In the initial phase, anyone who purchases (or has pre-ordered) Flared2 will also receive Flared XT. This is to ensure that if Flared2 still has any issues due to its early stage, Flared XT, with years of reliability, will still be available to get the job done. However, Flared ST and XT are no longer for sale, as Flared2 is now the flagship product.

The system may struggle to detect collisions when objects near and far from the camera are in the same scene. We recommend using "middle" settings to balance both. At the moment, collision management requires demanding calculations for the CPU. For this reason, it is recommended to use collisions only where strictly necessary to avoid slowdowns in the viewport.

When DOF is active, the flare may appear out of focus because it is positioned in front of the camera's origin. This behavior mirrors how real lens flares work.

Blender has issues with transparency and Grease Pencil. We've done limited testing, but so far, nothing seems to be resolved. As of now, there is no compatibility with using Grease Pencil.

Flared ST and XT are part of Flared's first version. Flared Standard was released in 2019, followed by Flared ST in 2022. Both versions use the same core engine, with the primary difference being the number of default templates available. Flared2, however, has been entirely rewritten from scratch using geometry nodes, offering unparalleled versatility and visual quality for effects. Additionally, it allows users to create and share their own presets. Released in November 2024, Flared2 will replace Flared ST and XT.

Yes, Flared2 works natively with both render engines. Eevee is preferable for its speed in handling transparencies, while Cycles tends to be significantly slower. However, there’s a way to set up a Cycles scene to render only the flare in Eevee, allowing you to maintain high speed. Here’s how you can do it: Watch the tutorial here.

Versions Before Blender 4.2

1. From the "Edit" menu, select "Preferences."
2. In the left-hand column, select the "Add-ons" tab.
3. At the top-right, search for and click the "Install..." button.
4. In the window that opens, select the .zip file that contains the add-on you downloaded (do not unzip it).
5. Click the "Install Add-on" button at the bottom-right.
6. Make sure the Flared2 add-on is selected in the Add-ons list.
7. Close the Preferences window.
8. Go to the viewport and press the "n" key on your keyboard to reveal the side panel.
9. The Flared2 tab will now appear in the panel.

Blender 4.2 and Later

1. From the "Edit" menu, select "Preferences."
2. In the left-hand column, select the "Add-ons" tab.
3. At the top-right, click the downward arrow and select "Install from Disk..."
4. In the window that opens, select the .zip file that contains the add-on you downloaded (do not unzip it).
5. Click the "Install from Disk" button at the bottom-right.
6. Make sure the Flared2 add-on is selected in the Add-ons list.
7. Close the Preferences window.
8. Go to the viewport and press the "n" key on your keyboard to reveal the side panel.
9. The Flared2 tab will now appear in the panel.

Flared is designed to add drama, realism, and emphasis to scenes. It was created with the expert eye of photographers, art directors, and architects. It is not a physics-based tool.

Yes, Flared2 is designed to allow you to create, export, and import both your own templates and those created by the community.

Yes, you can try, but at your own risk, because we can give you assistance only if you use the official stable versions of Blender.

We have tested Flared on Mac, Win and Linux. If you can work in Blender 4.1 and higher on your system, you'll have no problem using Flared2. For Cycles you'll need more power to have a good real-time preview.

Since Flared2 creates objects within the camera space, it’s possible for objects positioned very close to the camera to overlap with the objects generated by the flare. In these cases, you can enable the "Close Range Scene" function, which moves the Flared2 plane closer to the camera’s origin. Alternatively, you can use the "Render Option" to separate the flare render from the scene render and then composite them in the compositor. Both approaches effectively bypass the issue. Here’s a video on using "Close Range Scene": Watch the tutorial here.

Yes, it is possible to render the scene and the flares on separate layers and then do the compositing later or in another software. We recommend watching this video, which explains how to manage it: Watch the tutorial here.

Yes, Flared2 does not require the addon to be present in order to run animations and render the scene.

Feel free to direct message us with any questions on using the add-on, requests for tweaks, or to report bugs. You can even request custom modifications if needed. We’re committed to addressing any issues you encounter. Plus, you’ll have direct access to all updates we release for Flared2 completely free of charge.