Apr 22, 20224 min read

How 3ds Max works better and faster with D5 Render for animation

Updated: May 11, 2022

---An interview with Vast Design Lab

Key Words

D5 Render     3Ds Max       Banquet Hall & Wedding Design      Showreel

Last year we started an event on D5 Forum to call on our users to look back on the year 2021 and make a D5 showreel. This video came into sight on the last day of 2021 and we have to say, that was a magnificent curtain call of the year.

As you can see in the video, D5 was applied for a real project the first time Vast used the software. They went from zero to hero in only 9 months, covering projects of all kinds. We've invited them to do this user's interview and tell us more about their 2021 with D5.

▲Vast Design Lab & gifts from D5

Vast Design Lab is a studio specialized in banquet hall design and rendering. Their usual workflow is 3Ds Max + D5 Render.

As the name suggests, Vast is always seeking to explore the unknown, break the boundaries, and create a limitless world of freedom and imagination.

Overcoming what held us back thanks to D5

Q: We noticed the whole studio all shifted to D5 in the last year, and why is that?

A: We have been using 3Ds Max, and video output is a bottleneck. Due to the lack of animation, we’ve lost many good deals and projects over the years. Back then we had a project of wedding hall, and the clients demanded that we provide a video. To save this deal and open up the market, we couldn’t say no. Determined to turn the tables, we forced ourselves into changing and learning new things. Luckily for us, we found D5.

Q: Was it hard to start learning D5 from scratch?

A: No, not at all.

One of our colleagues started using it first, and taught us for about a few minutes, showing some basic features and operations. Then off we went. Every one of us was all using D5. Compared to our previous workflow, learning D5 is a piece of cake. Since we were working to meet the deadline, the first time we used D5, we used it for business projects. After one or two cases, we found ourselves pretty familiar with this software. With minimum efforts, D5 gives us maximum output.

A Year with D5 - 2021

Q: You have some amazing works rendered with D5, please share a few with us.

A: I like to integrate traditional culture into my work. We were assigned a banquet hall for a baby. The mom wanted it designed in a unique way, so we got the idea from paper-cutting, combining it with European style patterns and magic elements.

We used keyframe animation at the beginning to simulate flipping through paper-cutting, and that was interesting.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

This one is rendered with D5 2.0. The new version was just released, so we couldn't wait to try it. In this video, we covered a lot of new features and assets: wind effect, butterfly, firefiles, changing Depth of Field, and camera movement.

Q: In the showreel, we can see you've come a long way since your first D5 rendering. Do you have any suggestions on adjusting the crystal materials? since they are significant in wedding design.

A: Experience and skills come from practice. Practice really makes perfect.

For crystal adjustment, after so many tests, we found the best and efficient way is to randomly choose a face of the model and give it an emissive material. We used to deal with it in D5, but the lighting was not visible enough. That's why we tend to get all the crystal materials ready in Max in advance.

Q: You've shared your opinions on each major update, so how's D5 2.1?

A: Stage Light is superb. It helps us a lot. With stage light, you can feel the scene is more stereoscopic and atmospheric. A lot of our clients were inquiring whether we could add light effect to the stage, to which I replied No. Who knows D5 would make it possible within such a short time. It is a must for us working on wedding and banquet hall design.

Now in version 2.2, another widget is added - Projector.

The rectangle projection supports .jpg, .png, .bmp, .mp4, .avi, and .wmv file formats, and work perfectly with Fog effect.

Q: For your industry, what is D5's biggest strength compared with other renderers?

A: Speed. It renders so fast and that speed is exactly what we need. Our cases can't wait. We usually have only 2 days or even one day for a project, and long-time rendering is a luxury. With Vray, we ran on two computers at the same time, one for rendering, another for designing the next project. We left the computers on even when we were off work. Now that is not necessary. Everytime clients come to ask how everything is going, we can even start the work and hit render button right away, and it won't take long before we can reply with a rendering. (btw sometimes even a screenshot from D5 also do)

We are Someone Special doing Something Cool

Q: You have published so many works, and they are quite different in styles. Where do you get all these ideas?

A: I personally lay great emphasis on aesthetic aspect because that determines how far you can get in design.

You need to think outside the box. Go out there and see things you don't often see in work or daily life. We love going to the exhibition. After all, art in all forms is helpful to us.

When we see a nice design or a beautiful photo, we would, of course, save it to our collection.

For designers, I think the environment affects them a lot. All work and no change makes Jack a dull boy. That's why I regularly rearrange the settings and decorations in the studio.