Most character work starts the same way. You open reference files, squint, and interrogate the footage frame by frame. How low do the hips drop. Where is the apex of the arc. How long does the hangtime last. You scrub, pause, scrub again, and yes, sometimes you cry a little.

KZ_Tracker exists because that manual extraction feels absurdly slow when the goal is just a first pass with honest timing. The developer built it to grab motion information directly from video and get a quick blocking pass moving, without turning the process into a full motion capture production.

KZ_Tracker wants to convert tracked movement into something animators can push around in a scene, edit aggressively, and treat as a starting point rather than a finished performance.

What KZ_Tracker actually does in Maya

KZ_Tracker lets you track points in video footage and convert them into usable animation curves inside Maya. It generates TX and TY curves depending on perspective and extracts real timing and rough spacing from the footage, so you get immediate motion data you can work with in your shot.

That matters because it keeps the output in animator territory. Curves live where the rest of your work lives. You can reshape timing, adjust spacing, smooth noise, exaggerate arcs, and keep polishing until it reads.

The tool targets the same moment in the workflow where you normally switch from analysis to keys. Instead of manually estimating where a hand peaks or when a prop changes direction, you can track the point and get curves that already contain that motion shape.

A workflow built around clicks, caches, and locators

The intended workflow starts with loading your video and caching it. You then create tracking points by clicking directly on the footage and track them through the sequence. After that, you generate curves onto locators, apply the result, and refine.

The result will still contain a healthy amount of realism. The curves are not perfect, and the tool does not try to replace animation. It tries to replace the nothingness that happens before animatino has any structure, when you are still guessing timing and spacing from a scrub bar.

That approach also makes the tool usable beyond bipeds. Creatures, props, and random objects are the targets that fall outside classic performance capture expectations, where you still want reference-driven motion but do not want to build a full capture setup.

Not mocap, not magic, still useful

KZ_Tracker is simpler and faster 2D mocap, primarily for quick blocking and motion reference rather than final mocap output or even polished animation. You are not getting a solved skeleton. You are not getting a retarget pass. You are getting tracked point motion turned into editable curves that can guide your keys.

In production terms, that can buy real time. A rough pass that nails timing early often beats a clean pass that moves wrong or late or both. Curves from tracked reference can also preserve subtle accelerations and decelerations that are easy to miss when your spacing is done by eyeball.

Layered animation workflows get the spotlight

KZ_Tracker is presented is effective in layered animation workflows, which is how many Maya animators already work, because it lets you treat the tracked motion as a base layer, then build intent and performance on top.

If the track is noisy, you can smooth it. If it is too literal, you can stylize. If it only gets you sixty percent of the way there, that is still sixty percent you did not have to manually reconstruct. You still need taste, cleanup, and shot context. KZ_Tracker just moves the first mile closer.

Compatibility, licensing, and the short film angle

KZ_Tracker is compatible with Microsoft Windows and Maya 2023 and later. It is available as a one-time purchase with no subscription required. The developer says the release aims to help fund the next short film. That is not a feature, but it does explain why the tool ships as a paid product rather than a free experiment.

https://kzanim.gumroad.com/l/KZtracker

The post KZ_Tracker turns video into Maya curves first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: 3ds Max is a Windows DCC for modeling, animation, and rendering, commonly paired with Arnold and add-ons like tyFlow for archviz, motion graphics, and VFX handoffs.

What 2027.1 actually changes

3ds Max 2027.1 ships as a minor update focused on tightening outputs and expanding a couple of procedural building blocks rather than adding a brand-new workflow. The headline is Smart Bevel output quality. The update targets artifacts that show up on more complex geometry.

The other modeling-side change lands in the Data Channel modifier. Three new operators join the stack for converting data between formats, which matters when a setup depends on passing values through different data types without writing external scripts.

This is the kind of update that can quietly fix daily annoyances. It is also the kind that can quietly break a toolchain if you rely on exact behavior in procedural stacks, so test it on real scenes before you let it anywhere near teh shot schedule.

Smart Bevel: fewer ugly surprises

Smart Bevel arrived in the base 2027 release as a bevel-generation system aimed at post-Boolean intersections. In 2027.1, the focus stays on the output itself. The update wants to lessen the amount of artifacts that appear when Smart Bevel runs across more complex intersections and topology, with the stated goal (! Not tested) of reducing those artifacts rather than expanding the tool with new controls.

If your scenes lean on Boolean-heavy hard surface work, this kind of quality pass can mean less time hunting for shading glitches and less manual cleanup after the fact. If your pipeline bakes normals or exports to realtime, it can also mean more stable downstream results, since bevel quality tends to leak into everything from edge highlights to tangent space shading.

Data Channel: three new converters

The Data Channel modifier is the procedural playground for people who like building their own operators instead of clicking the same menu five hundred times. In 3ds Max 2027.1, it gains three new operators described as “converters” between data formats.

They are:; Float_to_Point3, FloatOP and PointOP, and to quote Adsk itself: “Float_to_Point3 converts a float channel into a Point3 channel. FloatOp and PointOp (a point 3 operation) let you drive changes to float and Point3 data through the DCM.”

In practice, Data Channel setups often hit friction when one part of the stack expects a different data type than the previous node outputs. Conversions sound boring until you are stuck doing workarounds for something as simple as routing a float into a vector-like structure or adapting a value for a later operator. These new operators are supposed to be a way to move data between formats inside the modifier stack.

Arnold integration: new core, plus a cloud experiment

Arnold for 3ds Max updates to MAXtoA 5.9.2.0, a feature release built on Arnold 7.5.1.1. It includes a Tech Preview of Flow Render, described as an Arnold cloud-rendering solution, plus support for tyFlow volumes. It includes a Tech Preview of Flow Render, described as an Arnold cloud-rendering solution, plus support for tyFlow volumes.

Here is the Tutorial for the Maya-Version of Flow Renderer:

Flow Render comes with 2400 minutes per user per month of render time for testing and evaluation, with feedback routed to the Arnold feedback forums.

MAXtoA also adds tyFlow volume support via a new tyFlow rollout that lets you assign an Arnold volume shader. The default uses a standard Blackbody setup driven by the tyFlow temperature channel, and there are presets that either bake an approximation of tyFlow ramps into editable Arnold ramps or generate a non-editable OSL shader to more closely match tyFlow’s look.

On the rendering side, the aov_write_rgb, aov_write_float, and aov_write_rgba shader nodes now work inside volume shader networks, with the volume raymarcher collecting and integrating AOV closures using Beer-Lambert weighting. Flat outputs like EXR and TIFF and deep EXR are supported, and Arnold logs a warning if conflicting blend_opacity settings write to the same AOV name from both surface and volume shaders. The notes also call out about a 16 percent overhead with two active volume AOVs at fine step sizes.

Normal_map gains a tangent_space_type option that adds MIKKTSpace normal mapping support, with a standard mode preserving prior behavior and a mikk mode evaluating normal maps using MIKKTSpace data for consistent shading across applications. CPU renders on Windows are also optimized, with most scenes showing faster render times.

Flow Render comes with 2400 minutes per user per month of render time for testing and evaluation, with feedback routed to the Arnold feedback forums.

On the rendering side, the aov_write_rgb, aov_write_float, and aov_write_rgba shader nodes now work inside volume shader networks, with the volume raymarcher collecting and integrating AOV closures using Beer-Lambert weighting. Flat outputs like EXR and TIFF and deep EXR are supported, and Arnold logs a warning if conflicting blend_opacity settings write to the same AOV name from both surface and volume shaders. The notes also call out about a 16 percent overhead with two active volume AOVs at fine step sizes.

Normal_map gains a tangent_space_type option that adds MIKKTSpace normal mapping support, with a standard mode preserving prior behavior and a mikk mode evaluating normal maps using MIKKTSpace data for consistent shading across applications. CPU renders on Windows are also optimized, with most scenes showing faster render times.

tyFlow volumes get a nod

One extra detail in the Arnold integration update is support for tyFlow volumes, enabling rendering of smoke and fire simulated with tyFlow’s sparse fluid engine.

For anyone doing effects lookdev directly in Max, volume compatibility is not glamorous, but it is the difference between a nice sim preview and an actual final render path. If you rely on tyFlow for quick-turn sims, this is worth a controlled test with your typical render settings and AOV requirements.

Availability, licensing, and the fine print you still have to read

3ds Max 2027.1 is compatible with Windows 11, and offered as rental-only. Subscriptions start at $255 per month or $2,010 per year. An Indie subscription option is available at $330 per year for qualifying artists under the stated income and project value thresholds.

None of this changes the basic rule for production: new tools and innovations should be tested before use in production, ideally with representative scenes, caches, and handoffs across your full pipeline.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2027/ENU/?guid=GUID-D500E31E-76EF-4C46-B856-7673A5488199
https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2027/ENU/?guid=GUID-C70039CE-C982-4CE0-B1AE-A7432D6FE563
https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2027/ENU/?guid=GUID-E0761A92-60BC-4ECE-BA54-BB7D87775039
https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2027/ENU/?guid=GUID-37C6EC5F-8025-4A11-A36F-EF3B285B35A5
https://help.autodesk.com/view/3DSMAX/2027/ENU/?guid=GUID-7CC2F041-F797-4DB9-B2F9-326AAB994F37

The post Autodesk updates 3ds Max to 2027.1 first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Maya is a core DCC from Autodesk for modeling, rigging, animation, and FX, with lookdev via LookdevX and node FX via Bifrost, plus pipeline handoff through USD.

The headline feature is editorial glue

Maya 2027.1 adds support for OpenTimelineIO in the Sequencer, enabling interchange of editorial cut data between DCC and timeline tools.

Sequencer gets editorial glue, not just buttons

Maya 2027.1 adds import and export support for OpenTimelineIO, with OTIO data being a standardised equivalent to XML for supported sequence, track, shot, audio, and file reference information. OTIO import preserves camera assignments and camera attributes, and reconstructs tracks from stored track information. The same workflow includes additional shot-level data such as labels, colors, thumbnails, and frame range information.

Sequencer also gets a round of editorial workflow updates beyond OTIO. Autodesk claims improvements to timeline exchange, shot editing, audio handling, playblast output controls, and scripting access. Shot creation now works directly on a selected track, or from a selected Time Slider range. Shot editing includes an updated hold workflow where hold frames come from a dedicated Hold mode while you drag shot edges. That sounds small until you try it on a cut with a dozen micro-trims and discover you do not need to invent a new swearing dialect.

Audio behavior becomes stricter. Sequencer uses only audio associated with the sequence. Audio not linked to Sequencer gets ignored, and Sequencer audio does not mix with Trax audio. A new Time Slider audio menu option called Use Sequencer Sounds controls that behavior. Playblast Shot Options adds Display Size controls for output resolution, with options listed as From Window, From Render Settings, Custom, and From Image Attributes. Output resolution depends on the chosen Display Size and Scale settings. Zooming in Sequencer now centers on the cursor when you use the mouse wheel, which helps the tiemline stop teleporting away from the thing you actually meant to inspect.

As always, new interchange formats look great in demos and get weird at 2 a.m. Test OTIO import and export on your real sequences before you bet a delivery on it.

MotionMaker focuses on editing clarity

Autodesk positions 2027.1 as a release with AI-powered tools and everyday workflow updates, and MotionMaker gets the everyday part this time. MotionMaker now shows frame ranges directly on clips and active windows. The stated goal is clearer timing feedback and behavior aligned with Sequencer.

