html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Training provider and tools developer Compositing Academy has released Screen FX, a new plugin for creating 2D motion graphics in Nuke.The add-on provides over custom 50 nodes for creating shape animations, noise patterns, glitch effects and transitions, both for conventional motion graphics and for screen graphics for VFX.An affordable new toolkit for creating 2D motion graphics effects and transitions in NukePitched as the ultimate Nuke plugin for creating stunning 2D motion graphics, Screen FX provides a set of tools for creating common motion graphics effects and transitions.The toolkit consists of over 50 custom nodes for creating shape-based 2D animations, noise overlays, glitch effects and image-warping transitions.Many come with presets for quick iteration, including color palettes and animation styles.The tools are GPU-accelerated via Nukes hardware-agnostic BlinkScript framework, and provide near-instant playback.For individual artists and small studios, Screen FX provides a lower-cost alternative to established Nuke-compatible motion graphics tools like Boris FXs Sapphire plugins.Price and system requirementsScreen FX is compatible with Nuke 15.0+. It was developed with NukeX 15.1v4, which is strongly recommended. It doesnt work with Nuke Non-Commercial.GPU acceleration requires a NVIDIA GPUs that supports CUDA 4.2+ or an AMD GPU that supports OpenCL 1.2+.Perpetual individual licenses cost $99. Team and studio licenses cost between $250 and $6,000.Read more about Screen FX on Compositing Academys websiteHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The Gnomon Workshop has released Cinematic Sand & Dust Simulations Using Houdini, a masterclass in professional simulation workflows, recorded by FX Artist Alvaro J. Segura.The advanced workshop provides over three hours of video training in Houdini and Nuke, and is demonstrated using Houdini IndieMaster professional workflows for creating complex Houdini simulationsIn the workshop, Segura creates a complex simulation of a vehicle ploughing through deep sand, using Houdinis key toolsets and following practical production workflows.He begins by exploring how to use Vellum Grains, combining them with Pyro simulations to create a range of sand textures, from fine, dust-like particles to denser clumps.Segura reveals how to optimize collisions, and how to design custom velocity fields to enhance the realism of simulations.He also walks through the process of setting up TOP networks for wedging to streamline heavy simulations, segmenting them into separate containers for an efficient yet powerful workflow. In the final part of the tutorial, Segura sets out how to combine these containers back into a single volume as velocity and density VDBs for lighter, optimized volume handling.The workshop uses a commercial truck model from TurboSquid.About the artistAlvaro J. Segura is a Freelance FX Artist with over 15 years of experience at some of the worlds leading VFX companies, including MPC, Digital Domain, Zoic Studios and Blur Studio.He was FX Lead on The Lion King, and has also worked on movies including Terminator: Dark Fate, Black Panther, Ant-Man, and Pirates of the Caribbean.Pricing and availabilityCinematic Sand & Dust Simulations Using Houdini is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, which provides access to over 300 tutorials.Subscriptions cost $57/month or $519/year. Free trials are available.Read more about Cinematic Sand & Dust Simulations Using HoudiniHave 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.Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Zibra AI has released a new free edition of ZibraVDB for Unreal Engine.The plugin makes it possible to import, play back and render data in .zibravdb format inside the game engine, and comes with four free smoke and fire effects.A new AI-based technology for compressing and playing back volumetric effectsLaunched commercially last year, ZibraVDB is a new AI-based technology for compressing volumetric data in OpenVDB format.It enables users to compress VDB files, like effects created in software like Houdini or EmberGen, then decompress and render them at runtime inside Unreal Engine.That enables users both game developers and VFX and virtual production studios to render much more complex effects than would previously have been possible in real time.According to Zibra AI, ZibraVDB can compress VDB files up to 100x, and render them twice as fast as Unreals native SVT system, introduced in Unreal Engine 5.3.New free Unreal Engine plugin comes with four free stock explosion and tornado effectsThe new free Unreal Engine plugin doesnt include the compression system itself, but it does make it possible to test the quality of the results it generates.To do that, you can download four free smoke and fire effects three explosions and a fire tornado compressed into .zibravdb format, and use it to import them into UE5 for rendering.There are no license restrictions on the assets, so once youve tested them, you can also use them as stock assets for future projects.Price and system requirementsThe free edition of ZibraVDB for Unreal Engine is compatible with Unreal Engine 5.3+. It is available via Epic Games Fab online marketplace under Fabs Standard license, which permits use in commercial projects.The full commercial version of ZibraVDB is available subscription-only, with individual subscriptions priced at $29/month or $299/year, and studio subscriptions priced on enquiry.Download the free edition of ZibraVDB for Unreal EngineDownload four free stock smoke and fire effects for use with the free edition(Requires registering your contact details on the Zibra AI website)Read more about ZibraVDB on Zibra AIs websiteHave 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.

Thursday, January 16th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerChaos releases V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4Dhtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Chaos has released V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4D, the next major version of the production renderer.The update adds support for rendering 3D Gaussian Splats, native OpenPBR support, and improvements to V-Ray GPU, the V-Ray Frame Buffer and Chaos Scatter.Cinema 4D becomes the third DCC application to get an integration for V-Ray 7, following last years releases of V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max and V-Ray 7 for SketchUp.Native support for rendering 3DGS scan dataNew features in V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4D include support for 3D Gaussian Splats (3DGS).A new 3D scanning method, 3D Gaussian Splatting generates high-quality reconstructions of real-world objects or scenes from source photos or video.Although there are free third-party add-ons for rendering 3DGS data in Blender, Unity and Unreal Engine, V-Ray is one of the first CG applications to support the technology natively.Chaos tells us that it expects the functionality to appeal to both architectural visualization and VFX studios, particularly as a way of creating detailed background environments.You can read a good overview of how 3D Gaussian Splats work, and the pros and cons of workflows based around them in this post on Chaoss blog.Lighting and rendering: V-Ray Luminaires and updates to V-Ray Sun and SkyChanges to lighting and rendering in V-Ray 7 include support for luminaires.Users can now import baked lighting data for real-world light fittings in V-Rays .vlw format, making it possible to recreate the illumination they create more accurately in interior scenes.In addition, the V-Ray Sun and Sky system has been updated to support the PRG Clear Sky model used in Corona, Chaoss other major production renderer.According to Chaos, it generates more realistic lighting effects than the previous model, particularly at sunrise and sunset, and when rendering the sky from greater altitudes.The firefly removal algorithm, for removing bright flecks in renders, has also been updated.V-Ray GPU: initial support for causticsV-Ray GPU, V-Rays hybrid CPU and GPU renderer, gets initial support for rendering caustics, bringing it closer to feature parity with the main CPU render engine.You can see a list of the remaining features not supported in V-Ray GPU here.V-Ray GPU also now supports Apples Metal API, which should improve performance on macOS: Chaos says that rendering is up to 3x faster on MacBooks with current M4 processors.VFB: vignetting and freeform render regionsThe V-Ray Frame Buffer (VFB), for viewing and editing images rendered in V-Ray, gets a new Vignette Layer, making it possible to apply vignetting effects to renders.The VFB also now supports freeform region rendering, making it possible to specify render regions of arbitrary shape to help resolve key areas of an image more quickly.It is also now possible to denoise LightMix render elements, used to relight scenes in the VFB.Updates to Chaos ScatterChaos Scatter, the object scattering system introduced in V-Ray 6, also gets an update.New features include Edge Trimming, to help confine instances to the required part of a scene, and support for random distribution pattern presets.Export times for scenes that make heavy use of scattering have been reduced, as have the size of the .vrscene files generated, although Chaos doesnt put a figure on improvements.Support for the new OpenPBR material standardV-Ray 7 for Cinema 4D also introduces support for the new OpenPBR open material standard, with the standard V-Ray Material now including an OpenPBR mode.Overseen by the Academy Software Foundation, OpenPBR is intended to streamline look development for VFX, with materials developed for one application displaying near-identically in others that support it.Currently, the main applications that support OpenPBR are 3ds Max and Maya, and OpenPBR support is also due in the upcoming V-Ray 7 for Maya, currently in beta. Other pipeline integration improvementsThe release also improves interoperability with other renderers, including Maxons Redshift, the full version of which is now included in all Cinema 4D subscriptions.V-Ray users can now render Redshift lights, and export textures from Redshift Dome Lights.The update also introduces support for the Substance Archive (.sbsar) format, making it possible to render materials created in Substance 3D Designer, or downloaded from online libraries.Updates to Chaos Cloud and Chaos CosmosOutside the core application, cloud rendering service Chaos Cloud gets a new set of collaboration tools.Artists can now upload images directly from the VFB to the cloud for review, with clients and supervisors able to comment on or mark up the images.There is also new functionality for creating virtual tours of 3D environments, complete with floor plans and minimaps.Users can place Hotspots to act as navigation points in the environment for the viewer, and Highlights to provide text or image annotations for key details.Chaos Cosmos, the online asset library available with all V-Ray subscriptions, now supports asset variants, making it possible to switch between variant looks for an asset without having to re-import it into the scene.The variant system is initially being used for seasonal changes to trees and plants.Subscription prices