Archive notice: This article was originally published on November 12, 2012. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Vue 11 xStream (the plug-in solution for 3ds Max, Maya and Softimage, Maxon Cinema 4D or LightWave) and Vue 11 Infinite (the standalone version) are among the most widely used landscape generators for digital environments. In version 11, according to e-on Software, faster rendering, Illumination Caching, Terrain and EcoPainter, as well as interactive ecosystems and “living” particles (EcoParticles), are intended to justify the update.
“EcoParticles” are a new type of particle particularly usable for rain, snow, waterfalls and similar effects because any object can serve as an emitter. The emitters are added like a normal layer, and the user can control how the emission changes over time, in addition to the “normal” parameters such as speed, direction, collision properties and lifetime.
Added to this are the so-called EcoParticles Effectors, special objects that influence EcoParticles in the scene and make tornadoes and similar effects easy. Anyone who “only” needs weather will also find new weather effects in the new Vue—rain and snow. Here, everything from light drizzle to an apocalyptic snowstorm is intended to be generated with a few clicks, any weather that would make a character without keying stay at home.
Vue 11 xStream is compatible with the following renderers:
3ds Max 2008 – 2013: MentalRay (integrated and MR satellites), V-Ray
Maya 2008 – 2013: MentalRay (integrated and MR satellites), V-Ray, Maya Software
Softimage | XSI 7 – 2013: MentalRay (integrated and MR satellites)
Cinema 4D R11.0 – R14: native renderer
LightWave 9.3 – 11: native renderer
Vue 11 xStream costs 1,995 US dollars, while the upgrade starts at 439 dollars. Vue 11 Infinite costs 1,495 dollars, and the upgrade 359 dollars.
