What is the difference between RenderMan for Maya and RenderMan Pro Server?
The main difference is that RenderMan for Maya is a “Maya-centric” workflow that emphasizes deep Maya integration and ease of use over the high degree of customizability and connectivity to the outside world available in RenderMan Pro Server (i.e., you cannot edit RIB files or write custom DSOs). RenderMan for Maya will automatically translate Maya Materials into RenderMan equivalents, and it also renders (in software) particles, hair, fur, and even Paint Effects, all in one render pass. In terms of tools, it is totally self-contained ; you just set up the scene in Maya, select RenderMan as your renderer and go. RenderMan Pro Server provides a workflow for customized production solutions. Together with RenderMan Studio, you can build custom shaders, write your own tools and effects, build large render farms, and generally do anything you like. There is also a graphical shader editor, Slim, and Alfred, a job dispatcher for distributing rendering over networks.
Related Questions
- Can I buy RenderMan Pro Server v14.0 and automatically obtain the new RenderMan Pro Server 15.0 with unlimited threads when it is released in the fall?
- What is the difference between the RenderMan Embedded Renderer and RenderMan Pro Server?
- What versions of Autodesk Maya does RenderMan Pro Server support?
