Thursday, August 1st, 2024 Posted by Jim Thacker

Chaos releases Enscape 4.1


Chaos has released Enscape 4.1, the new version of its real-time rendering software for architectural visualization.

The release adds AI-based image enhancement system Chaos AI Enhancer, building performance analysis plugin Enscape Impact, and support for Chaos Cloud rendering.

An intuitive real-time renderer for architectural design and CAD software
First released in 2015, Enscape has become one of the key tools in the architectural visualization market, reaching the top ten in the last CGarchitect rendering survey.

The software integrates with CAD and design tools including Rhino and SketchUp, letting users explore large architectural scenes in real time, either on screen or in VR.

Output is ray traced, and can be used for less demanding final-quality rendering, with the option to generate stills, animations, 360-degree panoramas or interactive scenes.

Its developer, also called Enscape, merged with V-Ray developer Chaos in 2022.

Enscape 4.1: Chaos AI Enhancer adds missing details to low-res assets
The main new visual feature in Enscape 4.1 is experimental AI tool Chaos AI Enhancer.

As with some upresing technologies, it uses AI to add visual detail to a rendered image, but it does so solely to Enscape assets, adding detail to the low-poly people and plants from the software’s accompanying asset library.

Chaos told us that processing is done online, with its AI engine processing the viewport render and additional maps “highlighting different areas of the image”.

Processing can currently be done for free, but “will not be free forever”.

We’ve also contacted Chaos for details about the data set on which the AI model was trained, and will update if we hear back.

Artistic Visual Modes apply natural media styles to images
A separate set of Artistic Visual Modes apply visual styles mimicking pen, pencil or watercolor drawings to images, including screenshots, batch renders and video.

Although Chaos included a style transfer feature in Enscape in its recent preview of the AI technologies it has in development, the new feature is not AI-based.

Chaos told us: “We explicitly decided against AI [for the Artistic Visual Modes] as it would neither provide the performance nor the stability to use it in walkthroughs.

“It is not related to the bespoke style transfer functionality [which] will be a post-processing feature related to the new AI Enhancer”.

Better colored shadows, Chaos Cloud rendering and new Enscape Impact plugin
Other new features in Enscape 4.1 include support for colored shadows for artificial light sources as well as sunlight, and to control colored shadows with texture maps.

Enscape users can also now use online rendering service Chaos Cloud.

The asset library gets 122 new vegetation assets, and 10 new people assets.

Outside the core application – and outside of CG work – Enscape now ships with building performance analysis plugin Enscape Impact, currently available in beta.

Pricing and system requirements
Enscape is compatible with Windows 10+ and macOS 12.6+. On Windows, the software now supports AMD and Intel integrated graphics as well as discrete GPUs.

It integrates with Archicad 26+, Rhino 7+, SketchUp 2022+ and Vectorworks 2023+ on Windows and macOS, and also with Revit 2022+ on Windows.

The software is available rental-only. Node-locked licences cost $84.90/month or $562.80/year; floating licences cost $958.80/year.

Read an overview of the new features in Enscape 4.1 on the product website

Read a list of new features in Enscape in the online release notes


Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.