With the fresh 12.0 update for Foundry’s DCC software, Modo receives many improvements to the integrated modelling tools, UV improvements, new interface & viewport updates, as well as Python scripts and export options. The announced VR features will only appear in later releases.
Modelling Features
In addition to new “randomise” functions for the jitter tool (modelling & UV), Mesh Paint now has three new modes: Linear, Radial and Array and also offers the possibility to use duplicated and instanced geometry. Selected objects from the Preset Browser can now also be randomised using a “Randomizer”.
Surface Strips is a brand new tool for MeshFusion. You can use it to convert the topology at the intersection of two Boolean meshes into quads or use Surface Strips as a Boolean operation that creates open bodies with quad edges.
Foundry has also added new mesh operators for the procedural modelling introduced in Modo 10. These include a Triangulate MeshOp for non-destructive export, the ability to use duplicated geometry as input for Merge Mesh, a new Falloff operator and more.
UV Tools
With the optimisation of the user interface, new UV Gaps function and revision of UV Align, Foundry has also added small improvements to the UV workflow. Multiple UVs can now be adjusted more easily at the same time.
Rendering & Shading
You can use the new Frame Range Channel to determine which frames of an animation should be rendered. In addition to support for the new glTF Material Shader, Modo now also offers a drop-down menu for shading models with PBR and Unlit settings.
Other new features
The viewport now includes a Topology preset to get quick access to the Retopo tools without having to switch to the Topolgy layout. Foundry has also added a selection of the Python Hatchet Collection to Modo, including PolyScale Offset, Polygon Flip, Flatten Ngon, Weight Map Slicer and more. You can read more about the Hatchet Collection here and in the release notes. Support for Gltf 2.0 has also been added to the export features – models can now be placed and shared in the Facebook newsfeed using drag & drop.
A complete update list can be found in the release notes.
Compatibility & Price
Modo is currently priced at €1460 for a permanent licence including one year of updates, subscription models cost €486 per year – with Maconcept’s Easter discount. If you are still a student, you can take a look at the cheaper & commercially usable Production Collective. This includes Nuke, CaraVR, Modo and Mari for €188 per year. Without the discounts, Modo permanent with one year maintenance comes to €1,619 plus VAT and Modo Subscription costs €539 plus VAT.
Modo 12.0 is compatible with…
- Mac OS 10.10.x, 10.11.x, and 10.12.x (64-bit)
- Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 (64-bit)
- Linux 64-bit (CentOS/RHEL 7 )
For more information: To the Foundry website
