MAXON DELIVERS FULLY-LOADED CINEMA 4D R11 RAISES BAR FOR 3D ANIMATION EXCELLENCE
Next Generation Product Suite Offers Non-Linear Animation, a Boost in Rendering Speed and Quality,
Including Re-Engineered Global Illumination, and the Highly Anticipated Projection Man Matte Painting System
MAXON, August 12, 2008 - MAXON Computer, a leading developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions, today unveiled CINEMA 4D Release 11 (R11), the next generation of its highly acclaimed 3D animation software suite. The super-charged release is packed with advanced capabilities that deliver dramatically improved ease of use and workflow, image quality and integration into any production pipeline. CINEMA 4D R11 highlights include a non-linear animation system, new global illumination render engine and dramatically improved render speed. Customers also benefit from the powerful Projection Man matte painting system, developed by MAXON for Sony Pictures Imageworks, support for the COLLADA™ file format and CineMan - a RenderMan-compliant tool that connects to Pixar's industry-leading rendering solution. Additionally, multiple improvements were made to MAXON's popular texture painting toolset BodyPaint 3D Release 4. All of these capabilities and more serve to underscore MAXON's ongoing and deep commitment to helping 3D digital artists further advance creativity and control.
"MAXON has spent the last 20 years developing some of the industry's most advanced 3D software technologies; continually raising the bar for 3D animation software excellence," said Harald Egel, CEO and co-founder, MAXON. "CINEMA 4D R11 is no exception. This release contains the next-generation features our customers worldwide have come to expect from MAXON."
Expanded integration options, new workflow tools and boosts in performance for both PC and Mac users sit at the heart of the new release. On average, rendering speeds are now more than twice as fast as the previous version. CINEMA 4D R11 also boasts an all-new Cocoa-based architecture supporting 64-bit processing under Mac OS X Leopard.
"We are pleased, that MAXON has created the CineMan connection to Pixar's RenderMan directly from within CINEMA 4D," said Chris Ford, Business Director - RenderMan at Pixar. "Now MAXON customers can benefit from Pixar's Academy Award-winning rendering technology, featured in Ratatouille, The Incredibles and many others."
"Our customers told us what they needed and we listened," said Paul Babb, president and CEO of the MAXON US office . "This exciting new version is as ideal for the novice as it is for the power user who wants to produce compelling imagery in today's fast-paced environments."
CINEMA 4D Release 11 Highlights:
The list of capabilities and enhancements that comprise the new CINEMA 4D R11 is extensive; with each element designed to provide ultimate control to enhance the professional 3D modeling, texturing, animating and rendering process:
- Non-Linear Animation
Move beyond the keyframe. Animation Layers and Motion Clips tools let users easily build, layer and loop discreet motions containing hundreds of keyframes in complex hierarchies.
- Completely New Global Illumination
Take advantage of the most current algorithms and computer hardware with the all new easy to use Global Illumination engine. This technology delivers heightened flexibility to achieve ultra-realistic results with a minimum of setup time, even for animations.
- BodyPaint 3D
New tools for painting rich, detailed textures onto a 3D model as well as an improved workflow are part of this major upgrade to the popular 3D painting application. The improvements facilitate even tighter integration into industry-standard painting pipelines with brush import, WACOM tablet support, PSD format enhancement and more.
- Improved Rendering Speeds
Tremendous optimizations in multithreading and CPU efficiency offer dramatically improved rendering speeds. Overall render quality has been greatly enhanced as well. New parameters make it possible to create even more realistic glass materials.
- Support for 64-bit on Mac OS X
CINEMA 4D R11 is the first comprehensive 3D package completely re-engineered to take full advantage of the Mac OS X 10.5 release. As a native 64-bit Cocoa application, CINEMA 4D can be used in 64-bit mode to utilize greater RAM resources so you can build and render more complex projects. All 64-bit processors are supported. Users can easily switch between 32-bit and 64-bit mode to suit their individual needs.
- Projection Man
Leverage the same powerful matte painting system originally developed by MAXON exclusively for Sony Pictures Imageworks and recently used to create such blockbuster features as Hancock, Speed Racer, Beowulf and Surf's Up. This formerly exclusive toolset enhances workflow and makes it easy to create and patch the mattes. Tight integration with Adobe Photoshop and MAXON BodyPaint 3D simplifies editing and manipulating extensive digital mattes and even fully immersive 3D environments.
