendering. I sure there would be plenty of Maxwell for SU Standalone users that would pay for that service. I would.

[JDHill]

But -- SketchUp Make cannot be used for commercial purposes.

[SS_RS]

And best of luck to them with that one...

But wanting a nice image doesn't automatically (or legally) imply commercial use from Next Limit's position. I do think having an opinion to give Next Limit some money for a cloud rendering option within the SketchUp Maxwell plugin is a very good idea. Let's face it, people will use a pirated copy of suite if they really want to. I was very happy to pay for the Standalone. It is easily the best option I have seen on the market assembling a nice image, up until you hit the Fire button. And this is from someone that is comfortable with Max, Rhino (using Vray) and Revit.

With a great product like this, the easier you make it for people, the more people will use it (and the less people will pirate your software).

[JDHill]

I am sure that a cloud solution accessed directly from the plugin could be quite interesting.

[SS_RS]

I am sure that a cloud solution accessed directly from the plugin could be quite interesting.

I'm sure with the right price point this would be very successful. It could either be included with the license or via a purchased credit system. Example: within the setting for cloud rendering it could calculate required time to SL X and charge based on that. Revit has something similar for its environmental analysis tools that are included in the license. It's a smart move because it can't be accessed by cracked software.

People will always find a way to crack a piece of software, but cloud extras like this cannot be cracked because they require licensed software. With something like Maxwell for Sketchup Standalone this is perfect because the cost of the license is so low - compared to Vray for example - and the interface so simple that this would really drive uptake.

I'm selling this hard because it would be really useful to me