Features in this release
- 3D Paint
- UV Editing/Unfolding
- Figure Content LOD Support
- Vertex Modeling in Assembly Room
- Rendering Optimizations for Transparency
- Multi-pass Rendering
- Support larger texture sizes in the OGL display
- NLA Merge Tracks
- COLLADA export
- DAZ Studio Content Support Improvements
1. 3D Paint
Carrara 7.0 includes a new 3D Paint Tool that enables textures to be selected, edited and "painted" directly onto an object.
The 3D paint tool provides a variety of painting modes including brushing with a variety of brushes, airbrushing, stamping, and support for lines, an eyedropper, and an eraser. Custom brush settings can be saved and later reused.
3D Paint also supports layers, image stamping, and tablet support.
Real-time display of bump maps and specularity has also been added to the 3D paint tool.
2. UV Editing/Unfolding
Carrara 7.0 includes a new UV Editor that shows a 3D view of the polygon mesh, a 2D display of the UV values on the polygon mesh vertices, and a set of tools to manipulate them.
You can choose from 4 different projection methods to use for custom mapping. The UV editor "Unfold" function allows you to define seams and pinpoints where the UV template will be unfolded and later stitched.
The relax seam tool helps a you selectively reduce the dense areas of the UV for a more uniform map.
3. Figure Content LOD Support
Carrara 7.0 also includes support for Content Figures that have multiple Levels of Detail (LOD). You can use lower LOD figures in your viewport to enhance performance and then render with a higher LOD figure for the best quality. If you have multiple figures in the scene you can enhance performance by reducing the mesh resolution on those figures that are further away from the camera and don't require as much detail. Carrara 7.0 provides advanced auto-switching capabilities that will automatically switch between higher and lower LOD figures based on distance from the camera. As the figure or the camera is moved within the scene, the system determines which figure to use based on user determined preference settings.
4. Vertex Modeling in Assembly Room
The Vertex Modeling capabilities that were previously only available in the "Modeling" room are now available in the "Assembly" room. This enhancement saves time by allowing you to perform modeling functions in the assembly room where other objects can also be seen.
5. Rendering Optimizations for Transparency
Time consuming and complex transparency rendering operations have been optimized in Carrara 7.0 to provide better and faster results.
6. Multi-pass Rendering
The Multi-pass Rendering tool new in Carrara 7.0 enables you to render an image once and then make edits to the final image. For example you can increase the reflection or reduce the ambient light. These edits are done in a 2D application like Photoshop.
You can render an image into different layers, edit one or more of the layers to generate a change to your rendering without taking the time to re-render your image.
Some of the layers you can save out include:
- 3D
- Position
- Object Index
- Velocity
- Surface Coordinates (UV)
- Normal Vector
- Depth
- Fragment
- Fragment Color
- Fragment Coverage
- Lighting
- Background
- Ambient
- Ambient Occlusion
- Diffuse
- Specular
- Shadow
- Glow
- Reflection
- Transparency/Refraction
- Global Illumination
- Caustics
- Subsurface Scattering
- Atmosphere
- Post Effect
- Material
- Material Ambient
- Material Diffuse
- Material Specular
7. Support larger texture sizes in the OGL display
Carrara 7.0 provides you the ability to increase the texture size that is displayed in the Open Graphics Library (OGL) or viewport. The settings will be based on what texture size your graphics board will support, and can be adjusted for performance or quality.
8. NLA Merge Tracks
For those of you who use Carrara for creating animations, this new merge track tool will provide an improved interface to create groups of tracks then collapse or expand the tracks in those groups. This new tool helps you optimize the screen space so you can focus on your animation.
9. COLLADA export
You will now be able to export a figure or scene into a COLLADA format. COLLADA is becoming a new standard for content to be transferred. In this new release of Carrara you will be able to export your models in this new format.
10. DAZ Studio Content Support Improvements
We have enhanced the handling of DAZ scene files being loaded into Carrara 7.0. This will require an updated version of DAZ Studio (build TBD) in order to see the full effect of the updates.