Kupa has said that the renderer is primarily based on a 'reyes' algorithm scan line renderer (similar to Pixar's renderman compliant PRMan). The main advantages of this method of rendering are speed and detail, but, of course, much depends on the implementation. For the last few years it has been the main rendering method for the vast majority of animated features. The renderer will also use 'hybrid' ray tracing to provide reflections and refractions. This is probably similar to Cinema 4D's adaptive raytracing. Whether it is only active when the surface being rendered has reflective or refractive qualities, or whether the renderer uses this to create 'real' shadows, dispensing with shadow maps remains to be seen (tracing the incident point back to the light sources may not count as raytracing). Always bear in mind that even in high quality features, minimising the amount render work is an established artform. Reflections, refractions, volume atmospheres and strands, for example will always be high cost options, so the use of reflection maps and transmaps will probably still be part of the animators arsenal, after all, Pixar still use them. Bill