WRetargetTool: Free Animation Retargeting Tool for Maya
Discover WRetargetTool, a free and adaptable animation retargeting solution for Maya, focused on simplifying character animation and mocap transfer.
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Unity Webinar: Get Real with Real-Time 3D
Join Unity's German today! (November 14th, 10 o'clock) to explore new tools and real-time 3D applications across industries, from VFX to architecture.
Unreal Engine 5.5 Unleashes Color Grading, Virtual Production, and SMPTE 2110 Advances
UE 5.5 equips creators with new tools for animation, real-time IP workflows, and color grading—streamlining complex VFX and virtual production tasks.
Epic’s Fab Debuts Free Military Airport Asset Pack for Unity and Unreal Engine
Epic Games launches free military airport environment by FreshScan on Fab, kicking off a bi-weekly release schedule for Unity and Unreal Engine assets.
Unity Webinar: A Practical Dive into Real-Time 3D Across All Devices
Join Unity's German webinar on November 14 to explore new tools and real-time 3D applications across industries, from VFX to architecture.
Sketchsoft Releases Feather 1.0: Streamlined 3D Drawing
Sketchsoft’s Feather 1.0 introduces a real-time 3D drawing and modeling tool focused on efficient asset creation.
Let’s Fix it in Pod 02 Jobs and A.I. with Benjamin Wild
In this episode, Bela and Christoph tackle the possibilities and challenges that Machine Learning and A.I. are offering to the vfx industry.
Chaos Group Unleashes V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max
V-Ray 7 for 3ds Max is here with expanded toolsets, boosting rendering flexibility, materials management, and GPU acceleration for high-end VFX and design work.
D5 Render 2.9: Enhanced Terrain and Workflow
D5 Render 2.9 updates: Terrain tools, AI-based lighting, and pipeline optimizations for smoother real-time rendering.
Wonder Dynamics Brings Real-Time Animation to VFX
Wonder Dynamics releases Wonder Studio, an AI tool promising real-time animation for 3D characters in VFX pipelines. Production-ready? Time will tell.
3ds Max Plug-In: Tree Generation
Looking for streamlined tree generation and animation in 3ds Max? This plugin offers an efficient approach to plant animations and environment design.
“Grease Pencil” hPaint for Houdini
hPaint now extends Grease Pencil-like features for Houdini 20.5 in one easy to use HDA.
Free Unity 6 ‘Time Ghost’ Demo Project Files Now Available
Unity releases the project files for its 'Time Ghost' demo, showcasing real-time VFX and game development capabilities with Unity 6.
Adobe Fresco Goes Free
Adobe Fresco is now free for all users. Does it fit into your pipeline? Here’s what you need to know about its potential use in painting and beyond.
Flow Warp Plugin for Nuke Bends Images with Precision
The free Nuke plugin, Flow Warp, lets artists bend images along custom paths with ease—ideal for particles and tricky compositing shots.
Substance 3D Viewer (Beta): New Lightweight 3D Viewer for Over 70 File Formats
Adobe has released Substance 3D Viewer as a free open beta. The tool supports over 70 3D formats and integrates seamlessly with Photoshop for a flexible, non-destructive workflow.
Let’s Fix it in Pod 01 Control Surfaces with Mazze Aderhold
In their very first episode, Bela Beier and Christoph Zapletal talk about control surfaces for an artist's workstation.
Move it like Hyfydy
SCONE plug-in enables real-time muscle simulations for biological motion. Ideal for gait analysis, machine learning, and unusual muscle setups.
C&R.me – post-production in the cloud
It's been a few years now since the term "cloud" has gone from buzzword to hype to working reality - but so far there are
very few tools that can do everything in the cloud. Sure, some tools have access or even their "own clouds", but wouldn't an "everything in the cloud" solution be better?
Engineering data to CGI –what could possibly go wrong?
Almost every major industry that is manufacturing sophisticated physical products uses computer aided styling (CAS) or design (CAD) in at least some steps of its development. Living in the digital age, one could assume that using this engineering output to create media products shouldn’t pose too much of a challenge. Sadly, that is only true if you know your way around some common pitfalls and peculiarities of the engineering universe.