up since V-Ray 6Chaos has also raised the price of V-Ray subscriptions since the previous release.V-Ray Solo subscriptions now cost $84.90/month or $514.80/year, up $5/month or $48/year, and V-Ray Premium subscriptions cost $119.90/month or $718.80/year, up $24/year.V-Ray Enterprise subscriptions are unaffected.Price and system requirementsV-Ray 7 for Cinema 4D is compatible with Cinema 4D R21+, running on Windows 10+ and macOS 10.14+. The software is rental-only: you can find current pricing details in the story above.Read an overview of the new features in V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4D on Chaoss websiteRead a full list of new features in V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4D in the online release notesHave 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 NewsChaos releases V-Ray 7 for Cinema 4DCheck out the new features in the renderer, including native OpenPBR and 3D Gaussian Splatting support, and improvements to V-Ray GPU.Thursday, January 16th, 2025These simple free tools convert Maya shaders to BlenderVFX artist Robert Rioux's handy open-source tools convert the aiStandardSurface shader to Blender's Principled BSDF.Wednesday, January 15th, 2025Get 75+ free modular shop assets for Unreal EngineGet CropCraft Studios' Modular Bakery Shop pack of 3D assets for creating a shop and cafe for free for two weeks on the Fab marketplace.Wednesday, January 15th, 2025Adobe releases Substance 3D Designer 14.1Check out the new features in the material authoring software, including updates to the Spline tools and node graph.Wednesday, January 15th, 2025Adobe unveils Live Co-Editing in PhotoshopNew beta feature lets multiple artists collaborate on the same Photoshop file simultaneously, speeding up asset reviews.Tuesday, January 14th, 2025Free tool: Hair Cinematic Tool for Unreal Engine 5Argentum Studio's in-house tool gives access to Unreal Engine 5's internal settings to improve the look of hair and fur in your renders.Tuesday, January 14th, 2025More NewsMaster World Building using Blender and PhotoshopGet 6 free smoke and fire effects sequences from FX BackPackGet modular Maya character rig builder Mansur-Rig for freeSuperSpat 1.13 plays back animated '4D Gaussian Splats'Adobe releases Substance 3D Modeler 1.18Getty Images and Shutterstock to merge to create $3.7 billion firmDownload free Houdini tools from Project GrotNVIDIA unveils GeForce RTX 5090, 5080, 5070 Ti and 5070 GPUsMaxon buys LaubwerkTik Manager 4 is a lightweight, robust open-source pipeline toolFree add-on Paint System 'turns Blender into Photoshop'Photoshop render compositing add-on Post Manager is now freeOlder Posts

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html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Adobe has released Substance 3D Designer 14.1, the new version of its material-authoring software for game development, visual effects and visualization work.The release updates Substance 3D Designers Spline and Path tools, including the option to scatter splines on splines, and improves workflow in the softwares node graph.Updates to the Path and Spline toolsSubstance 3D Designer 14.1 updates the softwares Spline and Path toolset for generating and manipulating 2D shapes, originally introduced in 2023 in Substance Designer 13.0.New features include a self-descriptive Scatter Splines on Splines node, used in the video above to create a snowflake-like branching embroidery pattern.It is also now possible to randomize the placement of splines generated by the Spline Bridge List node, which creates splines crossing the ones selected.The Mask to Paths node, which converts a greyscale mask to a set of path segments, has been updated to give more user control over the placement of the first vertex on the path.New Color Sampler tool tracks pixel values between nodesOther new features include a Color Sampler tool in the 2D view, which makes it possible to track the value of a selected pixel across multiple nodes.Users can place a pin on the pixel in the viewport, then track its RGBA values as they update the node graph.Workflow improvements to the node graphThe node graph itself gets a number of workflow updates, including the option to copy and paste parameter values from one node to another.The node alignment tools, which help to keep complex graphs organized visually, have been completely revamped, although the main specific change is the option to space nodes evenly.The Node Finder tool has been slightly improved, with new options to disable fuzzy search, or to enable recursive search to find nodes within the subgraphs of a node graph.Price and system requirementsSubstance 3D Designer 14.1 is compatible with Windows 10+, RHEL 8.6/9.2+ Linux and macOS 12.0+.It is available as a $199.99 perpetual license on Steam, or via Substance 3D subscriptions. Substance 3D Texturing subscriptions cost $19.99/month or $219.88/year; Substance 3D Collection subscriptions cost $49.99/month or $549.88/year. Subscriptions to the Linux edition require a Creative Cloud Plan for Teams priced at $1,198.88/year.Read a full list of new features in Substance 3D Designer 14.1 in the online release notesHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"VFX artist Robert Rioux has released a pair of open-source add-ons for converting a key Maya shader for use in Blender.When exporting assets from Maya to Blender, the tools automatically convert the aiStandardSurface shader to Blenders Principled BSDF shader.Convert one of Mayas key shaders to its closest Blender equivalentThe tools resolve an issue that Rioux previously CG supervisor at VFX facility Real by Fake, who also runs the Blender Bob YouTube channel says has been bothering me for a long time.They convert one of Mayas key shaders to its closest Blender equivalent, reducing manual work when adapting assets developed in Maya for use in the open-source 3D software.When exporting an asset that uses the aiStandardSurface shader from Maya, the first tool, a Python script, exports a shader definition alongside the FBX file.The second tool converts to the Principled BSDF shader on importing the asset into Blender.The tools are written specifically for the aiStandardSurface shader in the Arnold renderer included with a default installation of Maya, but it has a very similar structure to the native Maya Standard Surface shader.A quick automatic solution that may need manual refinement on complex shader setupsThe tools were written using ChatGPT, with some further work by Blender tools developer TinkerBoi, and are designed for basic shader trees.While direct file inputs in the Maya shader are converted automatically, the process does not convert other input types, like mix or ramp shaders.In addition, displacement values will need to be adjusted manually on the imported model. System requirementsRobert Riouxs free shader conversion tools are available under a GPL v3 license.Download Robert Riouxs free Maya-to-Blender shader converters from GitHubHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Epic Games has made a set of 76 modular assets for creating a bakers shop available to download for free from Fab, its new online marketplace.Games asset firm CropCraft Studios Modular Bakery Shop is part of the latest set of time-limited free content released on Fab, and will be free until 28 January 2025.The asset pack was previously sold for up to $69.99.Scan-based modular 3D assets for creating a bakers shopThe Modular Bakery Shop consists of 76 static meshes for creating a bakers shop and cafe.The assets, which come with PBR materials, include walls, counters, chairs, tables, and 3D scanned baked goods like croissants and donuts.The scene itself is designed for use with Unreal Engine 5, including the Nanite virtualized geometry system, although most of the assets are relatively lightweight: the average triangle count is 4,200.Part of Epics new bi-weekly releases of free content on Fab The asset pack is part of the latest set of commercial assets to be made temporarily available for free under Epic Games updated Sponsored Content program.Under the program, a new set of commercial tools and assets will be made available for free on Fab every two weeks, for a period of two weeks.System requirements and availabilityThe Modular Bakery Shop Pack is available as an asset package for Unreal Engine 5.2+ under a Fab Standard license.The terms of the Fab Standard license permit content to be used in any engine or tool, including for commercial projects, subject to the restrictions set out in the Fab EULA.Get CropCraft Studios Modular Bakery Shop asset pack from Fab(Available free until 28 January 2025)Have 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"FX BackPacks commercial Smoke Impacts collection of stock FX clips and VDB file sequences, one of which is included in its free Discovery Pack of smoke and fire effects.New stock effects firm FX BackPack has released the Discovery Pack: six free smoke and fire effects for use in visual effects or motion graphics projects.The assets are provided as sequences of VDB files optimized for use in Blender, but suitable for use in other DCC apps, and as 2K MOV files with alpha channels for compositing.Six free stock FX clips of smoke and fire, for use in VFX or motion graphicsThe Dicovery Pack consists of six stock effects: three of fires and three of smoke.All are based on Houdini simulations that are then resampled to reduce file sizes while preserving as much of the original detail as possible.The fire effects are flame sims with sources with suitable shapes for use on the windows or facades of buildings, and on vertical structures like poles, pillars or ropes.The smoke effects consist of a ground explosion, a smoke plume, and horizontal jets mimicking smoke grenades or steam escaping from pipes.The 150-to-300-frame animations are provided as 2K ProRes 4444 MOV files with transparent backgrounds that can be composited into footage for use in VFX or motion graphics projects.Also available as VDB file sequences for rendering in Blender or other CG softwareUsers also get the effects as sequences of VDB files that can be rendered in any DCC app or game engine that supports the OpenVDB file format, now including Unreal Engine.The VDB files are optimized for use in Blender, where they can used with either the Cycles or Eevee render engines, and are designed to be lightweight and quick to render.Blender users also get a .blend scene file with five readymade smoke shaders and three stylized fire shaders.Available as a free sample of FX BackPacks commercial asset collectionsThe files are samples from FX BackPacks commercial asset collections, each of which contains 10 variations of smoke or fire effects.The commercial packs cost $4.99 or $9.99, depending on whether you want both the MOV files and VDB file sequences, or the MOV files alone.As well as downloading the samples free on Gumroad, you can buy the Discovery Pack on Blender Market, with all of the money from sales going to the Blender Development Fund.FX BackPack plans to release new collections throughout 2025 and 2026, starting with volumetric effects, but eventually including magic FX, destruction, water and particles.License and system requirementsFX BackPacks Discovery Pack assets are provided as sequences of VDB files, suitable for