Free Raytraced Optimized Textures For HD2026 Users.

[Renerabbitt]

I wouldn’t be able to do what I love without Chief Architect, and I genuinely appreciate the company and the community behind it. So this is my way of giving something back and helping HD users get even more satisfaction out of the software.

With HD2026, HD Pro users finally get access to raytrace-style renderings. However, you don’t yet get to directly edit the custom accessory maps (height, sheen, emissive, AO, etc.) that make raytraces look truly realistic.
As a technician working in the Premier line, I do have access to those tools — and I build materials for them every day.

I sell add-on products for the Premier line that I develop for a third of every year, and part of that work includes high-end, raytrace-ready material libraries.

And I want to give those materials to HD2026 users completely FREE.

No catch. No marketing. No follow-ups.
Just something useful to help you get better results with the new renderer.

The pack includes over 1,000 textures I created specifically for raytracing, all organized with tags, boolean search terms, and consistent material definitions.

Because these are the same materials I sell to Premier users, I do need to put a few guardrails in place so my paid work product stays protected — but none of this benefits me in any way other than keeping the files secure:

Requirements (all for security, not marketing):

• Proof of purchase for HD2026 (any format is fine)

• AxCrypt (free-no affiliation) to decrypt the download one time

  • This prevents redistribution and protects the library

  • You can uninstall AxCrypt immediately afterward

• An email address to use for the AxCrypt key

  • This address is only for the encryption process — never used for anything else

• A short non-distribution agreement so I can legally share my paid assets with you. Also a signed statement saying I won't be using your email for anything at all.

• Optional: Share your renderings! I’d love to see what you make, but it’s totally elective

You can either contact me directly at renerabbitt@gmail.com or send a direct message through hometalk.

[Renerabbitt]

Getting Started With Raytracing in HD2026 (Beginner-Friendly Walkthrough)

If you’ve never used a raytrace engine before, here are the key things you need to know to get good results quickly. These steps take advantage of HD2026’s new access to the full Chief catalog library and the rendering tools that come with your subscription.

1. Download the HDRI Backdrops (Backdrops No. 2)

For the first time, HD Pro users have access to all catalogs.
Go to the 3D Library → Download Backdrops No. 2 – HDRI.

Using an HDRI backdrop dramatically improves realism because it provides:

• environmental lighting

• accurate reflections

• soft ambient illumination

2. Set Up Your Raytrace Lighting

Once your camera view is open:

• Apply an HDRI backdrop.

• In Rendering Technique Options, set Backdrop Intensity somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000.

• Switch your Sun to Manual Sunlight and start the Sun Intensity around 15,000.

• Let the HDRI’s natural radiance contribute most of the lighting — this gives a softer, more realistic look than relying on default sun settings.

3. Add These Tools to Your Toolbar

To control your lighting direction easily:

• Rotate Spherical Backdrop

• Rotate Sun

These tools let you freely adjust the direction of the HDRI light and the sun without digging through dialog boxes.

4. Sample Rate Basics (Why Your Image “Cleans Up” Over Time)

Raytracing works by sampling the pixels on your screen. When the camera is still, the engine continues refining the image until the sample rate target is met.

Beginner settings:

• Start your sample rate around 30 when you’re working live.

  • This keeps the preview responsive.

  • Great for design iterations.

Higher sample rates = cleaner final images
Lower sample rates = faster previews with more noise at first

5. What Are Fireflies?

When a frame is still “undersampled,” you will see bright pixel specks called fireflies.
They are normal.

As the sample rate climbs:

• The engine gathers more light data

• Fireflies reduce

• The CPU runs its neural network denoiser to clean up remaining noise

6. GPU Denoising (If You Have an NVIDIA Card)

If your machine is compatible, certain NVIDIA GPUs offer real-time AI denoising directly on the graphics card. This:

• cleans up the render much faster

• gives near-instant previews

• dramatically reduces CPU load

For more information on setting this up, see the DLSS video

Optimizing Raytrace Performance on Older or Mid-Range GPUs (2000-Series RTX, A-Series, Quadro, M1/M2)

If your computer feels sluggish while trying out Chief’s raytrace engine, you’re not alone. Certain GPUs — including 2000-series RTX cards, A-Series RTX, older Quadros, and Apple M1/M2 graphics — need a few adjustments to run Ray Trace efficiently.

Making these changes to your DEFAULT camera settings ensures smooth design work without overloading your system.

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1. Update Your Raytrace Defaults (Global Illumination + Samples)

Start by opening 3D View Defaults → Rendering Techniques.

Inside the Physically Based (Ray-Trace) panel, adjust the following under Global Illumination:

• Opaque Bounces: 2

• Transmissive/Specular Bounces: 2

• Maximum Samples: 20

These numbers significantly lighten the workload on older GPUs while still giving you clean previews.

Click OK to save these as your new defaults.

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2. Update Your Floor Camera Performance Settings

Go back into Default Settings, then open the Camera Tools submenu and select Floor Camera.

In the main panel for camera defaults, look for AMD FidelityFX.
This is Chief’s upscaling AI, which renders fewer pixels and then intelligently reconstructs the image.

Set:

• AMD FidelityFX: Performance (2.0)

This drastically reduces render load and keeps the design process responsive — especially on older hardware.

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3. For Final Renders (Higher Quality)

After you finish designing and want a clean, polished final raytrace:

• Increase Maximum Samples to somewhere between 100–500

• Change FidelityFX back to Native Resolution

Higher samples = cleaner image
Native resolution = sharper details

Finals will take longer, so this is a good time for a coffee break.
For even more clarity, you can also run the image through an AI upscaler like Krea.ai.

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4. Need a Visual Walkthrough?

If these steps feel confusing or you’d rather see them demonstrated, you can watch the full YouTube tutorial by double-clicking the link below.

 

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