- CineMan
Power users can easily render CINEMA 4D projects utilizing Pixar's RenderMan Pro Server, or other RenderMan-compliant engines including 3Delight (dna research) and AIR (SiTex Graphics) through support for the RIB format.
- COLLADA Support
R11 now supports COLLADA, an open standard XML-based format that facilitates the transfer of 3D assets between applications. Exchanging scenes with other 3D applications is now easier than ever for diverse Digital Content Creation (DCC) production pipelines.
- Customer Friendly
An online update mechanism ensures users always have access to the latest updates and enhancements. A new license server technology helps corporations, studios and schools maximize and manage their investment.
- Additional Features
CINEMA 4D R11 also boasts optimized render control settings, animation ghosting, a doodle tool and support for 3D Connexion devices (Mac and Windows). For a complete list and description of all the exceptional elements that comprise this new feature-rich version of CINEMA 4D, please visit the products pages
Availability
CINEMA 4D Release 11 is expected to ship September, 2008. For pricing and upgrade information, please visit www.smarttec.com.au
Download Pictures
Screenshot CINEMA 4D "Global Illumination"
Screenshot CINEMA 4D "Non-Linear Animation"
Packshot CINEMA 4D
All trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. COLLADA is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment.
Tuesday, 2 September 2008
Thursday, 24 July 2008
Improving formZ RenderZone Plus Rendering times
-- Improving RenderZone Rendering Performance: Why does my file render so slowly?
Hardware: Rendering Speed is controlled by the speed of the processor. The faster the processor, the faster the rendering. If you do not have enough RAM, this will force your computer to use Virtual Memory, which will slow you down with OS X, and slow you down a lot with Windows. If you will regularly be working with a file of this size, you should consider adding more RAM. The video card will only affect the Wire Frame and Interactive Shaded displays, and will not have any effect on rendering speed.
Shadow Maps: One frequent cause of insufficient memory is too many, or too high resolution shadow maps. See the SHADOW MAP MEMORY FAQ for further details.
Geometry: The more geometry that is contained in your scene, the longer it will take to render and the more memory it will require. In general you should only model what you will see. For example, if you are working for a hardware manufacturer and making a presentation model of a doorknob, you can model all the details, curves, keyhole, etc. But if you are making a model of a subdivision, you should create extremely simple doorknobs (if any), and you should never use the "presentation doorknob" in a "subdivision model" -- even if you have it handy from a previous job, or found it somewhere on a web site. Inspect your polygons. If an object looks like it is shaded in a Wire Frame display, then most likely its resolution is too high and it should be modified or recreated.
Surface Styles: The more Surface Style effects you select, the more time it will take to render. Therefore, if you are concerned about rendering speed, you should only select the options that you will need. You can also get an idea of how complex a Surface Style is by watching how long it takes to draw the small preview of the Surface Style Icon. (Changing the preview to Sphere will take a little longer to draw the preview -- thus giving you a better relative idea of its complexity. The type of preview icon will not have any affect on the time it takes to render objects with this Surface Style.) You should also generally avoid "double transparencies." See the GLASS SURFACE STYLES FAQ for further details.
Rendering Options: The more Rendering Options you select, the more time it will take to render. The main option to avoid (if possible) is Super Sampling. See the SUPER SAMPLING FAQ for further details.
Lighting: Advanced Lighting effects such as Atmospheric Lighting, Area or Line Lights, Accurate Glow, and Environment Lights will add (perhaps considerable) time to your renderings. Use the Basic Lighting suggestions from the LIGHTING FAQ for fastest results, and see the other tips for optimizing more advanced lighting.
================
-- Glass Surface Styles:
Glass Reflections should generally not be used with another type of Transparency, as this creates a "double transparency" which will take considerably longer to calculate.
The Glass Reflection includes a Refraction coefficient which controls how light will bend as it passes through a material. Thus this surface style should only be used for Solid objects, and not Surfaces or Surface Solids (since these do not have any thickness through which the light can bend).