use in any DCC application that supports the format, and as 2K MOV files, for use in compositing.The Blender files are compatible with Blender 3.0+, and the Cycles and Eevee renderers.The assets are licensed for commercial use.Download FX BackPacks smoke and fire FX Discovery Pack from Gumroad(Enter a figure of $0 to download it for free, or make a voluntary donation)Have 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Argentum Studios free Hair Cinematic Tool makes it easy to access Unreal Engine 5s internal settings controlling lighting and shadows for hair to improve the look of rendered animation.Animation firm Argentum Studio has released its in-house Hair Cinematic Tool for Unreal Engine for free.The add-on makes it easier to access hidden parameters for rendering hair grooms, helping to create higher-quality renders for cinematics, animations and VFX.A dedicated UI through which to adjust internal UE5 settings for rendering hair and furArgentum Studio describes the Hair Cinematic Tool as designed to give creators full control over Groom rendering settings, addressing the platforms lack of detailed native options.It provides a graphical interface through which to adjust Unreal Engines internal CVars (Console Variables) for hair, and for Voxelization shadows and Deep Shadows.By adjusting their values, users can fine tune lighting and shadows for hair and fur rendered using Unreal Engine 5.You can find Argentum Studios run-down of what the CVars control, and its suggested values for key settings, in this blog post on ArtStation.System requirementsArgentum Studios Hair Cinematic Tool is compatible with Unreal Engine 5.1+. The add-on is available free under ArtStation Marketplaces Standard license, which permits use in commercial projects.Download Argentum Studios free Hair Cinematic Tool from ArtStation MarketplaceFind details of how to use the Hair Cinematic ToolHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Adobe has unveiled a new Live Co-Editing feature in Photoshop, its image-editing and digital painting software, widely used in CG for concept art, illustration and retouching.The functionality, which makes it possible for multiple users to edit the same Photoshop document simultaneously, is currently available in private beta.Opening up new collaborative workflows for education and design reviewsUnlike Photoshops existing collaboration tools, Live Co-Editing enables multiple users to access and edit the same Photoshop document simultaneously.As well as enabling artists to collaborate on complex projects in real time, suggested use cases relevant to CG Channel readers include design reviews.Artists can invite supervisors and clients to access a file for example, a concept image or illustration and have them add comments or make edits to the document.Educators will also be able to teach techniques directly in Photoshop, with students able to follow along on the same document.Currently available in invite-only private betaLive Co-Editing is available in both the desktop version of Photoshop and the web app.However, unlike standard beta features, which are available to subscribers via Adobes Creative Cloud desktop app, its currently in invite-only private beta.To apply to join the beta program, you need to fill out a short online survey.Price, system requirements and release dateLive Co-Editing is currently in private beta. Adobe hasnt announced a final release date yet.You can find details of system requirements and pricing in this story on Photoshop 26.2, the current release.Read more about Live Co-op Editing in Photoshop on Adobes blogHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The Gnomon Workshop has released World Building using Blender and Photoshop, a guide to visual development for games, animation and VFX, recorded by Concept Artist Thiago Sousa.The workshop, which is aimed at junior and intermediate-level artists, provides over two hours of video training in Blender and Photoshop.Create environment concepts suitable for games, animation or VFX projectsIn the workshop, Sousa presents his complete workflow for creating the foundation for a world, from conception of a simple story through to the final environment.The aim is not simply to create a single scene, but a base that can continue to be developed.He begins by providing tips for establishing the main elements of a story, and how to find and organize reference images, before moving on to sketching out ideas.Costa uses open-source 3D software Blender to block out the scene, demonstrating how to test your initial ideas using basic tools.He also discusses the importance of camera angles, and how to generate multiple renders to visualize the world as it comes to life.For the final steps, Costa moves to Photoshop, where he shares his techniques for painting, photobashing, and polishing a chosen scene.As well as the training videos, viewers of the workshop can download Costas Blender project file with all of the 3D assets and cameras, and a layered Photoshop file with adjustments.About the artistTiago Sousa is a Concept Artist at visual development and game asset creation studio Volta.He previously worked at at game studio Insane on the MMORPG Profane, and has contributed to projects including Spider-Man 2, Last Epoch, Dragon Age: Inquisition and Diablo Immortal.Pricing and availabilityWorld Building using Blender and Photoshop is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, which provides access to over 300 tutorials.Subscriptions cost $57/month or $519/year. Free trials are available.Read more about World Building using Blender and PhotoshopHave 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.Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Originally posted on 3 July 2024. Scroll down for news of the Mansur-Rig 2.6 update.Former MPC Lead Rigging TD Assaf Ben Zuf has made Mansur-Rig, his modular toolset for building Maya character rigs, available for free.The software streamlines the process of building character rigs for animation, visual effects and games animation, and comes with an online library of free character rigs.Assaf Ben Zuf says that he intends to continue actively developing the software, and that he hopes that making it free for commercial projects will increase its user base.A flexible high-performance system for building character rigs in MayaFirst released in 2021, and updated regularly, Mansur-Rig is an advanced modular rig builder for Maya, based on a dedicated C++ node library.It can be used to build joint-based full-body and facial rigs for human and humanoid characters, although it isnt an auto-skinning tool.Key selling points cited in the online FAQs include the high performance of the rigs generated, its flexible, non-linear workflow, and its ability to rig non-T-posed models.Other notable features include a readymade animation picker UI and a LODs Tool for managing switches between Level of Detail states of a character.The software comes with a detailed user guide and video tutorials, plus an accompanying online library of character and vehicle rigs, also available free.Now free for commercial use, including for selling character rigsMansur-Rig is now free to download, although you will need to register an account on the product website to install it, as shown in the video above.The software is licensed for use on commercial projects, and you can even sell the rigs created with it, although users also need Mansur-Rig to use the rigs.However, animations created using Mansur-Rig can be exported from Maya in FBX format: for example, for use in game engines.Still in active developmentAccording to Assaf Ben Zuf, making the software free in no way means that development and support is [being discontinued].The hope is that this change will urge the community to use Mansur-Rig more, [so that] more bugs can be found and fixed, and new needs found and addressed.You can see features currently in development on the Mansur-Rig Trello board.Updated 10 January 2025: Assaf Ben Zuf has released Mansur-Rig 2.6.The release updates the toolsets Wing module to support bat as well as bird wings, and adds a new readymade peregrine falcon rig to the accompanying online library.It comes with controls for the wing and tail feathers, as well as the head, body and legs.The update also makes Mansur-Rig compatible with Maya 2025 on Windows, at least: Linux support is still in progress and removes its dependency on the PyMEL module.PyMEL used to be installed by default with Maya, but became a separate installation in Maya 2022+.System requirementsMansur-Rig 2.6 is compatible with Maya 2020+ on Windows and Maya 2020-2024 on Linux. The software is now free, including for use on commercial projects. You can also sell character rigs created with Mansur-Rig.Download modular Maya rig-building system Mansur-Rig for free(Registration required)Read the FAQs about Mansur-RigHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Adobe has updated Substance 3D Modeler, its desktop and virtual reality sculpting tool.Substance 3D Modeler 1.18 is a bugfix and workflow release, adding new options for exporting 3D models, and when working with 3D primitives.Sculpt organic and hard-surface models in VR using a virtual clay workflowSubstance 3D Modeler is a SDF-based tool that lets users sculpt both organic and hard-surface models in virtual reality, or in desktop mode using a mouse and keyboard.Workflow combines elements of sculpting and Boolean modelling, with users able to build up forms with virtual clay, then join or cut into them with Boolean operations.You can find more details in this story on Substance 3D Modeler 1.0.Substance 3D Modeler 1.18: improvements to export and primitives workflowSubstance 3D Modeler 1.18 is a relatively minor bugfix and workflow update.Changes include the option to use local space when exporting models, so that the object appears at the origin of the exported file; and to access the Material panel in Export mode.When selecting groups of 3D primitives, it is now possible to update parameters for the entire selection at once.Both 3D primitives and clay brushes now support negative Taper values; and the Prism primitive gets a new Shear parameter.Price and system requirementsSubstance 3D Modeler is compatible with Windows 10+, and these VR headsets.It is available via Substance 3D Collection subscriptions, which cost $49.99/month or $549.88/year. Perpetual licences are available via Steam, and cost $149.99.Read a full list of new features in Substance 3D Modeler in the release notesHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"PlayCanvas developer Will Eastcott has updated SuperSplat, his free browser-based tool for loading, visualizing and editing 3D Gaussian Splats.SuperSplat 1.13 makes it possible to load and play back animations captured in the format, adding a timeline for playing back 4D Gaussian Splats (4DGS).View and edit 3DGS data for free in a standard web browserFirst released last year, SuperSplat makes it possible to import and edit 3D scans captured as 3D Gaussian Splats (3DGS) in a standard web browser.Users can import data in PLY format, and hide, remove or re-orient individual splats, or select and crop out larger parts of the scan using volume selection tools.You can read more about how it works in our story on the SuperSpat 1.0.SuperSplat 