Character naming gets a cleanup. Autodesk standard characters display simplified names in the UI, dropping the adsk_ prefix while keeping internal identifiers for compatibility. Character definitions also support a display name attribute used in the Create menu and character creation options.

New keyboard shortcuts navigate to the adjacent start frame before or after the current action clip in the timeline, aimed at faster clip-to-clip movement while editing. Updates to character registry handling also reduce redundant processing when creating MotionMaker registries.

Smart Bevel keeps hunting the ugly edge cases

Smart Bevel receives quality updates described as handling more complex geometry with fewer errors, with the practical promise of less manual cleanup on geometry with many intersecting edges.

Cutback relaxation improves to help prevent straight-edge segments from shifting, aimed at hard-surface models that mix linear and smooth forms. Smart Bevel also reduces spikes and jagged sawtooth corners in certain edge cases. Limiting works better across intersection types, with improvements intended to stop bevel results from crossing. Intersections previously missed are now detected.

Arc welding of new junctions becomes more thorough, and isolated arc removal becomes more reliable. Smart Bevel also improves handling of edge sequences that previously failed to bevel, with the result described as proper beveling and prevention of holes or missing faces at junctions along the sequence. Preset support expands so Smart Bevel presets can now save the Remove Isolated Arcs state.

Bifrost adds a search box and more sim and rig polish

Bifrost 3.1.0.8 adds a way to find where specific nodes are used in the graph, plus other new features and improvements. The same version lists updates for rigid body simulation, including per-instance colors, plus performance improvements for rigging and viewport drawing. New high-level compounds include deform_onto_mesh_UVs, wrap_deform_by_mesh, and wrap_deform_by_points. Rigs built with Bifrost now support Maya Cached Playback for improved performance, with a stated limitation that Cached Playback only works if the rig uses no feedback ports.

USD for Maya targets variants, and pins the manager

The USD plugin update listed as USD for Maya 0.36 adds support for targeting specific variants to receive edits, including changes to geometry and materials. The USD Variant Manager can now be pinned to its current display to prevent it from updating when you change selection. That is the kind of feature you only notice after it saves you from editing the wrong thing during a review.

LookdevX projects textures, searches graphs, and stays Arnold-friendly

LookdevX 2.1.0 adds texture projection nodes for mapping textures without UV coordinates. The workflow described uses the Node Library under Autodesk to add a projection node into the graph, connect a texture input, then connect the output to a material. Eight projection types are available: Planar, Spherical, Cylindrical, Ball, Cubic, Tri-Planar, Concentric, and Perspective. A Projection node combines all types into one node, with switching done inside the node so the texture updates on the object.

LookdevX also adds Graph Editor search to find nodes by name, aiming to reduce scrolling in larger graphs. Universal SRT manipulator support lands for the first matrix44 input port on LookdevX nodes, letting you edit that transform directly in the viewport via the usual manipulator workflow.

Arnold and Substance updates ride along

Autodesk lists Arnold for Maya 5.6.1.1 as part of the update, with changes since 2027 including a tech preview of Flow Render, custom AOVs for volume shaders, MIKKTSpace normal mapping support, and additional updates. Maya 2027.1 also includes Substance 3D 3.0.6.

Treat both as pipeline changes, even if you never touch a shader graph. Renderer and material tooling changes can break assumptions in templated scenes, and reliabel output beats exciting output when a client stares at a schedule.

Platforms and pricing

Maya 2027.1 is available for Windows 11, RHEL, and Rocky Linux 8.10 and 9.7, plus macOS 14.0 and later. The software is rental-only, with subscriptions listed as US$255 per month or US$2,010 per year. In many countries, artists earning under US$100,000 per year and working on projects valued under US$100,000 per year qualify for Maya Indie subscriptions, listed as US$330 per year. Maya Creative 2027.1 is also available, listed as pay-as-you-go with prices starting at US$3 per day and a minimum spend of US$300 per year. It has the same new features as Maya 2027.1, except for Bifrost.

New tools and innovations should always be tested before use in production, ideally on real shots and real assets, not a perfect demo cube that never gets a change request.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/MAYAUL/2027/ENU/?guid=GUID-F923AA68-6CE5-4292-88EA-292F5A786BA2

The post Maya 2027.1 adds OTIO to Sequencer first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Project Falcon is a free, browser-based 3D modeling tool built around kitbashing, meaning you assemble models from a library of parts instead of building everything from scratch. It targets fast, hard-surface blockouts like vehicles, spaceships, and furniture and all sorts of blocking-relevant greeblies and assets, and it keeps the barrier low with no local install.

Autodesk positions it as a technology preview and frames it as an easy on-ramp for first-time creators, while still offering a path into professional pipelines through export. The tool runs in a web browser and saves work to a dedicated cloud space tied to your account. You need an account to use it, and the best browser experience comes with Google Chrome.

Thousands of parts, plus snap, mirror, rescale, and booleans

The core workflow starts with dragging parts from a built-in library into the viewport, then snapping them together. The library spans thousands of parts, from simple forms to detail pieces like bolts and wheels. You can mirror and rescale parts, and you can use parts to perform simple Boolean operations on the model.

This keeps the tool focused on fast shape exploration rather than slow final-topology chores. You can rough out a silhouette, punch vents, and keep iterating without worrying about building a full modelling stack inside the browser. At this stage, Project Falcon stays firmly in modelling, not surfacing. Though you can color the result, and apply a few basic materials and shaders. Making it pretty enough for the Art Director, so to speak. Bonus Points if you only use Pantone Colour of the Year shades, and wear a beret during dailies.

USD and STL: the handoff story

Project Falcon exports models in USD for use in other 3D content creation tools, and it also exports STL for 3D printing. The export angle aims at handing off a kitbashed blockout into a more traditional DCC for refinement and look development.

Read more: Autodesk launches Project Falcon

The Autodesk messaging is this: Project Falcon focuses on assembling geometry, while traditional tools provide full manual control. It also states that look development does not happen inside Project Falcon, so you export to another tool if you want to shade and light properly.

In practical terms, USD export goes for workflows where you want to keep the blockout moving: concept design, early asset ideation, and quick geometry bases that you might later rebuild or retopologize for games. If your pipeline already leans on USD interchange, the export choice keeps the door open.

What it is not, yet

Project Falcon currently does not include look development. The exported result is geometry, and the tool stays centered on kitbashing and basic assembly operations.

As a technology preview, it also comes with the usual realities: the scope targets defined supported workflows, it may change over time, and there are no commitments or warranties stated for this phase. Autodesk also points users to an ideas forum for feedback and feature requests. Still: Project Falcon is free. Access happens through a browser with an account, and no installation is required.

Production reality check

Even when a tool is free and fast, test it before you let it anywhere near a real prdouction schedule, especially if your handoff depends on specific USD conventions, naming rules, or downstream shading expectations.

https://www.autodesk.com/solutions/media-entertainment/project-falcon

The post Autodesk launches Project Falcon first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Sketchbook Pro is a lightweight drawing and paintover app for Windows and macOS, paired with a mobile sibling on iOS and Android. It also includes Flipbook animation inside the desktop app.

The headline features: two selection tools, less fiddling

Sketchbook Pro version 9.4 adds two tools built around selections: Lasso Fill and Draw Outline. Lasso Fill dynamically fills regions you define with the lasso and targets fast shape blocking for coloring workflows. It lives in the Fill sub-toolbar and can also work with Randomize Color. It can also run with Transparent Color as a clean-up move when you need to nibble back into an edge.

Draw Outline uses the current selection as a path to apply a stroke using the active brush and active color. The stroke centers on the selection line, and the tool sits in the Selection toolbar. It can push beyond plain outlines, including border and halo effects, glow-style results with softer brushes, and softer edge work with eraser-style strokes.

If your day job involves concept art paintovers and quick iterations, both tools aim straight at the boring bits: blocking, edging, and making a selection do something immediately useful.

Desktop release notes: flips, palettes, and Randomize Color behaving

Version 9.4 on macOS adds Layer Menu actions for Rotate CW, Flip Horizontally, and Flip Vertically. The Windows edition lists the same Layer Menu additions, along with the two new selection tools. Across both desktop platforms, color palettes now indicate the active swatch. The Fill tool, including solid fill and lasso fill, now works with Randomize Color instead of ignoring it. Draw Styles also work with Randomize Color.

Mobile builds: same core tools, Premium gate

On mobile, the new tools arrive in the Premium Bundle, not the free base app. On Android, version 6.2.5 lists Draw Outline and Lasso Fill as new Premium Bundle features. It also adds Copy, Cut, and Paste to the selection sub-toolbar, adds palette reordering in the Color Editor, and makes color palettes indicate the active swatch. The Fill tool now works with Randomize Color.

On iOS, version 6.2.6 lists the same two Premium Bundle additions and also adds palette reordering in the Color Editor plus active-swatch indication in palettes. iOS also notes fixes for brush information not populating in the double puck in 6.2.5, an export behavior where an Open button appeared during export of a TIFF file from the gallery, Glow blend mode alpha behavior, artifacts under groups with blend modes, and a canvas edit crop limit issue on very large dimensions. The Fill tool on iOS now works with Randomize Color as well.

The Premium Bundle itself is a one-time in-app purchase on iOS and Android. It unlocks more brush, color, and layer management features, including Lasso Fill, Draw Outline, layer grouping, clipping masks and alpha masks, adjustment effects, and multi-page PDF export. If you live in storyboard land, the selection-driven approach maps cleanly to the way boards get cleaned up: lasso, block, outline, move on. The main catch is that on mobile, you need Premium for the new toys.

As always, test new releases on real jobs, with real brushes, and with your worst legacy files before you bet a deadline on them. Your future self will thank you, or at least complain less loudly.

https://www.sketchbook.com/

The post Sketchbook Pro 9.4 adds Lasso Fill and Draw Outline first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: V-Ray runs inside SketchUp, Rhino, and 3ds Max. Update 3 pulls real-time from Vantage, feeds assets from Cosmos, and pushes approvals through Cloud, with traffic extras via Anima.

Real time, now without the app hopping

Chaos released V-Ray 7 Update 3 for SketchUp, Rhino, and 3ds Max. Update 3 adds real-time rendering directly in the V-Ray viewport through a Vantage Viewport Live Link workflow. The goal sits squarely on convenience: keep modeling, keep assigning materials, keep nudging lights, and see the result update instantly.

The live viewport workflow supports continuous scene edits. Walls, columns, material tweaks, and object selections update in real time. Assets dropped in from Cosmos appear immediately as high-quality models, including people, vegetation, and props.

Lighting edits also happen inside the viewport workflow. Cosmos light fixtures with built-in light sources work in this mode, and V-Ray lights can be placed and adjusted interactively, including intensity adjustments while the real-time view stays active.

The real-time viewport mode supports large scenes. Vantage can handle millions of polygons with no noticeable lag in the described workflow, and it uses full ray tracing, without rasterization or approximation in that workflow description.

The real-time viewport workflow includes camera and look controls for composition and presentation. It supports adjusting the sun and adding effects including lens flares, photometrics, fog, and depth of field, while staying inside the host application viewport.

Parallax interiors go native, and finally leave OSL behind

Parallax interiors in Update 3 target a familiar archviz cheat: add convincing depth behind windows without modeling full rooms. Update 3 adds a native parallax texture map that works across integrations and also works in Vantage. This matters for integrations that do not expose Open Shading Language, where older OSL-based approaches were less usable.

