Limitless and ArtVPS, the makers of Shaderlight for SketchUp, are pleased to announce that the award-winning Shaderlight Cloud Rendering is now available! The Shaderlight Cloud is the first, and only, SketchUp rendering plug-in to use the power of the cloud to deliver high quality photorealistic renderings fast without tying up your desktop. If you are not yet a Shaderlight user, there is a 14 day free trial available to test it out.

A frame from a Shaderlight Cloud Rendering animation, courtesy of Shaderlight (please click for full 720p image).

We have been in beta testing for a while with some great SketchUp users before going live. Landscape architect Daniel Tal was one of our testers and noted that the cloud reduces animation render times, “The system is also ideal for rendering animations – putting them in reach for most companies and SketchUp users. Using the Shaderlight Cloud Rendering service allows designers to generate beautiful rendered animations clearly articulating design themes and ideas.” Eric Schimelpfenig, specialist in 3D solutions for kitchen and bathrooms and founder of Sketchthis.net, observed that the addition of cloud rendering to Shaderlight is a big speed improvement. In his own words: “This new version of Shaderlight takes your ordinary machine and straps a rocket pack to it. Renders have never looked so good, so fast.”

How does it work?

1. Install Shaderlight 2.2.
   • Shaderlight Cloud Rendering is included with Shaderlight 2.2.
2. Prepare and Render.
   • Select render settings in Shaderlight (scene or animation).
   • Pricing is upfront and will be displayed based on your settings.
   • When ready, select Plug-ins in SketchUp -> Shaderlight Cloud -> Render Scene or Animation.
3. Download.
   • Check progress in your account.
   • Receive a notification email when render finishes.
   • Download render in your account.

How Much Does it Cost?
Shaderlight Cloud Rendering works on a credit system where 1 credit = $9.99 with discounts for credit packs. What does 1 credit get you? For example, one scene up to 1920 x 1080p or 15 frames of animation at 480p.
The upfront price will be displayed in the plug-in, based on the rendering settings you select.

Credits can be purchased in packs with bulk discounts.

Highlights:

• Faster: renders SketchUp animations and scenes faster
• Multiple projects: render scenes and animations simultaneously
• No investment in specialized rendering hardware
• Multiple user management and permissions
• Submit unlimited renders to the cloud
• Upfront pricing starts at $9.99
• Render on the cloud and continue to work locally
• Meet tight deadlines
• Stay on time and budget

If you have more questions about Shaderlight Cloud Rendering, you can visit our FAQ, email us, or
contact our press rep Marilyn Kroner.