1.13: import and play back animated Gaussian splatsAlthough SuperSplat has been updated steadily since the original release, this weeks SuperSplat 1.13 update is one of the most significant, adding support for animation playback.The initial implementation is fairly simple, just making it possible to load and play back numbered sequences of PLY files.However, Eastcott says on Reddit that he plans to support other 4DGS representations in future.Licensing and system requirementsSuperSplat can be used for free in a web browser. It should work with current desktop browsers. The source code is available under an open-source MIT license.Use the free online SuperSplat 3D Gaussian Splat editorRead more about SuperSplat in the projects GitHub repositoryHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The worlds two largest stock photo companies, Getty Images and Shutterstock, have announced plans to merge to create a company with an expected value of $3.7 billion.If approved by regulators, Gettys shareholders will own approximately 54.7% of the merged company, Getty Images Holdings, while Shutterstocks shareholders will own 45.3%.The companies whose holdings include 3D model library TurboSquid expect the merger to enable them to reduce costs, and increase investment in technologies like generative AI.Bringing together two of the key players in the stock asset marketThe deal brings together two of the biggest players in the stock asset market: Getty Images has over 80 million images available to license, although its full library is several times larger.The company also owns and operates the iStock and Unsplash photo libraries.Shutterstocks portfolio of stock content is even broader: the company owns the Pond5 video library, PremiumBeat audio library, TurboSquid 3D model library, and multi-format library Envato.As of September 2024, there were over 530 million assets on Shutterstock.com alone.Merger expected to lead to up to $200 million in cost savingsAnnouncing the merger, Getty Images and Shutterstock described their portfolios as complementary, and said that the more robust cash flow of the merged company would enable them to reduce borrowing costs and accelerate debt repayment.The firms expect to make $150-200 million in cost savings within three years of the merger.With the rapid rise in demand for compelling visual content across industries, there has never been a better time for [us] to come together, said Getty Images CEO Craig Peters.Getty Images to play controlling role in the merged companyPeters will serve as CEO of the merged company, due to be named Getty Images Holdings, Inc.Its board will be chaired by Getty Images co-founder Mark Getty and will have seven directors designated by Getty Images, with the remaining four designated by Shutterstock.Getty Images shareholders will own approximately 54.7% of the combined company and Shutterstock stockholders will own approximately 45.3%.Welcomed by investors, but less so by artistsNews of the merger has been welcomed by investors, with Associated Press reporting that shares in both companies jumped in value following the announcment.Reactions from artists have been less positive, with PetaPixel describing the merger as another step in the race to the bottom in an article citing the commission rates the companies pay to photographers, and the control a merged company would exert over the stock image market.Expected to lead to further growth of generative AI toolsAmong the proposed strategic and financial benefits of the merger, Getty Images and Shutterstock also list greater investment in [technologies like] generative AI.Both firms have already launched AI image-generation services trained on their content, while Shutterstock is also launching a text-to-3D service, currently available to developers in beta.Shutterstock also licenses its assets to OpenAI as training data, and has agreements with Amazon, Apple, Google and Meta, according to Reuters.Read Getty Images and Shutterstocks official statement announcing their proposed mergerHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"SideFX has begun releasing custom Houdini tools developed for Project Grot, its in-house tech demo intended to showcase procedural world-building techniques for game development.So far, two tools have been released: one for generating procedural ruins, and one for procedural strands of flesh, both also available as .hda files that can be used in Unreal Engine.Project Grot: showcasing art-directable techniques for building game worlds procedurallyLike 2022s Project Titan, Project Grot is an in-house tech demo designed to test procedural workflows for creating 3D environment content for use in games.The art-directed scene depicts an ancient, cave-like environment, partially filled with lava, and with walls and rocks connected with unnervingly organic-looking strands of flesh.It was created by a team of five artists working under a two-month deadline, with the custom procedural tools created in Houdini then used to lay out the level inside Unreal Engine 5.Procedural ruins and procedural flesh tools now available to downloadSo far, two of those custom procedural tools have been released publicly, the first being one for generating procedural ruins.Shown in the video above, it enables artists to turn rough blockout geometry into detailed high-poly meshes by painting areas of procedural damage on their surfaces using vertex colors.The other, shown in the video at the top of the story, generates procedural webs of flesh.It makes use of raycasting to shoot curves between surfaces in the scene that will later become flesh, then clusters curves based on proximity to give an organic structure to the results.The Project Grot homepage also hosts videos without downloadable supporting files on creating the volcanic landscape and lava, and creating a rock-generation tool.Price and system requirementsThe Project Grot tools are available free as Houdini .hip files and .hda files that can be imported and edited in DCC applications compatible with Houdini Engine, including Unreal Engine.To use the .hda files inside Unreal Engine 5, you will need the Houdini Engine for Unreal plugin. It is now included in the Houdini installer, and is free for use on commercial projects, but only works with commercial licenses of the software, not free Houdini Apprentice licenses.You can find pricing and system requirements for Houdini in this story on Houdini 20.5.Read more about Project Grot on the SideFX websiteDownload the free Project Grot procedural ruins tool for Houdini and Unreal EngineDownload the free Project Grot procedural flesh tool for Houdini and Unreal EngineHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"NVIDIA has unveiled the GeForce RTX 5090, GeForce RTX 5080, GeForce RTX 5070 Ti and GeForce RTX 5070: the top-of-the-range cards in its GeForce RTX 50 Series of consumer GPUs.The GPUs, which will all be available by February, and which are priced between $1,999 and $549, are the first desktop cards to use NVIDIAs next-gen Blackwell GPU architecture.Although primarily gaming cards, NVIDIA also markets the RTX 50 Series at artists, so below, weve rounded up their key specs for DCC work, and performance comparisons for CG software.NVIDIAs GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs and previous-gen counterpartsRTX 5090RTX 4090RTX 5080RTX 4080RTX 5070 TiRTX 4070 TiRTX 5070RTX 4070ArchitectureBlackwellAda LovelaceBlackwellAda LovelaceBlackwellAda LovelaceBlackwellAda LovelaceCUDA cores21,76016,38410,7529,7288,9607,6806,1445,888Tensor cores*680512336304280240192184RT cores*170128847670604846Base clock (GHz)2.412.232.622.212.452.312.511.92Boost clock (GHz)2.012.522.302.512.302.612.162.48Compute performanceFP32 (Tflops)*104.882.656.348.744.440.131.029.2GPU memory32 GB GDDR724GBGDDR6X16 GB GDDR716GBGDDR6X16 GB GDDR712GBGDDR6X12 GB GDDR712GBGDDR6XTGP575W450W360W320W300W285W250W200WRelease date20252022202520222025202320252023MSRP at launch$1,999$1,599$999$1,199$749$799$549$599*Data taken from third-party websites.Key specifications for DCC workIn terms of core specs, the new GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs are a sizeable improvement over their counterparts from the current-generation GeForce RTX 40 Series.All have all higher counts of the three key hardware core types: CUDA for general GPU compute, Tensor for AI operations, and RT for hardware-accelerated ray tracing.The RT cores are also now fourth-generation, and the Tensor cores fifth-generation, although NVIDIA hasnt provided much detail on how that will affect GPU rendering performance.What will definitely affect GPU rendering is the increased GPU memory capacity of the top-of-the-range GeForce RTX 5090: up to 32GB, from 24GB in the current-gen RTX 4090.The GeForce RTX 5070 Ti also has more GPU memory than its predecessor, although there is no change with either the GeForce RTX 5080 or GeForce RTX 5070.In addition, the entire GeForce 50 Series uses the latest GDDR7 memory, rather than the older GDDR6X memory used in the GeForce RTX 40 Series.There is less change in display connectivity: the GeForce 50 Series cards have one HDMI and three DisplayPort connectors, the same as the GeForce RTX 40 Series.However, they support DisplayPort 2.1, the latest version of the standard and will support the upcoming DisplayPort 2.1b whereas the GeForce RTX 40 Series supports DisplayPort 1.4a.Those increases in processing power come with a corresponding increase in power consumption all four GeForce RTX 50 Series cards have a higher Total Graphics Power than their precursors.However, they are also more compact unlike the high end of the GeForce RTX 40 Series, all are dual-slot cards and most of them are cheaper than their predecessors, at least at launch.The exception is the GeForce RTX 5090, which has a launch price of $1,999, up $400 from the GeForce RTX 4090, although NVIDIA claims that it offers double the overall performance.Benchmarks and performance in DCC applicationsGiven that GeForce RTX 50 Series are gaming cards, most of the performance comparisons that NVIDIA has released are for games rather than CG software.One exception is architectural GPU renderer D5 Render.The comparison chart above shows over a 2x increase in performance on the GeForce RTX 5090 compared to the current-gen RTX 4090, presumably using the standard D5 Render Benchmark.Although NVIDIA has a blog post on how the new cards will affect creative workflows, it focuses very much on generative AI rather than DCC software. However, it does feature a section on video editing and video production, which claims that the GeForce RTX 5090 can export video 60% faster than the current-gen GeForce RTX 4090.The comparison chart above is taken from a video on DaVinci Resolve, although the blog post also mentions Premiere Pro.Pricing and release datesThe GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080 will be available on 30 January, priced at $1,999 and $999. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti and 4070 will be available in February, priced at $749 and $549.Read NVIDIAs announcement of the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUsFind specifications for the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs on NVIDIAs websiteHave 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.

