The update sports new ray-tracing solutions, post-processing effects, as well as cloud-and-sky rendering.

REDsdk is a C++ graphics visualization toolkit that provides industrial designers, architects, and other CAD professionals with a single multi-faceted rendering API. The REDsdk can be used for real-time 2D, 3D, and VR rendering and simulation.

One of the notable improvements coming to REDsdk 4.3 is cloud rendering (the fluffy white stuff, not the digital kind). This helps make any outdoor rendering look much more realistic, with REDsdk capable of automatically generating cloudy skies based on your prerequisites. This addition also affects indoor renderings, especially when many reflective objects and/or windows are present.

REDsdk 4.3 ships with two different cloud-generating algorithms, one to simulate “true volumetric clouds.” and another for simpler background clouds. Algorithm updates continue with new versions of three ray-tracing solutions:multiple importance sampling; probabilistic light sampling; and adaptive ray-tracing. These serve to help increase the realism and efficiency of lighting simulations.

Designers will also be able to add a bit more shine to their work, with new post-processing features which includes ‘sharpen’, ‘glow’, ‘blur’, and ‘depth of field’ tools, as well as updated color manipulation tools to tweak the brightness, contrast, and light saturation of images. Performance improvements are also hidden under the hood, with enhanced GPU light rendering, as well as a new error tracking feature included.

The REDsdk is available directly from Redway 3D and is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux-based systems. The video below showcases some of the capabilities of REDsdk.

Introduction of REDsdk’s features and design philosophy.