In nuce: Sini Software (own spelling: SiNi) has released StackUp, a free MaxScript that allows you to randomly stack objects on top of each other. MaxScript is a scripting language for 3ds Max. Developer Sini Software provides plug-ins for the 3D software 3ds Max.

In toto: StackUp was originally developed to stack neighbourhoods or blocks of flats – but is just as suitable, as the accompanying description says, for “stacking any objects”. The description also states that StackUp is primarily suitable for stacking prefabricated assets. The plug-in is therefore a comparatively simple tool in terms of functionality, which in turn is easy to use. To learn how to use StackUp, Sini Software has provided a ten-part YouTube video tutorial series (maximum seven minutes per video); here users are guided through the individual steps. The first video is linked at the end of this news item.

Click further: To the MaxScript StackUp on docs.sinisoftware.com. On 13 January 2021 , Digital Production and author Rainer Duda reported on the Max Creation Graph as part of our series of retro articles; this is another useful plug-in for 3ds Max from Sini Software.

Source: cgpress.org (news from CGPress Staff)

StackUp – 101 – An introduction

The post Stack high with this free plug-in! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Patrick Poti.

In nuce: The software developer Autodesk has published Open RV via the GitHub platform. This is according to an announcement that went online today, 19 January 2023, on beforeandafters.com. Open RV is an open-source version of the reviewing and playback software that is very popular within the visual effects industry. The announcement also states that Open RV would have the same core functions as the commercial version. At the same time, Autodesk intends to continue using the tool as a commercial product. As a building block of the open source community, Open VR will continue to benefit from community-driven updates and professional Autodesk engineers, according to the announcement on beforeandafters.com.

In toto: The corresponding code is hosted by the Academy Software Foundation (ASWF) on GitHub as part of the Open Review Initiative. The idea behind the initiative is standardisation – as Digital Production also reported on 11.08.2022 . The Open Review Initiative is a sandbox project of the Academy Software Foundation (ASWF), which is dedicated to building a standardised, open-source toolset for playback, reviewing and project approval. Autodesk itself is a founding member of the ASWF, which was founded in 2018 under the umbrella of the Linux Foundation.

Diana Colella, Senior Vice President of Media & Entertainment at Autodesk, is quoted as saying that they want to repeat such steps in the future, as is the case now with Open RV; the open-source reviewing software is managed by a technical steering committee chaired by Autodesk. The committee is made up of engineers and contributors from the Autodesk community.

Click further: To OpenRV on GitHub. Digital Production last reported on Autodesk and the move towards open source for the reviewing & playback software RV on 9 August 2022 – the decision was announced at the time.

The post Powerful reviewing & playback software available open source! first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Patrick Poti.

In nuce: Software developer Reallusion has released Auto Setup for Unity. This is according to reports published on cgchannel.com and 80.lv. It is a free plug-in that is designed to make it easier to set up 3D characters from the software solutions Character Creator, iClone and ActorCore ( also from Reallusion) so that they can be transferred to the Unity game engine – and further processed there. Different versions of the plug-in are available; each version is aimed at a different Unity rendering pipeline. Auto Setup for Unity is orientated towards the High Definition Render Pipeline (HDRP).

[FREE] Digital Human for Unity HDRP | Auto Setup | Character Creator 4 & iClone 8

In toto: Auto Setup for Unity was originally created as a tool by artist Victor Soupday; the tool is now being further developed in collaboration with Reallusion. To date, the tool has been very popular with artists to, as the message on cgchannel.com states, “transfer exported characters from Character Creator or iClone into the Unity game engine.” The handling of Auto Setup for Unity should be very simple, according to cgchannel.com: Drag the exported character into Unity, open the import tools – and start editing the imported character. It is also possible to edit Reallusion’s Digital Human Shader within the Unity Editor – this includes editing skin, hair, eyes and teeth.

Further functions: It is also possible to make corrections with the help of the plug-in: For example, artefacts in fabric simulations can be removed, and facial morphs and expressions can be previewed in the editor. According to 80.lv, citing the Reallusion website, physics, LOD, Lightroom and tessellation functions are planned for the next version of Auto Setup for Unity.

Click further: Further information on Auto Setup for Unity can be found at reallusion.com . Digital Production last reported on a software offering from Reallusion in an advertorial on 13 December 2022 . At that time, it was Cartoon Animator 5, which won over amateur and professional artists with its new functions.

Sources: cgchannel.com ( report by Jim Thacker), 80.lv ( report by Gloria Levine)

The post transferring 3D characters from Reallusion software to Unity? first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Patrick Poti.

In nuce: Effective TD, an online platform for software, educational content and exchange related to the FX & Technical Direction industry, has announced that it is now offering its online training for free. All courses are designed to teach the professional use of the Thinking Particles system. Effective TD was founded by Eloi Andaluz Fullà ( FX Artist at Scanline) and Goran Pavles ( Owner of and VFX Supervisor at Stormborn Studios)

In toto: In total, the training programme consists of eight courses; see the list below(for a complete overview).

• Thinking Particles: Zero to Hero: Aimed at those artists who want to learn – and understand! – want to learn. This course starts with the basics and then gradually increases in difficulty.
• TreeRigging with TP6 part 1: Using a procedural tree simulation, advanced Thinking Particle techniques are learnt and professional rigging is demonstrated.
• TreeRigging with TP6 part 2: Part 2 of the series on rigging a procedural tree simulation.
• Thinking Particles: Easy to intermediate course (in Spanish): This beginner to intermediate course approaches the topic of thinking particles from a motion graphics perspective.
• Thinking Particles Chain Tool Course: The aim of this course is to create a chain tool. The course demonstrates what it takes to create chains on an object surface and rotate the chains with the help of Thinking Particles.
• Thinking Particles: Procedural Road Creation: The aim of this course is to create a procedural road – in real time. The road is controlled via a spline.
• Houdini vs. Thinking Particles: How to work with fields – whether with Thinking Particles or with Houdini? The course shows how it’s done. The description of the course states that you will find out during the course: Houdini and Thinking Particles are more similar than perhaps previously thought.
• Thinking Particles Drop7 New Features: Interesting for those who want to simulate realistic-looking drops of water. Included in this course are 11 3ds Max files.

Click to continue: The complete range of courses can be found at effectivetds.com .

The post How do Thinking Particles actually work? first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Patrick Poti.

In nuce: 3D artist-slash-industrial designer Jorge del Valle has released his free UV Checker Map, which allows 3D models to be checked for texture distortion – and then downloaded in a resolution of up to 8K.

In toto: The checker maps are user-definable (for example in terms of grid size, colours and numbering). In addition, the text colour can be automatically adapted to the background via convenience functions – which should increase readability. Digital Production would like to thank Jim Thacker from cgchannel.com, who first pointed out Valle’s web app (which was already released in 2021).

Clicked further: The UV Checker Map Maker online app is available at uvchecker.byvalle.com . Jorge del Valle is a former employee of Weta Workshop; his creative work can be viewed via artstation.com On 24 July 2020 , Digital Production reported on the free UV Checker Maps by user Maurus Kamehameha.

Source: cgchannel.com (message from Jim Thacker)

The post Still a checker or already a checker map? first appeared on DIGITAL PRODUCTION and was written by Patrick Poti.