Monday, January 6th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerMaxon buys Laubwerkhtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"A scene created by architectural visualization firm Imminent Studio using Laubwerks 3D plant assets. Laubwerk has now been acquired by Cinema 4D and Redshift developer Maxon.Maxon has acquired procedural 3D plant model developer Laubwerk.A selection of Laubwerks trees and plants are now available to Cinema 4D users with Maxon One subscriptions, but the old Laubwerk e-store has been taken offline.An established developer of high-quality 3D plants for visualization and VFXFounded in 2010, Laubwerk develops procedural 3D plant models compatible with a range of DCC software.Although used by VFX facilities like DNEG, its core audience is in architecture and architectural visualization, where its clients include Foster + Partners, Perkins Eastman and The Boundary.At the time of its acquisition, it had 27 Plant Kits available for sale, each consisting of a set of 10 plant species, primarily trees, each with 36 age and seasonal variants.The kits were bundled with the Laubwerk Player software, which enabled users to drag and drop the assets into host DCC apps, and were priced at 119-149 each.Now available via Capsules for Maxon One SubscribersThose assets will now become available via Capsules, Maxons library of stock content for users with Maxon One subscriptions.Priced at $169/month or $1,265/year, Maxon One plans provide access to all of Maxons software, which includes Cinema 4D, Redshift, ZBrush, and the Red Giant tools.Maxon One subscribers already have access to a selection of Redshift-ready trees and plants within the Cinema 4D Asset Browser, with more due in future.No details on the future of Laubwerk plants for non-Maxon applicationsHowever, the old Laubwerk website (you can see a snapshot of it from December 2024 here) now redirects to Maxon, removing access to its e-store.That ends the sale of individual plant kits, at least for the moment, both for Cinema 4D users and users of the other DCC apps that they supported: 3ds Max, Maya, SketchUp and Vectorworks.Maxons blog post announcing the acquisition states, enigmatically, that existing Laubwerk customers for other products should keep watching this space for future developments.Weve contacted Maxon to see if we can get any more details, and will update if we hear back.Read Maxons official announcement of its acquisition of LaubwerkHave 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 NewsMaxon buys LaubwerkLaubwerk's 3D plant models are now available to Cinema 4D users with Maxon One subscriptions, but are no longer for sale online.Monday, January 6th, 2025Tik Manager 4 is a lightweight, robust open-source pipeline toolPromising project management tool for VFX, animation and games is intuitive enough for non-TDs, but robust enough for bigger projects.Monday, January 6th, 2025Free add-on Paint System 'turns Blender into Photoshop'Intuitive add-on for painting non-photorealistic textures implements Photoshop-style layer painting inside the open-source 3D app.Monday, January 6th, 2025Photoshop render compositing add-on Post Manager is now freePulze's handy add-on streamlines the process of building and updating complex Photoshop files from V-Ray or Corona renders.Sunday, January 5th, 2025Tutorial: Creating a Swamp & Mud Monster in HoudiniCreate a creature, environment and FX simulation entirely in Houdini with The Gnomon Workshop's beginner-friendly new tutorial.Saturday, January 4th, 2025Celsys unveils Clip Studio Paint 4Check out the new features in the digital painting software for comics, illustrations and concept art, including updates to the 3D toolset.Friday, January 3rd, 2025More NewsGet 95 free modular village assets for Unreal EngineThe Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19Get unusual iOS digital painting app Flame Painter for freeFaceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11DreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Happy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerBlack Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyOlder Posts

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Artist and tools developer Tawan Sunflower has released Paint System, a free add-on that turn[s] Blender into Photoshop.The tool implements Photoshop-style layer painting in the open-source 3D software, enabling users to create non-photorealistic textures by painting directly onto 3D objects.A promising free add-on for painting non-photorealistic textures in BlenderTawan Sunflower describes Paint System as a simple but flexible painting system for non-photo-realistic-rendering in Blender in the video above, he describes it as inspired by the painterly look of Netflix animated series Arcane.It enables users to paint directly onto the surface of 3D geometry, using a range of preset brushes: the add-on supports the brushes included in Blenders Essentials asset library.Painting is layer-based, supporting layer opacity, layer clipping, and as of Paint System 1.1.6, the latest release Adjustment Layers.Supports a range of blending modes, including Erase Alpha for erasing parts of a modelPaint System also supports Photoshop-style layer blending modes, including Hue, Saturation, Value, Multiply, Divide, Lighten and Darken: the full list is shown in this part of the demo video.However, one of the most eye-catching is Erase Alpha, which renders that part of the layer transparent, making it possible to erase parts of the object by painting over it, as shown above.Can also be used to paint other material channels, including normal mapsWeve covered other free Blender add-ons for layer-based texture painting on CG Channel before, including HAS Paint Layers and Ucupaint.Paint Systems selling point looks to be its ease of use: it has a simple, intuitive UI, and is designed to avoid users having to manipulate Blenders Shader Nodes.However, artists willing to dive into the node graph can generate an even wider range of results.By adjusting the connections between the node group Paint System creates the rest of a material network, users can paint texture channels other than surface color, including the normal map.Price and system requirementsPaint System is compatible with Blender 4.1+. Its a free download. The source code is available under a GPL v3 license.If you want to support Tawan Sunflowers work, you can back him on Patreon.Download free Blender non-photorealistic painting add-on Paint SystemHave 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.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Need to set up a production pipeline for your next VFX, animation or game development project? Check out open-source pipeline and project management tool Tik Manager 4.The Python-based tool is intended to be simple enough to deploy on small projects but robust enough to scale to heavy loads, and integrates with a range of industry-standard DCC apps.An intuitive, robust pipeline system for VFX, animation and games workDeveloped by DNEG Lead Creature TD Arda Kutlu, Tik Manager has been publicly available since 2019, but Kutlu describes version 4, released last year, as a milestone update.Although technically a successor [to the 2019 version], its essentially a complete rewrite based on extensive user feedback. In comparison, the previous version was quite limited in scope.Since the 4.0 release, Kutlu has continued to update Tik Manager regularly the current release is version 4.3 and has just launched a dedicated website for the software. Handles collaborative file access, version control and task managementTik Manager is designed to be artist-friendly, with an intuitive, no-fuss interface that lets users focus on the art, not the process, but robust enough to scale to larger projects.It has the core functionality that you would expect in a pipeline system, with users able to manage access permissions for shared files, create and assign tasks to be completed, manage versioning of assets, and publish updates to other team members.When publishing updates to a scene, Tik Manager automatically extracts the latest versions of the assets required and validates them against the technical standards defined for the project.Other noteworthy features include a localization option, making it possible for team members to cache files locally to reduce data traffic to cloud storage platforms like Google Drive or Dropbox.Works with a range of key DCC applications, across Windows, Linux and macOSTik Manager works cross-platform it is possible to combine Windows, Linux and macOS machines in the same pipeline and integrates with a range of key CG applications.As well as general-purpose 3D modeling, animation and FX tools like Maya, Houdini, Blender and 3ds Max, it works with texturing apps Mari, Photoshop and Substance 3D Painter, lighting and look dev tools Gaffer and Katana, and Nuke for compositing.The software also integrates with Flow Production Tracking, Autodesks production-tracking platform, formerly known as Shotgun and ShotGrid.Kutlu tells us that he plans to continue adding integrations, including both ZBrush and Unreal Engine, with Unreal Engine likely to be the platform next to receive support.System requirements and licensingTik Manager runs on Windows, Linux and macOS. Version 4.3 integrates with 3ds Max, Blender, Gaffer, Houdini, Katana, Mari, Maya, Nuke, Photoshop and Substance 3D Painter.The source code is available on GitHub under an open-source GPL v3 license. You can download compiled builds for free, although currently only for Windows.If you want to support development, you can join Arda Kutlus Patreon, or make a one-off donation via the PayPal button at the foot of the project homepage.Download open-source VFX and games pipeline system Tik Manager from the project websiteRead more about Tik Manager in the online documentationHave 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.