Cosmos includes parallax interior shaders designed for drag-and-drop use behind windows. The shaders maintain depth and perspective from any camera angle and support variation controls to avoid obvious repetition across facades.

Quick caustics and Gaussian splats get more practical

Quick Caustics in Update 3 bring sunlight caustics through water, a common request for pools, lakes, and other outdoor scenes. V-Ray includes a general caustics engine, and the update adds a specific option intended to quickly approximate caustics caused by sunlight going through water surfaces. The workflow is enabling Quick Caustics in the material and lighting with V-Ray Sun so caustics appear immediately.

The current Quick Caustics behavior works best with displaced surfaces. It works with the built-in V-Ray water texture in SketchUp and Rhino, and it also supports other displacement textures. A depth parameter controls how far the caustics effect reaches. Reflective caustics can be enabled for shimmering patterns, and the caustics render element can be isolated for easier adjustment after the render.

Gaussian Splats Relighting allows Gaussian splats to receive illumination from scene lights so they blend more naturally with the rest of the scene. A dedicated parameter controls how the lighting blend behaves, and V-Ray lights can be used with their full parameters in this workflow.

Node materials arrive, scatter gets a brush, decals get distributed

Update 3 adds a node-based material editor for V-Ray for SketchUp and V-Ray for Rhino in preview. The node editor supports creating, picking, and editing materials and textures in a visual graph. Cosmos assets can be dragged directly into the graph. Texture nodes can be added and combined, maps can be mixed, and materials can be combined visually. Material types including blend, two-sided, overrdie, and wrapper appear as nodes.

V-Ray 7.3 also adds a scatter brush workflow in V-Ray for SketchUp and V-Ray for Rhino. Objects can be scattered using a paintbrush approach for precise distribution of plants and similar objects. The workflow supports building a base layer and painting additional clusters, following predefined lines from plans or painting freely. Density can be adjusted via brush radius, and unwanted areas can be painted out. The workflow also supports shaping vegetation placement to match camera angles for composition.

AI Mood Match and AI Enhancer focus on faster look decisions

AI Mood Match expands the Light Gen workflow for V-Ray for SketchUp and V-Ray for Rhino. It adjusts environment lighting to match a visual reference instead of trial-and-error tweaks. The workflow describes uploading a reference image, generating multiple lighting scenarios, browsing results, choosing one, and applying it with a click, then refining lighting further as needed.

AI Enhancer adds improved accuracy and object-level control. The described workflow includes detecting characters, vegetation, and large surfaces after upload, then enhancing selected elements without affecting the rest of the image.

For people, the controls include parameters such as age, gender, ethnicity, hair color, and facial expression, with results applied as an enhancement. A creativity mode adds refinement while preserving the original look. Multiple selections can be enhanced at once, enhanced objects appear in an object enhancement list, and results can be saved as a new version.

Large Surface Coverage targets fast breakup of flat or repetitive surfaces. Controls include creativity to add intrical detail and an age option intended to introduce natural weathering, including stains, micro-cracks, and subtle color variation.

AI Materials now support 4K generation and higher-resolution maps. The described workflow includes a redesigned interface and an interactive 3D preview that can switch between sphere, box, and cylinder models, plus lighting direction adjustments and normal and roughness tweaks with instant updates.

Frame Buffer tweaks and per-camera controls in 3ds Max

V-Ray for 3ds Max adds Physical Camera tools intended to make scene variations and view management easier. Objects can be excluded from visibility per camera without affecting the rest of the scene. Focus can be set to object mode by picking an object to remain in focus, keeping it sharp regardless of camera target position, which changes depth of field control behavior.

Update 3 also improves the V-Ray Frame Buffer. A new histogram widget provides insight into color distribution and exposure. Background and foreground folders support reference images, watermarks, and backgrounds. Scaling and positioning tools improve alignment, and effects apply consistently to added elements in this workflow description.

Cloud reviews, video notes, and 3D streaming annotation

Cloud Reviews adds a review hub for sharing work with teams and clients. Reviews can be started from the render engine or created in a review tab workflow. Renders can be uploaded and stakeholders invited. Stakeholders can explore images or 360-degree experiences and leave comments directly on elements that need adjustment. Project status can be updated, new versions uploaded, and an approvers list used to finalize the design.

Video collaboration adds timeline-based commenting. Comments can be pinned to an exact second or a time span, and comments can be repositioned. Annotation tools include markers such as drawing, line, and rectangle tools for pointing out specific areas. Comments can fade out automatically after their time span for a cleaner preview.

3D streaming in the same ecosystem allows real-time navigation once a scene is uploaded. The workflow includes switching cameras and adjusting lighting dynamically, sharing a 3D stream for interactive exploration, and adding annotations. Comments save automatically, and annotations can include attached images or links for context. If your review chain includes external stakeholders, run a dry test early to catch permission and browser issues before a deadline catches you. Or you have an audience, when you try to remember your password.

Have a look at the tools here: Chaos Cloud Reviews documentation
https://documentation.chaos.com/space/VCLOUD/521797640/Reviews

Anima 6: parking lots and smarter vehicle lighting

Anima 6 adds tools aimed at faster traffic population and more believable vehicle behavior. A parking lot feature lets users define parking zones and fill them with vehicles. Zones can be resized, orientations adjusted, density changed, vehicles added or removed, and layouts regenerated.

Anima 6 also adds automatic vehicle lighting for traffic simulation. Brake lights activate when stopping and turn signals engage when changing direction. A road staying tendency parameter controls whether vehicles continue straight or take available turns. If you want to show somebody how they should be driving their bloody SUVs, Anima will help make it look like it should, not like the BMW drivers do mostly behave.

Cosmos sets and new assets

Cosmos adds Sets, described as curated groups of assets that can be placed as a set and then rearranged or duplicated as needed.

Update 3 adds over 700 new assets, including 400 high-detailed plant models from Globe Plants, plus additional branded models. Cosmos also includes new models from Evermotion, new people assets, and additional scatter presets and scan material range in the described workflow.

Pricing and availability

Update 3 releases first for V-Ray for SketchUp and V-Ray for Rhino. Real-time rendering in the V-Ray viewport requires an active Vantage license or an active V-Ray Collection license.

New features can shift habits fast. Test Update 3 on real scenes, real assets, and your actual hardware before it enters a production .

https://www.chaos.com/vray

The post Chaos V-Ray 7 Update 3 goes real time first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

KeyPro replaces the idea that a timeline has to be a thin row of ticks and regret. It adds a compact strip beneath Maya‘s native timeline and renders four separate data layers in the same horizontal space. The core promise is density without clutter. The strip keeps the same broad job as a classic time slider, but it packs in readouts that normally live in separate editors, separate overlays, or separate moments where you sigh and zoom in again.

KeyPro – An advanced timeline for animators. https://t.co/tM44wbldud

Somebody said "Better than AnimBot". I don't know if that's true but it's certainly cheaper and has a killer timeline UI.

Excited to share this one. #characteranimation #maya pic.twitter.com/Mo5MKtvGG1

— Long Winter (@Long_Winter) April 8, 2026

Four layers, one strip, zero panel flipping

KeyPro renders four independently updated layers in the strip, and they update in real time as you work.

One layer draws an audio waveform. It uses cached RMS waveform rendering and draws per pixel at any zoom level. It also automatically reads Maya’s audio node when a scene loads, so the waveform appears without manual hunting.

Another layer shows key density. Every keyframe on every selected node renders as a tick. The ticks change colour based on density across a three-stop ramp that goes from blue to orange to hot pink. The point is fast visual triage for where animation gets heavy.

A third layer is a heat bar. It is a 2-pixel chromatic bar at the top of the strip that encodes how deep your current view span sits relative to the master range. Red indicates you are zoomed deep in, and blue indicates you are at full master scale.

The fourth layer is a master range that persists with the scene as a JSON file. Cyan markers show the start and end, and handles can extend the range for ease and out frames.

If you have ever lost track of whether you are looking at the full shot, the trimmed shot, the shot plus handles, or the shot you swore you would retime later, this combination aims to make that state visible at all times.

Rig-aware tools on top, not hidden in a drawer

Above the strip, KeyPro includes an animator toolbox. It includes tween presets and stepped keys. It also includes eight tools designed around constraint chains, space switching, and rig conventions.

Those rig-focused targets matter because a timeline feature only helps if it respects the reality of production rigs. Key changes often ripple through constraint setups, and space switching workflows can create keys that look simple until you touch them.

The toolset positions itself as production-grade key management, and that phrasing is a marketing claim. Still, the specific focus on constraint chains and space switching describes the kind of problems it intends to solve inside the timeline instead of pushing you out to separate editors.

Interaction that tries to feel native

KeyPro also leans on direct manipulation. Left drag scrubs. Scrolling zooms. Middle drag moves keys. The stated goal is muscle memory. The idea is that the tiemline should feel like it always belonged there, even while it shows you more than the stock UI does.

Who built it and why that matters

KeyPro was made by developer Andrew Conroy. His credits include work as an animator on Ice Age, Life of Pi, and Love Death &Robots. That background does not guarantee anything about your specific rig, your studio pipeline, or your scene scale. But it does set expectations about intent: the tool targets animator pain points inside the daily grind of key management and timing.

Pricing and licensing in plain English

KeyPro sells for 49 US dollars as a one time purchase. The price is a single purchase that you keep. No subscription.

Why this is interesting right now

Timeline UX is one of those corners of animation software that everyone touches and almost nobody talks about until it hurts. KeyPro targets that pressure point directly by compressing multiple kinds of feedback into a single strip and pairing it with a toolbox aimed at everyday rig behaviors. If it lands in your workflow, the win is not a flashy new solver. It is fewer context switches, fewer blind scrubs, and faster decisions about where to spend your cleanup time.

And if it does not land, at least it is a reminder that the most valuable tool upgrades sometimes live in the least glamorous UI row in the room, right under the playhead.

Spec	Detail
Maya Compatibility	Maya 2020 – 2025+ (PySide2 & PySide6 auto-detected)
Integration Method	workspaceControl, docks natively below Maya’s timeline
API Layer	Maya OpenMaya / OpenMayaAnim (MFnAnimCurve for live key drag)
Audio Analysis	Fully cached RMS waveform per-pixel resolution at any zoom
Undo Safety	All key operations wrapped in named undo chunks
Master Range	JSON persisted alongside .ma / .mb scene file
Auto Frame	Graph Editor zoom tracks strip view on SelectionChanged + view pan
Jump to Key	Timeline follows Graph Editor selection (aTools-style behaviour)
Installation	Drag-and-drop installer · token license tied to your purchase
Design System	Consistent with full AXE Suite (Bebas Neue · DM Mono · orange/cyan/green)

The post KeyPro revamps Maya first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: FreeCAD (Free as in Free speech and “Free Beer”) sits in the CAD corner of the pipeline and packs workbenches like PartDesign, Sketcher, Assembly, CAM, and FEM so you can model, wrangle, and sanity check without app hopping.

FreeCAD 1.1 arrived on with a big bag of quality of life upgrades across workbenches. You get transparent previews in PartDesign. You grab interactive draggers in tools like Fillet and Chamfer. You flip on three-point lighting. You reach for a Clarify Selection tool when the viewport plays tricks. You also get Assembly and FEM improvements, including animations, plus a totally new CAM tool library system in CAM.

