What's new in 3DS Max 2012?

 


3DS Max 2012 is out and before you think about upgrading your old version of max, here are a few pointers for you

Nitrous Accelerated Graphics Core

The most important update in 3ds Max 2012 is the new Nitrous Accelerated Graphics Core, a new viewport system that improves performance and display quality. Nitrous is not simply tweaks to a bloated viewport system. As part of the XBR push to streamline and update 3ds Max 2012, it is a complete re-engineering. Nitrous harnesses the computing power of multiple core workstations and high-end GPUs to manage and display massive datasets in the viewports faster. With Nitrous, the data in each viewport is crunched separately from all other computing processes, thus providing users with fast working environment.

Changes in Unwrap UVW modifier.

The overall look and feel of the Unwrap UVW modifier (editor and command panel) has been updated and reorganized (seen in photo at top). New colorful icons are easier to see and the layout has been redesigned to accommodate regrouping of existing and new tools. For example, existing commands that were part of the menu bar, like Relax, have been grouped with new relax-related tools and are now available in the UI. Also you can find new tools for packing, scaling and aligning UV clusters in the new rollout Arrange Elements.

The Unwrap UVW modifier also has replaced the old Pelt mapping workflow with a newer one called Peel. The Peel rollout in the command panel features new seam creation tools. Point-to Point Seams is the best of the bunch. Once seams are selected the Peel Mode command instantly unfolds the selection. Even better in vertex mode the new Pin tools lock selected UVs so that you can easily reshape UV clusters in a relax-type workflow. You can also add new seams on the fly with Edit Seams. Unwrap changes are updated immediately while you remain in Peel Mode. Unfortunately, the new seam selection tools don’t appear to have a mirroring option.

Better Graphite Modeling

Modeling in 3ds Max took a giant leap forward with the introduction of the Graphite modeling tools in 3ds Max 2010. The Graphite modeling tools provide modelers with an updated subdivision surfaces workflow and retopology tools. However, in 3ds Max 2012 the retopology workflow got better with the new Conform tools. Once a new basic mesh has been created over the mesh to be retopologized the Conform tool can “shrink wrap” the new mesh to the original. Of course this works best with a new mesh of sufficient resolution. The Conform tools also feature tools to tweak the new mesh at the sub-object level.

Smarter Texturing

Right up there in terms of importance with the new Nitrous viewport system is the Substance Smart Textures from Allegorithmic. Substance Smart Textures gives you a library of 80 resolution independent, parametric texture and noise presets that can be used as is or as a starting point from which to create an almost endless array of materials.

Substance nodes output all your necessary maps, such as diffuse, specular, normal, bump and displacement. Each substance node features parameters to control the look of the texture. For instance, a node for a brick wall will have parameters for Age, number of bricks in the X or Y axes, depth, and so on. You can use Substance Smart Textures for just about any texturing job, but they are specifically useful in architectural visualization. All 3ds Max renderers support these smart textures.

Simpler Rendering

3ds Max ships with iRay, a new rendering engine from the makers of mental ray. iRay is a high-end global illumination renderer that creates hyper-realistic photo imagery by accurately simulating the physical attributes of light. But unlike other render engines iRay creates realistic renders without having to tinker with an endless array of settings. Some experience with mental ray settings is helpful, however.