Archive notice: This article was originally published on August 4, 2015. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The new release comes with many improvements this time. The recording system (Take System), which can certainly be regarded as the main feature, stands out clearly together with the revised spline tools and makes working on more complex projects easier. The revised .obj, the new SketchUp and the innovative Houdini Digital Assets interface also reinforce its claim to be a good team player.
Color Management
In addition to the various standard systems for selecting an RGB or HSV colour value, a new mixing field, a colour wheel, Kelvin colour temperatures, web colours and an enhanced eyedropper function join the tools that can now be found wherever colours can be defined in Cinema 4D.
Splines
A new spline pen replaces the old interpolation methods, such as Cubic, B-Spline or Linear, and allows us to build splines point by point. After setting the first point, we already get a preview of the spline path if we were to set a new point at the mouse pointer’s position. In addition, while setting new points, the position of previously placed points can also be changed without having to switch tools. The same applies to placing additional points on existing sections. Finally, it is also possible to create a closed spline simply by clicking the start of the spline.
Also entirely new is a spline tool designed specifically for drawing circular sections. After setting two points, the section between them can be grabbed and pulled onto an arbitrarily curved circular path.
Motion Tracking
Especially with problematic source material, faulty tracks are almost unavoidable. The new graphical analysis of tracking via Graph View or Top Down View helps to identify and correct these faulty tracks. When combining 3D elements with photos or live-action film, optical distortions such as converging or curved lines require a great deal of editing. With the lens- distortion tool in Cinema 4D Release 17, you now save time in the Motion Tracker and during camera calibration. Either you adapt your 3D objects to the lens- distortion of the photo or live-action sequence. Or you use the tool to undistort the original material so that it harmonises with your 3D elements.
Houdini Engine inside
Animate flames, particles, mass simulations – with the integration of Side Effects Houdini Engine, even demanding simulations can be achieved considerably faster and more easily in Cinema 4D. Use your TD’s Houdini Digital Assets or those directly from the Orbolt Store natively in your scene.
Metaball
Many have certainly been waiting for a dedicated fluid system in Cinema 4D for some time. At least the upcoming RealFlow plug-in seems to want to fill this gap. Until then, the metaballs have been given a small but fine new function. They can now also calculate Phong-smoothed normals and therefore appear beautifully softly shaded even with very low polygon subdivision.
Take System
Cinema 4D’s new Take System delivers a workflow that goes farbeyond the functions of conventional render-layer systems. Generate independent takes of your scene and change almost any parameter for any variants. The whole thing is saved in just one file. Thanks to a parent-child system, you can effortlessly organise versions of your takes hierarchically, while our new token system takes care of the automated creation and naming of folders and image data.
Prices, Availability and Upgrade Information
Delivery of Cinema 4D Release is planned for September 2015 and will be handled by Maxon and its authorised specialist dealers. Pricing and upgrade information is available at http://www.maxon.net. Cinema 4D is available for Mac OS X and Windows. Information about the system requirements can be found here.
Read more about the new Cinema 4D R17 in the upcoming issue of Digital Production.
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