RealFlow
RealFlow is software for fluids and multiphysics simulation in visual effects and 3D production.
What RealFlow is
RealFlow is software for fluids and multiphysics simulation in visual effects and 3D production. HyFLIP and Hybrido2 target large scenes such as floods and oceans with breaking waves. The GPU-accelerated Dyverso solver handles interacting liquid, granular, rigid, and elastic materials. RealWave is intended for quickly simulating small to medium ocean surfaces, while Caronte provides rigid and soft body dynamics. Plugins connect the product family with Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, and Maya, and the standalone application supports connectivity plugins for 3D platforms. RealFlow reads and writes Alembic, OpenVDB, and Field3D files. Network processing uses Independent Domains of Computation with Job Manager and Job Node applications. A node-based Graphs system and Python 2.7 and C++ interfaces support custom work. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Pricing is on request, with listed one-time plans from 545.00 USD to 1997.50 USD and a 30-day trial.
Good
- Large-scale water simulation tools
- GPU-accelerated multiphysics solver
- Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, and Maya plugins
- Network-distributed simulation processing
- Alembic, OpenVDB, and Field3D support
Watch out
- Pricing is on request
- Demo features may be limited
- Demo technical support is not provided
- Educational licenses are node-locked and non-commercial
Who it suits
It is aimed at production simulation workflows for visual effects and 3D work. Separate educational licensing is available for students, educators, and institutions, with study or research restrictions.
Verdict
RealFlow covers water, material interaction, body dynamics, integrations, and distributed processing across three desktop platforms. Its trial and license terms differ between general demos and educational use.
Plans and prices
From RealFlow's own pricing page, checked 11 Oct 2001.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| RealFlow | 5 nodes pack | $545, paid once | 5 simnodes |
| RealFlow 10 + 1 Node | $547.50, paid once | 1 standalone license seat · 1 simnode · import-export plugins for supported platforms |
| RealFlow 10 | Plus | $697.50, paid once | 1 standalone license seat · 5 simnodes · import-export plugins for supported platforms |
| RealFlow | Cinema 4D 3 | $795, paid once | Fluid simulation inside Cinema 4D |
| RealFlow | 3ds Max | $795, paid once | Fluid simulation inside 3ds Max |
| RealFlow | Maya | $795, paid once | Fluid simulation inside Maya |
| RealFlow 10 | Starter Pack | $997.50, paid once | 2 standalone license seats · 10 simnodes · import-export plugins for supported platforms |
| RealFlow 10 + plugin pack | $1,295, paid once | RealFlow 10 license · one RealFlow plugin |
| RealFlow 10 | Premium Pack | $1,997.50, paid once | 4 standalone license seats · 20 simnodes · import-export plugins for supported platforms |
The facts
Each one read from RealFlow's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Body dynamics
- Caronte is RealFlow’s built-in rigid and soft body dynamics solver.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Data formats
- RealFlow reads and writes Alembic, OpenVDB, and Field3D files.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Hardware limit
- The FAQ states RealFlow licenses are not limited by CPU or core count.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Integrations
- The product family includes plugins for Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, and Maya, and the standalone product supports connectivity plugins to 3D platforms.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Intended users
- The maker presents RealFlow for production simulation workflows and offers separate educational licensing for students, educators, and institutions.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Large-scale fluids
- Its HyFLIP solver and Hybrido2 are intended for large-scale simulations such as floods and oceans with breaking waves.checked 11 Oct 2001
- License limits
- Student and educator licenses are annual, node-locked to one workstation, non-transferable, and restricted to study or research rather than commercial use.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Multiphysics
- The GPU-accelerated Dyverso solver simulates interacting liquid, granular, rigid, and elastic materials.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Network processing
- RealFlow can distribute simulations over a network using Independent Domains of Computation, with Job Manager and Job Node applications.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Ocean surfaces
- RealWave is a toolset for quickly simulating small to medium ocean surfaces.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Privacy
- Next Limit Services says it does not share personal data with third parties unless legally required or the user expressly consents.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Programming
- RealFlow offers a node-based Graphs system and interfaces for Python 2.7 and C++.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Purpose
- RealFlow is fluids and multiphysics simulation software for visual effects and 3D production.checked 11 Oct 2001
- Support
- The educational program offers technical support for installation and activation questions and links to the user manual and tutorials.checked 11 Oct 2001
The company
- Founded
- 1998checked 28 Sep 2001
- Headquarters
- Madrid, Spainchecked 28 Sep 2001
Money
- Trial
- The educational program page says all products can be tested free for 30 days, while the demo page warns that demo features may be limited and technical or installation support is not provided for demos.checked 11 Oct 2001
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