Download the free edition of RenderMan 24
Pixar’s launch trailer for RenderMan 24. The free Non-Commercial edition of the renderer is available now, and includes most of the features from the commercial edition, except Stylized Looks and RenderMan XPU.
Pixar has released the free Non-Commercial edition of RenderMan 24, the latest version of the renderer.
The new release includes many of the new features from RenderMan 24 itself, including the Lama layered materials system, but not Stylized Looks or RenderMan XPU, Pixar’s new hybrid CPU/GPU rendering system.
A free licence of RenderMan for non-commercial work and tools development
As with previous versions of Non-Commercial RenderMan, the new release can be used for personal projects, research, and tools development, including the development of commercial plugins and assets.
Output isn’t watermarked, although Pixar stipulates that users should add its ‘rendered with RenderMan’ logo to the credits of any project released publicly.
It also includes many of the key features from the commercial edition, including Lama, RenderMan’s layered materials system, developed in-house at Industrial Light & Magic.
However, for the first time that we can recall, the two editions aren’t completely feature-identical, since Non-Commercial RenderMan 24 doesn’t include Stylized Looks or RenderMan XPU.
According to Pixar, Stylized Looks – a “super-customisable” new system for creating stylised render effects – is not available due to toolset being a partnership with third-party developer Lollipop Shaders.
RenderMan XPU, Pixar’s new hybrid CPU/GPU rendering system, is available to test, but only on request.
According to Pixar’s online FAQs: “To try out XPU you will have to request an official evaluation from RenderMan Sales. Because of the high interest in XPU, we will be prioritizing larger commercial studios first.”
System requirements
Non-Commercial RenderMan 24 is available for Windows 10, CentOS/RHEL 7.2+ Linux and macOS 10.13+. Integration plugins are available for Blender 2.83/2.92, Houdini 17.5+, Katana 3.1 and Maya 2019+.
To download it, you will need to register for a free account on Pixar’s forum, which entitles you to two node-locked licences. The licence times out after 120 days, after which you have to renew.
Read Pixar’s online FAQs about RenderMan 24 and the Non-Commercial edition
Download the free Non-Commercial edition of RenderMan 24
(Registration required)
Homepage image: A still from Pixar’s Luca, used in the marketing material for RenderMan 24.