| RNP # | Title | Category | Authors | Created | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 017 | Integration of OctaneRender for Blender into the Render Network | Core | Steven Scott, Dino Muhic | 2024-12-02 | Draft |
This proposal outlines the integration of OTOY's OctaneRender for Blender into the Render Network, building upon the foundation established by RNP-014 (Blender Cycles integration). This initiative will provide Blender users with access to OctaneRender's powerful GPU-accelerated rendering capabilities through the Render Network's distributed infrastructure.
OctaneRender is OTOY's industry-leading GPU rendering solution, known for its physically accurate rendering and exceptional performance.
The integration will initially focus on supporting either the Blender Octane Edition, a specialized build of Blender that comes pre-configured with OctaneRender, or the OctaneBlender Addon, a more lightweight plug-in approach, which works directly with the current Blender Integration on the Render Network.
The goal is ensuring optimal stability and performance for artists.
The integration of OctaneRender for Blender aligns with the Render Network's commitment to providing artists with freedom of choice in their creative tools:
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While OctaneRender is OTOY's own product, the Render Network maintains its vendor-neutral position by treating all integrations with equal importance
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This commitment to neutrality is demonstrated through equal support for various render engines (Cycles, OctaneRender, Redshift), ensuring artists can choose the best tool for their specific needs regardless of vendor
OctaneRender brings additional capabilities to the Blender ecosystem:
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Advanced GPU-accelerated rendering
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Physically accurate materials and lighting
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Real-time viewport performance
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Established production pipeline integration
This integration builds upon several strategic initiatives:
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Follows the successful integration of Blender Cycles (RNP-014)
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Leverages OTOY's expertise with both OctaneRender and the Render Network
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Reinforces OTOY's commitment to the Blender ecosystem, following their backing of the Blender Development Fund
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Primary beneficiaries of the integration
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Will participate in beta testing and feature prioritization
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Includes both existing OctaneRender users and potential new adopters
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Responsible for technical integration
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Will maintain both Cycles and OctaneRender support
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Focus on optimizing performance and stability
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Provides technical expertise on OctaneRender integration
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Ensures alignment with OctaneRender development roadmap
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Coordinates version compatibility
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Creates documentation for the new integration
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Provides support for artists transitioning to OctaneRender
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Develops educational resources
The implementation of the Blender Octane integration is planned for the first half of 2025.
The implementation will evaluate the support of both the Blender Octane Edition and the OctaneBlender Addon approaches:
A. Blender Octane Edition
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Pre-configured Blender build with integrated OctaneRender
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Known for stability in production environments
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Simplified deployment and version management
B. OctaneBlender Addon
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Plugin-based integration with standard Blender
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Flexible deployment options
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Potential for simplified version management
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Evaluate both approaches during development phase
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Test performance and stability metrics
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Make final implementation decision based on:
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Technical feasibility
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Performance benchmarks
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Artist feedback
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Maintenance considerations
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The integration will follow a structured process to ensure a smooth rollout and high-quality user
experience. The key stages are:
1. Local Development and Testing: The Render Network developer team will work on integrating Octane for Blender on their local development machines, conducting thorough testing and debugging to ensure compatibility and stability.
2. Developer Machines on Staging: After the local development and testing phase, the integration will be deployed to the staging environment using the developers' machines. This allows the team to test the integration in an environment that closely mimics the production setup, but with the familiarity of their own development machines.
3. Dedicated Staging Machines: Once the integration has been thoroughly tested on the developers' machines in the staging environment, it will be deployed to dedicated staging machines. This step ensures that the integration functions as expected on machines specifically configured for the staging environment, further validating its readiness for production.
4. Closed Beta Release: After extensive internal testing, the integration will be rolled out to a select group of closed beta testers. These will be artists from the Blender community who have experience with OctaneRender and are willing to provide valuable feedback on the integration. The closed beta phase will help identify and address any remaining issues before a wider public release.
5. Documentation Preparation: During the closed beta phase, the Render Network's Client Success team will work closely with the beta testers to gather insights and create comprehensive documentation. This documentation will cover topics such as scene optimization, scene preparation, network usage, and troubleshooting, ensuring that users have the necessary resources to make the most of the Octane Blender integration.
6. Public Beta Release: Based on the feedback and improvements from the closed beta phase, the Octane Blender integration will be made available as a public beta. This phase will allow a broader audience of Blender users to test the integration and provide feedback, helping to identify any remaining issues or areas for improvement.
7. Monitoring and Refinement: Throughout the public beta phase, the Render Network team will closely monitor error rates, support cases, and user feedback. This information will be used to refine the integration further, addressing any outstanding issues or implementing requested features.
8. Stable Release: Once the public beta phase has been successful and all major issues have been addressed, the Octane Blender integration will be rolled out as a stable release. This final version will be made available to all Render Network users, providing them with access to the powerful rendering capabilities of the Render Network for their Octane Blender projects.
By following such a structured approach, the Render Network team aims to ensure a seamless integration of Blender Cycles and to leverage feedback and insights from the Blender community.
Building upon the foundation established in RNP-014's Blender integration, the team will leverage existing solutions while addressing OctaneRender-specific requirements:
1. Encryption Solution: The encryption solution implemented for Blender is now in place and only will need minor adjustments to support the new render engine.
2. User Interface: The web application UI for Octane Render jobs already exists and can be used for Octane Blender as well.
4. Outputs and Formats: OctaneRender output formats are now well established on the Render Network and will only require minor adjustments.
5. Version Handling: The existing multi-render version handling mechanisms will be expanded to support multiple versions of both Blender builds and OctaneRender.
6. API Extensions: The Render Network API supports OctaneRender-specific functionality as well as Blender-specific scene settings and will be further refined.
The workflow for artists using Blender with OctaneRender will follow the identical established patterns from the Cycles integration:
1. Mandatory scene preparation steps: Before submitting a scene for rendering, any third-party plugins used in the project will need to be baked into explicit scene data and assets.
2. Scene Data and Asset Packaging: Scenes will be saved as .blend files, including all scene data and assets, for rendering on the Render Network.
3. File Upload: Users will have the option to upload either individual .blend files or compressed .zip archives containing the .blend files for rendering on the Render Network.
4. Render Tiers and Pricing: For GPU rendering, the same render tiers and pricing model as existing integrations will be used.
To ensure optimal performance with OctaneRender workloads, render nodes will require additional preparation:
1. GPU Scaling: The job assigner will use the existing settings for OctaneRender, eventually with some fine tuning (RAM requirements, etc.) for Octane Blender.
2. Node Requirements: The requirements will be identical for all OctaneRender jobs, eventually with some additional requirements for Octane Blender (see above).
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Further increase in DCC and render engine versions to maintain
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Additional complexity in managing two potential integration approaches (Octane Edition vs addon)
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Need for additional Octane Blender support expertise
1. Render Network Wizard Integration:
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Extending the planned Blender wizard (referenced in RNP-014) to support OctaneRender
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Additional scene preparation and validation tools
2. Pipeline Integration:
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Enhanced integration with virtual production workflows
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Support for advanced OctaneRender features in future releases
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Continued alignment with Blender's development roadmap