Chaos Vantage Animation Guide: Rendering from 3ds Max with V-Ray and Corona

Animations created in 3ds Max can be sent to Chaos Vantage using the relevant V-Ray or Corona tools. According to Chaos documentation, the V-Ray tool is available in V-Ray for 3ds Max 5 Update 2 and later, while the Corona tool is available in Corona for 3ds Max 13 and later. Sequence settings for the transferred animation can be configured in Chaos Vantage, and camera clips and transitions can be edited in Vantage Animation Editor. This guide explains both transfer workflows and the editor’s key controls.

1. Check the version and renderer requirements

First, check that the renderer and the required tool version are supported. The V-Ray tool is called Render animation with Chaos Vantage. The documentation states that it is included with V-Ray for 3ds Max 5 Update 2 and later. On the Corona side, the tool is called Vantage Animation Export and is available in Corona for 3ds Max 13 and later.

The relevant renderer must be selected for either workflow. When using V-Ray or Corona, follow the menu path for that renderer’s tool:

1. For V-Ray, select V-Ray as the renderer in 3ds Max and open Vantage toolbar › Render animation with Chaos Vantage.

2. For Corona, select Corona as the renderer and go to Render Setup › System › Vantage Anim. Export.

3. If the tool is not visible, check the installed version requirement and the selected renderer.

2. Send the scene to Vantage

When the V-Ray tool opens, a window appears for selecting the render camera. This workflow supports VRayPhysical and Max Physical cameras; the camera field cannot be left empty. If you added a camera while the scene was open, click Refresh to update the list of available cameras. After selecting a camera, click Next to open the Common settings window in Chaos Vantage.

Set the sequence parameters in Common settings. The V-Ray tool sends the scene to Chaos Vantage and renders the frames in the specified range to the chosen location; it also starts a Live Link session between 3ds Max and Vantage. For V-Ray transfers, the documentation specifies port 20701 for DR and 20703 for DR2.

In the Corona workflow, clicking Vantage Anim. Export opens the Common settings window in Chaos Vantage. This tool lets Vantage render the animation using data received from 3ds Max over a live connection. Do not apply the V-Ray camera selection, port, or button steps to Corona; the documentation describes some workflow details separately for each renderer. Use Stop Animation Export to stop a Corona transfer and Initiate Live Link to Vantage to stop a V-Ray Live Link session.

3. Edit the camera sequence in Animation Editor

Open or close Animation Editor in Chaos Vantage using the button on the lower toolbar. The editor lets you place cameras on the timeline, reorder or delete clips, add transitions between camera clips, and set pause durations.

1. Drag saved cameras onto the camera track and arrange them in the desired order.

2. Right-click a camera clip and add a transition using Add Transition Before or Add Transition After. When Auto transition is enabled, a transition can be added automatically between the newly added camera and the previous one.

3. Set the interpolation for the transition. Linear provides a constant-speed transition; In/Out Quad starts and ends slowly and moves faster in the middle. In Quad starts slowly and accelerates, while Out Quad starts quickly and gradually slows down.

4. Add a pause item to extend a static camera shot. Set an item’s duration using Set Duration in the right-click menu.

The documentation recommends using Linear interpolation for the transition between cameras to achieve the smoothest camera movement. The default duration for automatic transitions is set under Edit › Preferences › Interaction › Cam transition time.

The editor’s Time and Shot modes display the timeline differently. In Time mode, the width of an item visually reflects its duration. In Shot mode, items have a fixed width that does not represent their actual duration. So, in Shot mode, check an item’s duration or use Set Duration rather than estimating its length from the clip width.

You can use trim markers to limit the start and end points. The time display can be set to seconds, frames, or a combined format. Since changing the FPS preserves the animation’s duration in seconds while changing the frame count, it is useful to check this setting before rendering.

4. Resolution and imported animation

When Force resolution is enabled, you can set a resolution for the animation. Set the width and height in pixels; when Lock aspect is enabled, changing one value updates the other to preserve the aspect ratio. If the cameras have different aspect ratios, consider how this option will affect the entire sequence.

If a .vrscene animation has been imported, the Scene Animation track is populated automatically. This track provides transform animation options for the imported camera, lights, objects, materials, and textures. When Frame interpolation is enabled, values between imported frame times are interpolated; when disabled, the animation preview matches the .vrscene frames.

What changes in an archviz workflow?

Architecture firms and visualization teams can transfer 3ds Max animations to Chaos Vantage through V-Ray or Corona, then edit the camera sequence in Vantage. For presentations with multiple viewpoints, transitions, and static camera shots, Animation Editor’s clip, pause, and trim controls help bring the editing plan together on a single timeline.

Before production, check the renderer and version requirements, the camera type if you’re using V-Ray, and your FPS and resolution settings. The documentation does not specify hardware requirements or licensing costs, so verify compatibility with your current setup and check the licensing terms separately. The steps described for V-Ray and Corona are not identical, so do not directly apply details from one workflow to the other.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting to select the correct renderer before using the relevant tool.

• Using an unsupported camera in the V-Ray workflow or leaving the camera field empty.

• Failing to click Refresh to add a camera to the list after adding it while the tool window is open.

• Assuming clip width represents the actual duration in Shot mode.

• Assuming that changing the FPS changes the animation’s duration in seconds; according to the documentation, the duration is preserved while the frame count changes.

• Applying V-Ray-specific transfer details to the Corona workflow.