Sunday, January 5th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerPhotoshop render compositing add-on Post Manager is now freehtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The launch trailer for Post Manager, Pulzes Photoshop add-on to streamline the process of compositing render elements generated in V-Ray or Corona. The software is now free.Pulze has made Post Manager, its layer- and mask-management add-on for Photoshop, available for free.The software automates the process of building and maintaining complex Photoshop files based on render elements generated in Corona, FStormRender or V-Ray.Automatically build and update Photoshop composites based on 3D render elementsPost Manager builds Photoshop files for composite images from sets of raw render elements, based on templates specifying layer group structure, blending modes and opacity.Users can then update all of the layers in the document at once when they generate new renders, with Post Manager automatically matching the render elements by name.The add-on can also merge region renders into the Photoshop composite, and upscale the document from test renders to final output resolution, automatically regenerating layer masks.Although it is tailored to architectural visualization work Pulze itself is a spin-off of visualization firm Brick Visual it could be used for more general post-production work.Part of a range of workflow tools for architectural visualisationOn its release in 2019, Post Manager was rental-only, with full subscriptions costing $7/month.Pulze says that it is making the software free in order to focus on our core products, which include 3ds Max add-ons Scene Manager and Render Manager.System requirementsPost Manager 1.3 is compatible with Photoshop CC 2018+ running on Windows only, and render elements generated in V-Ray, Corona and FStormRender. Its a free download.Download free Photoshop render-compositing add-on Post Manager(Requires registering for a free account on Pulzes website)Find detailed information about Post Manager in the online documentationHave 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 NewsPhotoshop render compositing add-on Post Manager is now freePulze's handy add-on streamlines the process of building and updating complex Photoshop files from V-Ray or Corona renders.Sunday, January 5th, 2025Tutorial: Creating a Swamp & Mud Monster in HoudiniCreate a creature, environment and FX simulation entirely in Houdini with The Gnomon Workshop's beginner-friendly new tutorial.Saturday, January 4th, 2025Celsys unveils Clip Studio Paint 4Check out the new features in the digital painting software for comics, illustrations and concept art, including updates to the 3D toolset.Friday, January 3rd, 2025Get 95 free modular village assets for Unreal EngineGet Scale XYZ's Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack of 3D buildings, props and trees for free for two weeks on the Fab marketplace.Thursday, January 2nd, 2025The Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19Update to the match-moving software 'completely overhauls' the scene-reconstruction toolset. Check out its new AI-powered features.Monday, December 30th, 2024Get unusual iOS digital painting app Flame Painter for freeFull version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.Saturday, December 28th, 2024More NewsFaceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11DreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Happy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerBlack Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Older Posts

Friday, January 3rd, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerCelsys unveils Clip Studio Paint 4html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Celsys has unveiled Clip Studio Paint 4.0, the latest version of its digital drawing, painting and animation software.New features include a puppet warp tool for posing 2D characters, and updates to the softwares 3D toolset, including the option to import mocap data to use as reference poses.The update is due for release in March, but is currently available to pre-order.A digital drawing and painting tool for comics, illustrations and concept artFirst released in Japan over two decades ago, and previously marketed as Manga Studio in the West, Clip Studio Paint is a digital painting app for both desktop and mobile systems.Although best known as a tool for creating comics, for which it has a dedicated set of tools, it is also used to produce illustrations, concept art, and 2D animations.Updates to the software were available free to existing users until the release of Clip Studio Paint 2.0 in March 2023, when Celsys switched to a new schedule of major, paid annual releases.https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/250103_ClipStudioPaint4_PuppetWarp.mp4Clip Studio Paint 4: new Puppet Warp systemNew features in Clip Studio Paint 4 include the Puppet Warp system (shown above).It enables users to quickly pose 2D characters by pinning parts of the body in place, then rotating and deforming the rest of the character around the pinned points.Updates to the 3D toolsetThe softwares 3D toolset, which enables users to import and manipulate 3D models for use as references or background elements within an image, has also been updated.New features include the option to paint directly onto the surface of 3D objects, either to add basic surface colors, or to paint guidelines or patterns onto reference objeccts.It is also now possible to import 3D models in STL format, and animations in BVH format.BVH support was actually introduced in Clip Studio Paint 3.1 the release announcement include changes made in the 3.x updates and is intended to enable artists to choose frames from imported motion-capture data to use as pose references for characters.It is also now possible to customize the facial expressions of 3D avatars imported in VRM format.New Quick Filters and Quick Effects for interactive image adjustmentsThe softwares Filters system has also been updated.A new set of Quick Filters and Quick Effects (shown above) let users make interactive adjustments to an image again, a feature originally introduced in Clip Studio Paint 3.2.There are also new filters for extracting line art from images, intended for preparing scanned drawings for digital coloring, and for applying lens blur.Workflow improvements include better snappingWorkflow improvements include object snapping, with users now able to snap vector layers, rules and text to grids, guides, other rulers, and the edges or center of the canvas.It is also possible to snap to content on the current layer or reference layers with the Lasso tool.You can find a list of other changes, which include the option to color-code layers in the animation toolsets Timeline palette, in the release announcement.Initial reactions from users were mixed, with opinion divided on the value of the 3D toolset, and calls for native CMYK support and performance improvements to the brush toolset.Price, system requirements and release dateClip Studio Paint 4.0 is due for release in March 2025, and is available to pre-order, with anyone buying a perpetual license of Clip Studio Paint 3 getting an automatic upgrade when it ships.New perpetual licenses of the Pro edition, which includes the core feature set, but which restricts animation to 24 frames, cost $54, rising to $58.50 when version 4.0 is released. New perpetual licenses of the Ex edition, which removes the limit on the length of animations, and adds features for creating multi-page projects, cost $237, rising to $258.Subscriptions are priced according to the number of devices you want to use the software on, but for desktops and laptops, rental starts at $4.49/month or $26.99/year for Pro and $8.99/month and $76.99/year for Ex.The current version of the software, Clip Studio Paint 3.2, is compatible with Windows 10+, macOS 13.0+, iOS/iPadOS 17.0+ and Android 12+.Read a full list of new features in Clip Studio Paint 4.0 in Celsyss release announcementHave 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 NewsTutorial: Creating a Swamp & Mud Monster in HoudiniCreate a creature, environment and FX simulation entirely in Houdini with The Gnomon Workshop's beginner-friendly new tutorial.Sunday, January 5th, 2025Celsys unveils Clip Studio Paint 4Check out the new features in the digital painting software for comics, illustrations and concept art, including updates to the 3D toolset.Friday, January 3rd, 2025Get 95 free modular village assets for Unreal EngineGet Scale XYZ's Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack of 3D buildings, props and trees for free for two weeks on the Fab marketplace.Thursday, January 2nd, 2025The Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19Update to the match-moving software 'completely overhauls' the scene-reconstruction toolset. Check out its new AI-powered features.Monday, December 30th, 2024Get unusual iOS digital painting app Flame Painter for freeFull version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.Saturday, December 28th, 2024Faceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11Check out the new features in the topology transfer tools for creating digital doubles and blendshapes from 3D scans of actors.Friday, December 27th, 2024More NewsDreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Happy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerBlack Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Create game characters with CC Auto Setup for 3ds Max and V-RayOlder Posts

Sunday, January 5th, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerTutorial: Creating a Swamp & Mud Monster in Houdinihtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The Gnomon Workshop has released Creating a Swamp & Mud Monster in Houdini, a beginner-friendly guide to the procedural 3D software recorded by VFX artist David Silberbauer.The workshop provides over five and a half hours of video training, and is suitable for both beginners and intermediate-level artists.Create a CG shot of a mud monster emerging from a swamp entirely in HoudiniIn the workshop, Silberbauer reveals how to use Houdini a staple of FX pipelines in film, animation and games to create a monster emerging from a swamp, dripping with mud.The entire scene a full CG environment with a 3D creature, animation, effects and lighting is created using a semi-procedural set-up in Houdini: no other software is required.Silberbauer begins by setting up an animation and modifying it using simple and efficient tools like Point Deform and TimeShift.He then reveals how to set up a basic heightfield for the environment, and how to create the mud simulation using the new MPM Solver introduced in Houdini 20.5.Since the MPM Solver can be very resource-expensive, Silberbauer discusses what is best at, and when it should be used in production.As well as the MPM Solver, the workshop covers the basics of Houdinis FLIP fluid simulation toolset, including fluid meshing.Silberbauer also demonstrates efficient workflows for building environments using heightfields, including how to scatter vegetation, before assembling the scene as a USD asset, and demonstrating basic lighting and rendering techniques to create a final CG shot.Viewers of the workshop can download the Houdini project file for the mud monster.About the artistDavid Silberbauer is a VFX artist at animation facility Sunrise Animation Studios.He previously worked at VFX studio BlackGinger on movies including Monster Hunter, Deep Blue Sea 2 and 3, Black Beauty and Escape Room, as well as commercials and cinematics.Pricing and availabilityCreating a Swamp & Mud Monster in Houdini is available via a subscription to The Gnomon Workshop, which provides access to over 300 tutorials.Subscriptions cost $57/month or $519/year. Free trials are available.Read more about Creating a Swamp & Mud Monster in HoudiniHave 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.Full disclosure: CG Channel is owned by Gnomon.Latest NewsTutorial: Creating a Swamp & Mud Monster in HoudiniCreate a creature, environment and FX simulation entirely in Houdini with The Gnomon Workshop's beginner-friendly new tutorial.Sunday, January 5th, 2025Celsys unveils Clip Studio Paint 4Check out the new features in the digital painting software for comics, illustrations and concept art, including updates to the 3D toolset.Friday, January 3rd, 2025Get 95 free modular village assets for Unreal EngineGet Scale XYZ's Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack of 3D buildings, props and trees for free for two weeks on the Fab marketplace.Thursday, January 2nd, 2025The Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19Update to the match-moving software 'completely overhauls' the scene-reconstruction toolset. Check out its new AI-powered features.Monday, December 30th, 2024Get unusual iOS digital painting app Flame Painter for freeFull version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.Saturday, December 28th, 2024Faceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11Check out the new features in the topology transfer tools for creating digital doubles and blendshapes from 3D scans of actors.Friday, December 27th, 2024More NewsDreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Happy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerBlack Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Create game characters with CC Auto Setup for 3ds Max and V-RayOlder Posts