Previews and draggers that cut the click tax

Transparent previews in PartDesign let you see more of the result before you commit the feature. That single change can save a lot of undo gymnastics. Interactive draggers show up in tools like Fillet and Chamfer.

You adjust values directly in the 3D view and keep your attention on the shape instead of the dialog hunt. That kind of workflow tweak sounds small and then steals back your afternoon.

Three point lighting joins the highlight list too. Better lighting makes inspection less squinty and more deliberate, especially when you chase tiny edges and subtle surface changes.

Selection finally gets a referee

The Clarify Selection tool exists now. When geometry overlaps and selection turns vague, you can use a dedicated tool to clear up what you actually picked. That matters most for busy scenes and imported geometry, where you often click a face and accidentally choose its annoying neighbour.

CAM, Assembly, and FEM get louder updates

The new CAM tool library system lands in CAM. The highlight list calls it totally new, which usually means you should poke it on a test job first, then decide how hard you want to lean on it. The new-features list also calls out improvements to Assembly and FEM, including animations. If you already use those workbenches, you get new reasons to revisit your templates and habits.

This is the one spot where the FreeCAD Project itself deserves a nod in plain text, because shipping broad QoL work takes stamina.

The sleeper feature: format wrangling and quick analysis

FreeCAD does not just model. It also handles a long list of formats, which makes it handy as a converter and inspection tool when your inbox dumps mystery geometry on your desk.

It supports its native FCStd format (D’uh) and it can import and export a wide set of common interchange types. You can work with STEP and IGES. You can move meshes through OBJ and STL. You can wrangle 2D CAD through DWG and DXF. You can push vector work through SVG. You can touch GIS data via SHP. You can exchange scenes via DAE. You can trade BIM data through IFC. You can open mesh data in OFF. You can pull in solver flavored meshes like NASTRAN. You can also handle VRML, and you can import OpenSCAD CSG.

If you live in 3D print land and you just need to cobble together greeblies or CAD style parts, that broad format support can turn the tool into a quick staging area for cleanup, scale checks, and conversions. You might also hear 3D print aficionados call it easier to use than Autodesk Fusion, even though it is far less powerful for many end-to-end workflows.

https://blog.freecad.org/2026/03/25/freecad-version-1-1-released/

Also: Check out this excellent overview from Deltahedra!

The post FreeCAD 1.1 stacks workflow upgrades first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Autodesk has released Arnold 7.5.1. The headline feature is Flow Render, a new cloud rendering tech preview that gives Arnold users 2,400 render minutes per month for testing. Beneath that, and arguably more useful once actual shots arrive, the update also fixes a long-standing gap in volume AOVs, adds MIKKTSpace normal mapping, and squeezes some extra CPU performance out of Windows.

Flow Render is here, with sensible limits and no magic involved

The loudest part of Arnold 7.5.1 is Flow Render, Autodesk’s new cloud rendering tech preview for Arnold. During the preview, users get 2,400 render minutes per month. That is 40 hours, which is enough to test the service properly, but not enough to start behaving like a streaming platform.

The basic idea is simple: submit Arnold jobs to the cloud, free up local machines, and run more variations in parallel. Autodesk pitches this as a way to speed up rendering, look development, and simulation work without tying up workstations all day.

Flow Render requires an Autodesk account login, because of course it does. Submission happens through the Arnold plugins. Autodesk lists support for Houdini, 3ds Max, Cinema 4D, and Maya, while Katana support is still listed as coming soon. The backend runs on Autodesk Platform Services through the Flow Graph Engine API, which handles the cloud storage and compute side.

Autodesk says Flow Render is aimed at everyone from larger VFX and animation studios to freelance 3D and FX artists. That is the official line. In practice, the current limits matter more than the broad target group wording. A single task can run for up to 12 hours. Users can run up to 10 tasks simultaneously, subject to service-level limits. Task data is stored for 30 days.

So yes, it is cloud rendering. No, it is not a bottomless sky-farm that will lovingly absorb every pipeline problem. At this stage it looks more like a practical overflow and evaluation option, which is honestly a lot more believable.

The more important production news is in Arnold itself

The stronger part of this release is the renderer update. Arnold 7.5.1 finally adds proper custom AOV support for volume shaders. The aov_write_rgb, aov_write_float, and aov_write_rgba shader nodes now work in volume networks just as they do for surface shaders. Previously, Arnold silently ignored them in volume contexts, which is the kind of workflow detail that tends to waste time very efficiently.

Autodesk says the volume raymarcher now collects AOV closures at each step and integrates them using Beer-Lambert weighting, so the resulting outputs remain physically consistent. Flat formats such as EXR and TIFF are supported, as is deep EXR. There is a cost, naturally. Autodesk notes roughly 16% overhead with two active volume AOVs at fine step sizes. Useful feature, non-zero bill. Reality remains intact.

Arnold 7.5.1 also adds a new tangent_space_type parameter to the normal_map shader, bringing support for MIKKTSpace normal mapping. The previous mode stays in place as standard, while the new mikk mode uses MIKKTSpace-generated normal, tangent, and bitangent data from DCC tools such as 3ds Max. That should reduce shading mismatches between applications, which is not glamorous, but is exactly the kind of boring improvement people end up appreciating.

Windows users also get CPU render optimizations. Autodesk says most scenes render faster, though not all. The examples in the release notes show a 1.16x speedup for the OpenPBR shader ball, 1.08x for gtc-robot, 1.07x for Disney cloud, and 1.04x for ALab. Intel jungle ruins stays at 1.00x, apparently choosing not to participate.

There is one incompatible rendering change worth noting. Arnold now correctly supports the exponent parameter in the OSL generalized_schlick_bsdf closure for both reflection and transmission. Scenes using non-default exponent values or heavy transmission may therefore render differently. Technically correct, slightly annoying, very Arnold-point-release.

The bug-fix list covers GPU artifacts, IPR crashes, incorrect volume mipmap selection, polymesh crashes, Hydra update problems, and several USD-related issues. So this is a proper point release: one shiny cloud headline, several genuinely useful renderer fixes, and a pile of smaller changes that will matter most to the people who have already been burned by them.

Links

Autodesk Arnold 7.5.1 release notes:
https://help.autodesk.com/view/ARNOL/ENU/?guid=arnold_core_7510_html

Autodesk Flow Render FAQ:
https://help.autodesk.com/view/ARNOL/ENU/?guid=arnold_core_rendering_ac_flow_render_faq_html

The post Arnold 7.5.1 comes with Flow Render Tech, Volume AOVs, and MIKKTSpace first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Maya is a core DCC for modeling, rigging, animation, FX, and rendering, with Maya Creative as a leaner sibling. It plugs into USD workflows, Arnold rendering, and FX via Bifrost, with a shortcut out to Flow Studio when you need the cloud.

The 2027 drop hits modeling, animation, FX, and pipeline

Autodesk has released Maya 2027 and Maya Creative 2027, with updates spanning modeling, character work, animation, simulation, rendering, and interoperability. Maya Creative gets the same new features as Maya except for Bifrost 3.0. A tech preview of an in-product help chatbot called Autodesk Assistant ships in this release. It searches product documentation and answers workflow questions inside the app.

Smart Bevel wants your Booleans to calm down

A new modeling feature called Smart Bevel (Also available in 3ds Max) generates bevels by following the surface shape rather than the underlying topology. That matters most when topology gets uneven, especially after Boolean modeling. The tool is positioned as producing more predictable results on irregular meshes, including at Boolean intersections, where classic bevel workflows often demand extra cleanup.

It is also non-destructive, keeping construction history so you can continue to refine the result. That makes it easier to treat beveling as part of the modeling flow, not a final bake-and-pray step.

MotionMaker teaches horses new tricks

A new horse archetype lands in MotionMaker, aimed at one of animation’s oldest time sinks: believable quadruped locomotion. The horse archetype can generate a believable base motion for horses in seconds. It covers core gait work, including trots and gallops, and it can generate transitions between them. The point is not just getting a loop, but getting the in-between that usually eats hours of tweaking, like moving from trot to catner without the rhythm falling apart. And since we only heard the phrase, but don’t know what it is: The special island Pony gait of “Tölt” isn’t covered, as far as we can see. But considering we all don’t know what that exactly is, we shouldn’t be too annoyed.

The horse joins existing motion styles for bipeds and canines inside the growing MotionMaker library. The workflow framing stays consistent: generate a base, then push performance choices yourself, like changing speed while keeping a natural gait, or adjusting action beats without rebuilding the whole setup from scratch.

If you have ever watched a horse walk cycle drift into floating-hoof limbo, you already know why this matters. Still, treat it like any new tool: test thier output on real shots before you bet a delivery on it.

Sequencer gets rebuilt for shot work, not nostalgia

The Sequencer has been modernized, with changes aimed at previs and layout artists cutting multi-shot sequences. Shot trimming and time scaling are now edge-driven interactions. You drag a shot edge to trim, and you use a time scale mode to scale by dragging the edge. The interface adds custom labels, color coding, automatic thumbnails, and smarter grouping behavior.

Playblasting gets its own menu and supports playblasting selected shots, all shots on a track, or the entire sequence. There is also a re-playblast option for a selected shot. File naming templates add support for a Scene keyword, and unsupported filename characters get replaced with underscores. A dedicated Sequencer workspace ships as well, and playblast output is described as improved with viewport-matching results, scene names, and full audio.

Bifrost 3.0 adds surface tension and scalable destruction tooling

Bifrost 3.0 introduces surface tension settings for liquid simulations, aimed at more realistic droplets and splashes at high resolution. Rigid Body Dynamics workflows also get attention, with performance improvements and a push toward procedural iteration. The destruction workflow is described as fully procedural, with the ability to adjust physics, tweak constraints, refine fractures, and re-simulate without rebuilding the setup. There is also a cloud option called Flow Wedging that can generate multiple variations in parallel directly from Bifrost.

OpenUSD authoring gets more guided inside the DCC

The release adds tools intended to simplify asset authoring for OpenUSD pipelines, where correctness and consistency matter as much as creativity. A guided workflow called Component Creator can build USD components through an interface designed to help structure assets properly from the start. A related Variant Manager helps define and manage asset variations.

On the 3ds Max side, an Asset Resolver is described as helping keep asset resolution stable by giving more control and visibility over how assets resolve and how paths map. It is framed as a way to reduce guesswork when something fails to load or appears changed. But more on Max tomorrow, it’s late.

Rendering and lookdev: speed, style, and portable graphs

Rendering updates focus on speed and creative control in Arnold, with improvements described for complex scenes and volumes like smoke or clouds, including GPU and volume rendering areas.

New shading tools include a stylised line option and a nearest points shader for point-based effects and data-driven shading. Hair is described as looking more natural in close-ups, and bloom rendering is described as more refined for realistic and stylised lens effects.

On the lookdev side, there is support for plugging third-party solutions into LookdevX for AI-driven generative texturing. This is presented as a workflow connection rather than a single locked-in generator. For interchange and portability, MaterialX workflows in LookdevX add support for relative paths in documents, with options to make paths relative to the scene file or workspace, and tools to toggle between relative and absolute paths.

Flow Studio gets a front door inside Maya

A new button in the Status Line can open Flow Studio directly from inside Maya. The release notes also call out Wonder 3D in Flow Studio, described as a generative AI model that can quickly generate 3D characters or objects from a text prompt or reference image, with export paths to Maya, 3ds Max, Blender, and Unreal Engine.

