Modo 601 Preview

[Hirazi Blue]

Shame on you, everybody knows, that's... Maya

[fabilabo]

The "new features" list is just... no words ?
Just saw all points... now what modo need ?

[origin]

pretty awesome, I mean...tons of new stuff.

[Nizar]

Having said that, after watching those 601 preview videos, how in the heck do their users keep up with all those menu's and right-clicks? I mean, I'd like to see a graph of their menu tree. It's gotta be massive.

I don't want appear like a Luxology fan, but, like Softimage users, how can have some lamentation about too much clicks? If I want cage my standard setting in mental ray, render pass etc, I must use many and many tabs and too many mouse clicks, more, IMO, if compared to modo.

About modelling, I'm pretty sure, prefer Softimage (Move component tool, snap, Inset polygons etc.), modo base modelling tools stress me, too many tabs and mouse click, but, in a way not so powerful like ice modelling, Modo can combine its tools using Tool Pipe Tab, creating new one and simplify the process as you want for fit your needs. Really nice.

The "new features" list is just... no words ?
Just saw all points... now what modo need ?

IMHO a lot of things... First of all, I hope they fix stability issue, modo was one of the most unstable 3d package ever made.
Modo need a serious particle/fluid system, blender (at first look, as all don't have 601 under my fingers) outperform 601 capability.
In CA blender is really better (blender has a really fine autoringging and the, IMO, awesome AniSculpt, also, animation editor is really fine and professional). Cannot be compared with Softimage, and, if you add Facerobot at our equation, modo is, actually, an hobbyist animation tool.
No word about viewport performance. Modo has some nice viewport option, better IMO then softimage, but Gygapolygons rock, only Zbrush move more polygons.
No shader node editor... after a bit of struggle Shader tree appear to me not so bad, but render tree are too good, fast and clear especially in large and complex scene. Must say blender node editor is better if compared to shader tree (not so good likerender tree). Also, blender Node Editor is for sure better than Maya Hypershade (hate hypershade... obviously all IMHO

[McNistor]

Haha, that fish animation is terrible. I'm sure it's not Modo's fault, but still...
I'm a little surprised to see you so impressed to tell you the truth and I'm not sure I understand why. I mean a lot of softwares are offering a lot more than this and have been doing it for a long time now. Maybe it's for the relative fast pace of development? Because on an absolute scale this is underwhelming.

[Nizar]

Modo development is really slow... they promise CA animation in 401 release, but arrived only now.

What really impressed me is modo rendering: the rendering preview is really fast, result are really nice at first attempt and is really simple obtain good result. Also, I like the idea of doing all in a single package (sculpt, retopo, UV (really good in modo), paint rendering and compositing) without leave it and risk with the export/import error compatibility.

[McNistor]

Modo development is really slow... they promise CA animation in 401 release, but arrived only now.

What really impressed me is modo rendering: the rendering preview is really fast, result are really nice at first attempt and is really simple obtain good result. Also, I like the idea of doing all in a single package (sculpt, retopo, UV (really good in modo), paint rendering and compositing) without leave it and risk with the export/import error compatibility.

Are they nice as in you can render a car pretty fast and can show it immediately to a client or as in you can render heavy scenes with moblur/dof/hair/displacements for say a movie?
I honestly don't know, but I have a feeling that I might be wrong expecting from a one-man-show software like Modo to offer the same power as a Goliath like Softimage or Maya or Houdini. Isn't Modo kind of a one-man-show software or I got this one wrong too?

[gustavoeb]

Isn't Modo kind of a one-man-show software or I got this one wrong too?

I guess there is where they are at the moment. They started as a modeling only thing and have evolved from there to the ideal (in my humble opinion) plataform for freelancers doing still imagery and such. But, from the looks, they dont intend to stop there... Quite frankly I think it is a nice divide and conquer strategy to the top. Sure would not run a big pipeline through it at the moment, but who knows where they will be years from now?

[Maximus]

I dont think you guys are being objective..or you never tried Modo or seen it in action.
You realize that for 1/5 of one autodesk software it gives you a lot of things and most of them are unbelievable modern?
I can name a few: Pixar subdivision, sculping, painting, deformers, render engine + render preview, UV editor - those are really amazing in Modo.
There are a lot, and i mean a lot of things maya/max/softimage lacks, which are fast, artist friendly, modern, and time saving.

Of course it has its own problems but for 1k$ its one of the best choice for a one-man army artist for sure.
Its kinda unfair and not smart to compare Modo to other softwares thats been developed for years, cost even 9times more. Compare Modo to Houdini? come on.

I believe that what modo gives you, is amazing in all terms, its growing great and for the price is probably one of the best out there.

[Memag]

Veeeery nice.
Arnold haunts Modo feature tour.

[fabilabo]

I just have the feeling his growing fast. The feature is huge and probably modo users will need a year to learn "whats new in this version" (one day for SI, without ICE ^^)
They have alembic, pixar subd, particle shaders looks nice. My only problem with modo is the UI, it become a total mess...