Update to the MAX
As always, numerous innovative, experimental technologies were
experimental technologies were presented by Adobe researchers and engineers. Surprisingly, the focus was on artificial intelligence.
Houdini 20
The long-awaited update has finally been released and brings with it a whole host of new features. So many, in fact, that a special issue would be worthwhile. For now, here's an overview and an in-depth article on rendering by Olaf Finkbeiner in the next issue.
Look into my Syntheyes, Boris!
Something‘s always happening in the Boris FX- Ecosystem – and just before this year’s IBC they announced that Syntheyes is now part of the family! So we cornered Boris Yamnitzki and John-Paul Smith and asked them what the plans are for one of our favourite tracking Tools.
Plasticity 3D – CAD for Artists
"The best solid and surface modelling" - the website of the developer, Nick Kallen
(plasticity.xyz), this new modelling tool, currently in version 1.2.10, is advertised as "CAD for artists". It is said to be an optimised NURBS modeller based on the PARASOLID geometry kernel. The UI and workflow are based on Blender's polygon modeller. The developer claims to simplify modelling for concept artists and product developers in particular, but also for CAD users, and to enable faster results than with conventional CAD tools.
We Hunt Giants
The short film "We Hunt Giants" takes the viewer into a world in which humans and dinosaurs fight for survival. Action, drama and CGI - without a Hollywood budget in the millions. Here is a brief insight into the making of the film and its visual effects.
Your own particle system with simulation nodes
The Digital Production logo has been through a lot recently. It was thrown in Houdini with a wet towel and turned to earth in Tyflow. And now it is
set on fire in Blender - where will it end?
Elementary!
You’ve surely seen the posters: There’s a new Pixar movie, this time asking “What if the Aristotelian elements have feelings?” The story plays out in Element City, where fire-, water-, land- and air-residents live together.
New in the toolbox
Standing around the DP stand at FMX and (as so often) looking stupid, various people came by and wanted to know something special. "Do you know anything for..." - and we were able to answer almost everything, and one of them (Hello Ralf!) said we should put the list in the magazine. Okay, here you go - the best tools we've recommended to people directly. You might find them helpful too!
Photos of skyscrapers: An asset with Blender Geometry Nodes
Blender 3.5 comes with assets as standard for the first time. To keep the download size small, these are Geometry Nodes setups. Reason enough to create such an asset yourself and add it to your
and add it to your private tool collection.
Direct Modeling (R)evolution für Houdini
For most people, the idea of modelling directly in Houdini causes them to break out in a sweat at the very least, and some are even said to have thrown the mouse out of the window in sheer horror. The reasons for this are understandable at first glance.
Got you a Present!
“Present” stands for “Photoreal
REaltime Sentient ENTity”. During FMX 2022, Manne Öhrström, Global Head of Film Software at Framestore, delivered a talk about the Present project, where machine learning translates high-end film character rigs into real-time. A conversation with Manne Öhrström – and with Epic Game’s Research and Development Technology Producer, Emelia Fiell.
Daniel2 Dynamo? Next-gen Codecs!
„The fastest codec in the world“ is how the Munich-based broadcasting and production software developer Cinegy advertises its video codec Daniel2; it uses the computing power of the graphics processor to speed up image processing specifically and workflows in general. The codec promises: real-time film editing with Adobe Premiere CC, at a resolution of
of 8K - without any drop in frame rate. A conversation with Cinegy boss Jan Weigner about Content Creation with Power Codecs.
Real-time rendering and modelling tool in a double pack!
With Silo 2023 and Milo 2023, software provider Nevercenter is releasing the latest versions of its rendering and modelling tools. Cost: 160 US dollars.
Womp: Simple 3D for everyone?