Pricing and system requirements

Maya is rental-only, with subscriptions listed at US$255 per month or US$2,010 per year. Maya Indie is listed as priced at US$330 per year for qualifying artists earning under US$100,000 per year and working on projects valued under US$100,000 per year. Maya Creative is pay-as-you-go, with pricing starting at US$3 per day and a minimum spend of US$300 per year.

Maya 2027.0 is available for Windows 11, macOS 14.0 or later, and Linux distributions including RHEL and Rocky Linux. Whatever part of the pipeline you touch, put the new features through your usual validation before they enter production, especially anything that changes core geometry, rig weighting, USD structure, or render outputs.

https://blogs.autodesk.com/media-and-entertainment/2026/03/25/whats-new-in-maya-and-3ds-max/

The post Autodesk ships Maya 2027 first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

If your modeling flow depends on lining up a mesh to photos, you already know the usual pain points inside Autodesk Maya. You set up a camera, attach a reference image, tweak focal length and framing, then bounce across panels and settings while your brain tries not to forget what the likeness looked like two clicks ago. Handy RefTool aims straight at that friction by collecting the controls for reference matching into a single interface. The practical target is portrait modelling, but the same camera to image alignment problem shows up everywhere you match a 3D model to reference images. That includes creature design and hard surface work when you want the model to sit cleanly against a specific plate or photo set.

Classic mode, fewer context switches

RefTool includes a Classic mode that sets up reference cameras by automatically creating a camera in a scene and assigning a reference image to it. From there, the workflow focuses on fast iteration. You can adjust camera settings via slider controls, rotate around the model, zoom in for alignment checks, and scrub the opacity of the reference image to see how closely the sculpt lines up.

That opacity scrubbing matters more than it sounds. It turns the usual on-off flipping of an image plane into a continuous check, so you can keep your eye on silhouette, landmarks, and proportions without turning the viewport into a strobe light.

Once you have a camera setup you like, RefTool can export it as a JSON file, allowing you to reuse it in future projects. That reuse angle fits neatly with production reality, where you do not want to rebuild the same camera matching scaffolding every time a new head variant or costume pass drops into the scene.

RefBoard mode turns cameras into a wall of thumbnails

When you have multiple reference views, the real time sink is not creating them. It is switching between them in a way that keeps you oriented. RefTool includes a RefBoard mode that lets you arrange camera views like an image board and switch between them by clicking on thumbnails. That thumbnail switching also plays nicely with the way artists actually work on likeness. You rarely stay married to one image. You bounce between angles, you cross-check, you sanity test, and you keep moving. A board of camera views makes that bounce less disruptive than hunting through the outliner or viewport menus for the right camrea at the wrong moment.

Install notes, plus a very specific graphics requirement

There are two tracks here, and the install experience differs. For the free RefTool v2.1, installation runs through the Script Editor inside Autodesk Maya. You open the Script Editor, load the RefTool_v2.0.py script, then either execute it immediately or save it to a shelf for a one-click launch later. The same listing also includes free scripts labeled RefTool v2.1.1, including RefTool v2.1.1.py and RefTool_V2.1.py.

For the full RefTool v3.0, the install path starts with unpacking an archive. You then open Autodesk Maya, switch the Script Editor to the Python tab, drag and drop a maya_installer.py file into the editor, and click Save. A file dialog prompts you to select the RefToolV_X.X folder that contains the source files. After that, the tool icon appears on the currently active shelf.

One operational detail comes with a big warning label. Each time the tool launches, it runs directly from the folder selected during installation. If you move, rename, or delete that RefToolV_X.X folder after installation, the tool stops working. Both the free and full installs include the same requirement: Viewport 2.0 inside Autodesk Maya needs to be set to DirectX 11.

Versions and pricing

The version split is straightforward on paper. RefTool v2.1 is free and is described as having the core functionality. RefTool v3.0 redesigns the interface and adds extra functionality. The published price for version 3.0 is USD $14.48.

Where this fits in real work

The strongest signal here is not a single feature, it is the focus on keeping the artist in the flow. Reference matching is foundational for portrait work, but it is also a repeated micro-task across creature blockouts, prop modeling, and any job where a specific camera-to-image relationship matters. RefTool targets those repeated touches by putting the camera adjustments and reference image controls in one place.

The JSON export for camera setups adds a pipeline-friendly hook. Reusable setups can reduce churn when a project revisits the same asset type across multiple shots or deliverables, or when a team wants consistent camera matching conventions for a specific modeling task. As always, new tools and workflow tweaks should be tested before you let them anywhere near a production deadline, especially when the tool depends on specific viewport and graphics settings.

https://www.artstation.com/marketplace/p/PBWgY/maya-reftool-the-ultimate-camera-reference-manager-new-version

The post Handy RefTool 3.0 speeds Maya ref matching first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Forest Pack scatters huge scenes inside Autodesk 3ds Max, living between layout and lookdev where forests, rocks, and crowds multiply faster than notes.

The headline change: collisions stop playing favorites

Forest Pack 9.3.5 expands collision checking to every distribution mode, including Path, Reference, and Particle Flow.

That sounds simple, but it lands right in the messy middle of environment work, where you swap distribution approaches as the shot evolves. One day you block a treeline with a path, the next day you need to reference hero trees, and then someone asks for “just a bit more variation” and you end up driving density through a different method. In 9.3.5, collision checking no longer depends on which distribution mode you picked.

The practical result is consistency. Your layout rules do not have to change just because your distribution method changes. If your day-to-day involves dense assets where intersections become a constant cleanup tax, collision checking across modes targets that pain directly.

This release also frames collision parity as a feature-parity and consistency push across distribution methods, with the stated goal of removing limitations that force workarounds. That positioning is a marketing claim, but the core functional change is specific and concrete: collision checking now covers all distribution modes in the tool, including Path, Reference, and Particle Flow.

Materials that travel: .pmat lands in the Library Browser

9.3.5 adds support for portable material libraries in the Library Browser using the .pmat format. The .pmat format is a custom material library format used internally for the developer’s own libraries. The key design point is independence from specific 3ds Max versions, which supports a wider range of releases without maintaining separate libraries per version.

That same mechanism now applies to user asset libraries through the Library Browser for Forest objects. In practical pipeline terms, the feature targets studios that keep multiple 3ds Max versions in flight, plus anyone babysitting long-lived projects with legacy requirements.

Effects gets two new levers, one of them watches the camera

The Effects system in Forest Pack picks up new attributes aimed at more precise control of items and camera-based logic.

First up is fpItem.geomSubID. It returns an item’s sub-index in the Geometry List. The use cases include defining indices within groups, ForestLOD, and ForestSet, and targeting individual elements inside grouped geometry, ForestLOD setups, or Forest Sets.

That matters because many environment assets arrive as grouped geometry, or they become grouped once the shot starts demanding variants and LOD juggling. With a sub-index available, Effects can target specific components inside an asset. The examples given for what that enables include enabling or disabling a component, plus adjusting scale, rotation, or position independently from the rest of the asset.

Second is Max.cameraPos. It returns the camera position in Forest local coordinates. The functional promise here is camera-aware behavior in Effects, including custom look-at logic or changes based on distance from the camera.

Together, these two attributes push Effects toward finer-grained procedural control without changing existing setups. The release messaging says the additions aim to expand what Effects can do without adding more UI complexity or affecting existing scenes. That intent statement is not a measurable guarantee, but the attributes themselves are explicit and new.

One caveat for production sanity: camera-driven logic often looks great until you cache, render, and discover that one overlooked camera switch turns your forest into a mutating alien organism. Test new setups before you bet a delivery on them.

Pricing and licensing: what is stated and what is not

Forest Pack 9.3.5 is available to users with an active Maintenance Plan.

A store page lists Forest Pack with a total price excluding VAT of 250,00 €.

A Maintenance Plans page lists a total price excluding VAT of 80,00 € for Forest Pack maintenance.

A free edition, Forest Pack Lite, is also availabe here Forest Pack. It includes many of the core features of the Pro version and can be used in commercial projects.

https://docs.itoosoft.com/changelog/2026/03/15/forestpack-9_3_5

https://www.itoosoft.com/blog/forestpack-935-released

The post Forest Pack 9.3.5 broadens collisions first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

InstaMAT Studio is out now – a layer-based painting and node-based authoring tool in the same general category as Substance 3D tools like Substance 3D Painter, Substance 3D Designer, and Substance 3D Sampler, with integrations into common DCCs and engines including 3ds Max, Blender, Maya, Unity, and Unreal Engine.

What changes in 2026 is the set of levers available for high-precision, iteration-friendly detailing. Curves Brushes move detail painting toward an editable, control-point workflow. Lazy Stroke helps freehand lines behave. Radial symmetry adds a new patterning tool. Masking and mesh filters expand geometry-aware selection and effects. The new toolbar and hotkeys aim to keep artists in flow instead of chasing settings panels.

And yes, your first experiment should probably be those curve-driven panel lines that always look great right up until the model changes. This time, the system is explicitly designed so the detail survives that upstream change.

Curves Brushes: strokes that stay alive

Curves Brushes let you create editable curve paths on the mesh, using control points rather than a one-and-done freehand stroke. Those curves remain editable after creation, including moving and refining control points, and transforming an entire curve as a unit by translating, rotating, or scaling the path.

A single curves layer can hold multiple curves, and their painting sequence can be reordered. Curves can also be set to erase instead of paint, and they can be closed to form continuous shapes from end point to end point.

Control points support different point types, including linear, symmetrical, smooth, and cusp, with a Joint Smooth setting to control how sharp or fluid the transitions are between segments. Each control point also supports per-point settings for radius, falloff, flow, and rotation, enabling effects such as tapering and gradual fading along the curve.

Curves can orient brush strokes along the path, so details follow the curve’s flow rather than fighting it. Curves also support dynamics for randomised size, flow, rotation, and position to add variation without manually wiggling your wrist into submission. The Curves workflow uses a GPU-accelerated 3D painting engine and does not rely on mesh UVs. The stated result is that curves remain intact even when topology or UV layout changes, which is framed as especially useful for repeating high-precision details such as panel lines, seams, stitches, and decorative elements.

Lazy stroke smoothing, now built in

Alongside Curves, InstaMAT 2026 adds Lazy Stroke, a brush-smoothing feature designed to dampen shaky-hand input and cursor jitter. When enabled, the brush follows the cursor with a delay set by a configurable radius, producing smoother lines for precision freehand painting. The feature is positioned for tasks such as smooth linework, organic patterns, and fine-detail passes where jitter becomes visible in the final maps. If you have ever zoomed in to paint one confident line and instead produced a seismograph reading, Lazy Stroke is aimed squarely at that moment. Try it, then decide if it belongs in production.

Symmetry upgrades: radial joins planar

Radial symmetry painting is new in InstaMAT 2026, enabling repeating brush instances around a central axis. The symmetry axis can be set to X, Y, or Z, the number of repeated instances is configurable, and the angle span can cover full 360 degree patterns or partial arcs. The plane origin is also customizable, allowing the symmetry center to be placed where it is needed on the asset.

Planar symmetry painting is also described as significantly improved. The symmetry plane can be offset to a custom position on any of the three world axes, plane visibility can be customised, and there is an option to mirror the brush on the opposite side of the plane. Symmetry accuracy is described as improved even when painting on meshes that are not exactly symmetrical, targeting the real-world scenario where characters and props have small asymmetries and deformations.

