At the 3D and Motion Design Show, Maxon recently gave an insight into upcoming features – for Redshift, Red Giant and Cinema 4D. With Project Neutron, Python 3, USD, Redshift RT you can look forward to some new features in upcoming versions (even if, as usual, it will take longer until a complete end-to-end workflow is available and fully functional).
Cinema 4D: Project Neutron
With Project Neutron, the node-based workflow in Cinema 4D is to be more closely integrated. With the new engine, Maxon wants to enable new procedural modelling techniques, motion graphics and visual programming, but not “force” them. In other words, if you don’t have a direct application for it, you don’t have to familiarise yourself with new workflows. Similar to the Object Manager, the new functions will be optionally available via a new GUI. In the examples so far, the developers show animated sphere arrays, procedural forest landscapes and mesh workflows, as well as procedural fish swarms, dual mesh functions and more. Project Neutron will be available for the first time as a Tech Preview in the upcoming Cinema 4D R22 versions. An exact release date for the autumn, as well as feature scope is not yet available.
Python 3 and USD support
Things are also continuing in other important areas – in line with the requirements of the VFX Reference Platform, the Python 3 standard is already part of many DCCs. According to Maxon, most of the changes should be backwards-compatible in order to minimise the transition from 2.7.7 to 3.7.7 for pipeline TDs and developers – at least in theory. You can find more information on this here on the Maxon blog.
While Maxon has taken care of the exchange around the Cineware plug-ins, the next version of Cinema 4D will now also be able to import and export USD formats. In the preview, this includes geometry, materials, cameras and lighting. The supported formats are…
- USDC binary files
- USDA ASCII file format
- USDZ format (for augmented reality applications)
Availability
After the new subscription-only C4D S22 version, the update for the next perpetual Cinema 4D Release 22 is still pending for this year. A permanent licence (R21) currently costs 3364 euros, the annual subscription starts at just under 58 euros.
Further information: To the official Maxon website
