v18.0 Release

[Jason Simonds]

Installers:

Windows 32Bit

Windows 64Bit

Intel Mac

 

 

 

 

Change Log:

New

• All "Snap to nearest CP"
  If you select a single cp or a group of cp's, than this new option in the popup menu is avaible. It is snapping the selected cp to the nearest other cp position from the model. If you have a group named "targetgroup" in the model, this group is used as target positions, otherwise a dialog appears, where you must select the target group. Only the cp's from this group are used as possible target cp positions. This option is also avaible in a pose/action/chor, when the muscle mode is selected. The default shortcut is Shift+Ctrl+9.
   
  
• All
  [bug]6400[/bug] Allow option to invert the functionality of the the "Hide CPs" and "Lock CPs" tool buttons. Holding the Ctrl (for Mac the Command) key down, inverting the affected cp's.
   
   
  
• All
  [bug]6410[/bug] Feature suggestion: Tool buttons for Onion Skin Control Toolbar for Onion Skin added
   
   
  
• All
  [bug]6347[/bug] Feature idea: Automatic Quad view
   
   
  
• All
  [bug]6389[/bug] Please allow deletion of layout presets.
   
   
  
• All
  [bug]6390[/bug] Allow seletion of layout presets from "Load Layout" submenu
   
   
  
• All
  Tools> Options> Units (additional for #0006374) "Magnet mode"> "Display single manipulator" With checkbox ON, the magnetic field radius is only drawn for the last selected cp, with the checkbox OFF, the magnetic field radius is drawn for each selected cp, but the radius can be only with the maipulators from the last selected cp
   
   
  
• All
  [bug]6375[/bug] Allow user definable workspace/window layout presets "View"> "Save Layout" for saving an individual toolbar layout "View"> "Load Layout" for restoring an individual toolbar layout.
   
   
  
• OpenGL3 driver
  (had also the possibility to use features from newer OpenGL versions, if detected) This is now the default driver, the other OpenGl driver exists only for backward compatibility if the gpu/driver doesn't support OpenGL 3.0 (for gpu postprocessing OpenGL 3.2 is required as minimum) When you switch the drivers, a restart is highly recommended! This driver works faster in realtime mode (in special with high count patch models/models with transparency) and enables some additional features. It also contains some bugfixes for realtime displaying.
   
   
  
• Polygonmode (only OpenGL3)
  Tools->Options->OpenGL In shaded views, the polygon structure is displayed, which will be used when you export the model/chor in a polygon export format like stl/obj and so on.
   
   
  
• Rendersetting "Screen Space Ambiant Occlusion"
  This is a posteffect, which is implemented as a GPU Shader, but has also a CPU fallback implementation, for the case that the gpu doesn't support this or opengl3 is not used. The effects also need the depth buffer, if they are not enabled, the effect enables it.
   
   
  additional settings
  On OSX this effect can be computed only on the cpu, due to glTexBuffer and samplerBuffer (gsls) isn't avaible in the compatibility profile, the core profile can't be used (nor supported via AGL) there.
  
  • "SSAO Effect only"
    Only the computed SSAO is shown as a greyscale picture (not applied to the original render, overwrite it)
    
  • "Samples"
    How many samples are used to compute the ssao around each pixel, available values,when gpu is used are 2-1024, if the cpu is used it is limited to 2-128 (higher values are clamped to 128) it's also a good idea to enable OpenMP, when the fallback to the cpu implementation is used.
     
    
  • "Radius"
    The radius around each pixel, from which the SSAO is computed
    
  • "Distance"
    Distance which occlusion reaches
    
  • "Gamma"
    Gamma correction for occlusion only
    
  • "Density"
    Density for sampling
    
  • "Softness"
    Softness of the edge of occlusion
    
  • "Luminance influence"
    How much luminance affects occlusion (gpu only, and only when applied to finalrender)
    
  • "Blur the effect"
    Enables blurring for the effect itself (not the applied effect)
    
  • "Radius"
    The radius for which the blur is calculated (gpu gaussian blur used)
    
  • "Apply to finalrender"
    See GPU Postprocess effects when "GPU Postprocess effects" is set to ON and "Applying each pass" is ON and the gpu implementation is used the effect is applied each pass.
    