Masking: normals, submesh size, and raytraced AO

InstaMAT 2026 extends its mask set with new workflows aimed at isolating geometry features without hand-selecting everything. The new Mesh Normal Mask can isolate parts of a mesh based on polygon normals and an angle tolerance. The workflow is click-based: click a region, and the mask selects surfaces with similar normal directions. Multiple chosen areas can be defined within a single mask, and tolerance can be adjusted per point. The mask is described as UV independent and stable across topology or UV changes.

The Mesh Submesh Mask can mask submeshes by size and distance, targeting scenes with many similarly sized objects where manual isolation is tedious. There is also a Mesh Ambient Occlusion Mask described as using raytracing to generate occlusion-based selections for isolating crevices, corners, and recessed areas.

Mesh filters and nodes: mirror, bevel normals, drips, and smoothing

A batch of mesh-oriented effects and nodes are listed as part of the 2026 update. Mesh Laplacian smoothing arrives as an option in the Mesh Smooth node, described as producing a more unified surface while better preserving mesh volume compared to traditional smoothing methods that can shrink geometry. The described use cases include cleaning scan data, removing photogrammetry noise, and refining sculpted details while preserving silhouette.

Mesh Mirror can mirror decals, masks, and entire layers, and it can be applied to a layer group to mirror complex effect and mask combinations.

Mesh Bake Bevel Normals is a node for beveling low poly asset edges using a GPU-accelerated bevel normals baker, with procedural masking for selecting which objects or edges to bevel. The behavior is described as procedural, so bevel placement remains correct if the input mesh topology or UVs change.

Mesh Directional Blur is presented as a way to create leak and drip effects by blurring in a specific direction in 3D space, keeping directionality consistent across the mesh surface regardless of UV layout or texture resolution. It includes distortion and falloff controls.

Additional mesh features listed include Mesh Solidify for solidification to prevent rendering artifacts, Mesh Sharpen for definition and detail clarity, and a Mesh Stylized Filter for non-photorealistic texturing options.

InstaMAT UI and workflow: less hunting, more painting

InstaMAT 2026 introduces a dedicated painting toolbar intended to centralise common controls. The toolbar provides quick access to brush and curve settings, including radius, flow, rotation, Lazy Stroke radius, symmetry, and curve-specific controls. It is described as dynamic, updating based on the active layer type so only relevant options are displayed.

There is also a dedicated brush rotation hotkey, described as Cmd or Ctrl+Shift with a left-mouse drag, to rotate the brush, aiming to reduce interruptions during stroke work.

Viewport and gizmo changes include planar translation gizmos for moving a mesh, effect, or mask along two axes at once, plus custom viewport wireframe settings for width and color, and a viewport shortcut overlay that displays hotkeys while painting, using curves, and using the paint projector.

Mesh import settings add options to configure mesh up axis and coordinate system handedness for asset texturing projects.

Integrations: Blender, Unreal, 3ds Max, Maya

The release notes list updates for several integration plugins tied to the latest https://docs.instamat.io/en/Products/InstaMAT_Studio release.

InstaMAT_for_UnrealEngine lists support for Unreal Engine 5.7.3, plus fixes for crashes when creating invalid graph instances, and fixes for broken materials and mesh orientations for Scene outputs. Library previews are added for Mesh-type Graphs and Graph Instances.

Blender integration notes include support for the latest Studio release, improved performance when setting mesh as a graph input, improved performance when resetting graph instance inputs, and fixes for plugin stalls when creating faulty graph instances. Library grid UX is adjusted with fixed cell width, and search results quality is described as improved.

3ds Max integration notes list support for the latest Studio release and a fix for the plugin getting stuck when creating faulty graph instances, plus window icons changed to match the main menu.

Maya integration notes list support for the latest Studio release, improved mesh-as-input performance, fixes for plugin stalls on faulty graph instances, and a fix for incorrect exported textures when using the export dialog window.

InstaMAT Licensing and pricing: what the numbers say

InstaMAT licensing is split across tiers with revenue or funding caps stated for some options. The Pioneer license is free and fully featured with commercial-use rights, with availability limited to individuals or businesses with annual revenue or total funding less than 100,000 US dollars, and it requires attribution.

The Indie license is available for individuals or businesses under 250,000 US dollars in annual revenue or total funding, with an option at 8 US dollars per month billed annually, and a perpetual Indie price shown at 489 US dollars. For Pro, the pricing page lists a Pro subscription shown at 36 US dollars per month billed annually, and a perpetual Pro license shown at 989 US dollars.

If you are evaluating the tool for a pipeline, test it against real assets, real render targets, and real deadlines before it touches a production branch. New tooling should earn trust with results, not promises.

Finally, keep an eye on how the new mesh filters slot into your existing material graph habits. Directional blur for drips in 3D space, procedural bevel normals, and AO-based masking can remove steps that otherwise happen in separate tools. If it holds up, it reduces context switching. If it does not, at least you learned it on a duplicate branch instead of the hero asset.

Also, do not skip the boring step: validate exports, naming conventions, and texture packing against your engine ingest rules before you fall in love with a shiny new brush. The most dangerous bug is the one that looks like a style choice until delivery day.

InstaMAT Test: Painting, Procedurals and Pasta

The post Abstract ships InstaMAT 2026 Curves Brushes first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Manuel Kotulla.

For those who don’t know the tool: Autodesk Flow Studio is a cloud-based AI VFX platform derived from Wonder Studio by Wonder Dynamics, now owned by Autodesk. It automates tasks such as motion capture, camera tracking and character animation. The new Wonder 3D model adds generative asset creation to this pipeline.

Autodesk adds generative asset creation

Autodesk has introduced Wonder 3D, a generative AI model integrated into Autodesk Flow Studio. The model generates 3D assets from text prompts or reference images and is now available inside the Flow Studio interface. According to Autodesk, Wonder 3D allows users to produce editable 3D assets including characters and objects through prompt-based workflows. The feature is available as part of the Wonder Tools section in Flow Studio and is accessible to all subscription tiers of the platform.

Flow Studio itself is the cloud-based evolution of Wonder Studio, the AI VFX system developed by Wonder Dynamics prior to its acquisition by Autodesk. The software automates technical tasks such as motion capture extraction, camera tracking and character animation in live-action plates. Wonder 3D extends this system with generative asset creation.

Prompt based 3D generation

Wonder 3D supports several generative workflows that convert prompts into 3D models or concept images.

Text to 3D allows users to describe characters, creatures or props in written prompts. The system then generates 3D assets including geometry and textures. Autodesk states that these models remain editable and can be reused or refined within later production stages.

Image to 3D converts reference images into 3D models. Autodesk states that users can input sketches, concept art or other imagery to produce textured 3D models. The resulting models can be adjusted by modifying form, structure and surface details.

Text to image generation is also included. This mode produces concept imagery from written prompts. Autodesk describes this workflow as a way to explore visual ideas before converting them into 3D assets.

Generated assets can be exported as OBJ files. The OBJ format supports interchange between 3D tools and can also be used for 3D printing or physical prototyping. Whcih is what we’ll be doing as soon as we have access to Flow Studio.

Autodesk states that assets created with Wonder 3D are fully editable. However, the exact structure of the generated meshes, the quality of their topology, and their suitability for rigging or deformation workflows are not yet tested.

Intended use cases

Autodesk positions Wonder 3D as a rapid asset creation tool for a range of creative workflows. For game development, the company states that studios can generate characters, props and environmental assets for early prototyping. The company notes that both independent developers and large studios may use the system to produce placeholder assets during early development stages.

Autodesk also states that the tool can assist virtual production and extended reality teams by allowing them to populate scenes with quickly generated assets.

Further use cases outside professional production pipelines are for independent developers without large art teams, and hobbyists producing models for 3D printing. These use cases are presented as potential applications by Autodesk. No performance benchmarks, production case studies or pipeline validation examples are known yet.

Integration inside Flow Studio

Wonder 3D is implemented directly within the Flow Studio interface. Autodesk describes it as one of the tools within the Wonder Tools section. Flow Studio already provides automated AI-driven tools for integrating CG characters into live-action footage. The platform performs motion capture extraction, lighting estimation and camera tracking automatically from footage.

In that context, Wonder 3D potentially provides an internal asset generation stage before characters or props are inserted into scenes using the existing Flow Studio pipeline. However, Autodesk has not detailed how Wonder 3D assets interact with other parts of the Flow Studio system. Documentation describing rigging compatibility, animation workflows or interchange with external DCC tools is not provided yet.

Availability

Wonder 3D is available immediately inside Autodesk Flow Studio. Autodesk states that the tool is accessible to all Flow Studio users regardless of subscription tier – The company has not published separate pricing for Wonder 3D. More information is available on the Autodesk Flow Studio website.

As with any new tool introduced into production environments, studios should evaluate its behaviour, performance and asset quality carefully before integrating it into active pipelines.

// https://www.autodesk.com/campaigns/flow-studio

// https://wonderdynamics.com/

The post Autodesk adds generative 3D to Flow Studio first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: tyFlow is a particle and simulation plugin for 3ds Max. It is commonly used for particle effects and procedural simulation within pipelines. The tool expands 3ds Max application simulation features with node-based operators and GPU-accelerated modules.

A CUDA fluid solver arrives

The 2.000 release of tyFlow introduces a new GPU fluid simulation solver named ZENITH. According to the official release notes, the solver runs on CUDA and integrates directly with the tyFlow simulation environment.

The update also introduces twenty new operators for the Inferno module. Inferno is tyFlow’s internal system for simulation tasks, including volumetric and fluid workflows. The release notes confirm that the operators are designed to support the new GPU fluid pipeline introduced with ZENITH.

CUDA modules distributed with tyFlow have also been updated. The package now includes machine learning models intended for fluid up-rez and compression. These models ship inside the CUDA module package together with a defined installation location described in the included documentation. The release raises the minimum supported CUDA version to 12.8. Users are instructed to ensure that GPU drivers are updated accordingly.

Updated CUDA modules

The updated CUDA modules are a central part of the release. The vendor states that the package now bundles machine learning models used for fluid up-rez and compression. Fluid upres workflows typically reconstruct higher resolution detail from a lower resolution simualtion. The release notes do not specify the training method, dataset, or inference process used by these models. No benchmarks or performance figures are provided.

The CUDA modules also now require installation in a specific location. Users are directed to the README documentation included with the CUDA module package for installation details. The vendor also updated the CUDA cub and thrust libraries used internally by tyFlow. According to the release notes, the update addresses rare CUDA crashes during Multifracture operations. (Multifracture is tyFlow’s system for procedural mesh fracturing used in destruction simulations.)

Twenty Inferno operators

The release introduces twenty new Inferno operators designed to work with the new GPU simulation capabilities. Inferno operators in tyFlow provide node based controls that modify simulation behaviour or generate simulation data. The addition of twenty operators suggests a significant expansion of the Inferno system.

New operators for general workflows

Outside the Inferno system, the release adds several new operators and modifiers for tyFlow workflows. A new Global operator has been added. The official documentation referenced in the release notes is required to understand its full functionality.

The update also introduces a MAXScript operator. MAXScript is the scripting language used inside 3ds Max. The operator presumably enables scripting access within tyFlow simulations, although the exact capabilities are not described in the release notes.

A new tyMeshBlend modifier has also been introduced. The modifier blends normals where meshes intersect. This behaviour is typically used to reduce shading artifacts where two meshes overlap or intersect.

