Thanks for checking. I think that's it, the sphere/box primitive takes the material from one of the pointclouds (probably first it finds) then is used again in the second pointclouds even if that one has a different material.
What would be cool too (if possible) if the cycObjectInfo would work with point cloud instances (for example for giving access to a random color per instance).
Cycles for Softimage
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Sycles 2.4.1 V 2.4.1 released August 2026 —
This is a full integration of the Blender Cycles renderer into XSI. Version 2.4 is compiled with Cycles 5.3 (state of July 2026). The second generation of the addon (since 2.0) is a complete rewrite and works with Softimage 2015 SP2.
New since version 2.1.3 (from the github release notes): 2.4.1: fixed incorrect transforms of instances when the master model has rotation or scale, repacked with missing DLLs 2.4: Cycles 5.3. New Alpha parameter for the ImageTexture node, Sky Texture with Single and Multiple Scattering models, Thin Film for Metallic and Glass BSDF, new Raycast and Scene Time nodes, OSL custom camera, Linear 3D curve shape (also as per-object override), Geometry Approximation mode for NURBS surfaces, Render Time pass (CPU), texture optimisation (resolution, limit, tx texture cache) and a detailed scene export timing log 2.4: renders MaterialX shader trees from the MaterialXSI addon (converted to OSL). Note: OSL shading works on CPU render devices only 2.3.x: Cycles 4.5, OSL support is back, new Metallic BSDF and Set Normal nodes, phase function for Scatter Volume, Diffuse Roughness for Principled BSDF, more Noise Texture types, subdivision with motion deform, per-frame texture images, rendering of NURBS surfaces and curves (via custom properties), tile rendering, fixed shadow catcher, vector input ports for OSL shaders 2.2.x: nodes of Blender 4.3 (Ray Portal BSDF, Sheen BSDF, Gabor Texture, redesigned Principled BSDF), current Blender OCIO color profiles, custom velocity grids for VDB primitives, Particle Info node fed by ICE attributes, denoising of the final passes with OIDN or OptiX
Supported Softimage features (quoted from the download page):
Polygon meshes and hair geometry Texture coordinates Vertex colors Shaderball preview. For materials, shader nodes and texture nodes Basic limited support of the following built-in Softimage shader nodes: Phong, Lambert, Hair Shading, Image, converters between vector, color and scalar Ambience global environment light Limited support of built-in Softimage light sources Model instances ICE strands geometry ICE pointcloud instances ICE geometry attributes (vector, color and scalar) with context per-point and per-object Volume rendering. In particular supports emFluid, Explosia FX and openVDB for Softimage volumes Special VDB Primitive for rendering vdbs without ICE Output multilayered exr file with all rendered passes Rendermaps
The following features from Cycles itself are supported: CPU and GPU rendering. In particular multidevices are supported. This allows you to use cpu and gpu simultaneously. The libraries for GPU rendering are included in the package. All Cycles shader nodes OSL shaders OpenColorIO profiles (Blender profile included) All Cycles output passes (Combined, Depth, Normal and so on) Color and value shader AOVs Lightgroups Cycles camera properties, in particular all panorama modes Cycles light sources Denoising by using Open Image Denoise and OptiX denoiser
For more information, full documentation and a list of the available Cycles nodes see the download page linked below. There is no local backup because the addon is still frequently updated - the plugin can be downloaded on Shekn's github releases. The source code is available on github there as well.
This is a full integration of the Blender Cycles renderer into XSI. Version 2.4 is compiled with Cycles 5.3 (state of July 2026). The second generation of the addon (since 2.0) is a complete rewrite and works with Softimage 2015 SP2.
