Google relaunches Zync render service in beta

Google has relaunched specialist VFX-focused online rendering service Zync on its Google Cloud Platform. The rebooted service is currently available in public beta.

Before being acquired by Google in 2014, Zync offered on-demand rendering based on Amazon’s EC2 cloud. Notable partners included VFX facility Atomic Fiction, which used the service on movies like Flight.

Few technical changes, but prices are down
Aside from the switch to Google Cloud Platform, not a lot seems to have changed – technically, at least.

The old Zync website is still live, although Google has also launched Render More, a more mass-market-friendly portal with information about the service.

The main practical change for existing users is that prices are down by around 15%, now starting at $0.72 per machine-hour for a V-Ray job run on a standard eight-core machine.

Google is also offering $300 in free render credits to promote the launch of the beta, along with a further $500 for anyone who fills out an online form and agrees to be sent more information.

Pricing and availability
Zync is available now in public beta. The service currently supports Maya 2014 and 2015, V-Ray 2 and 3, Arnold and Nuke 7 and higher. RenderMan support is due “later this year”. You can see pricing details here.

Read more about Zync on Google’s Render More website
(Includes links to register for the free cloud rendering credits)