  [*]Rendersetting "GPU Postprocess effects" (only OpenGL3, driver version 3.2 or higher is needed)

  This implements some posteffects as GPU calculated effects, they are faster than the normal posteffects applied to the camera. An additional logfile (GPUShader.log in the A:M installation directory) is created, when such aa effect is used (for bughunting) if an error occurs, the master.log is also needed for bughunting the order for computing the posteffects is SSAO, Blur, Different Posteffects.

   

  Settings for each gpu posteffect

  • "Applying each pass"
    When You render with multipass ON, the effect is applied at each pass.
     
    
  • "Apply to finalresult"
    If this setting is OFF, the result from the posteffect is saved as a seperate image file (also for every pass in multipass), and not added to the final result image. The imagefile is saved in the directory where the final image is stored and appended with the posteffect name and pass number.
     
     
    
  • "Samples"
    How often the posteffect is applied.
     
     
    
  • Blur
    Additional setting, "Radius" which controls the radius for which the blur posteffect is calculated
    
  • Different Posteffects
    additional setting "Posteffect Type"
     
    Available types are
    • "Greyscale"
      
    • "Sepia tone"
      
    • "Negative"
      
    • "Sharpen"
      
    • "Dilate"
      
    • "Erode"
      
    • "Laplacian"
      
    • "Prewitt"
      
    • "Sobel"
      

  [*]Snapshot from the active view

  Directory where the snapshot is saved is configurable at

  Tools->Options->Backup The toolbar button for this is under

  Tools->Customize->Commands->Render the snapshot is saved as a targa file

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6358[/bug] Feature suggestion: Option to limit realtime subdivision, new checkbox on global property page "Limit realtime subdivisons" Default On, limits the real time subdivisions to 1,4,16,Adaptive

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6342[/bug] Feature request: update STL exporter to offer higher subdivision avaible subdivs for polygon exporters and realtime view now 1,4,16,64,256,1024,4096,Adaptive. 256 and above require significantly more time in realtime views.

   

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6332[/bug] CTRL-Save Snapshot to bring up options panel (for macs Shift-Save Snapshot)

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6334[/bug] Feature suggestion: Snapshot automatically applied back to model new menu entry for this "Apply Snapshot", avaible only in the contextmenu from a view filename, extension (tga,jpg,png,exr), save destination configurable.

   

   

   

  Changed

   

  [*]OSX

  If a dialog hangs, you can now quit it with Cmd+Q

   

   

  [*]All

  Obj Export

  • Generate Model Maps
    If "Generate Model Maps" is active, only the model map texture is exported, this texture is like a baked surface and includes other applied textures too. The texture is now written as a 32bit bmp (with alpha channel). Min and Max Size can now be "512" too, it is the min/max size for each patch in the created texture, depends which size is needed (patch fully covered from a texture is using the max size, a patch with only surface changed the min size).
     
     
    
  • Remove degenerated faces at export
    It no longer breaks the UV mapping, It is useful if you want to create valid obj files and 3/5/Hook patches are in the model. It is simply not possible to create only quad polygons (which are valid) for example for patches with hooks, in this case the exported obj file now has Quads and Triangles (have not seen problems in this case with other polygon based apps).
     
     
    
  • Texture handling
    Only the first texture for a face is used, because a face can have only one material and uv coordinates assigned, but it can be a multi texture (like the from BakeSurface created one)
     
     
    
  • Copy Textures Dialog
    This dialog are now only displayed, if the texture files are not in the 8.3 format.
     
     
    
  • "Export normals"
    If the checkbox isn't checked, normal information is not exported, this information is only a hint for other importers and not needed in general (most of the programs are rebuilding the normals at import), unchecking this option reduces the filesize.
    

  [*]All

  "Save Snapshot" (Button) and "Apply snapshot" (menu entry) If you hold down the Ctrl (Mac Shift) key, while clicking this command a dialog appears, where you can change the size for the created image, the Filename and imageformat

   

   

  [*]All

  I have changed the behavior for "Snap group to surface", it now also works in a pose/action/chor view without changing the original model.