[Nizar]

Are they nice as in you can render a car pretty fast and can show it immediately to a client or as in you can render heavy scenes with moblur/dof/hair/displacements for say a movie?

In my experience (never did a render animation, only in my spar time), modo is really fast in either task you mentioned.
Other feature:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKXqU6B4XhE

I honestly don't know, but I have a feeling that I might be wrong expecting from a one-man-show software like Modo to offer the same power as a Goliath like Softimage or Maya or Houdini. Isn't Modo kind of a one-man-show software or I got this one wrong too?

I think you are right here. I don't think Luxology aim is compete with great monster in production like Softimage and Maya, but can easy replace 3dsm in archiviz studio and cinema 4d. Also, a freelance can handle it easy without great issue. IMHO a good investment for a freelance (not involved in animation or VFX production). In any case modo cost less then 1/5 softimage+subscription, and more and more less then Maya or Houdine Master, cannot be compared, at all. Repeat, modo cost is assimilable to softimage plugin.

I guess there is where they are at the moment. They started as a modeling only thing and have evolved from there to the ideal (in my humble opinion) plataform for freelancers doing still imagery and such. But, from the looks, they dont intend to stop there... Quite frankly I think it is a nice divide and conquer strategy to the top. Sure would not run a big pipeline through it at the moment, but who knows where they will be years from now?

Agree. They first goal was steal users by LightWave, I think they reach (easily) this first aim. Now I see a precise intention to take part of the Cinema 4d audience. If they continuing like they have done in the last release, 701 will consolidate all the actual feature with some upgrade here and there, and 801 will be a big release.

I dont think you guys are being objective..or you never tried Modo or seen it in action.
You realize that for 1/5 of one autodesk software it gives you a lot of things and most of them are unbelievable modern?
I can name a few: Pixar subdivision, sculping, painting, deformers, render engine + render preview, UV editor - those are really amazing in Modo.
There are a lot, and i mean a lot of things maya/max/softimage lacks, which are fast, artist friendly, modern, and time saving.

Of course it has its own problems but for 1k$ its one of the best choice for a one-man army artist for sure.
Its kinda unfair and not smart to compare Modo to other softwares thats been developed for years, cost even 9times more. Compare Modo to Houdini? come on.

I believe that what modo gives you, is amazing in all terms, its growing great and for the price is probably one of the best out there.

Totally agree. Repeat, modo cost like a softimage plugin, and offer great feature, and many of these are absent in softimage (some of these can be done with ICE, but in modo are ready to use and work really nice). Try render engine in modo, I think you will have some big surprise (I know some Softimage users who use daily modo).

Also, not fundamental, but really like it, Luxology company is really nice in all sense (marketing, customers care, attitude), a pleasure read the news and discussing directly with CEO

[origin]

I'm wondering if AD will still maintain 3 apps...looking at H12, modo and blender progress, they will probably need to ditch 2 apps to work on only one.

btw for modo users, im evaluating demo, how do you change view rotation to classic one? now its like..arcball or something.

[swann]

how do you change view rotation to classic one? now its like..arcball or something.

in ViewPane, left top corner there are three menus. First is for View change, second are shading modes, grid display etc. There are two options there - Trackball Rotation and Oscillate. Play with them.

[Nizar]

I'm wondering if AD will still maintain 3 apps...looking at H12, modo and blender progress, they will probably need to ditch 2 apps to work on only one.

btw for modo users, im evaluating demo, how do you change view rotation to classic one? now its like..arcball or something.

Press O key when mouse is on viewport, select Drawing and control tab (at your right) and under Mouse control select what fit better your need.


Autodesk developing only one application? Why? I don't remember any reasonably evolution when AD has only 3dms in its catalogue.

[Maximus]

Actually Autodesk softwares are all developing and evolving really slow compared to others. Its an endless discussion really hard to track down and there are countless of reasons, most of them are unknown to us.
Not being fanboy of any application here, but since i own Softimage, spent time effort and money on it, i can share my feelings. I love the software and i would buy it again if i had to roll back in time, but there are some things that are simply unacceptable nowadays, those should be addressed tomorrow morning, not in 4 years, but its not happening and who knows if it will.
I know it takes time to work and fix things, that devs are focused more on what their biggest clients ask for, thats why it wont happen, for us freelancers and people not working in big studios sometimes is a pain to hit always those annoying walls.
There is the moment where you see a Modo or a Cinema4D feature and just go "wow, wtf". Because those have intuitive, fast, artist friendly tools as a standard, then you can go deep and get technical too. Here is the total opposite, you start being technical and have almost no artist friendly, intuitive tool.

Its always a personal opinion anyway, this is the way i feel and sometimes Softimage makes me want to hang myself, especially on rendering/texturing/shading/lighting department. Thats where i am, i'm not a vfx/animator. And in those fields Softimage is kinda lacking love, and falling really behind in my opinion.

Max