Feature Comparison

There are two versions of the nXt Renderer for SketchUp:

  • IRender nXt - the full feature version with everything you need for high-quality renderings.
  • ArielVision - a lower cost renderer with an easy to use user interface.

This is a Comparison Chart showings the features of ArielVision and IRender nXt.

Both Products use the same nXt rendering engine, and process textures, lights, transparency and reflections.

However, IRender nXt contains quite a number of advanced features.

Click on any Feature Name for additional information on that feature.

Comparison Chart

Both products   ArielVision     IRender nXt   
Antialiasing - High quality images   Yes   Yes 
Auto Reflection - Automatic reflection for metal, plastic, tile and wood.   Yes   Yes 
Automatic Bump Maps - 3D lighting effects from 2D surfaces.   Yes   Yes 
Background Image - Place image behind rendered geometry.   Yes   Yes 
Remote Rendering - Render in a separate process so you can continue to use SketchUp.   Yes   Yes

 

Foreground Image - Place image or watermark in front of rendered geometry.   Yes   Yes

 

Fully integrated into SketchUp - All Rendering settings saved with SketchUp model.   Yes   Yes 
HDRi Skies - Lighting, reflections or visibility from special image files.   Yes   Yes 
High Resolution images - Increased image size for high-quality images..   Yes   Yes

 

Indirect Lighting - Improved renderings with effects of reflected light.   Yes   Yes 
IRender Ready Content - Preconfigured components in 3D Warehouse.   Yes   Yes

 

Lamps and Light Fixtures - Premade components for point, spot and ceiling lights.   Yes   Yes

 

Lighting Presets - Quick settings for typical environments.   Yes   Yes

 

Reflections and Mirrors - Define reflection for any surface.   Yes   Yes

 

Render directly from SketchUp - One click rendering.   Yes   Yes

 '

Resume Rendering - Add additional passes after rendering is complete.   Yes   Yes '
RpTreeMaker - Fractal 3D trees.   Yes   Yes 
Save Rendered Image Wizard - Makes it easy to save your rendered images.   Yes   Yes 
SketchUp Components - Render groups and components.   Yes   Yes 
SketchUp Materials - Textures, transparency and colors from SketchUp materials.   Yes   Yes 
Sun and Shadows - Use SketchUp sun position and settings.   Yes   Yes 
Transparency - Use SketchUp transparency settings.   Yes   Yes 
Two Point Perspective - Keep vertical lines parallel while panning the view.   Yes   Yes 
Visible Light Paths - Spot Lights which shine as if in a haze.   Yes   Yes 
IRender nXt only   ArielVision     IRender nXt   
Advanced Reflection Properties - Glossy, Fresnel, etc.      Yes

 

Animation - Fully rendered movies.      Yes 
Arroway Textures - Fully rendered movies.      Yes 
nXtRender Batch - Render later, or from a remote machine.      Yes 
Caustics - Realistic transparency for glass.      Yes 
Clay Rendering - Create monochrome renderings of model.      Yes 
Daylight Portals - fast processing of exterior lighting.      Yes

 

Depth of Field - Focus and Blur.      Yes 
Edge Highlighting - Enhance detail by rendering SketchUp edges.      Yes 
Ground Cover - Fractal, 3D plants for ground cover      Yes 
Laptop Seat - Free second seat for your laptop.      Yes

 

Light Balancer - Adjust intensity of lights after rendering.      Yes 
Material Channels - Adjust color or materials after rendering.      Yes 
Material Wizard - Advanced features - Multiple Properties per material.      Yes

 

Material Wizard - Define properties for materials.      Yes 
nXt Material Library - Predefined materials.      Yes

 

nXt Plant Library - More than 500 predefined plants.      Yes

 

Object Properties - Diffuse lighting, Daylight, Caustics.      Yes 
Procedural Bump Maps - marble, wrinkle, bumps, etc.      Yes 
Real Time Haze - Post processing for Haze and Fog effects.      Yes 
Rendering Editor - Set options and edit materials from rendering window.      Yes 
RPC Objects - High quality 3D objects.      Yes 
Section Planes - ability to section off part of the model.      Yes 
Self Glow - Illuminate a material without making it a light      Yes 
Watermarks - Add logos, foreground images or textured masks to the rendering.      Yes