"No downloads or grey apps with 1,000 buttons. Just your browser and your creativity". The website www.womp.com presents itself colourfully and confidently and promises to make 3D modelling easy for everyone. Womp, an online 3D application, is currently still in the alpha phase and is still free to try out. The Womp team promises that Womp Alpha will remain 100% free. A "Pro version" with a wider range of functions is planned for later - the current version has only been released for about a month. A price does not yet seem to have been set.
Who should use the Aurora renderer from Autodesk?
It is aimed at artists who work with Universal Scene Description (USD). What other functions does the real-time path tracing renderer offer?
Epic Games releases Unreal Engine 5.1!
Version 5.1 improves many of the features that Unreal Engine 5.0 established - including: Nanites and Lumen. A dedicated in-camera VFX editor appeals to visual effects artists.
“Gyroscopes” for image stabilisation in post-production
Why do I put the term in parentheses? Because it actually refers to classic gyro stabilisation. The word is based on the Greek word for "circle" or "turn" - which is why the meat from the spit is also called Gyros in Greek.
The glTF Scene Toolkit on Otoys Marketplace?
The Americans around Otoy join forces with the Germans from UX3D. Otoy's ecosystem now offers 100 per cent glTF support!
Character Rendering in Unreal Engine 5
Lead character artist J Hill demonstrates the complete UE5 workflow, from importing a model and building materials to final renders.
ARRI ALEXA 35: Sensor and Workflow
The ALEXA 35 introduced a 17-stop sensor, REVEAL Color Science, ARRI Textures, 19 recording formats and Live Link metadata.
DragonFly 3.0 Updates Virtual Cameras
DragonFly 3.0 adds camera and lens simulation, Unreal viewport integration, review editing, MP4 capture and streamlined file handling.
FMX 2022 Opens as a Hybrid Event
FMX 2022 combined three Stuttgart conference days with an online day, more than 300 speakers and 180 on-site and virtual presentations.
Insta Deform Adds Vehicle Damage in UE
Insta Deform Component creates scratches, dents and mesh deformation on static and skeletal vehicles in Unreal Engine 4 and 5.
Northern Island Pack for Unreal Engine
FreshCan's Northern Island Pack supplies a 16km² procedural landscape, 63 meshes, photogrammetry, vegetation, clouds, wind and fog.
World Creator 3 Rebuilds the Terrain Tool
World Creator 3 removes Unity dependencies, adds a revised workflow and website, while World Creator 2 remains available for missing features.
Pixel Art Shaders in Unreal Engine 4 and 5
Artist and developer Yoan-Dako Petkov presents a series of pixel-art environments and shaders created in Unreal Engine 4 and 5.
Unreal Engine 5 Enters Preview
The UE5 Preview expands Nanite, Lumen, world building, animation and MetaSounds, while Epic warns against production use.
Ice and Frost VFX in Unreal Engine 5
Artist Yue.J created airborne ice and frost effects in Unreal Engine 5 with Niagara Fluids water and explosion templates.
Whispy Boom VFX Project Files
VFX artist Simon Trümpler released free Unreal Engine project files for a stylised explosion built with hand-painted Krita textures.
VFX Suite 2.1 Adds Metal Support
Maxon VFX Suite 2.1 adds Metal shadows and reflections, Apple processor optimisation, faster Bang blur and glow, and bug fixes.
Angie Hybrid Rendering in Clarisse 5.5
Isotropix's Angie combines CPU and GPU rendering in Clarisse 5.5 Early Access with OSL, MaterialX and NVIDIA OptiX.
AlterMesh Links Blender Nodes to Unreal
AlterMesh beta runs Blender Geometry Nodes setups inside Unreal Engine in real time, with personal and commercial editions.
U-Render Volumetrics Tutorial
Part seven of U-Render First Steps covers real-time volumetrics, fog, haze and volume scattering in Cinema 4D R19 or later.
NVIDIA Omniverse Leaves Beta
The Omniverse launch adds prepared USD assets, Audio2Face blendshapes, Machinima content, Nucleus Cloud, Create and View.
U-Render Multipass Tutorial
Part six of U-Render First Steps covers Object ID, Material ID and Depth passes for Cinema 4D R19 or later.