New since version 2.1.3 (from the github release notes): 2.4.1: fixed incorrect transforms of instances when the master model has rotation or scale, repacked with missing DLLs 2.4: Cycles 5.3. New Alpha parameter for the ImageTexture node, Sky Texture with Single and Multiple Scattering models, Thin Film for Metallic and Glass BSDF, new Raycast and Scene Time nodes, OSL custom camera, Linear 3D curve shape (also as per-object override), Geometry Approximation mode for NURBS surfaces, Render Time pass (CPU), texture optimisation (resolution, limit, tx texture cache) and a detailed scene export timing log 2.4: renders MaterialX shader trees from the MaterialXSI addon (converted to OSL). Note: OSL shading works on CPU render devices only 2.3.x: Cycles 4.5, OSL support is back, new Metallic BSDF and Set Normal nodes, phase function for Scatter Volume, Diffuse Roughness for Principled BSDF, more Noise Texture types, subdivision with motion deform, per-frame texture images, rendering of NURBS surfaces and curves (via custom properties), tile rendering, fixed shadow catcher, vector input ports for OSL shaders 2.2.x: nodes of Blender 4.3 (Ray Portal BSDF, Sheen BSDF, Gabor Texture, redesigned Principled BSDF), current Blender OCIO color profiles, custom velocity grids for VDB primitives, Particle Info node fed by ICE attributes, denoising of the final passes with OIDN or OptiX
Supported Softimage features (quoted from the download page):
Polygon meshes and hair geometry Texture coordinates Vertex colors Shaderball preview. For materials, shader nodes and texture nodes Basic limited support of the following built-in Softimage shader nodes: Phong, Lambert, Hair Shading, Image, converters between vector, color and scalar Ambience global environment light Limited support of built-in Softimage light sources Model instances ICE strands geometry ICE pointcloud instances ICE geometry attributes (vector, color and scalar) with context per-point and per-object Volume rendering. In particular supports emFluid, Explosia FX and openVDB for Softimage volumes Special VDB Primitive for rendering vdbs without ICE Output multilayered exr file with all rendered passes Rendermaps
The following features from Cycles itself are supported: CPU and GPU rendering. In particular multidevices are supported. This allows you to use cpu and gpu simultaneously. The libraries for GPU rendering are included in the package. All Cycles shader nodes OSL shaders OpenColorIO profiles (Blender profile included) All Cycles output passes (Combined, Depth, Normal and so on) Color and value shader AOVs Lightgroups Cycles camera properties, in particular all panorama modes Cycles light sources Denoising by using Open Image Denoise and OptiX denoiser
For more information, full documentation and a list of the available Cycles nodes see the download page linked below. There is no local backup because the addon is still frequently updated - the plugin can be downloaded on Shekn's github releases. The source code is available on github there as well.
download page: https://ssoftadd.github.io/syclesSecondGenPage.html / wiki with tutorials / all of Shekn's plugins / author on vimeo / si-community thread
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rray
- Moderator
- Posts: 1810
- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: Cycles for Softimage
softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Next update 1.7.6. Download here: https://ssoftadd.github.io/download/Syc ... 6.xsiaddon
What's new:
1. In previous versions of the addon, the render channel in the quick render view can be chosen in the render setting - "Output" tab - parameter "Show pass". Now the displayed channel can be chosen in the same place as for other renderers: quick render view - Render Channel. So, the tutorial 10 in the manual is no longer actual.
2. Fix random object attribute. This attribute can be chosen in the shader by using the cycObjectInfo node.
3. Fix rendering of particle instances with primitive shapes.
4. Add to pointcloud property the parameter for using in shaders of objects ICE-attributes from source pointcloud.
Next, some pictures with examples of using ICE-attributes for particles.
Picture 1. Here we have one pointcloud with sphere shapes. For setting different colors of spheres we use the Random attribute by using cycObjectInfo node. In this case all spheres are instances of one sphere. Picture 2. In this example we define colors of spheres by using ICE-attribute Color of the pointcloud. So, we need to turn on the parameter "Use Pointcloud Attributes for Instances". In this case each sphere becomes the separate independent object and not instances of one single sphere. So, the render time slightly increases. Picture 3. Here we use the rocket model as instance shape for points in the poincloud. Each rocket contains several subobjects. When we use the Random attribute, the color of an each object is independent from the other, even in the case when objects corresponds to the same rocket model. But in this case all objects are instances of one master object.
What's new:
1. In previous versions of the addon, the render channel in the quick render view can be chosen in the render setting - "Output" tab - parameter "Show pass". Now the displayed channel can be chosen in the same place as for other renderers: quick render view - Render Channel. So, the tutorial 10 in the manual is no longer actual.
