Autodesk VIZ Render

Autodesk VIZ Render is a model rendering software developed by Autodesk and released on March 2003. The program works in conjunction with Autodesk Architectural Desktop software. It allows designers and model builders to render walls, doors, slabs, and curtain walls, among others. The VIZ Render program supports the DRF file format which stands for Discreet Render Format.

Autodesk VIZ Render user interface mimics the old legacy rendering environments of 3D Studio. The UI features quad menus, layers and toolbars, as well as resizable viewports.  Menu windows can float on the work area or be docked on the window sides. The Command Panel contains two tabs—the Modify and Utility tabs. The Modify tab features several commands including Edit Mesh, Edit Spline, Mesh Select, Map Scaler, Smooth, Subdivide, UVW Adjust, and UVW Map.  The UI offers a Materials Palette offering more than 100 tileable preset maps for different materials. The Materials Editor tab allows users to create and save their own materials presets. The Materials tab also contains the Scratch Palette and Recycled Palette. The program likewise offers a Substitution Manager tool enabling users to replace 2D blocks and objects by 3D furniture blocks. The program also offers a Lighting tool featuring enhanced illumination effect rendering. This feature utilizes Ray-tracing and Radiosity in simulating the illumination of the building. Both Radiosity and Ray-tracing can be customized through the Settings option.