Another addition is a new SDF shape mode for the PhysX Shape and PhysX Collision operators. SDF stands for signed distance field. According to the release notes, the new mode allows more accurate concave collisions.

Signed distance fields are commonly used to represent complex shapes in simulation because they encode the distance to the nearest surface point in volumetric form.

tyCache improvements

The release expands tyFlow’s caching capabilities. The tyCache modifier can now cache spline data. Previously, the system primarily cached particle and mesh data. The Export Particles operator now supports subframe export of tyCache data. Subframe data enables simulation playback at time steps smaller than a single frame. This is typically required for accurate motion blur in rendering workflows. The tyCache object also now displays PhysX bind connectivity.

Mesh and material improvements

Several modelling and mesh related updates are included in the release. The multifracture, tyBoolean and tyWeld modifiers now include UVW seam weld options. A new Merge mat IDs mode has been added to the tyMaterial modifier. The same option is also available for the tyMesher object. According to the release notes, the feature merges and concatenates material IDs across instanced objects and generates a compatible multi material with the new ID layout. This behaviour can simplify material management in procedural setups where multiple objects share or generate different ID sets.

UI and usability changes

The update includes multiple interface adjustments aimed at improving usability inside the tyFlow editor. Comboboxes, checkboxes and radio buttons now display non-default values in blue. Previously, this behaviour was limited to numeric spinner controls.

Large dropdown comboboxes now include a text entry field at the top of the list that allows users to search items using fuzzy matching. The release also introduces a Houdini-style value stepper dialog. Middle Mouse Clicking any spinner control opens a dialog that allows incremental changes across multiple orders of magnitude.

Export and procedural variation

The Export Particles operator now supports exporting ranges for tySwitcher indices and reseed values. According to the release notes, this allows permutations to be exported from the same operator during a single export operation. Exported object names and layers now also support symbol replacement variables such as $tySwitcherIndex and $tySeedIndex. These variables allow procedural naming during export operations.

OpenVDB update

The OpenVDB SDK used by tyFlow has been updated to version 13. OpenVDB is an open source library widely used in volumetric workflows. It provides sparse volumetric data structures for storing grids such as smoke, fire or fluid simulation volumes.

Practical implications

The most significant change in this release appears to be the introduction of the ZENITH CUDA fluid solver and the expansion of the Inferno operator set. However, the official release notes do not provide technical descriptions, performance data or architecture details for the solver. GPU fluid simulation inside particle frameworks can reduce iteration times when compared to CPU grid solvers. Whether this holds true for ZENITH cannot be determined yet – so it is time to have a good long playing session with Tyflow!

Users interested in adopting the new system will likely need to examine the updated CUDA modules and example scenes to evaluate real world behaviour. As always, new tools and innovations should be thoroughly tested before use in production.

// https://pro.tyflow.com/

The post tyFlow 2 adds CUDA fluid solver and 20 Infernos first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: Arnold is the production renderer from Autodesk, integrated via MtoA, MAXtoA, HtoA, C4DtoA and KtoA into Maya, 3ds Max, Houdini, Cinema 4D and Katana, and increasingly used in USD pipelines.

Arnold 7.4.5 is now available. According to the official Autodesk documentation, this release introduces new shaders focused on non photorealistic rendering, expands point based shading workflows, improves OpenVDB volume perfromance on CPU and GPU, and adds controls to Cryptomatte and lens effects. It also includes API changes, bug fixes and updates to OSL and USD support.

All feature descriptions below are taken from the official Arnold 7.4.5 documentation. Where Autodesk provides measured performance figures, these are cited as vendor benchmarks and are Not independently verified at press time.

Line shader for NPR work

Arnold 7.4.5 introduces a new Line shader. The shader is designed to render line based effects directly in Arnold. According to Autodesk, it can generate outlines, contour lines and stylised strokes across surfaces.

The shader works procedurally and can be driven by surface attributes and shading inputs. The documentation states that it can be combined with other shaders and textures to create sketch style and illustrative looks. Autodesk positions it for non photorealistic rendering workflows and motion graphics style treatments.

The Line shader integrates into Arnold’s standard shading network. It supports typical shader parameters for controlling line thickness, colour and other attributes. The exact parameter list and behaviour are detailed in the official shader documentation. Appearantly, this does not replaces existing toon or contour solutions. It is presented as an additional shading node within the Arnold core.

Nearest Points shader

Arnold 7.4.5 also adds a Nearest Points shader. This shader samples nearby points from geometry or point cloud data and exposes their properties to the shading network.

The shader can read point data from geometry and OpenVDB sources. It computes distances and relationships to nearby points and outputs shading data based on those calculations.

This enables effects such as network-like connections, proximity-based colour changes and graph-style visualisations.

The shader exposes controls for the number of points sampled and the search radius. It is designed to work within Arnold’s existing shading system and can be combined with other nodes. No claims are made to replace external point-processing tools. The feature is described strictly as a shading node within Arnold core.

OpenVDB volume performance

A major focus of Arnold 7.4.5 is performance improvements for volume rendering. On CPU, the volume node now supports OpenVDB grids with mipmaps. Mipmaps are pre-filtered versions of volume data at multiple resolutions. According to Autodesk, using mipmapped OpenVDB grids can significantly improve rendering speed when sampling large volumes.

Autodesk states that in internal test scenes, CPU volume rendering can be betwen approximately 1.5 times and 5 times faster when using mipmapped grids. These figures are vendor supplied benchmarks and are Not independently verified at press time. On GPU, Autodesk reports performance improvements of up to 3.5 times for certain volume rendering scenarios. The documentation attributes this to optimisations in volume sampling and shading. Always remeber that results depend on scene content and volume configuration.

Lens Effects updates

Arnold 7.4.5 updates the Lens Effects imaging node. A new Aperture Dispersion parameter has been added. This parameter controls colour dispersion in bloom effects, simulating chromatic dispersion across highlights.

The Lens Effects node operates as a post process imaging operator within Arnold’s render pipeline. The new control extends its ability to simulate optical artefacts.

Cryptomatte controls

Cryptomatte support has been updated in Arnold 7.4.5. The documentation states that new controls have been added for handling instances in Cryptomatte outputs. These controls affect how instanced geometry is encoded into Cryptomatte IDs. Cryptomatte is commonly used for ID based compositing masks in post production. The new options allow artists to refine how instanced objects are represented in the resulting mattes.

OSL and shading updates

Arnold 7.4.5 includes updates to OSL support. OSL, or Open Shading Language, is used for writing custom shaders. The documentation lists new and updated OSL functions and improvements to compatibility. These changes aim to ensure consistency between OSL and native Arnold shader behaviour. No deprecations are prominently highlighted in the summary documentation, but API level changes are documented for developers.

USD workflow improvements

Arnold’s USD support is also updated in this release. The official documentation references improvements to USD related workflows, including enhancements to how Arnold interacts with USD scenes and Hydra delegates. USD, or Universal Scene Description, is increasingly central to pipeline interchange. Autodesk documents refinements to integration rather than new headline features.

API and developer changes

Arnold 7.4.5 includes API updates for developers integrating Arnold into custom pipelines. The release notes document changes to certain API functions and behaviours. Developers are advised to review the API changes before upgrading production builds.

Platform support

Arnold 7.4.5 is available for Windows, Linux and macOS, as stated in the official documentation. GPU rendering remains supported on compatible NVIDIA hardware under supported operating systems. The documentation does not expand hardware requirements beyond those listed in the system requirements section. Integration plugins for supported DCC applications are updated separately. Autodesk provides corresponding builds for host applications including Maya, 3ds Max, Houdini, Cinema 4D and Katana via their respective Arnold bridges.

Practical implications

For production teams, the most concrete additions are the Line shader, the Nearest Points shader and the documented OpenVDB volume speedups. NPR and motion graphics teams gain native shading tools inside Arnold rather than relying entirely on external compositing or geometry preprocessing. Pipeline engineers should review API notes and test custom plugins before deployment. As always, new tools and innovations should be tested before use in production. Arnold 7.4.5 is available now via Autodesk’s official distribution channels.

// Arnold 7.4.5 Release Notes
// https://help.autodesk.com/view/ARNOL/ENU/?guid=arnold_core_7450_html

The post Arnold adds lines, points and faster volumes first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

For those who don’t know the tool: BlendShape Monitor is a lightweight diagnostic plugin for Autodesk Maya that sits squarely in character rigging and facial setup, focusing only on inspection rather than deformation authoring, and does not overlap with Autodesk’s own rigging tools or third-party rig builders.

Why blendshapes still go wrong

Blendshapes remain one of the most common deformation methods for facial animation in Maya, particularly for FACS-based rigs and corrective shapes layered on top of joint systems. Despite their ubiquity, debugging blendshapes once a rig grows beyond a few dozen targets remains largely manual and error-prone. Maya’s native interface presents blendshape nodes as long, alphabetical lists of target names with numeric weights. That abstraction works when rigs are small and well documented. It breaks down quickly when shapes overlap, are reused across multiple regions, or are indirectly driven by other systems, such as RBF solvers.

This problem is compounded in production environments where rigs are inherited, shared, or modified over time. In many cases, artists are asked to fix deformation issues without knowing which blendshape is responsible, or whether multiple shapes are contributing simultaneously. The result is a familiar cycle of muting targets, scrubbing weights, and guessing.

What BlendShape Monitor actually does

BlendShape Monitor is a diagnostic plugin for Autodesk Maya that attempts to replace that guesswork with direct visual feedback. Instead of relying on target names and numerical weights, the tool visualises the influence of individual blendshapes directly on the mesh using colour-coded vertex heatmaps. These heatmaps update in real time, including during animation playback, reflecting the current evaluated weight of each shape.

The plugin reads the deformation data from existing blendShape nodes. It does not modify the rig, create new targets, or alter evaluation order. According to the developer, its sole purpose is inspection. This distinction matters, as the tool is intended to be safe to use on production rigs without changing scene data.

The visualisation highlights which vertices are affected by a given blendshape and to what extent. Areas with stronger deformation are shown in higher-intensity colours, making it immediately obvious whether a shape is localised, overlaps with others, or extends into unintended regions of the mesh.

Managing clutter in dense rigs

One of the stated goals of BlendShape Monitor is to make large blendshape sets manageable. The plugin includes filtering options that hide inactive targets, allowing artists to focus only on shapes that currently contribute to the deformation. This is particularly relevant when blendshapes are driven indirectly by other systems, where weights may be non-zero even if no animator is directly adjusting them.

The tool also allows individual targets to be solo-ed. When a shape is soloed, other blendshapes are temporarily hidden from the visualisation, making it easier to inspect its isolated effect. Global visibility toggles let you enable or disable the heatmap overlay without removing the plugin from the scene.

Weight values are synced live with Maya’s evaluation during playback. This means the visualisation reflects the rig’s actual state at each frame, rather than a static snapshot. For troubleshooting animation issues that only appear in motion, this real-time aspect is central to the tool’s design.

Origin in production reality

BlendShape Monitor was developed by Johnson Lee, an artist and tools developer whose work as Art Director at Reallusion directly informed the tool’s focus on large-scale facial rigs. According to the developer, the plugin emerged from internal production needs rather than as a speculative product idea.

At Reallusion, facial rigs for characters such as those used in Character Creator workflows can exceed one hundred blendshapes. These include expression shapes based on FACS conventions, as well as numerous corrective shapes used to address secondary deformation. In such setups, identifying which shape is responsible for an artefact using Maya’s default UI is time-consuming and unreliable. The plugin reflects that context. It is narrowly scoped, avoids adding new rigging concepts, and addresses a specific bottleneck encountered when maintaining and debugging existing rigs rather than building new ones.

