MODO 301 IS HERE!
Many have been following the developments of this newcomer to the major 3D market for some time. Each time they announce a release, users and studios alike, usually set in their ways, wonder exactly how yet another tool can possibly fit into their pipelines. Yet with each release, modo continues to grow increasingly more powerful and adding irresistable features that make it nearly a necessity. New thinking and new approaches to creating in 3D continue to make a welcome favorite to both studio and home users.
Now modo is advancing with version 301 and it seems to be the best modo yet. One of the greatest additions to the program this time around is a seemingly unbeatable set of full sculpting tools.
modo delivers the next evolution of 3D modeling, painting and rendering in a single integrated and accelerated package for the Mac and PC. And now, modo also includes true 3D sculpting tools, item animation and network rendering! More than just features, modo is a truly elegant integration of technology, raw horsepower and refined workflow.
You know, I've been doing 3D literally for 20 years now. It's actually been that long since the first Amiga computer came out and we were introduced to priimtive tools like Sculpt 3D. Then, just a short time later, in 1988, I was using more advanced tools from the very same creators of modo301! It's really been quite a run and the developments have been amazing. It seems like neither of our goals have changed in all that time.
On one of the modo pages there is a link to a John Carmack game demo of their new technology, showing just how far realtime 3D can be pushed today. It's funny to consider that when we look at graphics like this or trailers for the PS3, we see that realtime and machinima are fastly approaching the quality of Final Fantasy, yet in the highest end of 3D with advances like sculpting, radiosity, subsurface scattering and global illumination we are seeing a whole new level of realism, like in this modo image by popular movie monster maker Rick Baker:
Just this morning I was working with another incredible feature of this tool called surface baking. Imagine being able to take a model, like a set, and light it, even using radiosity and GI. However, when you render, you're not rendering a still image to look at, you are rendering a new set of texture maps for the object, which have all the lighting, shading and even radiosity baked into the textures. This effectively turns that set into a realtime environment allowing you to see it at full quality, with all its light and shadows, even in a preview window. Imagine what you could do, then, using that in your machinima work or even for speeding up a 3D film!
I suspect this is only the beginning for modo's road to stardom. With basic animation tools in place and the ability to import animation from other systems it could already be your last stop on the way to creating something new and great. I can't wait to dig in and find out more.
Now modo is advancing with version 301 and it seems to be the best modo yet. One of the greatest additions to the program this time around is a seemingly unbeatable set of full sculpting tools.
modo delivers the next evolution of 3D modeling, painting and rendering in a single integrated and accelerated package for the Mac and PC. And now, modo also includes true 3D sculpting tools, item animation and network rendering! More than just features, modo is a truly elegant integration of technology, raw horsepower and refined workflow.
You know, I've been doing 3D literally for 20 years now. It's actually been that long since the first Amiga computer came out and we were introduced to priimtive tools like Sculpt 3D. Then, just a short time later, in 1988, I was using more advanced tools from the very same creators of modo301! It's really been quite a run and the developments have been amazing. It seems like neither of our goals have changed in all that time.
On one of the modo pages there is a link to a John Carmack game demo of their new technology, showing just how far realtime 3D can be pushed today. It's funny to consider that when we look at graphics like this or trailers for the PS3, we see that realtime and machinima are fastly approaching the quality of Final Fantasy, yet in the highest end of 3D with advances like sculpting, radiosity, subsurface scattering and global illumination we are seeing a whole new level of realism, like in this modo image by popular movie monster maker Rick Baker:
Just this morning I was working with another incredible feature of this tool called surface baking. Imagine being able to take a model, like a set, and light it, even using radiosity and GI. However, when you render, you're not rendering a still image to look at, you are rendering a new set of texture maps for the object, which have all the lighting, shading and even radiosity baked into the textures. This effectively turns that set into a realtime environment allowing you to see it at full quality, with all its light and shadows, even in a preview window. Imagine what you could do, then, using that in your machinima work or even for speeding up a 3D film!
I suspect this is only the beginning for modo's road to stardom. With basic animation tools in place and the ability to import animation from other systems it could already be your last stop on the way to creating something new and great. I can't wait to dig in and find out more.
10 Comments:
yeah, they have been moving fast... maybe the team over at messiah needs to take notes. i mean i would have bought it but there development seems/is freaking slow, its sad, you can tell which team really want it when lightwave spit ways, some went to pmG some went and made Bauhaus and then theres is this team lux... lol wow the lux guys really want it. look at Mirage old code with lawsuits in hand. i mean there so far behind all the other apps that just been up dated, they cant talk about new versions, where they now have to rebuild from ground up and they act like it the other guys fault, yet we, the paying public get shafted. pmg um dude i think its been at version 2.XXX for like 4 years. and lightwave well we know their working on it. Lux came out like champs.
