Pilgway releases 3DCoat 2024.30
html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Pilgway has released 3DCoat 2024.30, the latest major version of its sculpting, retopology and 3D painting application.New features in the software include integration with photogrammetry app RealityCapture, new Array and Surface Array tools, and the option to convert normal maps to actual 3D geometry.Part of an ongoing series of smaller updates to the 3D sculpting and painting softwarePilgway releases new builds of 3DCoat every few weeks, so the latest release is actually 3DCoat 2024.31.However, 3DCoat 2024.30 is the more major update, and the first to get an entry in the official online changelog since the original 3DCoat 2024.Now integrates with photogrammetry software RealityCaptureNew features in 3DCoat include integration of RealityCapture, Epic Games photogrammetry software, which is now free to artists and studios with revenue under $1 million/year.After installing RealityCapture, users can access its functionality directly within 3DCoat, making it possible to generate 3D models from photos or videos of real-world objects.The raw 3D scans can then the cleaned up and retopologized using 3DCoats existing tools.Sculpt room: new Array and Surface Array tools3DCoats Sculpt toolset gets two new tools for creating arrays of 3D objects.The Array tool itself distributes geometry evenly along guide curves, while Surface Array (shown above) distributes it across a 3D surface.Potential use cases include creating repeating structures like tiles, fencing or chainmail.Paint room: convert normal maps to actual 3D geometryThe Paint toolset gets a new option to convert the normal map to actual geometry, making it possible to reconstruct the original high-resolution sculpt from a retopologized low-res asset.In addition, text, curves and images are now applied non-destructively, retaining their own layer settings when applied over a paint layer.Updates to Live Booleans, the Blender AppLink and voxel exportThe Live Booleans system added to the software last year gets a new option to perform volumetric Boolean operations with an additional shell.The feature is intended for use when preparing models for 3D printing.Pipline integration changes include support for PBR texture information when importing or exporting raw voxel data from the software.In addition, the Blender AppLink, 3DCoats live link to the open-source 3D software, now has its own GitHub repository.There are also a number of workflow and performance improvements, particularly when saving complex scenes. You can find a full list of changes via the link at the foot of the story.Price and system requirements3DCoat 2024 is available for Windows 7+, Ubuntu 20.04+ and macOS 10.15+.For individuals, perpetual node-locked licenses cost 379. Subscriptions cost 20.80/month or 169.85/year. Rent to own plans require 11 continuous monthly payments of 41.60.For studios, perpetual node-locked licenses cost 539; floating licences cost 579. Subscriptions cost 29.85/month or 299/year for node-locked licenses; 34.85/month or 319.85/year for floating licenses.Read an overview of the new features in 3DCoat 2024.30 in the online release notesRead a detailed list of new features in 3DCoat on the product forum(The changelog is in the third post; posts about 3DCoat 2024.x start on page 107)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.