RenderMan 27.1 launched only a few weeks after RenderMan 27, with changes focused on refining Pixar's newest version of its 3D rendering software for VFX and animation, described as the "most significant release in over a decade."
RenderMan 27.1 expands XPU's support for the MaterialX Lama material layering system. XPU Lama now includes "coating" functionality, in which Lama base nodes, such as LamaDielectric and LamaGeneralizedSchlick, change their absorption behavior when plugged into the top material of a LamaLayer.
Also, XPU now executes the user-provided checkpoint command after a successful render, not just after each checkpoint, to match the RIS' behavior.
If you haven't seen it yet, here's an overview covering all the new features in RenderMan 27:
