Ryan Anelowe joins ADAPT ONEDiscover the beautiful worlds of concept artist Ryan Anelowe who just joined ADAPT's roster of premium talents.https://adapt.one/editorial/link/204/Ryan+Anelowe+joins+ADAPT+ONE/

Monday, November 18th, 2024Posted by Jim ThackerFree tool: Reallusions Blender Auto Setup pluginhtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Reallusion has announced Blender Auto Setup (BAS), a free plugin that streamlines the process of exporting characters and animation data from its software for use in Blender.The plugin, a rebranded version of third-party developer Victor Soupdays open-source CC/iC Blender Tools, works with characters exported from character-generation tool Character Creator and animation tool iClone, and stock characters from its ActorCore online library.A new name for Victor Soupdays CC/iC Blender Tools pluginBlender Auto Setup has been around for several years: just not under its current name.The plugin, originally known as CC3 Blender Tools and then CC/iC Blender Tools, was first released by artist and tools developer Victor Soupday in 2021.It installs in Blender, and streamlines the process of importing characters exported from Reallusion tools into the open-source 3D software.A separate Victor Soupday plugin, CC/iClone Blender Pipeline Plugin now renamed Blender Pipeline Plugin installs in Character Creator or iClone, and streamlines the export process.Now available to download from the Reallusion websiteReallusion has made both plugins available to download from its website, rather than GitHub.Weve contacted the company to ask whether it is now co-developing the tools, as it does with Victor Soupdays equivalent Unity plugin, and will update if we hear back.Transfer character geometry, shaders and animation between Blender and Reallusion appsThe plugins streamline the process of transferring data between Reallusion software and Blender, including geometry, shaders, character rigs and animation.Blender Auto Setup configures Blenders sculpt mode and Multiresolution modifier when importing characters, while a one-click Bake & Apply function sends changes back to Reallusion software.The plugin also converts Reallusions Digital Human Shader to Blender material graphs for rendering in the Cycles or Eevee renderers, and generates a Rigify control rig for characters.A Data Link feature synchronizes animation data character poses, morphs and motions between Blender and Reallusion software, removing the need to export FBX files manually.Few other changes in the official releaseOther than the change of name and download location, the rebrand doesnt seem to add any new features.Reallusions blog post describes the Data Link as new, although it has been available in CC/iC Blender Tools since version 2.0, released late last year.Weve contacted Reallusion to check if there have been other changes in the official release, and will update if we hear back.System requirementsCharacter Creator Auto Setup for Blender is compatible with Blender 4.2+ and Character Creator 4.5+ or iClone 8.5+, on Windows only.The plugin itself is a free download: to do so, you will need to register for an account on Reallusions website, and fill out a brief online survey.Character Creator has a MSRP of $299; iClone usually costs $599.Read more about Blender Auto Setup on Reallusions websiteDownload Blender Auto SetupHave your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we dont post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.Latest NewsFree tool: Reallusion's Blender Auto Setup pluginNewly rebranded plugin transfers 3D characters, shaders, rigs and animation from Character Creator and iClone to Blender.Monday, November 18th, 2024Download VFX Assets' free 2D Cloud Textures PackGet 125 free cloud textures on black backgrounds for background compositing in VFX or motion graphics projects. Commercial use.Sunday, November 17th, 2024Create perfect topology for animated charactersNew Gnomon Workshop tutorial reveals how to create 3D characters with animation-friendly, production-ready topology in Maya and ZBrush.Saturday, November 16th, 2024Ephere releases Ornatrix 3 for Cinema 4DHair and fur plugin gets new tools for 'grafting' procedural hair grooms onto a character, and 'boxing' operators into single modifiers.Friday, November 15th, 2024Maxon releases Red Giant 2025.2 and Universe 2025.1Check out the new features in the suite of motion graphics and VFX plugins and the online library of effects and transitions.Friday, November 15th, 2024Nekki releases Cascadeur MobileNew mobile edition of Nekki's AI-assisted character animation software is now available for iPad and iPhone users.Thursday, November 14th, 2024More NewsUnreal Engine 5.5: discover 10 key features for CG artistsBlackmagic Design releases Fusion Studio 19.1Blackmagic Design releases DaVinci Resolve 19.1Get the Blender Studio's free Brushstroke Tools for BlenderFoundry releases Mari 7.1 in betaScene Group releases Cavalry 2.2Maxon releases ZBrush for iPad 2025.1Foundry discontinues ModoEpic Games to share new free assets on Fab every two weeksGet 100+ free modular airport assets for Unity and Unreal EngineReallusion adds AI Smart Search to Character Creator and iClonePoly Hammer unveils MetaHuman DNA add-on for BlenderOlder Posts

En este video, aprenderemos a utilizar el modificador "Girar" , que nos permitir hacer que nuestras partculas roten a medida que avanza la lnea de tiempo. Ya sea que queramos simular hojas cayendo de un rbol o confeti girando en el aire , este modificador es la clave para lograrlo. Mira ahora https://maxonvfx.com/4hoQen0

Try some of the all-new tools in #RedGiantUniverse to transform your projects with stunning pixel art and vintage dithering techniques, bringing retro or game vibes to life. Surf into the user guide here https://maxonvfx.com/3Cx2hyL

The near side of the moon has been studied more extensively than the far side. Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsScientists analyzed the first and thus far only rock samples from the far side of the moon to understand how the area differs from the familiar near sideThe moon takes the same amount of time to orbit around our planet as it does to rotate around its axis, which means that from Earth we can only ever see the same side of the moon. Though this near side has been studied via telescopes, crewed missions, orbiting spacecrafts and more, the scientific community has had far fewer opportunities to study its mysterious counterpart.Out of sight, however, doesnt always mean out of mind. In June, Chinas Change 6 lunar lander returned to Earth with the first soil samples ever collected from the far side of the Moon.Now, two studies of the samples published in the journals Nature and Science have just confirmed that the moons other half had active volcanoes billions of years ago.Imagine having rock samples from maybe ten locations in North America, and thats what you know about Earth, Stephen Elardo, a planetary scientist at the University of Florida in Gainesville who was not involved in the studies, tells Science News Lisa Grossman. Then all of a sudden you get your first rocks from South Africa or Australia. Now you get to have that as another data point to learn about the whole planet. Thats basically what this is for the moon.While scientists already knew of ancient volcanic history on the moons near side, previous research had hypothesized the presence of long-extinct volcanoes on the far side as well. These two studies now confirm it.The more than four pounds of lunar soil included fragments of basalt (a type of volcanic rock), most of which the scientists dated to approximately 2.8 billion years ago via radioisotope dating, which analyzes the rate of radioactive decay. A single basalt fragment dates to about 4.2 billion years ago, and is the oldest known lunar basalt sample brought back to Earth.To obtain a sample from this area is really important because its an area that otherwise we have no data for, Christopher Hamilton, a planetary volcano expert at the University of Arizona who was not involved with the research, tells the Associated Press Adithi Ramakrishnan.The age of the far side samples indicate that region of the moon had volcanic activity 4.2 billion years ago and 2.8 billion years agoand during the period in between. Near side samples had previously suggested that the moon experienced volcanic activity from around 4 billion years ago to about 3 billion years ago, per Science News Lisa Grossman.Both teams of researchers also noted that the 2.8-billion-year-old basalt samples had relatively low levels of KREEPpotassium (K), rare-earth elements (REE) and phosphorus (P)which contrasts with higher levels in near side lunar samples. The decay of radioactive materials in KREEP creates heat, and it could have driven the prolonged duration of volcanic activity on the visible side. But scientists aren't sure, without high levels of those elements, how the far side stayed molten for so long, Elardo tellsScience News. Distribution of distinct volcanic episodes on the moon's far side. The remote sensing image highlights the Chang'e-6 landing site. Yang MuhanThe relatively young age of the basalts (retrieved by Change-6) is surprising along with the composition being practically devoid of radioactive elements, Clive R. Neal, a planetary geologist at the University of Notre Dame and co-author of the Science study, tells CNNs Katie Hunt. It prompts the question how and why were these magmas generated, Neal addsThe asymmetry between the Moons near side and far side remains an unresolved mystery, says Qiu-li Li, a co-author of the Nature paper and a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Geology and Geophysics, to CNN. The China National Space Administration will allow international scientists to apply to study the samples. Further research might one day explain the differences between the two sides of the Moon.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Astronomy, China, Geology, Moon, New Research, Outer Space, Volcanoes

The cub belongs to the species,Homotherium latidens,and was unearthed from theBadyarikha River in Yakutia, Siberia. A.V. Lopatin et al., Scientific Reports 2024While searching for mammoth tusks in eastern Siberia, scavengers found a rare ice mummy along the banks of the Badyarikha River. One of the many treasures to be unearthed in Siberia, the finding turned out to be a three-week-old saber-toothed kitten preserved in the permafrost.The study, published on Thursday in Scientific Reports, describes the frozen kittens 35,000-year-old body. The mummy contains the head and front parts of the animal, including fur and muzzle, making it possible for scientists to study these for the first time.This amazing find is one of the most exciting moments of my career, says Manuel J. Salesa, a paleontologist at the National Museum of Natural Sciences in Madrid who was not involved in the study, to the New York Times Asher Elbein.Many paleontologists working with felids, including myself, have been hoping for decades to see a frozen saber-tooth felid from the permafrost, he adds.Using radiocarbon dating, the researchers found that the cub lived somewhere between 35,500 to 37,000 years ago. It also belonged to the species Homotherium latidens, and lived in the Late Pleistocene. Judging by its incisors, scientists estimate it was about three weeks old.Alexey V. Lopatin, director of the Borissiak Paleontological Institute at the Russian Academy of Sciences and author of the study, tells NBC News Mirna Alsharif that it was a fantastic feeling to see such a long-extinct animal.Siberias cold and dry conditions, with part of the region sitting above the Arctic Circle, make it easy to preserve ancient fossils. The permafrost layer, underneath an active soil, is frozen sediment that has remained so for two or more years. This is the layer where well-preserved fossils are often found, including a mummified woolly rhino and a 32,000-year-old wolf head.Although other bones of Homotherium have been found, this rare cub marked the first time the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied, the study authors write.Other frozen Homotheriums will surely be unearthed, Lopatin tells the New York Times. Salesa, the paleontologist in Madrid, tells the outlet he hopes the researchers find adults. That would be absolutely shocking, he adds.Lopatin and his colleagues were able to study the cubs neck and tufts of fur, even its paws. This is where the permafrost layer played an important role, as the muscles, bones and skin are well preserved in the permafrost ice, Lopatin tells Gizmodos Isaac Schultz. Forepaws of three-week-old large felid cubs: TheA,B, and, belong to the frozen mummy cub,Homotherium latidens,while D belongs to a modern lion. A.V. Lopatin et al., Scientific Reports 2024The cub had no carpal pads, a physical trait common in cats and dogs, which may have been useful for walking on snow, says Lopatin, per the New York Times. The study also notes that the cub had a large stout neck, different than those of modern lion cubs.The cubs dark brown fur, however, was perhaps the most surprising thing, Lopatin tells the outlet. The well-preserved carcass offers a new glimpse into the extinct species. Previous descriptions were drawn from fossil bones, but the mummified cub provides insight into their soft tissue anatomy.DNA can be extracted, and this is one of the next stages of our research, Lopatin tells Gizmodo.The team is already working on another study where theyll discuss the anatomical features of the cub in more detail, they write in the new paper. For now, at least, the remarkable frozen cub offers a snapshot of a time long gone, when woolly mammoths and saber-toothed cats roamed Earth.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Cats, Fossils, History, Mummies, Russia

SuperScale has raised $1.2 million in its latest funding round to launch its data analytics SuperPlatform for gaming businesses.Read More

Nvidia it is working with Google Quantum AI to accelerate the design of its next-generation quantum computing devices using simulations powered by Nvidia.Read More

SuperScale raises $1.2m in funding roundInvestment will further support the launch of the firm's SuperPlatform business analytics serviceImage credit: SuperScale News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Nov. 19, 2024 SuperScale has raised $1.2 million in a funding round to support its new game business analytics service, SuperPlatform.The investment was led by existing investors Across Private Investments, LevelUp Ventures, Zero One Hundred, and Venture to Future Fund in addition to new investor Strecko Investments.SuperScale will extend the funding round by a further $2.15 million by the end of the year.Its game business analytics platform provides studios with a single source of insights from over 40 sources covering marketing, product, and finance.It also includes features such as predictive modelling and automated data health monitoring to tailor to companies using the platform.SuperPlatform soft-launched in August 2024, with 60 studios using the platform so far."SuperPlatform is our flagship software-as-a-service offering, and is the culmination of eight years of internal development encompassing all the tools and models developed by SuperScale," said SuperScale CEO and founder Ivan Trančik."It has already delivered record profits to our partners as part of our existing complementary solutions and, by offering it as a unified platform, we can empower a much broader range of studios to achieve unprecedented results."Last June, SuperScale raised $5.4 million in a Series A funding round led by Venture to Future Fund.

Play Ventures raises $140m in third gaming fundFirm expects to invest in up to 25 early-stage games companies worldwideImage credit: Play Ventures | Left to right; Henric Suuronen, Anton Backman, Harri Manninen News by Sophie McEvoy Staff Writer Published on Nov. 18, 2024 Play Ventures has closed its third gaming fund, having raised $140 million.As GamesBeat reported, Play Ventures will continue to invest in early-stage games companies. However, this round will focus on mobile free-to-play games and infrastructure and AI-enhanced gaming tools.Play Ventures has made eight investments since the closure of its third round in June 2023, including in AI startup Beyond.The firm is expecting to invest in between 20 to 25 companies worldwide, focusing on pre-seed to series A funding rounds."Mobile gaming is one of the most dynamic arenas of our time, presenting massive, untapped potential," said Play Ventures founding partner Henric Suuronen."With Fund III, we're investing in a new wave of billion-dollar games and interactive experiences, supercharged by the transformative powers of AI."It's the largest investment to date for the VC fund, which brings Play Ventures' total to $315 million having raised $135 million in April 2021 and $40 million in August 2019.