when does Mantra starts using GPU?

[kensonuken]

already couple of comp apps are being developed for using the GPU power so whens Mantra going to start using GPU?

[Marc]

I imagine that's very far away indeed. If ever actually...

[Ratman]

Give on "how things work", Research places are still trying to get it to have consistent data on rendering from a GPU, once that's done big VFX studios will give it a go, though some are trying the technology right now, once it's solidly proven in production, that's when the software companies will look into it.

And those companies, like SESI, have a set roadmap that they have to follow, so if their current roadmap is for the next 2 years, and the GPU is not in there, then it won't be touched until it comes into the map.

So I'd say about 2-4 years, at the least. Or what Marc said :-D

Added note:

Usually for most VFX studios it's relatively easy to create this kind of proprietary tools, in the sense that they're usually working on a very closed environment, one operating system, and it's usually built by a programmer or even a TD, and so you can train people to use the tool and support it in house.

While if you're building it for say, Houdini, you have to have the solution support all platforms, OSX, Windows and Linux. So add that to the equation that you have to build all the technology and most likely rewrite how your renderer works, not to mention that you still have to support your current product and clientele.