Blender 3.0 Begins a New Series
Blender 3.0 launches the 3.x series with faster Cycles rendering, Geometry Nodes work and Asset Browser improvements.
17 Souls
Since October 2020, the Munich University of Television and Film has been offering a new specialisation in VFX as part of the Image Design course. In their first year, the students have already been able to realise an animated film in teams of three; from a reinterpretation of the werewolf myth (from page 102) to mysterious radio messages from a lost plane.
War of the Worlds in Unreal Engine
Chris Farkouh built a War of the Worlds film project with Unreal Engine, Maya, Marmoset Toolbag and Substance 3D Painter.
U-Render Tutorial: Final Rendering
Part five of U-Render's first-steps series covers final resolution, the dashboard and output from Cinema 4D.
Katana 5.0 Links Lighting and Comp
Katana 5.0 adds Nuke Bridge, expanded Foresight live rendering, USD lighting exchange and reusable material networks.
Procedural Jet Thrust for Blender
Raisy Clutch's Blender add-on generates adjustable real-time jet-thrust effects for distant game and film shots.
Octane 2022.1 Previews Faster Caustics
Octane 2022.1 previews a photon-tracing kernel for cleaner, faster caustics plus an expanded subscriber software bundle.
U-Render Tutorial: Camera Controls
Part four of U-Render's first-steps series covers depth of field, motion blur and spherical camera rendering in Cinema 4D.
Unity Acquires SyncSketch
Unity acquires browser-based review platform SyncSketch, adding real-time annotation, whiteboards and 2D, video and 3D review.
U-Render Tutorial: Post Effects
Part three of U-Render's first-steps series covers ambient occlusion, bloom, tone mapping and chromatic aberration.
Ten Standout Sketchfab Models
A ten-model Sketchfab selection spans retro computers, an antique telephone and a moon-bound Clefairy.
Free Guide Maps Creative Careers
Escape Studios' free Industry Beginner's Guide outlines production basics, terminology and career paths in art and games.
Quixel Assets for Abandoned Interiors
A curated Quixel Megascans selection supplies statues, cushions, metal tables, stools and fireplaces for decayed environments.
U-Render Tutorial: Materials
Part two of U-Render's first-steps series covers materials, masks, normal maps and displacement maps in Cinema 4D.
Simple Spin Blur for Unity
AiKodex's free Unity script adds GPU-instanced volumetric motion blur to spinning objects and characters.
Simulating Snow with tyFlow
A State of Art Academy tutorial builds falling snow around a London phone box with tyFlow for 3ds Max.
Material-Based Ballistics in Unreal Engine
A three-part Unreal Engine tutorial builds server-authoritative bullet penetration with material-dependent damage and effects.
KalidoKit Released for Avatar Tracking
KalidoKit combines open-source face, pose and hand tracking with blendshape and kinematics solvers for VRM and Live2D avatars.
U-Render First Steps Tutorial Series
A multi-part U-Render tutorial series covers lighting, materials, post effects, cameras, final rendering, multipass output and volumetrics.
Unreal Engine 5 Nanite Deep Dive
Epic Games graphics programmer Brian Karis explains Nanite virtualised geometry and its approach to dense real-time assets.
Rokoko Releases Smartsuit Pro II
Rokoko's Smartsuit Pro II updates its inertial motion-capture suit with multi-level tracking, Smartgloves integration and DCC export.
Free Unreal Dissolve Effects Pack
NadirFX's Character Appearance and Dissolve pack supplied 20 Unreal Engine effects with mobile variants, textures and material functions.
Sony Announces VENICE 2 Cinema Camera
Sony's VENICE 2 cinema camera pairs an 8.6K full-frame sensor with internal 16-bit X-OCN recording and interchangeable sensor blocks.
NVIDIA Omniverse Avatars at GTC
NVIDIA's GTC keynote introduced Omniverse Avatar and Replicator alongside Project Tokkio, Maxine and DRIVE Concierge demonstrations.
Reallusion Announces Character Creator 4
Character Creator 4 was announced with broader character import, Spring Dynamics, more than 140 facial blendshapes and new previews.