2. Fix random object attribute. This attribute can be chosen in the shader by using the cycObjectInfo node.
3. Fix rendering of particle instances with primitive shapes.
4. Add to pointcloud property the parameter for using in shaders of objects ICE-attributes from source pointcloud.
Next, some pictures with examples of using ICE-attributes for particles.
Picture 1. Here we have one pointcloud with sphere shapes. For setting different colors of spheres we use the Random attribute by using cycObjectInfo node. In this case all spheres are instances of one sphere. Picture 2. In this example we define colors of spheres by using ICE-attribute Color of the pointcloud. So, we need to turn on the parameter "Use Pointcloud Attributes for Instances". In this case each sphere becomes the separate independent object and not instances of one single sphere. So, the render time slightly increases. Picture 3. Here we use the rocket model as instance shape for points in the poincloud. Each rocket contains several subobjects. When we use the Random attribute, the color of an each object is independent from the other, even in the case when objects corresponds to the same rocket model. But in this case all objects are instances of one master object.
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Picture 4. Here we would like to use one random color for the whole rocket model (the same color for all subobjects). In this case we should generate random color attribute for particles and transfer it to object shaders. In this example rocket models are not instances.
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xsisoft
- Posts: 152
- Joined: 01 Nov 2018, 10:13
Re: Cycles for Softimage
beautiful !!!
Shekn you are the best !!!
who is happy with cycles & softimage ?!
Shekn you are the best !!!
who is happy with cycles & softimage ?!
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wireframex
- Posts: 425
- Joined: 08 Jun 2009, 21:02
- Location: France
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Me 😊
"without mastery, power is nothing" - Softimage Addict User
CPU 3990x 128 Threads / 2 x 3090 RTX - 24 Go / 96 Go memory
CPU 3990x 128 Threads / 2 x 3090 RTX - 24 Go / 96 Go memory
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rray
- Moderator
- Posts: 1810
- Joined: 26 Sep 2009, 13:51
- Location: Bonn, Germany
Re: Cycles for Softimage
too thanks for implemeting it so quickly and nicely!
thanks for implemeting it so quickly and nicely!softimage resources section updated Sep 26th 2026
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Hirazi Blue
- Administrator
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yashugan
- Posts: 115
- Joined: 30 May 2012, 18:58
Re: Cycles for Softimage
is simply a miracle. Is 2million faster than mental ray, quality is superior in everything. Is GPU, is easy, is cool. What we need more? 2 things:
Sprite material to have ALPHA TEST to use less time with ALPHA BLEND
Fix the normal problem on the mesh. And then....
perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
Sprite material to have ALPHA TEST to use less time with ALPHA BLEND
Fix the normal problem on the mesh. And then....
perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
What you mean by "normal problem on the mesh"? One more bug, or not fixed old bug? May be I forget about something.
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yashugan
- Posts: 115
- Joined: 30 May 2012, 18:58
Re: Cycles for Softimage
APOLOGIZE ME, i checked, the bug is fixed. My fault.Thank you again!
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Excellent. About improvements of rendering process, it is not to me, but to developers of the Cycles. Because I don't touch anything inside render engine. They (developers of the Blender and Cycles) are specialists and know what to do much better.
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yashugan
- Posts: 115
- Joined: 30 May 2012, 18:58
Re: Cycles for Softimage
You right! but can i ask help around? there is a way to combine a shader node to obtain something similar to the SPRITE material of mental ray? Is very useful, for example, if you have to do a forest, and avoid do use alfa blend... render time, transparency etc etc became easyer....
Thank you any way for all, Cycles is my ONLY RENDER, the rest, (REDSHIFT too), is all dead.
Thank you any way for all, Cycles is my ONLY RENDER, the rest, (REDSHIFT too), is all dead.
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yashugan
- Posts: 115
- Joined: 30 May 2012, 18:58
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Ops, last stuff i forgot; There is a way to have thbnails of the texture in the render tree? .. if not... no problem.
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
There is only one way to render billboards. Typical setup on the screen. Is it what you would like, or not?
Thumbnails on the render tree are impossible.
Thumbnails on the render tree are impossible.
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yashugan
- Posts: 115
- Joined: 30 May 2012, 18:58
Re: Cycles for Softimage
thnak for the answer, i already know this way, in this case you are still using again ALPHA BLEND. But no problem, i'll sdo in this way and is ok!
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!