Connection Compatibility Updates - Process and Timings

HDR Light Studio provides plug-in Connections to a wide range of 3D software, including 3ds Max, Maya, Cinema 4D and MODO.

When a new update is released for a supported 3D package, we begin to receive numerous support emails asking when our HDR Light Studio plug-in connection will be updated to support the relevant release. A hot topic from our users recently is the Cinema 4D R20 update.

We appreciate that sometimes you as a customer are frustrated that HDR Light Studio do not have a ready-made update or definitive date of release for a particular connection – we are too. Therefore, we thought it would be helpful to explain why we are unable to release updated plug-in connections as quickly as some customers would like.

Our plug-ins are dependent on working with both the main 3D software and the supported 3^rd party renderers. Therefore, we need to wait until enough renderer plug-ins have also been updated and released for us to work with. The HDR Light Studio plug-in is then rebuilt and put through rigorous testing against the new software combinations, which includes fixing any bugs before we are happy enough to release it to our users.

We cannot do this at the beta stage of either the 3D software or renderers because too many things change and update on a regular basis for this to be a viable option. If we did, the job of our development team would be incredibly difficult and repetitive in order to chase this moving target.

Other factors which cause delays are that our plug-in compatibility work is happening within our broader schedule of development work on HDR Light Studio. Compatibility updates generally tie into the next drop of HDR Light Studio software – where we release new features and updated plug-ins, in order to make HDR Light Studio the best lighting software possible for you, our valued users.

We appreciate our users have deadlines and specific projects which require the latest and greatest version of a particular 3D software package or renderer, and we want you to know that we work tirelessly to provide new and updated connections as quickly as we can. The team here at Lightmap pride ourselves on developing the best updates to our software, rather than average updates that are available immediately without care. Therefore, there will always be a delay between the release date of your new 3D software/renderer and the availability of our updated HDR Light Studio connection plug-in.

Thank you for your patience!