The team at Luxology is fantastic. They are more responsive to their customers than any other 3D company, and keep us informed constantly about what they are up to. They also learn from any mistakes they make and don't repeat them unlike a lot of companies. Lastly they provide value. 301 is a great update over 203, which was a great update over 103. They don't overcharge, restrict you , or nickel and dime you.
Even though 301 just came out I can't wait to see what they will do next, because I know it will be something cool and it won't cost a fortune.
It is too bad Bauhaus seems to be in a rut because I really like Mirage. I can only hope that they will take their customer service cues from Luxology if they ever get with it. I'd hate to see Mirage wither away, but they'd better do something soon. At least keep up with the newsletter or something.
Even though I think Modo is a move in the right direction and they make a great package I do tend to think that 3D modeling still has a long way to go compared to how other work flows in that arena moves along. Animation and rendering has coma a really long way in the past years. I mean - take a look at a simple free app like Daz Studio and the Puppeteer feature they have. Wow. It's amazing. I'ts hand animation in real time and it's incredibly empowering to the creators.
But modeling tools are still trapped in a sort of place where you almost know what you have because your modeling using boxes and your experience tells you that behind those boxes and grids there is probably hiding a Catmull-Clarke algorithm that will probably get you what you want after you've tweaked it for a while.
Sketchup is the true revolutionary in this field i the recent years. That's modeling at the speed of thought. Modo is getting there but to me it is still trapped in a few old timer paradigms. But I'm their biggest fan in what they are trying to do.
BTW: I love this blog and this site. You are a truly wonderful human being, Terrence. All the best to you.
I've worked a lot in surface baking in the past. Mostly using Lightwave. This is a project I've been working with that uses surface baking for each shot to bring down rendering times to a minimum.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=2ntlOSGrRrI
martin:
Eeeh, modeling is probably THE area of 3D CG which has seen the most 'revolution' over the past few years with the introduction of tools like Zbrush and Mudbox. The workflow of many modelers has been almost completely changed. 3D animators still work much the same way and hardly any professional animators use that puppeteer tool you mention.
Wow, the new modo sure does look impressive! It's still way out of my price range though. For that much money, I would probably buy Lightwave instead so I could animate as well as model.
I do agree with c.s. that modelling programs have improved a lot. I bought a copy of Hexagon 2 back when Daz was selling it for $1.99 with a Platinum Club membership. I think I paid $35 to join the club for one month just to get Hex 2. It has some sculpting tools as well. To be honest, I haven't done much with it because shortly after that I bought Animation:Master and had to convert myself to spline modelling... a process that is still ongoing. :-)
On a different note, I saw that TVPaint has had a couple updates recently. Isn't that the same thing as Mirage?
modo has animation in 301, it's just a starting point though so no bones'ik rigging or particle fx and no volumetics as yet.
regards sculpting yeah modo hasadded that it looks pretty good, not as deep as zbrush but you DO get to model and render in one app rather than move it from app to app...well for stills anyhow..if you want to animate your sculpted character you'll have to export it to maya or another character animation app until modo gets rigging tools and bone deformers so your really in the same boat as zbrush in that regard 'currently'
TVpaint is the latest version of aura/mirage/tvpaint...all the same app really it just changed it's name and distributor [usa].
TVpaint and mirage are not the same, yes they look the same some one stole something from what i can understand, doesnt matter i wouldnt buy any of these products from any of them, both company's mess up bad. and no didnt change its name their both out there.
c.s:
I know a lot has happened. It's just my opinion that it's not in a break through way that other areas have been affected.
It's great what you can do with zBrush. But the learning curve of that app is s t e e p. It's not like Sketchup where you can watch someone that has never touched 3D start creating from the mind directly and intuitively. zBrush and Mudbox has a lot of rules that you have to know about from years of experience as a modeler. It's a great tool but it's not the great liberator I'm hoping for.
I know pros in general are not using puppeteer. But when it grows up - and that will probably happen with version 2 - they really should have a look at it.
SketchUp is great for rectilinear stuff (like architecture, angular shapes) but not for organics.
The new sculpt stuff in modo is amazing. In a matter of minutes I had a sphere, hit the subdivide button a few times, and was off and running with the sculpt brushes. I have used modo before and I wouldn't say it is as dirt simple as SketchUp, but it really isn't hard. If you had someone show you or watched one or two of the videos it comes with it, it is really pretty easy. It even has a an edge over Zbrush in ease of learning IMO.
You don't really need to know about Catmull-Clark unless you want to get advanced (in which case you'd need to know for any app).
Learning curve in Zbrush is not very steep IMO. After you've learned about basic viewport navigation and brushe you can already create some amazing stuff. Watch Meats Meier's Introduction to Zbrush 3 and you're more than ready to go.
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