Softimage 2012.5

It's September time again which means Softimage is getting its point 5 update. In fact it's probably out already. Essentially, it looks like the modelling toolset is being brought up to date now that ICE encompasses all the main fields in general 3d.

New features list below:


Selection

• Quick Loop – double-click or shift+double-click on an edge, point, or polygon to define a loop or range.
• Double-click on a polygon to select the polygon island
• Polygon Selection to Outline - converts the selection to edges surrounding the polygons
• Loops from Selection – creates loops (not rings) from existing selection
• Loop from Selection (around corners) - this can be used to easily select Border Edges for example
• Grow Loops
• Shrink Loops
• Island from Selection – selects all the components in the island
• Selection Preferences now exposed in the MCP>Selection menu

Modeling

• Apply Thickness
  • With bevel options
• Cap Hole
• Extrude Along Normal
• Add Smooth Edge Loop Tool (uses the tool SDK)
  • This interactive tool adds edges while continuing the contoured shape of the object
  • Move edges while adding
  • Use MMB for 50% insertion
• Spin Edges
• Apply Slice Between Two Vertices

Navigation

• Zoom on cursor (Prefs>Tools>Camera)
  • For all 3D and 2D views
  • Includes Scroll Wheel preference

ICE

• Bullet Physics
  • New “Simulate Bullet Rigid Bodies” node (now the default in the ICE module)
  • Same options as Simulate Rigid Bodies Node with added option to collide using exact shape of obstacle.
  • Support for “cone” native shape
  • Instance Shape node now support Convex Hull (Bullet only)
• Rigid Bodies
  • Supports sub-frame sampling (PhysX and Bullet)
  • Faster simulation when using constant reference shapes
• PPG logic
  • RMB>Compound Properties>PPG Logic
  • OnInit and value changes can be trapped inside compounds with PPG logic script
  • Only available for non-private compounds
• Add Group section
  • Inside compound - RMB on exposed input port name>properties. You can specify a group name instead of adding in XML file
• Compounds
  • Create Extrusion Along Strands.2.0
  • Deform Strand Extrsuion (together these can make for fast simulated hairs)
  • Cap Hole
  • Apply Thickness
  • Apply Slice Between Two Vertices

Model Meshes

• Human male, car, T. rex, bull, fish, lizard, horse
  • These come we predefined UVs

 
ICE Modeling Sample Scenes

• Modeling Building Grids
• Modeling Cylinder
• Modeling Materials
• Modeling Simple Copy Merge
• Modeling Texture Projection

Animation

• Viewport Autokey Border
  • When turning on Autokey there is now more visible feedback. The active viewport shows a color – which can be changed in
  • Prefs>Animation to turn on/off or change color
• Ability to include animation layers when creating mixer clips
• New option for non-normalized weight painting

Scene Management

• Annotation objects
  • Get>Annotation creates a null like object which shows a speech bubble in the viewport
• Get/Set memo cams access in the SDK

Rendering

• RTS - Added support for automatic RTS shader updates

Snapping

• Prefs>Tools>Snapping - New preference to control display of snap targets

FBX:

• Integrated new drop of FBX SDK

Changes:

• Selection:
  • Rectangle raycast respects XRay settings etc.
  • Raycast backfacing enabled by default (fixed issues with accidentally selecting backfaces on silhouette edges)
• ICE:
  • Default value for GetTopology changed to "No Transform"

Feature videos can be found here:
http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/marks/good_grief_has_it_been_a_year_already_softimage_2012_5_is_here

Damn I wish I still had subscription!