   

   

   

  [*]All

  • Relationships
    the menu command's "Select Spline#" and "Select CP#" in the PWS, selecting now the spline/cp in the relationship window, not longer in the PWS
    
  • Choraction
    The menu command's "Select Spline#" and "Select CP#" in the PWS, selecting now the spline/cp in the relationship window, no longer in the PWS, if the current viewmode for the chor is "Modeling" or "Muscle"
    
  • Action
    the menu command's "Select Spline#" and "Select CP#" in the PWS, selecting now the spline/cp in the relationship window, no longer in the PWS, if the current viewmode for the action is "Muscle"
    

  [*]All

  "Snap Group To Surface" for grouped cp's they are member of a patch and the reversed normal direction from the patch is used as the direction for finding the goal surface, for all other cp's the pivot for the group is used as a direction special case if only one cp is selected and the cp is not a member of a patch the view direction is used When you hold down the Shift key, a dialog appears, where you can set the offset and the maximum intersection distance

   

  [*]All

  Import -> Prop When you hold the Shift key down, while selecting "Import" -> "Prop" a dialog pops up where you can change the behavior for the imported Prop "Scale the prop at import" Down/Upscaling the prop with the given value(obj files only) "Discard textures" textures for this prop will not loaded and assigned "Don't display information" the information dialog for new imported props is suppressed These settings are saved in the project too, so if you reload the project the same settings given here are reused. The import process can be cancelled with the escape key.

   

   

  [*]All

  Plugin Amplitude added possibility to use a frequency band as controller, bands 1-10 are predefined bands with the following values

   

  Center Low Up

  31,5Hz 22Hz 44Hz

  63Hz 44Hz 88Hz

  125Hz 88Hz 177Hz

  250Hz 177Hz 355Hz

  500Hz 355Hz 710Hz

  1Khz 710Hz 1,42Khz

  2Khz 1,42Khz 2,84Khz

  4Khz 2,84Khz 5,68Khz

  8Khz 5,68Khz 11,36Khz

  16Khz 11,36Khz 22,72Khz

  The low and upper limits can change slighly, depends on the sampling rate from the wav file Band 11 is a user defined band, where you can set the lower and upper frequency yourself.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6378[/bug] Hide bones with enabled "Prevent assigning cp's" property from list of bones in the "Edit CP Weights" window.

   

   

  [*]All

  the introduction dialog (Help -> Introduction) now has workable links to the single section (like mouseover effect)

   

   

  [*]All

  Posteffects added Shadow and Alpha to the list of possible input buffers

   

   

  [*]All

  changing the Polygonmode now works without closing/reopening the views toolbar button added (Draw Toolbar)

   

   

  [*]All

  Rendersettingsdialog now sizable

   

   

  Fixed

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6442[/bug] Cannot subdivide splines in Chor mode It's now possible to subdivide a spline with the Shortcut "Y", when you are in a chor or action. Resulting in important change for Springsystems adding a mass has now the keyboard shortcut "Shift + Y"

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6436[/bug] A:M hangs (unrecoverably) when saving over a previously saved layout preset

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6437[/bug] Preset layout inconsistencies

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6438[/bug] No longer possible to resequence constraints in an Action or Choreography window.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6425[/bug] No longer possible to resequence a relationship's constraints in the PWS

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6412[/bug] Allow the new Snapshot feature to save a snapshop of Stamps

   

   

  [*]All

  Terrain wizard

  • number of rows and columns now similar to grid wizard
    
  • orientation similar to grid wizard
    
  • save and restore changed values now working
    

  [*]OSX

  [bug]06423[/bug] image io plugin missing, it says (decals are not displayed in realtime mode, occurs only with OpenGL3 driver)

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6421[/bug] Export of OBJ with baked surface crashes AM and produces no OBJ

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6414[/bug] Full path of model is file shown in the manipulator properties when "Show CP Weights" toolbar button is enabled.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6415[/bug] [interface] Proposed defaults for Onion Skin

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6426[/bug] Splash screen image seems a little too large.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6427[/bug] Splash screen's image is too rough around its edges

   

   

  [*]windows 32bit

  [bug]6418[/bug] Crash when trying to display the properties or timeline window.

   

   

  [*]windows 32bit

  [bug]6419[/bug] Crash when trying to create or open a model file.

   

   

  [*]windows 32bit

  [bug]6420[/bug] Frame/ Timecode display shows gibberish.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]5469[/bug]4 Bones (still) weirdly draggable in PWS Chor

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6406[/bug] difficult selection

   

   

  [*]All

  false cp are still selected after "Detach Point"

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6404[/bug] A:M crashes or becomes unstable (then crashes) when copying and pasting two or more groups.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6386[/bug] Object manipulators become obscured when using a rotoscope whose "On Top" property is set to "ON".