Puppeteer Rigging Tools for Maya
Adrian Chirieac released Puppeteer, a Maya rigging and animation toolkit inspired by Richard Lico's space-switching workflow.
Modo 15.2 Completes the 15 Series
Foundry Modo 15.2 adds Primitive Slice, Edge Subdivide, mPath render-time booleans, Assembly Presets and workflow updates.
Wacom Connected Ink 2021
Wacom Connected Ink 2021 brought together art, education and technology through 70 online and in-person sessions.
Loupedeck Software 5.0 Released
Loupedeck 5.0 introduces a redesigned interface, vMix integration, an Ecamm plugin and updated Capture One support.
Assimilate Expands Live FX Beta
Assimilate's Live FX beta tutorials cover SDI capture, greenscreen keying, camera tracking, Unreal Engine, VFX handoff and LED walls.
Character Animator 22 Adds Body Tracking
Adobe Character Animator 22 adds real-time body tracking and Smart Replays for triggering recorded animation.
Golaem 8 Adds Real-Time Crowds
Golaem 8 improves crowd previs with real-time Unreal Engine simulation, Maya viewport shading, layout layers and cloth physics.
Light Tracer Render 2.0 Adds Path Guiding
Light Tracer Render 2.0 adds path-guided caustics, transparent shadows, mesh-light sampling, IES profiles and geometry tools.
Quibli Anime Shaders for Unity
Dustyroom's Quibli toolkit provides foliage, cloud, detail, colour-grading and light-beam shaders for stylised anime scenes in Unity.
Magic Bullet Looks 5 in an ACES Pipeline
Colourist Maximus Raharjo demonstrates Magic Bullet Looks 5 and its integration into an ACES colour-grading pipeline in DaVinci Resolve.
After Effects 22 Adds Multi-Frame Rendering
After Effects 22 introduces multi-frame rendering, render-queue notifications and Cinema 4D Lite Asset Browser support.
Four Major Unreal Engine 4.27 Features
A 3Dtotal article examines Unreal Engine 4.27's in-camera VFX, GPU Lightmass, media output and production-ready Pixel Streaming.
Unreal Engine 5 Modelling Mode Explained
Epic Games details Unreal Engine 5's modelling mode, covering selection, polygroups, mesh creation, UVs, sculpting, attributes and volumes.
D5 Render 2.0 Adds Weather and Path Tools
RTX-accelerated D5 Render 2.0 adds a redesigned interface, weather, path tools, 3D grass and improved large-scene lighting.
Neural 3D Lighting for Image Composites
NVIDIA and University of Toronto researchers present a neural method for lighting inserted 3D objects inside 2D images.
HDRI Environments in Corona Renderer
An eight-minute tutorial explains HDRI environments and Environment Overrides in Corona Renderer 7 for 3ds Max.
Cut faster – The Blackmagic Speed Editor
In DP 02:20, we already presented the Editor Keyboard from Blackmagic Design (BMD for short). It used to be close to 1,000 euros, but when it didn't become a big seller, it was lowered to around 600. Meanwhile, the manufacturer has removed the regular keys in the centre, moved the side panels closer together and added a few extra keys. The result is called Speed Editor (SE for short) and is still being offered at the competitive price of 380 euros including a licence for DaVinci Resolve Studio. Some folks are even marketing the device for 199 euros without the licence, but it remains unclear whether this is permissible on the part of BMD.
Clayxels Tutorial: Volumetric Sculpting in Unity
Game developer Alex Strook demonstrates a Clayxels workflow for volumetric modelling in Unity, from reference and colour to lighting and post-processing.
FMX 2022 Announced as Hybrid Event
FMX 2022 was announced as a hybrid event in Stuttgart and online, with filmmaker Hasraf “HaZ” Dulull serving as the conference's first programme chair.
Adding Handheld Camera Shake in Unreal Engine
William Faucher demonstrates how to add controlled noise to virtual-camera motion in Unreal Engine for a more natural handheld look.