Compatibility and scope

BlendShape Monitor is compatible with Autodesk Maya 2022 and later. No support is claimed for earlier versions. The plugin runs inside Maya and does not require external dependencies according to the product listing. Installation and licensing are handled via Gumroad.

The tool does not claim to support other DCC applications, nor does it attempt to abstract blendshape concepts across platforms. It is explicitly Maya-specific, relying on Maya’s native blendShape node behaviour. It is also not positioned as a teaching tool. Users are expected to understand blendshape workflows, vertex-level deformation, and Maya’s rig evaluation. The plugin provides visibility, not validation.

Pricing and licensing

BlendShape Monitor is sold via Gumroad. At the time of writing, pricing is listed at approximately USD 20 for a freelance licence and USD 70 for a studio seat. The exact terms of these licences are defined on the Gumroad page and should be reviewed before purchase. No subscription model is indicated.

What it does not solve

While the plugin makes deformation issues easier to see, it does not resolve them automatically. Poor topology, conflicting targets, and incorrectly authored shapes still need to be fixed at the source, by you. BlendShape Monitor does not rank shapes by quality, detect errors, or suggest corrections.

It also does not address performance issues caused by excessive blendshape counts or inefficient evaluation. Its visual overlays are for inspection, not optimisation. Artists should be cautious when using any viewport overlay in heavy scenes and test performance impact in their own environments.

Production considerations

As with any new tool, BlendShape Monitor should be evaluated under controlled conditions before being deployed to production. Its read-only approach reduces risk, but pipeline teams should still test compatibility with existing rigs, scripts, and viewport configurations.

In teh final analysis, BlendShape Monitor addresses a narrow but persistent pain point in Maya character rigging, offering visibility where the host application still relies heavily on lists and numbers. Whether it becomes a standard part of rig debugging workflows will depend on how well it holds up wiht the messier rigs found in long-running productions.

// BlendShape Monitor Gumroad product page
// https://johnsonlee529.gumroad.com/l/bs-monitor-maya/

The post BlendShape Monitor puts Maya rigs under a heat lamp first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

The latest version of RapidPipeline adds a 3D Processor integration for 3ds Max and Maya. This integration enables users to import CAD and 3D data, clean up geometry, remesh models, remove invisible or unnecessary parts, bake textures, generate UVs, and export in multiple real-time friendly formats, all from within their usual DCC interface. Everything runs 100 % locally, avoiding cloud-upload or external tools.

RapidPipeline supports importing over 20 CAD and 3D file formats including native CAD formats from tools such as Rhino (.3dm), CATIA, Solidworks, and PTC Creo, as well as common 3D formats like FBX, glTF, USD, and USDZ. On import it can automatically apply cleanup operations such as correcting winding order, removing hidden geometry, and simplifying meshes by tessellation and decimation.

Once imported, the 3D Processor offers a variety of optimisation capabilities: mesh decimation, remeshing (for example shrink-wrap or voxel-based), removal of occluded or small parts, scene-graph flattening, UV generation and texture baking (to atlases) for streamlined real-time or game-ready use.

Export options are equally broad. RapidPipeline supports output to formats such as FBX, glTF/glb, OBJ, PLY, STL, USD (binary or ASCII) and USDZ. Export settings cover texture map formats, normal maps, compression (when applicable) and material format conversions (including PBR conversion for real-time workflows). Because all processing remains local and unrestricted (no usage caps), RapidPipeline may suit studios working with large or confidential CAD data sets, or projects targeting real-time, XR or web 3D.

Why this matters for production use

For studios dealing with heavy CAD or industrial assets such as automotive, architecture, or manufacturing , this plugin removes the need to switch between separate CAD-to-mesh converters, remeshing tools, UV-packing utilities, and DCCs. By consolidating import, cleanup, optimisation, texturing and export inside the DCC, it reduces friction and potential errors while streamlining iteration.

For real-time, XR or web-based deliverables, having decimation, remeshing, hole-to-alpha baking, UV atlas baking, and efficient export makes it significantly easier to meet performance and memory budgets. Because RapidPipeline operates locally, it also avoids data security and transfer concerns common with cloud-based converters, a benefit for confidential or large-scale CAD datasets. The plugin’s versatility from CAD to real-time friendly formats makes it relevant across workflows: vfx, visualisation, virtual showrooms, game-ready assets, web 3D, and XR applications.

What to watch out for / what to verify when using it

Not all input data types are equally supported. For CAD import, the quality of tessellation depends on chosen resolution (extra-fine, fine, medium, coarse, extra-coarse or custom), which affects mesh density and surface fidelity. Users should evaluate the trade-off between complexity and fidelity after tessellation or decimation.

When using automatic fixes such as “Fix Winding Order”, results need manual inspection. Meshes may still have flipped faces or other issues after cleanup. If you use JSON-based presets (for batch processing via CLI or API), ensure the preset schema version matches the version of 3D Processor in your plugin, mismatches may lead to horribly invalid results.

Finally, automated decimation, remeshing, UV baking and export may introduce subtle changes in normals, topology, UV layout or material setup. Always inspect the output carefully, especially if the assets go into production renders or real-time builds.

There is a free trial availalbe here (Registration required) , and procing options start from 14€ per month (first 3 months free, online version only), and going up to the studio version with all integrations to Max, Maya, Blender, Substance, Unreal, and APIs, for 230€ monthly. Check it out here.

As always, automated optimisation should be tested thoroughly before use in actual production.

The post RapidPipeline for 3ds Max and Maya first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

Boris FX adds a full professional audio toolchain to its Suite bundle. The Academy and Emmy Award–winning developer now includes Sequoia, Samplitude, and Music Studio, three Digital Audio Workstations covering recording, mixing, mastering, live workflows, and entry-level creation. The move extends the Suite’s scope from VFX, tracking, and postproduction toward a combined audio–video environment, after aquiring them earlier this year. The DAWs are integrated into the Boris FX Hub, meaning subscribers gain access without additional cost.

With audio now bundled alongside Sapphire, Continuum, Mocha Pro, Silhouette, SynthEyes, CrumplePop, Optics, and Particle Illusion Pro, the Suite reaches eleven applications under one license.

Sequoia is the flagship DAW for high-end, mission-critical work. Its feature set spans classical recording, multitrack mixing, professional mastering, immersive formats, and real-time broadcast CMS integration. It is widely used by Grammy award-winning mastering engineers (Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, Sam Smith), touring engineers for acts such as the Foo Fighters and Depeche Mode, and European broadcasters including Radio France, ARD, and ORF. The system’s reliability in long-form acquisition and precision mastering workflows makes it one of the most established DAWs in the professional audio market.

Samplitude addresses studio-based music production with a hybrid audio engine focused on transparent processing. Key features include object-based editing, independent project switching, advanced comping, support for up to 999 tracks and 256 I/O channels, and a configurable export system for stems, ranges, and full sessions. It targets producers and musicians who need a flexible DAW with large-channel-count capabilities.

Music Studio provides an entry-level path for creators, offering simplified composition, recording, mixing, and mastering. It features a streamlined interface and a library of virtual instruments, loops, and genre-spanning samples. The tool is designed for quick creativity and early-stage music production without the learning curve of studio-grade systems.

The Boris FX Suite subscription remains priced at €990/year or €147/month, covering all supported host applications, including Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer, and OFX hosts (Autodesk Flame, Foundry Nuke, DaVinci Resolve, VEGAS Pro). A Black Friday promotion runs November 24–30, offering a 25% discount on the Suite or individual products.

The post Boris FX Suite Expands with Three Audio DAWs first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Bela Beier.

3ds Max 2026.3 from Autodesk is now available as a subscription-only release for Windows 10 and later. It delivers incremental but practical enhancements to modelling, materials, USD support and rendering pipelines.

Conform modifier gains distance & fall-off

The Conform modifier, used to project one mesh onto the surface of another, now offers dedicated distance and fall-off parameters when using the Shrink Wrap projection method. This gives users finer control over how far the modifier searches for the target surface and how the influence decays. It results in more predictable deformations when wrapping geometry—helpful for architectural visualisation, game asset prep, or surface-fitting tasks. As always, test in your own scenes before deploying in production.

Materials: animated index in the Material Switcher

The Material Switcher, which lets artists manage variant materials on assets, now supports an animatable material index. This allows dynamic switching between up to 9,999 different materials during animation or scene changes. It is particularly useful for large asset libraries, scene variants or motion graphics work that requires frequent material swaps. The “up to 9,999” figure is vendor-supplied and should be tested for performance impact in real-world scenes.

USD plugin enhancements

The USD for 3ds Max plugin, now at version 0.13, introduces several workflow improvements. A new Asset Resolver allows users to set custom search paths and tokens to reduce “asset not found” errors. The viewport now supports duplicating prims using the Shift-drag shortcut, and artists can rename, delete and re-parent prims directly. The USD Importer now supports MaterialX materials referenced in USD files, while the USD Exporter adds support for Shell materials. For studios using USD pipelines across DCC applications, these changes improve interoperability and scene organisation. Nonetheless, compatibility with downstream tools should be verified before adoption.

Arnold integration updates

The Arnold for 3ds Max plugin (MAXtoA 5.8.3.2) updates to the Arnold 7.4.3 core. It introduces a new Inference Imager, allowing image-to-image machine-learning models via the ONNX framework to stylise rendered output. There are also performance improvements in global light sampling and GPU volume rendering. The ML-based Inference Imager is potentially interesting for stylised render pipelines, though users should evaluate render time and output quality within their colour-management setup.

Fixes and workflow polish

Several workflow refinements improve day-to-day usability. The Slate Material Editor’s thumbnail cache now holds unique thumbnails for different colour-management settings, avoiding unnecessary re-renders when toggling view transforms. Users can disable “Update Browser Samples” to speed up interaction when preview accuracy is less critical. Stability fixes address Biped crashes when keyframing twist bones or setting IK keys with sub-animations enabled. In the Skin modifier, weight changes made using the Remove Zero Weights tool are now properly committed when switching bones. Cloth simulation behaviour has also been restored to match results from previous versions after inconsistencies in 2026.0–2026.2.

Licensing, system requirements & pricing

3ds Max 2026.3 runs on Windows 10 or later and is available exclusively via subscription. Pricing is set at 255 USD per month or 2,010 USD per year. In many regions, artists earning under 100,000 USD annually and working on projects valued under that amount qualify for the Indie subscription at 330 USD per year. Always verify eligibility and regional pricing before purchase.

Editorial verdict

3ds Max 2026.3 is not a major overhaul but a purposeful iteration. It strengthens modelling precision, improves material management, expands USD interoperability and introduces an ML-based stylisation tool in Arnold. For production artists in arch-viz, motion graphics and real-time asset pipelines, these modest but thoughtful refinements can streamline daily work.

The Inference Imager’s machine-learning workflow should be evaluated for integration stability and render-time overhead. The “up to 9,999 materials” limit on the Material Switcher may vary depending on scene complexity. USD enhancements look promising but must be validated against existing DCCs and pipeline tools.

As with any version upgrade, test the new tools and modifiers in a controlled environment before deploying across your pipeline.

The post Autodesk 3ds Max 2026.3: A modest update with key workflow tweaks first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Mike Kuhn.