   

   

  [*]Windows

  [bug]6376[/bug] V18 slow at rendering as compared to V17

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6394[/bug] export obj, 3ds with bad uv added a new checkbox for the obj exporter "Remove degenerated faces at export" if this is checked, the UV datas are not longer valid , should be checked only if You export for 3D printing (solving problems coming from hooks / 5pointers)

   

   

  [*]All

  obj plugin some memoryleaks are fixed (in special when used as importplugin for props)

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6399[/bug] A:M Crashes when using Clone NullObject plugin

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6402[/bug] Yellow selection box not visible

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6368[/bug] A:M crashes when dragging a model with groups onto another model in PWS

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6369[/bug] Mirror Bones plug-in does not mirror Null color or "prevent assigning cp's" property

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6374[/bug] Magnet Mode's visual boundary does not display consistently when selecting a CP.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6326[/bug] NetRender format choices is only a blank list.

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6327[/bug] 32 bit Netrender only sees 64 bit renderlsaves

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6324[/bug] Num 3 to cycle through light views not working

   

   

  [*]All

  Expression "GetWorldPos" and "GetWorldDir" now working as expected

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6333[/bug] to end spline while in "Sticky Mode"

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6362[/bug] Render to File settings window always cropped

   

   

  [*]GPU Posteffects

  Netrender can now use GPU Posteffects too, if the machine where the slaves are running support this

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6357[/bug] SSAO doesn't look like AO

   

   

  [*]OpenGl3

  fixed some display bugs , in special for bones mode

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6341[/bug] "Compute CP weights" is not recognized as change to model or PRJ

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6356[/bug] Crash on in Render To File Dilaog

   

   

  [*]OpenGl3

  fixed some memoryleaks

   

   

  [*]Windows

  display problem fixed when selecting a group and Aero is active

   

   

  [*]All

  Posteffects are remember now their selected buffers ,has occured when two or more Input buffers are avaible for the posteffect and both of them having a buffer other than Color or Default selected

   

   

  [*]All

  nested Posteffects (one Posteffect are added to another) are remember now their selected buffer correct

   

   

  [*]All

  [bug]6312[/bug] Drag a Project from the libraries in the PWS over the Choreographie-Entry > Crash

   

   

  Removed

  [*]Windows 32bit

  Direct3D realtime driver removed

[Shelton]

Wow thank you and excellent job. Faster render on the project I am working on!!

 

Steve

[pixelplucker]

Thanks!

Very speedy, my old cad card just died over the weekend. 18 is running pretty slick on this backup card, very smooth.

Nice work.

[Rodney]

Hehe! I'm like a kid in a candy store.

This is awesome.

 

Outstanding work Steffen!

[Rodney]

Nice job on updating that Intro screen so that it no longer requires the button Fuchur.

[Rodney]

Love the screenshot tool.

 

While it seems to be pretty straightforward I'm still learning more about it, especially the differences between it and the standard Print Screen approach.

 

I like!

A great addition to A:M.

 

I happened to take this screen shot while noting Robert's suggestion for new default values in Onion Skinning and wondering what those values were.

Another subtle change that will hopefully help newbies utilize the tool.

 

Having the ability to adjust the settings of Onion Skin via the toobar menu... VERY NICE!

That 'Onion Toggle Mode' that allows us to see the difference between flow and keyframe positions... SWEET!

That is sure to change my workflow.

[GAngus]

Yes !! v18 down-right perky here on new Mac, "saves" & "save as's" responding better too.

Nice update !!

Thanks, Steffen!

[zandoriastudios]

Downloaded last night--looking forward to digging in to it!

[John Bigboote]

Yeah, great new version!

 

I'm trying to render a V17 project where I was using fastAO/GPU... I installed the drivers into the v18 folder, but I see that there is some new thinking on this in V18. MAINLY- the addition of a new tab in the Render to File/Options called GPU Postprocess effects OFF/ON with 3 options to it when activated AND a new Screen Space Ambiant Occlusion tab... it's settings look alot like Jenpy's plug-in- does this mean that fastAO is now included in A:M?

 

I have some experimenting to do...

[Fuchur]

Nice job on updating that Intro screen so that it no longer requires the button Fuchur.