Because Glass Reflections Refract the light, they are not included in an Alpha Channel Background (because you can't "bend" something that is not there at the time of the rendering). If you want to use an Alpha Channel Background and do not need Refraction, you can use a Mirror Reflection combined with a Simple Transparency, and then these transparent objects will be included in an Alpha Channel Background.
Transparent Shadows can be generated so that light will pass through glass materials based on the Transparency / Transmission factors. Transparent Shadows are set in the Shadows section of the Light Parameters (which can be accessed by double-clicking on the light from within the Lights Palette.)
Transparent Shadows will also pick up the color of the transparent material so, for example, the colors of a stained glass window could be projected onto a wall or the floor. Transparent Shadows do take a bit more time to calculate, so another option might be to select the glass objects and turn off the Attribute: Casts Shadows. This will allow light to come through your windows without extra calculation times.
================
-- Moire Patterns: Why do I sometimes get radial patterns in my images -- especially when viewing a Grid or a Brick Surface Style in Perspective?
Moire patterns can occur when there is insufficient resolution to show the necessary detail in a perspective image. The easiest / quickest way to fix / improve this is to Edit the Surface Style that is responsible for the Moire Pattern (usually a Grid or Brick shader), click the Color (or other) Options, and check the Area Sample Option.
If this does not sufficiently resolve the problem, the next best solution would be to render at a higher resolution. If you can not increase the resolution of the rendering (ie, you are generating an image for the Web, or an Animation), see the section on SUPER SAMPLING.
================
-- Super Sampling: This is a rendering effect that can be used to reduce or eliminate Aliasing or Moire Patterns. To achieve this, the image is rendered at 2, 3, or 4 times the specified resolution (for Low, Medium, or High Super Sampling), and then sampled down to the desired resolution. Because rendering at 2, 3, or 4 times the resolution generates 4, 9, or 16 times the number of pixels, the rendering times will also increase up to 4, 9, or 16 times when using Low, Med, or High Super Sampling.
Super Sampling can also be accomplished manually, by rendering at the higher resolution, and then reducing the resolution of the final image by exactly 2, 3, or 4 times. This option may be desirable because in this way you will be able to use the higher resolution image as well, if you like. For example, you could generate a high resolution rendering for print, and then manually Super Sample it to generate a high quality / lower resolution image for a web site.
=============
-- Soft Shadows: Why can't I see my soft shadows, or why are they so fuzzy or rough?
Soft shadows utilize Shadow Maps to create the soft edges. In certain conditions the shadow map resolution can be too low, which can result in the pixels of the shadow map being visible, or in extreme cases, it can cause the shadow to disappear altogether. (Think of zooming in really close into a low resolution image.) To solve this issue, you need to know a little more about how shadow maps work:
By default, the size of a Shadow Map is the smallest bounding box that encompasses all of the objects that cast shadows. And by default the shadow map resolution is equal to the resolution of your renderings (which you specify via Image Options from the Display Menu). If your view contains all of the objects that cast shadows, then you should not have a problem with shadow map resolution, but as you zoom into your scene you are effectively zooming into your shadow map.
Most often users encounter problems with shadow map resolution when they introduce a large ground plane into their scene. To remedy this situation, simply Query the Attributes of the ground plane and set its Casts Shadows Attribute to Off. (Leave Receives Shadows ON so that it will still receive shadows from the other objects in your scene.) If you would like to change this (or many other attributes) for multiple objects simultaneously, you can do this with the Set Attributes Tool.
If turning off the Shadow Casting Attribute for the ground plane (and outlying objects) is not enough, then you can also change the Quality of the Soft Shadow to High. In extreme cases you may also need to increase the resolution of the Shadow Map or limit its extents from the Shadow Map Options. Edit your light and click the Map Options button from the middle of the Light Parameters Dialog. Here you can increase or decrease the resolution of the shadow map. Note that doubling the "Times Image Size" number will quadruple the memory requirements for this light, which will be displayed at the bottom of this dialog. You can also use the Limit Map: option to constrain the size of the map to All Objects (default) or All Completely Visible Faces or Objects. The smaller the size of the map, the less resolution you will need to get the same quality shadow, but note that limiting the map may cause shadows to be dropped from objects or faces that are not completely in the scene.
Hard Raytraced shadows do not have this limitation, and will always produce shadows with crisp edges.
See the SHADOW MAP MEMORY FAQ for further details.
==============
-- Shadow Map Memory: Why do I get an Insufficient Memory message for Shadow Maps message?
Shadow Maps Memory requirements are determined by the size and resolution of the shadow maps, and by the types of lights that are casting shadows. If you Edit your Light Parameters and click on Map Options, you can see and control how much memory your Shadow Maps will use. By default this will be set to 1 times Image Size. Thus as you increase the resolution of your image (from the Display Menu/ Image Options), the memory requirements for your shadow maps will also increase. If you double the resolution of your image, it will double both the X and Y size of your Shadow Map, and thus this will require 4 times more memory for the Shadow Maps. Alternately, if you enter 0.5 or 0.7 times Image Size in the Shadow Map Options, you will use one quarter, or one half the amount of memory, respectively. The resulting memory requirements for each light will be shown at the bottom of the Shadow Map Options dialog.
Thus, to check how much memory your shadow maps will require, first set your desired image resolution, and then multiply the memory requirements for one light by the number of lights that are casting soft shadows. Note also that Point Lights will cast shadows in 6 directions, and thus will require 6 times more memory than distant or cone lights. If you do not have enough memory for this, you can either reduce the number of lights that are casting soft shadows, use cone lights instead of point lights to cast the shadows, or reduce the resolution of the shadow maps.
formZ version 5.0 and later will automatically detect when you do not have enough for full resolution shadow maps and give you the option to automatically reduce their resolution.
====================
Also, if you are rendering with Global Illumination, these threads from our Forum should help:
Rendering Questions: http://www.formz.com/forum2/messages/16/26981.html?1209078321
Interior Rendering: http://www.formz.com/forum2/messages/16/27092.html?1209731347
Dome Lighting: http://www.formz.com/forum2/messages/16/26647.html
Lighting and Rendering: http://www.formz.com/forum2/messages/142/27028.html?1209402936
Of course, it is still worth looking at the FAQ's for other good tips...
ZWebTech Support
Monday, 30 June 2008
Improvements in formZ RenderZone Plus with Release v6.6
Improvements in form.Z 6.6
Foremost, update 6.6 offers corrections to irregularities reported to AutoDesSys since our previous release and introduces a variety of stability and performance enhancements. Some of these can be attributed to new and updated versions of the Lightworks libraries for rendering and of the ACIS libraries for smooth modeling. form.Z 6.6 also offers a few new features, mostly in the area of export/import.
New export/import translators and additions to existing
Collada (.dae) files can now be imported to and exported from formoZ, using a new translator. Collada can be used to transfer object geometry, textures, and other 3D data.
Google Earth (.kmz) files with 3D content can now be imported into form.Z and vice versa.
Also, Google Earth views can now be created as textured objects directly in form.Z, after they have been captured in Google Earth.
Google SketchUp (.skp) files can be imported directly into form.Z through a new translator, which includes support for textures that import smoothly into form.Z RenderZone Plus.
The DWG/DXF translator now also supports the 2007/2008 formats and has been updated to support text elements better.
The ZPR (Zcorp) translator now also supports version 2 of the ZPR file format.
More tree symbols
The form.Z tree symbols have been enhanced with over 30 new trees including seasonal variations and palm trees.
A DVD will automatically be sent to all form.Z Family Plan users and recent purchasers of new v.6.5 user licenses (not updates). You can install version 6.6 using the same installation codes as version 6.5. form.Z 6.6 will be available as a through software update for all users on version 6.5.6. This update is quite large and some users may prefer to install the new version from the DVD rather than incurring the long download time . The new tree symbols are only available on the DVD. Note that if you are using v.6.5.0 - 6.5.5, you will first need to use software update to get to 6.5.6 and then once again to get from 6.5.6 to 6.6.0.
The cost for the new DVD is AUD $89.00 plus shipping. click here: to order
All other users, on a version below 6.5 should contact their local dealers (to find one near you
Foremost, update 6.6 offers corrections to irregularities reported to AutoDesSys since our previous release and introduces a variety of stability and performance enhancements. Some of these can be attributed to new and updated versions of the Lightworks libraries for rendering and of the ACIS libraries for smooth modeling. form.Z 6.6 also offers a few new features, mostly in the area of export/import.
New export/import translators and additions to existing
Collada (.dae) files can now be imported to and exported from formoZ, using a new translator. Collada can be used to transfer object geometry, textures, and other 3D data.
Google Earth (.kmz) files with 3D content can now be imported into form.Z and vice versa.
Also, Google Earth views can now be created as textured objects directly in form.Z, after they have been captured in Google Earth.
Google SketchUp (.skp) files can be imported directly into form.Z through a new translator, which includes support for textures that import smoothly into form.Z RenderZone Plus.
The DWG/DXF translator now also supports the 2007/2008 formats and has been updated to support text elements better.
The ZPR (Zcorp) translator now also supports version 2 of the ZPR file format.
More tree symbols
The form.Z tree symbols have been enhanced with over 30 new trees including seasonal variations and palm trees.
A DVD will automatically be sent to all form.Z Family Plan users and recent purchasers of new v.6.5 user licenses (not updates). You can install version 6.6 using the same installation codes as version 6.5. form.Z 6.6 will be available as a through software update for all users on version 6.5.6. This update is quite large and some users may prefer to install the new version from the DVD rather than incurring the long download time . The new tree symbols are only available on the DVD. Note that if you are using v.6.5.0 - 6.5.5, you will first need to use software update to get to 6.5.6 and then once again to get from 6.5.6 to 6.6.0.
The cost for the new DVD is AUD $89.00 plus shipping. click here: to order
All other users, on a version below 6.5 should contact their local dealers (to find one near you
ZCorp Printer Webcast
Webcast: Modeling for 3D printing with Zcorp 3D printers
May 13, 2008
This webcast hosted by Z Corp, describes tools in form•Z that help create models targeted for 3D printing, adding relief to surfaces and cleaning up data for dependable exporting with ZPR files, including textures. You can see a Displacement tutorial and project examples, review 3DPrinting related tools such as Doctor, 3DPrint, Attributes Display resolution, etc. To link to the webcast click here:
May 13, 2008
This webcast hosted by Z Corp, describes tools in form•Z that help create models targeted for 3D printing, adding relief to surfaces and cleaning up data for dependable exporting with ZPR files, including textures. You can see a Displacement tutorial and project examples, review 3DPrinting related tools such as Doctor, 3DPrint, Attributes Display resolution, etc. To link to the webcast click here:
BonZai 3D - new from autodessys inc
AutoDesSys Previews New Product at AIA 2008
May 15, 2008
May 15, 2008, AIA Convention, Boston - AutoDesSys is pleased to preview BonZai 3D in Booth 22139.
What is BonZai 3D?
BonZai 3D is a new 3D modeler developed to fill in the demand for a quick, easy, simple but, most importantly, geometrically robust approach to 3D. A response to those who wish to express their thoughts graphically in 3D, on the fly, without too much hassle, and then be able to advance to the next level of detailed solid modeling and production, if they wish to do so.
In many ways, BonZai is an offspring of form•Z. At the same time, it is a different tool and represents a fresh approach to 3D modeling. The BonZai tools have resulted from experiences, experiments, research, and user input of the past 15 years. Its goal is to support the conceptual and sketching stages of design with utmost ease, but also the production of accurate and robust models that can be used for construction drawings, can be smoothly rendered, animated, and fabricated (i.e. printed in 3D). All this and more at an affordable price.
You can think of form•Z as the Swiss army knife of 3D modeling and BonZai as a pen knife you carry around to depend on for quick solutions to all kinds of immediate needs.
Anatomy of Bonzai
BonZai is the next generation of ease of use, combined with underlying solid modeling, that leads to effective workflow that minimizes input effort while maximizing productivity. It offers all the basic tools a designer needs to present one’s ideas in a 3D representation. It is built on form•Z’s trademark strengths that include solids and nurbz, multi-platform support, reliable Booleans, import/export file translators, and above all its solid reputation for the mark of excellence in 3D.
Some of the individual features in BonZai are:
• Fluid, powerful, and smart interface.
• All the classic modeling tools (extrusions, sweeps, transformations, etc.).