Thursday, January 2nd, 2025Posted by Jim ThackerGet 95 free modular village assets for Unreal Enginehtml PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Epic Games has made a set of 95 modular assets for creating a fantasy-style oceanside village available to download for free from Fab, its new online marketplace.Games environment creation studio Scale XYZs Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack is part of the latest set of time-limited free content released on Fab, and will be free until 14 January 2025.The asset pack was previously sold for up to $129.99.Modular 3D assets for creating an oceanside stilt villageThe Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack consists of 95 static meshes for creating a fantasy-style oceanside village environment, with wooden cabins on stilts above the water itself.As well as the cabins and connecting walkways, the pack includes environment assets like boats, crates and nets; interior props like beds, tables and chairs; plus trees, plants and rocks.The assets are designed to work with Nanite and Lumen in Unreal Engine 5, but are also available with LODs and lightmaps for use in Unreal Engine 4.Part of Epics new bi-weekly releases of free content on Fab The asset pack is part of the latest set of commercial assets to be made temporarily available for free under Epic Games updated Sponsored Content program.Under the program, a new set of commercial tools and assets will be made available for free on Fab every two weeks, for a period of two weeks.System requirements and availabilityThe Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack is available as an asset package for Unreal Engine 4.26+ and 5.0+ under a Fab Standard license.The terms of the Fab Standard license permit content to be used in any engine or tool, including for commercial projects, subject to the restrictions set out in the Fab EULA.Get Scale XYZs Pirate Stilt Village Island asset pack from Fab(Available free until 14 January 2025)Have 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 NewsGet 95 free modular village assets for Unreal EngineGet Scale XYZ's Pirate Stilt Village Island Modular Pack of 3D buildings, props and trees for free for two weeks on the Fab marketplace.Thursday, January 2nd, 2025The Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19Update to the match-moving software 'completely overhauls' the scene-reconstruction toolset. Check out its new AI-powered features.Monday, December 30th, 2024Get unusual iOS digital painting app Flame Painter for freeFull version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.Saturday, December 28th, 2024Faceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11Check out the new features in the topology transfer tools for creating digital doubles and blendshapes from 3D scans of actors.Friday, December 27th, 2024DreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Check out the latest features in the open-source release of DreamWorks' renderer, used on movies like The Wild Robot.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Check out the new features in the modeling and texturing iPad app, including support for procedural objects and projection painting.Thursday, December 26th, 2024More NewsHappy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerBlack Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Create game characters with CC Auto Setup for 3ds Max and V-RayLeopoly releases Shapelab 2025 and Shapelab LiteAdobe releases Photoshop 26.2Older Posts

Monday, December 30th, 2024Posted by Jim ThackerThe Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The Pixel Farm has released PFTrack 24.12.19, the latest version of its match-moving software, completely overhauling its scene-reconstruction toolset.A powerful tool for camera and object tracking for VFX and visualization workOriginally released over two decades ago, PFTrack is a well-regarded match-moving tool for visual effects and visualization work.It has a node-based architecture, providing access to range of automated and manual tools for tracking cameras and objects, plus a built-in a lens distortion toolset.Its scene-reconstruction tools include a native photogrammetry toolset for reconstructing scene geometry from still images or video, and support for Lidar data.PFTrack 24.12.29: AI-powered updates to the photogrammetry toolsIn the latest update, PFTrack 24.12.19, that photogrammetry toolset has been completely overhauled.The Photo Survey node gets a new machine-learning-based feature matching engine, described as faster and more accurate than its precedecessor.The Point Cloud node now generates Lidar-quality results, and there are new tools for cleaning up point clouds by manually removing unwanted points, as shown in the video above.There are also workflow and performance updates to Match Camera, and to USD workflows, including support for point-based geometry.Other new features from recent updatesPFTrack 24.12.19 is the latest of a steady stream of updates to the software this year.Full changelogs are now only available inside the app itself, although you can find a summary of the new features from the previous release, PFTrack 24.08.22, in this blog post.The release featured updates to the Survey Solver and Geometry Track, better glTF and FBX export, and the option to export OpenEXR stereo disparity maps.Price and system requirementsPFTrack is compatible with Windows 10+, macOS 10.13+ and Rocky Linux 8+. The software is rental-only.Personal subscriptions cost 25/month (around $32/month). Enterprise subscriptions are priced on enquiry on The Pixel Farms website, but cost $1,125/year via resellers.Read more about recent updates to PFTrack on The Pixel Farms blogHave 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 NewsThe Pixel Farm releases PFTrack 24.12.19Update to the match-moving software 'completely overhauls' the scene-reconstruction toolset. Check out its new AI-powered features.Monday, December 30th, 2024Get unusual iOS digital painting app Flame Painter for freeFull version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.Saturday, December 28th, 2024Faceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11Check out the new features in the topology transfer tools for creating digital doubles and blendshapes from 3D scans of actors.Friday, December 27th, 2024DreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Check out the latest features in the open-source release of DreamWorks' renderer, used on movies like The Wild Robot.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Check out the new features in the modeling and texturing iPad app, including support for procedural objects and projection painting.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Happy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Updates to the site may be less frequent than usual over the next two weeks, but normal service resumes on 6 January.Wednesday, December 25th, 2024More NewsTutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerBlack Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Create game characters with CC Auto Setup for 3ds Max and V-RayLeopoly releases Shapelab 2025 and Shapelab LiteAdobe releases Photoshop 26.2Check out Blender's experimental anime rendering buildsOlder Posts

Full version of Escape Motions' iPad and iPhone app for painting images using particle brushes is now free, as is mandala-creation app Inspirit.

Friday, December 27th, 2024Posted by Jim ThackerFaceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Faceform has released Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11, the latest versions of its topology transfer software for creating CG characters from 3D scan data.Wrap 2024.11 includes significant quality-of-life improvements to the softwares node graph and brush tools, and introduces new options for working with vertex masks.Wrap4D 2024.11 also introduces a complete new toolset for creating and working with blendshape-based facial rigs.(Full disclosure: both updates were released last month, but we didnt manage to post a story at the time.)Powerful standalone tools for processing 3D scans of actors for games and VFX workFirst released in 2014, Wrap is a topology transfer tool for 3D scan data.It transfers clean topology from a reference mesh to a raw 3D scan, speeding up the process of creating animation-ready digital doubles of actors.The process is semi-automatic, and due to Wraps node graph-based architecture, adjustments made for one scan can then be rolled out to others.The extended edition, Wrap4D, is part of a set of tools for creating time sequences of scans from head-mounted camera rigs, for capturing an actors facial expressions in 3D.The software is used by game developers and visual effects studios including EA Vancouver, Rocksteady Studios, Framestore and The Mill.Wrap 2024.11: significant improvements to the node graphWrap 2024.11 is the first update to the software in a year, and its a sizeable release.There are a number of important quality-of-life improvements when working in the node graph, including the option to group nodes, to find nodes within large graphs by searching by name, and to temporarily disable nodes to speed up graph evaluation.A new SwitchGeom node switches between input geometries for a graph, helping to preview experimental changes.There are also new nodes for cleaning and retargeting scan data, including nodes for smoothing geometry to remove high-frequency artifacts, blending between transforms, and mirroring geometry.Updates to the brush toolsetWraps brush toolset, for cleaning and editing scans manually, gets a number of updates.It is now possible to display reference images within Wrap, as a guide for editing geometry.There are also five new brush types: Move Surface, Relax Surface, Mirror Clone, Clone Project and Erase.Extended vertex mask workflowThe update also extends workflows based around vertex masks, with new Draw and Fill modes to define how brushstrokes overlap when painting masks manually.There are also new nodes for displaying the difference between two geometries as a vertex mask, for transferring vertex masks between geometries with different topologies, and converting vertex masks to images, for export to other DCC applications.Changes to file exportFor pipeline integration, it is now possible to export geometry sequences from Wrap to other applications as a single Alembic file.It is also now possible to export cameras created in Wrap to other applications, this time in FBX format.Wrap4D 2024.11: New toolset for creating and working with blendshape rigsWrap4D 2024.11 has all of the same features, plus a complete new blend rig pipeline.Its a set of new nodes for creating, editing and exporting blendshape-based facial rigs, combining 3D geometries for facial expressions and corrective blendshapes.According to Faceform, solving a 4D sequence within a blendshape rig makes it easier to carry out common tasks like modifying gaze direction, or enhancing expressions.Pricing and availabilityWrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11 are compatible with Windows and Linux.For users with revenue under $100,000/year, perpetual node-locked Indie licenses of wrap cost $570. Full Professional licenses of Wrap cost $1,070 for node-locked licenses; $1,470 for floating licenses. The software is free to students and educational institutions.Wrap4D is priced on enquiry.Read a full list of new features in Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11Have 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 NewsFaceform releases Wrap 2024.11 and Wrap4D 2024.11Check out the new features in the topology transfer tools for creating digital doubles and blendshapes from 3D scans of actors.Friday, December 27th, 2024DreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Check out the latest features in the open-source release of DreamWorks' renderer, used on movies like The Wild Robot.