[jvanmetre]

Just going through this new service...my initial reaction is that it's very impressive...service, material library, vegetation library. Very cool!

In case you missed the link... www.felixrender.com

[gadzooks]

I have seen them before, but are they a render farm that uses maxwell? Or is it a completely new rendering engine?

[jvanmetre]

Basically, you upload your model data to Felix and select materials and or vegetation from an online library...it uses a minimum of 40 cores to process a scene, up to 160 cores per scene. I believe it uses Maxwell exclusively and it appears you do not need to own MW to use it. You get unlimited storage...you can opt to share 3d data from your scene with others...

Are they a render farm? I guess. Is it more cost effective than a render farm? I don't know.

[Fernando Tella]

Some more questions for Daros: Could I export from 3dsmax to Felix an already textured scene with materials applied (Maxwell materials, of course) while keeping all the settings or at least the materials?

Test renders are charged too, right? Could I test render with my CPU and launch finals to Felix's farm?

From the examples provided at the website it doesn't look expensive at all; could I see an extensive chart of prices with some examples?

Will you upgrade to MW2?

What about resuming renders (for saving money, cause time is ridiculous)?

Maybe I could say goodbye to this feeling that my computer is never fast enough.



Thanks

[jvanmetre]

It's not clear what the cost is for individuals to incorporate a workflow around the service -- personally, if it works as advertised, I would love to see
it eventually move to a subscription based fee.

[daros]

Hi jvanmetre, Fernando Tella and gadzooks.

x gadzooks Felix uses exclusively Maxwell Render as rendering engine. Actually it is still running MR 1.7 but tonight Felix will be upgraded to 2.03. There is also an other important update coming tonight which is the collaborative object library.

x jvanmetre, Fernando Tella
Unfortunately you cannot import textured 3D files from Max and you cannot make any kind of rendering using your local machine.
Felix needs an highly integrated environment. That's why you need to uses Felix's online material editor, use his mapping tools, and import your textures one by one.
However this small effort will give huge advantages: 100% non destructive workflow, 100% hardware independent performance, and the collaborative libraries for Textures, Materials, and, with tonight's upgrade, for Objects.
Here is an older video of the beta version of object library.
http://updown.stack-studios.com/felix/v ... ects01.mov
In the same way you will be able to add trees, lighting fixtures and everything else.
As you see Felix is partially evolving in something like a content management system for 3D visualization.

[Fernando Tella]

Thanks for the information Daros.

So we import just models in obj format; uv mapping is not taken in account.

What about multilight? Can we manipulate mxi files after render?

I read unlimited storage; you mean forever? I can store my jobs in your servers and retrieve them whenever I want? I guess that works only for files generated by Felix, right?

It looks great!

[Bubbaloo]

Yes, what is the delivered product? An image file, mxi, or how about an mxs? And do textures that get uploaded get shared automatically with everyone? What about copyrighted textures?

[gadzooks]

This looks amazing but a few more question
1. Im a little unclear as to the credits? What does a 100 credits get me or even a thousand credits? Is it a month's worth of felix render, is it a year's worth, or just one render job?
2. If i purchase say 100 credits, and let's say it's a months worth, can i render as many jobs as i can or am i limited.
3. Most render farms charge bye either render time or processor usage. With Felix render a 75 hr render will cost the same as a 5min render?
4. I assume that any 3d Application that Maxwell supports, Felix will too. I use Modo.
5. Like Fernando asked Uv's are not imported. I ask this again because Modo uses UV sets ALOT.
Sorry for basic question's but like i say this LOOKS Amazing and i really would like to use this service.
Gadzooks

[RonB]

Yes, This looks very good. But, I do not see any where to register.
I wrote them, but no reply as of yet...

RonB

[Fernando Tella]

Try to purchase some credits, you'll find how.

[daros]

Hi to all,
first of all sorry if today we are not very fast answering you your questions. We are completing the translation of all MR 1.7 materials to MR 2.03. 80% of materials are already translated.

x gadzooks

1. Im a little unclear as to the credits? What does a 100 credits get me or even a thousand credits? Is it a month's worth of felix render, is it a year's worth, or just one render job?

All credits you buy are available for two years. That means that if you buy 100 credits today you have two years to use them.


2. If i purchase say 100 credits, and let's say it's a months worth, can i render as many jobs as i can or am i limited.


3. Most render farms charge bye either render time or processor usage. With Felix render a 75 hr render will cost the same as a 5min render?

With Felix you don't pay for render time. You pay for rendering resolution, SL and amount of dedicated cores. The minimum amount of cores per render are 40 and the maximum 320. By reducing cost to this factors it is much easier for the user to estimate the overall production costs. Even more Felix tell you the cost in credits of each rendering.


4. I assume that any 3d Application that Maxwell supports, Felix will too. I use Modo.

You should be able to import files from Modo in to Felix via lwo format without any troubles.


5. Like Fernando asked Uv's are not imported. I ask this again because Modo uses UV sets ALOT.

Uv will be imported correctly soon. It has the highest priority for us during the next two weeks.

[daros]

Hi bubbalo!
Felix is delivering momentarily lossless PNG files.
All content you upload in to Felix has three sharing levels which you define or re-define at any moment.

Private: visible only to the owner.
Protected: visible to all users inside of your office
Public: Visible to all Felix users worldwide.

Obviously we recommend to not share any copyrighted content.

[softroom]

I have to say I'm very attracted to the prospect of such speedy, high quality output, but the workflow issues would rule out using this service in a design studio environment like mine. We model in Rhino, where the excellent MW plug in allows us to do all our texturing and lighting then hit render. Wouldn't want to go through the process of modelling, then outputting a 3D file to texture and light elsewhere - it just isn't practical in a collaborative environment, where you're having to produce many iterations of a model as a design develops - you'd presumably have to retexture each time, or be swapping chinks of model in and out - a real bore I remember from my days using ElectricImage Universe...

Looks like someone's missing a trick here whereby you have the option to render with RS0, RS1 or Felix at the hit of a button.

What's concerning me a little more here is that some of the most impressive renders in the Maxwell manual appear to have actually been produced using Felix - eg, Apple Store, Zaha Hadid Louvre Islamic Gallery. Have we been sold a vision that Maxwell in its desktop variant can never hope to achieve within any realistic timeframe?

Or am I missing something?

[gadzooks]

Thanks Daros for answering my questions. Gadzooks