Vray All Versions List Guide
| User Type | Recommended Version | | :--- | :--- | | New learner / student | V-Ray 6 (most tutorials + stable) or latest V-Ray 7 (future-proof) | | Professional archviz | V-Ray 6 or 7 (for Enmesh and Decal) | | VFX / Feature animation | V-Ray 7 (USD & Neural rendering) | | Legacy project maintenance | Exactly the version the project started in (e.g., 3.60.03) | | Maximizing older hardware | V-Ray 5.2 (last version with good Pascal/GTX 10-series support) |
The V-Ray all versions list documents a remarkable journey: from a simple GI renderer to a neural-rendering, cloud-ready, USD-native platform. Whether you are migrating an old scene from V-Ray 1.5 or setting up a new pipeline on V-Ray 7, understanding this timeline ensures you never face a version mismatch or missing feature again.
Always check Chaos’s official documentation for the exact build number and host compatibility before installing.
To create a realistic paper material in V-Ray across various versions (such as V-Ray 5, 6, or the latest V-Ray 7), you generally use a
with specific settings to capture its matte, slightly translucent, and fibrous nature. Core Settings for Standard White Paper
The following settings work as a baseline for almost all modern V-Ray versions: vray all versions list
: Set the color to a light gray/off-white (RGB 180–190). Avoid pure white (255), as it doesn't exist in the real world and can cause "glowing" or unrealistic lighting [14]. Reflection Reflect Color : Dark gray (RGB 30–50). Paper is not highly reflective. Reflection Glossiness
: Low value (0.4 to 0.6) to ensure reflections are very blurry and spread out [14]. Fresnel IOR : Use the standard default (1.5–1.6) or specifically for typical paper [5.2]. Refraction (Translucency) For thin paper (like a book page), use the Translucency (or "2-Sided") feature. Translucency
rollout, select a "Hard" or "Hybrid" model and use a light gray for the Backside Color to allow light to bleed through slightly.
: Use a very fine noise map or a "Paper Fiber" texture at a low intensity (0.01–0.05) to give it a microscopic tactile feel [14]. Version-Specific Implementation V-Ray Version Recommended Method V-Ray 6 & 7 Chaos Cosmos
library to download high-quality, pre-made paper assets [5.5, 17]. This saves time and includes calibrated textures. Utilize the Asset Editor's Material Library | User Type | Recommended Version | |
. There is a dedicated "Paper" category where you can drag and drop presets directly into your scene [5.4]. V-Ray Next / 3.x Manually create a VRay2SidedMtl
. Place your main paper material in the "Front" slot and a slightly darker version in the "Back" slot to simulate light passing through [5.6]. Common IOR Values for Paper-Related Materials Material Type Refraction Index (IOR) Standard Paper 1.500 [5.2] Acetone (Solvent) 1.360 [5.2] Acrylic Glass 1.490 [5.2] For professional results, you can also explore the Chaos Scans Library
which offers over 2,500 photoreal scanned materials, including complex paper types [5.7]. glossy magazine
| Version | Year(s) | Key Innovations | |---------|---------|------------------| | 1.0–1.5 | 2002–2008 | First GI, photon mapping, VRaySun/Sky | | 2.0–2.4 | 2010–2013 | V-Ray RT GPU, VRayCarPaint, VRayFur | | 3.0–3.6 | 2013–2017 | Progressive rendering, denoisers, hybrid CPU+GPU | | 4.x (Next) | 2018–2020 | Scene intelligence, Light Path Expressions, RTX | | 5.x | 2020–2022 | Light Mix, VRayBitmap, Cosmos | | 6.x | 2022–2024 | VRayEnmesh, Chaos Scatter, cloud rendering | | 7.x | 2025–present | AI-assisted rendering, real-time caustics |
Origins (1997–2002) V-Ray was created by Peter Mitev and Vladimir Koylazov in Sofia, Bulgaria. Initially, it was developed as an internal rendering solution for their own projects before being released commercially. Origins (1997–2002) V-Ray was created by Peter Mitev
V-Ray 0.0x – 1.0 (The 3ds Max Era)
If you have been in the 3D visualization game for more than five minutes, you know that V-Ray is the gold standard for photorealistic rendering. But with so many integrations (3ds Max, SketchUp, Rhino, Revit, Maya, Houdini...), keeping track of "which version did what" can feel like a full-time job.
Whether you are troubleshooting a legacy project, trying to figure out if your plugin supports the latest GPU features, or just feeling nostalgic for the days of the "V-Ray 1.5" interface, here is the definitive list of V-Ray versions through the ages.
V-Ray is a biased, globally illuminated rendering engine developed by the Bulgarian company Chaos. It is utilized across various industries, including architectural visualization, visual effects (VFX), automotive design, and gaming. Known for its versatility and high-quality output, V-Ray functions as a plugin for major 3D modeling platforms (3ds Max, Maya, SketchUp, Rhino, Cinema 4D, etc.).
The history of V-Ray is defined by a transition from CPU-based rendering to hybrid GPU rendering, and recently, toward a "Unified" architecture where features and version numbers are synchronized across different host applications.
The current bleeding edge.