Depence | R2

Companies like PRG, 4Wall, and Christie Lites use Depence R2 to build digital catalogs. A client can view a 3D rendering of their rented truss structure with moving lights aimed at specific points on stage before signing the contract.

In the fast-paced world of entertainment technology, lighting designers, set builders, and project managers face a common problem: the gap between a 3D render and the physical stage. A design that looks perfect in a pre-visualization software often hits unforeseen roadblocks during rigging—truss collisions, cable routing nightmares, or timing mismatches.

Enter Depence R2, the industry-disrupting software from Synatec that claims to solve the "render vs. reality" gap. Unlike traditional pre-viz tools that focus solely on lighting, Depence R2 is a unified simulation platform for lasers, media servers, moving lights, water fountains, and pyrotechnics. depence r2

This article provides a deep dive into what Depence R2 is, why it has become the gold standard for complex installation projects (theme parks, fountains, architectural lighting), and how to master its unique workflow.

Depence R2 is not lightweight. Because it uses Unreal Engine 4, you need a gaming-grade workstation. Companies like PRG, 4Wall, and Christie Lites use

At its core, Depence R2 is a real-time 3D visualization, pre-visualization, and media server solution for entertainment technology. However, calling it "pre-viz" undersells its capability. It is a unified platform that combines 3D environment modeling, physical rendering (PBR – Physically Based Rendering), timeline-based sequencing, and hardware control under one roof.

Version 2 (R2) represents a massive leap from its predecessor. While the original Depence was revolutionary for water fountain designers (fountains, lasers, and fog), Depence R2 expanded the toolset to become a full-fledged rival to industry giants like Vectorworks (for plotting) and MA3D/grandMA (for lighting control). A design that looks perfect in a pre-visualization

Fountain designers often struggle to see water in bright sunlight. In Depence R2, change your render to "Technical View" (shortcut: F7). This renders water jets as solid blue lines, allowing you to check collision with truss structures instantly.

Depence R2 partners with lighting manufacturers (like Robe, GLP, Clay Paky, and Martin) to use actual photometric data (IES files) and GDTF files. This means a Robe MegaPointe in the software doesn't just look like a MegaPointe; it behaves like one regarding gobo rotation speed, prism effects, and heat bloom.