• Real time Booleans.
• NURBS curves and surfaces.
• Smart 3D drawing.
• Dynamic graphic editing.
• Push/Pull tool for easy sculpting and shape editing.
• Advanced OpenGL rendering with shadows, transparencies, and textures.
• Graphic texture map editing.
• Over 200 free materials (texture maps).
• Content library for trees, furniture, entourage elements.
• Support of 3D Warehouse.
• Google Earth and SketchUp file compatibility.
• Over 30 export/import formats for easy inter-operability.
• Embedded video tutorials
When to Expect bonZai 3D?
What is presented at AIA 2008 - BOOTH #22139 - is a sneak preview of what’s to come in the summer of 2008. AutoDesSys expects to start public Beta testing soon.
Factoid: the meaning of bonZai 3D
bon |bän - ORIGIN French, literally ‘good’
Z |z - The third dimension
ai |aï - Accurate/amazing/awsome - ideas/images/impressions
And of course, bonsai is a small, elegant, yet powerful to grow little tree!
In short: bon (good) + Z (3D) + a (accurate) + i (intelligent)
and
Easy- Accurate- Powerful - Affordable
Maxwell 1.7 release
Next Limit and Smart Technology is very proud to announce the release of Maxwell Render 1.7. This latest update which is FREE for customers offers several new and vastly improved features, which we have summarized for you below.
New Physical Sky System
The Physical Sky system in Maxwell Render 1.7 uses an entirely new approach and has been greatly enhanced adding more parameters to control the look of the sky and the resulting light in the scene, ranging from common Earth values to exaggerated fantasy skies. Users can create presets of sky settings to quickly load a new sky, or share their presets with other users. It’s also possible to save the current sky as an HDR map. This new sky system renders faster than the previous one – in certain scenes the difference can be dramatic.
The concept of “Aerosols” – particles found in the air that interact with light and influence how lights scatters and reacts in the atmosphere – plays an important role. Aerosols have a big impact on the coloration of the sky and scene illumination.
New Sub-Surface Scattering (SSS) Component
Sub-Surface Scattering (SSS) simulates the effect of light entering a translucent object and scattering inside it. Some of this light is absorbed and some is also scattered back to the surface. It is a crucial component that allows you to accurately simulate many kinds of materials including plastics, marble, milk, skin etc. The SSS component has been entirely rewritten for Maxwell Render 1.7, following an entirely new approach compared to the old system or any other SSS system currently available.
Other improvements include:
1.7 Material Editor
Material Preview: the material preview now shows incremental updates and you can stop the preview rendering at any time by double clicking on the preview.
Material Swatches: here you can store material “swatches” or previews. A material state can be stored as a preview and the user can easily browse between the saved previews, allowing for faster material editing and experimentation.
Texture Editor: the Texture Editor in 1.7 offers various new image controls: Saturation; Brightness; Contrast; and Clamp min/max. These new controls allow users to work much more efficiently with textures. There is no need to use an external image editing application to make small changes to a texture, and the same texture can be used for colour, bump, roughness and weight map.
Wizards: this is a step-by-step guide to creating several types of common materials such as shiny wooden floors, plastics, clipmapped materials for leafs, SSS materials, etc. The “Common” wizard can be used to create Diffuse, Emitter, Metal, Dielectric or Plastic materials. The “SSS Converter” serves as both a wizard and a converter of measured SSS data into values used in the SSS parameters of the Material Editor.
1.7 Maxwell Studio Improvements
· Texture Handling and Memory Optimizations: texture handling, scene loading times and overall memory usage have all been improved. With scenes that use many large textures, objects and materials, the loading time is around 10 times faster.
· Realtime OpenGL Preview of Physical Sky: with the vastly improved Physical Sky system in Maxwell Render 1.7, the OpenGL preview in the viewports has also been improved, allowing you to change any of the Sky parameters and camera settings and seeing an accurate realtime preview in the viewports.
Isolate Selection: useful if you have a cluttered scene and wish to view only the currently selected objects.
UV Operator: this option lets you apply the same transformations to all the selected UVs at the same time. You can, for example, scale all the selected UV sets by 10%.
Material Browser: improved for version 1.7; it has a more common functionality with the Windows Explorer, having a folder view on the left side and the contents of the folder displayed on the right side.