 

Wrong guy => All done by Steffen.

This one is in A:M and not referenced. Only if you click on the button, the website will be opened.

 

But yes v18 is great... performance wise and for the export-features it introduces (like very high poly-export options, etc.)

 

See you

*Fuchur*

 

Yeah, great new version!

 

I'm trying to render a V17 project where I was using fastAO/GPU... I installed the drivers into the v18 folder, but I see that there is some new thinking on this in V18. MAINLY- the addition of a new tab in the Render to File/Options called GPU Postprocess effects OFF/ON with 3 options to it when activated AND a new Screen Space Ambiant Occlusion tab... it's settings look alot like Jenpy's plug-in- does this mean that fastAO is now included in A:M?

 

I have some experimenting to do...

 

Acutally, these things are OpenGL-Posteffects. They are meant to work as FastAO, but it is not the code of FastAO, which is included here, as far as I know. It renders a little differently too.

 

See you

*Fuchur*

[John Bigboote]

SO- it looks like fastAO GPU does not work in V18?

[robcat2075]

SO- it looks like fastAO GPU does not work in V18?

 

I just tried it in v18 64 bit.

 

If I use it as a post effect on the camera I get a crash when the render is done although it appears to have tried to apply the FakeAO before it crashed.

 

If I use it in an A:M composite project, it still works. Note that you should render to OpenEXR for this.

 

I believe to fix the render-time crash Steffen would need the code from Jenpy to recompile it.

[Rodney]

- 6347: Feature idea: Automatic Quad view

 

I had missed this in the list of new features and thought it was something recently added but not listed.

Yet another nice addition that is sure to be used frequently.

 

 

(Rodney @ Dec 2 2013, 08:41 PM) *

Nice job on updating that Intro screen so that it no longer requires the button Fuchur. smile.gif

 

Wrong guy wink.gif => All done by Steffen.

This one is in A:M and not referenced. Only if you click on the button, the website will be opened.

 

But yes v18 is great... performance wise and for the export-features it introduces (like very high poly-export options, etc.)

 

See you

*Fuchur*

 

I stand corrected. I saw the php and figured that was your signature.

In hindsight I recall Steffen was closing in on a solution.

Looks like his research finally paid off and we are the beneficiaries.

[detbear]

V 18.... AWesome so far. "Snap to nearest cp" feature works very good. It is a major help in my current project.

Thank you for adding such a great tool. Hopefully I can post some samples soon. Thanks again to those

on the project.

[Tom]

Windows 64 bit v. 18-

 

Tried dragging a jpg into the modeling window to rotoscope some things and it kept crashing the software... so I'm back in v17 for now.

 

Anyone else experience that in the 64 bit version?

 

Tom

[robcat2075]

Windows 64 bit v. 18-

 

Tried dragging a jpg into the modeling window to rotoscope some things and it kept crashing the software... so I'm back in v17 for now.

 

Anyone else experience that in the 64 bit version?

 

Tom

 

I just tried dragging a jpg from the Images folder into a modeling window for a rotoscope and it worked OK.

 

Perhaps you have some specific situation that can be duplicated?.

[Tom]

Windows 64 bit v. 18-

 

Tried dragging a jpg into the modeling window to rotoscope some things and it kept crashing the software... so I'm back in v17 for now.

 

Anyone else experience that in the 64 bit version?

 

Tom

 

I just tried dragging a jpg from the Images folder into a modeling window for a rotoscope and it worked OK.

 

Perhaps you have some specific situation that can be duplicated?.

 

 

Thanks for the feedback..

I'll try again in the morning and let you know...

Tom

[Tom]

Worked fine today with no crashes...

 

musta been "user error.."

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Tom

[pixmite]

Is version 18 incompatible with my version 17 web subscription? Version 18 asked for a license key upon startup. I tried the one that came with my version 17 subcription and it gives me the subscription expired message. What am I doing wrong please?

[pixmite]

Is version 18 incompatible with my version 17 web subscription? Version 18 asked for a license key upon startup. I tried the one that came with my version 17 subcription and it gives me the subscription expired message. What am I doing wrong please?

 

Sorry - false alarm - I went 2 years back instead of one. guess I need to delete some old emails

[robcat2075]

All you really ever have to do is copy the master0.lic file from your old v17 folder to you new v18 folder.