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Check out the new features in the modeling and texturing iPad app, including support for procedural objects and projection painting.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Happy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Updates to the site may be less frequent than usual over the next two weeks, but normal service resumes on 6 January.Wednesday, December 25th, 2024Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerGet started with the industry-standard tool for creating clothing for 3D characters with The Gnomon Workshop's beginners' guide.Tuesday, December 24th, 2024Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsUpdated 24 December: Find discounts on CG hardware and software available until New Year, including 3DCoat, FumeFX and Yeti.Tuesday, December 24th, 2024More NewsRandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Create game characters with CC Auto Setup for 3ds Max and V-RayLeopoly releases Shapelab 2025 and Shapelab LiteAdobe releases Photoshop 26.2Check out Blender's experimental anime rendering buildsCell Fluids 2.0 for Blender is outUnigine 2.19.1 can now import and export USD filesOlder Posts

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/240725_Uniform11_Transparency.mp4Originally posted on 25 July 2024. Scroll down for news of the Uniform 1.3 update.Sparseal has updated Uniform, its unconventional all-in-one iPad app for creating textured 3D assets for games and concept art.The modular, GPU-accelerated app is intended for high-resolution digital sculpting, low-poly 3D modeling, UV unwrapping, retopology and PBR texture painting work.Uniform 1.1 introduces a new GeoCurve object for sculpting stylized hair, support for surface transparency, and the option to sculpt and paint simultaneously.Uniform 1.2 adds a real-time simulation system for deforming geometry, a new Surface Transfer tool, and a new unified scene exporter.Uniform 1.3 adds support for procedural modeling and scattering, texture projection painting, and makes it possible to completely customize the user interface. Work directly on sculpts, low-poly meshes or 2D textures with the same set of toolsWhen it was announced last year, Uniform generated a lot of interest among CG artists partly because, while it looks cool, its quite hard to describe.The official description is a multi-purpose, art-focused data editor, but a more tangible description might be an all-in-one tool for creating game-ready assets.It is intended to make it possible to create high-poly sculpts, low-poly models, PBR textures and 2D images using a single unified set of tools.We covered its core features when it was released earlier this year, so check out our story on Uniform 1.0 for more technical details.Uniform 1.1: new GeoCurve object type creates stylized hairThe major change in Uniform 1.1 is the introduction of GeoCurves: a new object type that can be used for creating forms based around spline curves, like stylized hair.You can see it in action in the tweet above, where it is used to draw out hair strands across a characters scalp.New rope solver and support for transparency paintingOther new features include a physical rope solver which presumably can also be used to generate rope-like organic forms, like tails and tentacles.In addition, support for surface transparency makes it possible to paint transparency into textures, as shown in the video at the top of this story.Workflow and UI improvementsWorkflow improvements include support for multiple consecutive operations per brush, making it possible to sculpt and paint simultaneously with the same brush stroke.There are also some key changes to the UI, including a new Outliner and Object Inspector, helping to keep complex projects organized.https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/220821_Uniform12_Simulation.mp4Updated 22 August 2024: Sparseal has released Uniform 1.2.The update adds a simulation component for cloth and ropes which, as well as creating actual cloth and ropes, makes it possible to deform models in a cloth-like way, as shown above.Any deformation tool can be used to interact with the simulation in real time, and the system supports force fields, damping, self-collision, and collisions with other objects in the scene.https://www.cgchannel.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/220821_Uniform12_SurfaceTransfer.mp4New Surface Transfer tool and Curvature Surface Influence brushOther new features include the Surface Transfer tool (above), for baking high-poly geometry to texture maps. It is possible to keep using the sculpting tools to refine the resulting normal map.The update also introduces a new Curvature Surface Influence brush system, which can be used on both high-poly meshes and normal maps.New combined scene exporter unifies meshes and texturesFor exporting assets, Uniform introduces a new combined scene exporter.It can take a scene with multiple objects, UVs and textures at different resolutions, and merge them into a single mesh and texture set with a fixed texel density.Updated 26 December 2024: Sparseal has released Uniform 1.3.The update overhauls the softwares user interface, making it possible to customize it completely by dragging tools and panels around on-screen, as shown in the video above.For previewing assets, the release also introduces a new deferred viewport renderer with path-traced global illumination.New procedural object framework and support for projection paintingThere are also some significant new features for creating assets, including a new system for creating procedural objects.As well as procedural modeling, it can be used for instancing and scattering, making it possible to create motion-graphics-style effects like the scene shown in this video.There is also a new projection painting system, making it possible to paint a texture image onto the surface of a model in a way that will be familiar to users of tools like ZBrush.Other new features include a Manifold solver for trimming meshes, a new Symmetrize node tool, and support for layer visibility.You can find a full list of changes via the link at the foot of the story.Price and system requirementsUniform is compatible with iPadOS 18.0+. It is designed for use with the Apple Pencil, so some features may not be accessible through touch gestures alone. It costs $49.99.Read a full list of new features in Uniform in the changelog on the App StoreRead more about Uniform on Sparseals website(Includes tutorials on the key features)Have 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.

Thursday, December 26th, 2024Posted by Jim ThackerDreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"DreamWorks Animation has updated MoonRay, its in-house production renderer, now available open-source.MoonRay 1.7 adds a new portal light type, and support for the Cryptomatte ID matte generation system within hdMoonRay, the MoonRay Hydra render delegate.The previous update, MoonRay 1.6, added a Fisheye camera and introduced native support for Apple Silicon processors.A high-performance Monte Carlo ray tracer, used on all recent DreamWorks moviesOpen-sourced last year, along with Arras, DreamWorks in-house cloud rendering framework, MoonRay is a high-performance Monte Carlo ray tracer.It was designed with the aim of keeping all the cores of all the machines busy all the time, and has an hybrid GPU/CPU mode with that matches the output of CPU rendering.MoonRay is capable of both stylized and photorealistic output, and has the key features you would expect of a VFX renderer, including AOVs/LPEs and deep output.It comes with a Hydra delegate, hdMoonRay, making it possible to integrate MoonRay as a viewport renderer in DCC apps that support Hydra delegates, like Houdini and Katana.The renderer is still in active development at DreamWorks Animation, and was used on the studios recent movies, including Kung-Fu Panda 4 and The Wild Robot.MoonRay 1.7: portal lights and Cryptomatte support in hdMoonRayNew features in MoonRay 1.7 include a new PortalLight light type.The online documentation only lists its control attributes, but in other renderers, portal lights are rectangular area lights used to improve Global Illumination in indoor scenes.In addition, hdMoonRay now supports the Cryptomatte ID matte-generation system.XPU mode, MoonRays hybrid CPU/GPU render mode, now accelerates both regular rays and occlusion rays for NVIDIA GPUsMoonRay 1.6: initial support for Apple Silicon MacsOther new features since we last wrote about MoonRay include initial support for macOS as well as Linux.MoonRay 1.6, released in July, made it possible to build and run the software on current M-Series Macs with Apple Silicon processors, running macOS 14+.Mac builds support XPU mode, denoising via Open Image Denoise, and hdMoonRay.The update also added a new fisheye camera, and usd_mipmap_images, a command-line tool to prepare USD scenes with non-tiled, non-mipmapped textures for rendering.Licensing, system requirements and release datesMoonRay is available under an open-source Apache 2.0 licence.The software can be compiled from source on Linux and macOS: it is tested on Rocky Linux 9 and macOS 14.3. You can find build information in the online documentation.XPU mode requires a NVIDIA GPU that supports CUDA and OptiX on Linux, and an Apple Silicon processor on macOS.Read a full list of new features in MoonRay 1.7 in the online release notes(Includes download links for the source code)Read more about MoonRay on the product websiteHave 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 NewsDreamWorks Animation releases MoonRay 1.7Check out the latest features in the open-source release of DreamWorks' renderer, used on movies like The Wild Robot.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Sparseal releases Uniform 1.3Check out the new features in the modeling and texturing iPad app, including support for procedural objects and projection painting.Thursday, December 26th, 2024Happy holidays to all CG Channel readers!Updates to the site may be less frequent than usual over the next two weeks, but normal service resumes on 6 January.Wednesday, December 25th, 2024Tutorial: Introduction to Marvelous DesignerGet started with the industry-standard tool for creating clothing for 3D characters with The Gnomon Workshop's beginners' guide.Tuesday, December 24th, 2024Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Holiday 2024 deals for CG artistsUpdated 24 December: Find discounts on CG hardware and software available until New Year, including 3DCoat, FumeFX and Yeti.Tuesday, December 24th, 2024RandomControl releases Maverick Indie and Maverick Studio 2024Check out the new features in the GPU renderers, including initial USD support and a complete new animation system.Monday, December 23rd, 2024More NewsPilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30Terragen Sky now lets you paint clouds into the sky directlyPlanetside Software releases Terragen 4.8Photoshop users can now create filters in Substance 3D DesignerPixar releases RenderMan 26.3Create game characters with CC Auto Setup for 3ds Max and V-RayLeopoly releases Shapelab 2025 and Shapelab LiteAdobe releases Photoshop 26.2Check out Blender's experimental anime rendering buildsCell Fluids 2.0 for Blender is outUnigine 2.19.1 can now import and export USD filesBoris FX releases Mocha Pro 2025Older Posts