SimuLens:
SimuLens parameters: the SimuLens parameters have been added to the interface of Maxwell Studio and the plug-ins, and they are now also available through the command line. These changes allow for SimuLens to be used for animations.
These are the main new features, but we have also uploaded a What’s New? document to the usual reseller area with a full list of improvements and updates, and a guide on how to use them.
And don’t forget that our current Free Render node promotion runs to the end of June and will include all new V1.7 purchases once released! We will be providing you with more information over the next few days, but in the meantime if you have any queries then please don’t hesitate to contact us at 02 9939 4000 or email rkeeping@smarttec.com.au
New Physical Sky System
The Physical Sky system in Maxwell Render 1.7 uses an entirely new approach and has been greatly enhanced adding more parameters to control the look of the sky and the resulting light in the scene, ranging from common Earth values to exaggerated fantasy skies. Users can create presets of sky settings to quickly load a new sky, or share their presets with other users. It’s also possible to save the current sky as an HDR map. This new sky system renders faster than the previous one – in certain scenes the difference can be dramatic.
The concept of “Aerosols” – particles found in the air that interact with light and influence how lights scatters and reacts in the atmosphere – plays an important role. Aerosols have a big impact on the coloration of the sky and scene illumination.
New Sub-Surface Scattering (SSS) Component
Sub-Surface Scattering (SSS) simulates the effect of light entering a translucent object and scattering inside it. Some of this light is absorbed and some is also scattered back to the surface. It is a crucial component that allows you to accurately simulate many kinds of materials including plastics, marble, milk, skin etc. The SSS component has been entirely rewritten for Maxwell Render 1.7, following an entirely new approach compared to the old system or any other SSS system currently available.
Other improvements include:
1.7 Material Editor
Material Preview: the material preview now shows incremental updates and you can stop the preview rendering at any time by double clicking on the preview.
Material Swatches: here you can store material “swatches” or previews. A material state can be stored as a preview and the user can easily browse between the saved previews, allowing for faster material editing and experimentation.
Texture Editor: the Texture Editor in 1.7 offers various new image controls: Saturation; Brightness; Contrast; and Clamp min/max. These new controls allow users to work much more efficiently with textures. There is no need to use an external image editing application to make small changes to a texture, and the same texture can be used for colour, bump, roughness and weight map.
Wizards: this is a step-by-step guide to creating several types of common materials such as shiny wooden floors, plastics, clipmapped materials for leafs, SSS materials, etc. The “Common” wizard can be used to create Diffuse, Emitter, Metal, Dielectric or Plastic materials. The “SSS Converter” serves as both a wizard and a converter of measured SSS data into values used in the SSS parameters of the Material Editor.
1.7 Maxwell Studio Improvements
· Texture Handling and Memory Optimizations: texture handling, scene loading times and overall memory usage have all been improved. With scenes that use many large textures, objects and materials, the loading time is around 10 times faster.
· Realtime OpenGL Preview of Physical Sky: with the vastly improved Physical Sky system in Maxwell Render 1.7, the OpenGL preview in the viewports has also been improved, allowing you to change any of the Sky parameters and camera settings and seeing an accurate realtime preview in the viewports.
Isolate Selection: useful if you have a cluttered scene and wish to view only the currently selected objects.
UV Operator: this option lets you apply the same transformations to all the selected UVs at the same time. You can, for example, scale all the selected UV sets by 10%.
Material Browser: improved for version 1.7; it has a more common functionality with the Windows Explorer, having a folder view on the left side and the contents of the folder displayed on the right side.
SimuLens:
SimuLens parameters: the SimuLens parameters have been added to the interface of Maxwell Studio and the plug-ins, and they are now also available through the command line. These changes allow for SimuLens to be used for animations.
These are the main new features, but we have also uploaded a What’s New? document to the usual reseller area with a full list of improvements and updates, and a guide on how to use them.
And don’t forget that our current Free Render node promotion runs to the end of June and will include all new V1.7 purchases once released! We will be providing you with more information over the next few days, but in the meantime if you have any queries then please don’t hesitate to contact us at 02 9939 4000 or email rkeeping@smarttec.com.au
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