Archive notice: This article was originally published on October 13, 2011. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
For November, E-on has announced the latest version of Vue, Release 10, with many improved features. Vue has meanwhile developed into one of the standard software packages for generating digital nature. E-on’s software is not a complete 3D solution, but it is a good addition for product and problem solutions.
In the film sector, Vue is particularly suitable for matte paintings and set extensions. The software has already been used on many professional productions with elaborate landscape generation, such as "Avatar", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Indiana Jones" and "Australia".
The features of version 10 include a new spline and road tool with an automatic pathfinding algorithm, a Dynamic Rock Library and a physical water engine. The new Render Display is intended to make it possible to compare and overlay previews; the landscape editing tools are also said to have been improved, with a new 3D terrain brush, for example, added to the selection.
Several million polygons come together when building open landscapes – a single normal tree with leaves already has 200,000 to 500,000. Vue is particularly suitable for terrain and landscape structures, a flexible material system, plants and EcoSystems, and natural objects such as clouds or atmosphere. Vue’s particular strength lies in rendering atmosphere. It also offers a convenient multipassing system and a relighting function.
In issue 06:2011 of DP, we tested Vue 9.5 xStream and Infinite in Maya 2012 and will present the capabilities of the Vue software there in detail.
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