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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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Yes, you are right. I have the same issue. I will try to understand, why it happens.
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opoppopopp
- Posts: 213
- Joined: 16 Jun 2009, 04:23
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Try increase "tile size"?Maximus wrote: 20 Sep 2021, 07:33 im having issues on rendering high pixel dimension images, anyone have noticed some problems going above 5000 pixels format?
My cpu usage stays at 10% the whole rendering time, i have to cancel the rendering task because it takes forever.
to like 512,
I remember, in a previous quick project, solo CPU, 7000px, 128*128 only at ~10% but 512*512 give me 100% (at lease for that particular scene)
I know in theory, CPU should use relative "small" tiles size, and opposite for GPU
BTW, I also think, 100% utilisation, not necessary mean the quickest/optimised frame time, am I wrong?
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
unfortunately changing the tile size doesnt help.
I have another issue with multiple UV, when i want to control other kind of UV to apply text and some other effects.
I can not find a way to have Cycles read the different UV depending on the projection/subprojection applied for the texture i wanna use.
I've read the "manual" and also checked the cycles blender manual where it just says to use cycles attribute, but in this case it doesnt work on softimage for some reason
Im following the way descriped in the cycles pdf from shekn, and it doesnt work
here is a link

this is quite a crucial thing to have, hope its a bug or im doing something wrong. Im using 2 textures, one is the grudge texture the other is a simple text which it doesnt show on render.
p.s. in this example the second Texture_Projection1 node is set on Repeat, but even if i change it to "Extend" it doesnt work. I applied the Mesh property with "save all UV coordinates but nothing.
i also followed this tutorial "" where he uses the attribute node but it doesnt work on Softimage
I have another issue with multiple UV, when i want to control other kind of UV to apply text and some other effects.
I can not find a way to have Cycles read the different UV depending on the projection/subprojection applied for the texture i wanna use.
I've read the "manual" and also checked the cycles blender manual where it just says to use cycles attribute, but in this case it doesnt work on softimage for some reason
Im following the way descriped in the cycles pdf from shekn, and it doesnt work
here is a link

this is quite a crucial thing to have, hope its a bug or im doing something wrong. Im using 2 textures, one is the grudge texture the other is a simple text which it doesnt show on render.
p.s. in this example the second Texture_Projection1 node is set on Repeat, but even if i change it to "Extend" it doesnt work. I applied the Mesh property with "save all UV coordinates but nothing.
i also followed this tutorial "" where he uses the attribute node but it doesnt work on Softimage
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
ok installing the latest version fixed the issue, both cycUVMap and cycAttribute now works as intended...
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wireframex
- Posts: 425
- Joined: 08 Jun 2009, 21:02
- Location: France
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Hi
Just to tell you Softimage works perfectly with the last windows 11 x64
I will work more years with SI then
Cheers
Phil
Just to tell you Softimage works perfectly with the last windows 11 x64
I will work more years with SI then
Cheers
Phil
"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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I3D
- Posts: 122
- Joined: 12 Aug 2009, 16:15
- Skype: ironic3d
Re: Cycles for Softimage
A well built software, not like it's pissy caca replacementwireframex wrote: 11 Oct 2021, 17:25 Hi
Just to tell you Softimage works perfectly with the last windows 11 x64
I will work more years with SI then
Cheers
Phil
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
anyone have any issues with hdri showing in the backgorund? i tried everything even on hdri master, it always renders black on the environment
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
To see the background in the render image, you should turn off the parameter Transparent in the Background tab in the render settings.
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
thanks you are always the bestShekn wrote: 15 Oct 2021, 05:50 To see the background in the render image, you should turn off the parameter Transparent in the Background tab in the render settings.
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
I understand the reason of the slow render process when it renders a big image. And I can not fix it. The problem is in the communication of the render engine with the Softimage. This slowdown occurs in the moment when the engine render the tile and sent it to the Softimage to draw it on the screen. I will add in the next release the parameter to ignore tiles drawing during the rendering. This is not perfect solution, but at least it fix the issue. Alternatively it is possible to render final big image by using default xsi-batch command. This also works at the maximal performance.
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
thanks man!Shekn wrote: 17 Oct 2021, 16:38 I understand the reason of the slow render process when it renders a big image. And I can not fix it. The problem is in the communication of the render engine with the Softimage. This slowdown occurs in the moment when the engine render the tile and sent it to the Softimage to draw it on the screen. I will add in the next release the parameter to ignore tiles drawing during the rendering. This is not perfect solution, but at least it fix the issue. Alternatively it is possible to render final big image by using default xsi-batch command. This also works at the maximal performance.
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opoppopopp
- Posts: 213
- Joined: 16 Jun 2009, 04:23
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Thanks !Shekn wrote: 17 Oct 2021, 16:38 ...This slowdown occurs in the moment when the engine render the tile and sent it to the Softimage to draw it on the screen
The drawing blocking the rendering ?
Your "temperate" solution is make sense.
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
hey Shekn, im having an issue with sCycles not recognizing scattering and rendering blank pointclouds.
I use SiScatter and Scatter Tools from milan vasek here are the link for download:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5003 - addon: http://si-community.com/download/lb/jul ... r.xsiaddon
milan vasek Scatter tools: http://si-community.com/download/lb/mil ... 1.xsiaddon
These are fairly simple scattering ice addons for scattering, but for some reason it doesnt work, even with pointcloud basic geometry, neither with instance shapes.
is there a simple way to have these work? thanks
p.s. after some testing it looks like if you pull out a "init particle data" from an emit from geometry compound, and plug this into an ice tree port AFTER the scatter compound it works, at least is a workaround for now
I use SiScatter and Scatter Tools from milan vasek here are the link for download:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5003 - addon: http://si-community.com/download/lb/jul ... r.xsiaddon
milan vasek Scatter tools: http://si-community.com/download/lb/mil ... 1.xsiaddon
These are fairly simple scattering ice addons for scattering, but for some reason it doesnt work, even with pointcloud basic geometry, neither with instance shapes.
is there a simple way to have these work? thanks
p.s. after some testing it looks like if you pull out a "init particle data" from an emit from geometry compound, and plug this into an ice tree port AFTER the scatter compound it works, at least is a workaround for now
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Shekn
- Posts: 254
- Joined: 30 Dec 2016, 19:18
Re: Cycles for Softimage
siScatter works without any additional tweaks. Empty pointcloud in the ScatterTools is not a bug, it's a feature. Actual this pointcloud is not empty, but it contains particles with zero scale. Some times ago someone in the thread asked to add scale attribute support to particle instances. Now Sycles multiply size and scale attribute for final particles transform. ScatterTool generate the pointcloud with zero scale, but default particle generator (for example, in Emit From Geometry) init particles with unit scale. So, to fix the issue, add SetData compound and setup the unit scale (attribute self.Scale).
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
thanks a lot !Shekn wrote: 27 Oct 2021, 16:36 siScatter works without any additional tweaks. Empty pointcloud in the ScatterTools is not a bug, it's a feature. Actual this pointcloud is not empty, but it contains particles with zero scale. Some times ago someone in the thread asked to add scale attribute support to particle instances. Now Sycles multiply size and scale attribute for final particles transform. ScatterTool generate the pointcloud with zero scale, but default particle generator (for example, in Emit From Geometry) init particles with unit scale. So, to fix the issue, add SetData compound and setup the unit scale (attribute self.Scale).
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Maximus
- Posts: 1121
- Joined: 09 Jun 2009, 13:45
Re: Cycles for Softimage
Shekn how do you import a vdb sequence for animation? i checked the pdf guide but its apparently just for static single vdb, not a sequence, or am i wrong?