VUE and PlantFactory R4 are Available

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E-on software, a leading global developer of software for the creation, animation, rendering, and integration of natural 3D environments in the computer graphics, VFX, architecture, and gaming industries, announced the immediate availability of the Q4 2019 Release (otherwise known as R4) of its VUE and PlantFactory software.

A new free trial version is also available of its VUE and PlantFactory software which includes all the updates from R4.

Real-World terrains

This brand-new option allows the end user to select any location on the planet and extract the underlying terrain altitude data. Depending on the available data set, terrain elevation data can go as low as 3 meters between samples. Extracted height maps are then automatically converted to either height-field terrains or procedural terrains to allow for finer artistic control.

VDB export of animated clouds (1) and new cloud morphing technology

Users can now export cloud animations – both standalone clouds (MetaClouds) or volumetric cloud layers – as animated VDBs (one VDB file per frame). In addition, the R4 release adds a new feature to morph two MetaClouds together. This new technology automatically creates a smooth interpolation between the two cloud geometries and material looks.

Procedural material baking to PBR texture maps (1)

Users may now bake and export the Metallic/Roughness PBR channels from their authored procedural materials to texture maps. The generic UV unwrapper and UV packing algorithms were greatly optimized, allowing for up to x15 baking speed gain (depending on mesh size and resolution). The exported texture maps now benefit from a new color bleed blending algorithm (smudge and mean average color filler) to reduce visible seams when remapping meshes in 3rd party applications.

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PlantFactory importers for 3ds Max and Maya (1)

With this new release, e-on software introduces the first technology preview of its upcoming native importer plugins, starting with dedicated importers for PlantFactory content. The plugins allow for loading, editing health, maturity and season as well as published parameters and converting native PlantFactory content within the host application, without going through any baking or exporting processed.

The initial plugins are compatible with 3ds Max 2019-2020 and Maya 2019 (windows only). In 3ds Max, the plugin can generate materials for these renderers: V-Ray Next, Scanline, ART Renderer. In Maya, only V-Ray Next is supported for now. Other host applications and renderers will be supported soon while the company continues to expand its interoperability developments.

Other notable new features in VUE and PlantFactory R4

As with previous quarterly releases, e-on software has also added many other new features and UI/UX enhancements such as:

  • Rewritten and optimized FBX format import,
  • Substance compatibility enhancements: support for multi-graph .sbsar, updated SDK to version 7, support for animated .sbsar files, support for several additional .sbsar inputs,
  • Path tracer renderer now supports orthographic projection, film offset and renders multi-pass channels,
  • New LOD selection mechanism based on referenced length,
  • Numerous updates to Python scripting options,
  • Added compatibility with MacOS Catalina,
  • And a lot more

(1) Export and Integration Plugins are only available in Professional and Enterprise solutions

Plant Catalog Collection update (2)

This Q4 2019 release also offers a new batch of 10 HD and LD – botanically accurate – vegetation species, including:

  • Coniferous: Picea abies, Sequoiadendron giganteum, Thuja plicata, Tsuga mertensiana
  • Bushes: Lupinus arboreus, Tamarix gallica
  • Palms: Hyophorbe lagenicaulis
  • Perennials: Bellis perennis, Lupinus polyphyllus, Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’

(2) PlantCatalog compatibility is currently in Enterprise solutions only