Archive notice: This article was originally published on April 14, 2010. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
By using the many hundreds of cores on modern graphics cards and through its expanded range of functions, Fusion becomes more efficient. Fewer network resources are required, saving not only infrastructure but also money and energy.
Highlights:
Import: importing FBX files has been improved further through multilayer materials, while direct interaction with graphics cards enables high rendering speeds. Data exchange between 3D and 2D is reduced further. Fusion 6.1 offers the ability to cache files from the network locally as well as particle caching. It also adds the new FilmGrain tool, the HueCurves tool, tools for managing metadata, and further particle improvements such as mesh-based emitters and deflectors. Native Python support now makes it possible to use Python alongside the LUA scripting language.
OpenCL GPU Supercomputing: Fusion 6.1 supports the OpenCL language, resulting in speed increases. Compute-intensive tools such as Defocus or Noise are up to 1,000 percent (!) faster. OpenCL code can be applied directly in Fuses to develop in-house tools.
RenderMan Support: Fusion 6.1 has direct RenderMan support as open source in the 3D SDK. Studios can therefore integrate it into existing pipelines.
Python Scripting: with the new version 6.1, Fusion supports Python directly in the interface, in addition to the existing LUA scripting language. This makes Fusion even easier to integrate into existing pipelines.
RED Camera Mysterium X: full support for the new RED Mysterium-X sensor and both the old and the new “Color Science” solution used by RED.
Particles and Geometry: Fusion’s particle system can now also use FBX meshes and other geometry as emitters or affectors. Particles can be generated on the surface or within the volume of an object.
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Particle Caching: particle solutions that have been calculated once can be cached to disk, so there is no longer any wait for the particles to be recalculated.
Relighting: relighting has been available in Fusion for 15 years, beginning with the DeepPixel tools and continuing through to the current GPU renderer. In 6.1, the 3D system has been refined. Import of 3D scenes with customised animation curves, stereo cameras, lighting and multi-level materials from all leading 3D applications is supported. The GPU renderer generates layers for subsequent 2D editing at increased speed. This improves integration between the 3D department and compositing.
FilmGrain Tool: it has been optimised for the requirements of matching exponential film grain. Faster, simpler and more accurate grain can be generated, especially on log images.
HueCurves Tool: long requested by users, HueCurves permits animatable splines for changing precisely definable areas of the colour spectrum. It provides not only curves for hue, luminance, saturation, red, green and blue, but also suppression curves for all colour channels. This also takes the fear out of green edges when keying.
Local File Caching: loaders can cache files from the network locally. This not only reduces network load but also makes interactive work faster. In the background, the original files are checked for any changes, so the cached files always remain up to date.
Metadata Tools: the Metadata Tools are designed to manage safely any metadata that may arise. This ranges from inserting arbitrary data into image sequences to merging data from different sources.
