About the V0.97 Preview Version
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As with
the v0.96 preview release, I'm not waiting until I have the next full
"version" ready. I'm posting
snapshots of future release as they progress. For lack of a
better name they are know as previews.
This will give you a chance to see what's coming a bit earlier and help
find any bugs, and give me feedback on specific features sooner when
it's probably easier to make changes.
If
you are a
new Anim8or user then you probably should not be using
this version. Naive questions and incorrect problem reports will
not help the preview process.
If you want to try it out to see how the new features work then this is
the version for you. But you should be aware that it is likely
less stable than a released version. Don't use it for important
projects unless you're prepared to redo your work should something
happen.
You should also visit the Anim8or
v0.97 Preview forum. This is where you will find the
latest
information on problems and give your feedback to help decide how these
features will look when in an "official" release.
Note: The documentation isn't ready yet so you'll have to play
around with some things to see how they work. I have added a
summary of the new features and how to use them below. You can,
of course,
post questions in the preview forum.
Have
fun!
Steve
September 21, 2008
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| New Features in v0.97d Preview |
The fourth v0.97 preview is
called the v0.97d preview
dated September 21, 2008. The major changes are (bug fixes first):
- #097-019
- ART AA renders are too bright - Fixed.
- #097-021
- Importing Object with Same Name can Crash - Fixed.
- #097-009
- #097-022 - Copying Modifiers without a Bound Shape Crashes - Fixed.
- Misc
bugs: ASL constant PI was 3. It's no 3.141...
- Various
"..." buttons didn't connect to controllers on the scene editor.
- Other
minor fixes, small memory leaks patched, grid not always drawn, etc.
New features:
- Still
image render size is saved with a project so so you don't have to reset
it each time you reload a project
- Click-dragging
in the render window will move the image around allowing you to view
all
of an image even when it's bigger that the window. Works while
rendering movies as well but you need to have multithreaded rendering
enabled.
- Scenes
and Sequences can have attributes.
- ART ray
tracer: new RayDepth
integer attribute for the max level of rays to trace (for reflections
and transparency). The default is 12 when RayDepth
isn't defined.
- ART ray
tracer: new AmbientOccluder
integer attribute. When set to 1 AA renders trace rays to the
background for the ambient component:
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Rendered with Global Intensity of 0.0
(equivalent to no lights used), Ambient Intensity of 3.14 (required for
correct lighting using background only), an integer Scene attribute
AmbientOccluder with a value of 1, and 64 AA samples/pixel.
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| Download v0.97d Preview
Executable |
| This fourth version of the 0.97
preview dated September 21, 2008 is
ready. Get a copy here: anim8or_v097d_preview.zip |
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| New Features in v0.97c Preview |
The third v0.97 preview is
called the v0.97c preview
dated September 10, 2008. The major changes are (bug fixes first):
- #097-007
- ART can crash rendering meshes with no faces - Fixed.
- #097-008
- ART Renderer ignores Light's shadow setting - Fixed.
- #097-009
- Camera lens shade is visible in it's own view in renders - Fixed.
- #097-010
- Cubemap backgrounds crash - Fixed.
- #097-011
- Multiple Problems with Z-near - Fixed. Also lowest ZNear value
changed to 0.01, Max ZFar/ZNear ratio 1.0e5.
- #097-012
- CMOD Export Script Stopped Working in v0.97b - Fixed.
- #097-013
- Texture coordinates incorrect in ART Rendering - Fixed.
- #097-014
- ART Renders Don't Show Panorama Backgrounds - Fixed.
- #097-015
- Fix crash in copy/copy of bound modifiers. Paste is still
broken; crash is fixed.
- #097-016
- Ray traced shadows can have missing faces - Fixed.
- #097-107
- Reflections show horizontal bands in ART local light using soft
shadows. Sample sizes of multiples of 4 can cause sever
artifacts. Fixed.
- Fix ASL
function GetNumEdges()
to return the correct number of edges.
- Tab key
was treated as Delete key in some cases. It's not any more.
New ASL
scripting language features:
- VERSION
predefined constant with version number.
- Added
correctly spelled versions of LockAmbientAndDiffuse() and SetAmbientColor()
functions.
- Disallow
refresh(),
renderer(),
render()
and view()
commands in invariant
scripts (e.g. parameteric shape plug-ins, controller scripts.)
New features:
- Autosave.
Enable project autosave to temp directory in the File->Configure
dialog.
- Time
line slider control. Added to Sequence and Scene editors.
- New 2, 3
and alternate 4 view modes (1 large, 3 small views). Use 2, 3 and
5 hotkeys.
- Increase
max number of sides that a face can have for picking from 20 to 100.
- Global
light intensity for scaling overall brightness of user defined
lights. Set in the Settings->Lighting dialog in the Scene
editor.
- Global
ambient intensity.
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| Download v0.97c Preview
Executable |
| This third
version of the 0.97 preview dated September 10, 2008 is
ready. Get a copy here: anim8or_v097c_preview.zip |
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| Current v0.97 Bug List |
| A current bug list can be found
here v0.97_bugs.txt
I'll try and keep it current so you know what's happening. |
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| New Features in v0.97b Preview |
The second v0.97 preview is
called the v0.97b preview
dated June 1, 2008. The major changes are (bug fixes first):
- #096-008
- Stereo Movie Renders Don't Show Backgrounds - Fixed. However
there seems to be a problem with the views for stereo renders.
I'm looking at it.
- #097-001
- Can't Disable Shadows in ART Renderer - Fixed
- #097-002
- CubeMap Backgrounds Don't Show in ART Renderer - Fixed.
- #097-003
- Class glossyreflection Doesn't Support DIffuse, Bumpmap and Specular
Textures - Fixed.
- #097-004
- Scanline raytrace shadows don't show on the ground grid - Fixed.
- #097-005
- ART Renderer Has Incorrect Environment Map Reflections - Better but
not 100% fixed.
- #097-006
- ART Renderer Doesn't Support Alpha or Depth Channels - Fixed.
Many new ASL
scripting language functions:
- shape.GetNumEdges(), etc.
- Write to
console: open("$console",
"w");
- mesh.DeletePoint(),
etc.
- Functions
to access to attributes.
- Spline
access functions. You can make cool looking chains that follow
the shape of a spline!
- See
documentation on the scripts page for the details.
Vo.97b also
supports multithreaded rendering.
Please note that this does not speed up rendering by using two or more
threads to render in parallel. That will come at a later
date. This release helps improve rendering under Vista. It keeps the GUI
responsive to user requests fully while it's rendering allowing you to
resize and minimize Anim8or. You enable it with the
Rendere->Multithreaded command.
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| Download v0.97b Preview
Executable |
This second
version of the 0.97 preview dated June 1, 2008 is
ready. Get a copy here: anim8or_v097b_preview.zip
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| New Features in v0.97a Preview |
The first v0.97 preview is
called the v0.97a preview
dated March 18, 2008. The major changes are:
- A ray tracer render called ART for Anim8or Ray Tracer.
You can use it to render all Anim8or materials plus reflections, transparency with glass like index of refraction
effects, glossy surfaces and
more. Here is a link to some initial documentation on how to
access these new features: art_raytracer
- You can
copy and paste materials with Ctrl-Shift-C and Ctrl_Shift-V.
- Movie
rendering size is saved as a project parameter.
- Several
other minor changes and bugs fixed including #096-002 - Cut Selected
Faces Can Crash and #096-007 Click-Drag in Drag-Select mode can crash
on window focus change
That doesn't
seem like a lot but it's quit a bit of new code.
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| Download v0.97a Preview
Executable |
| This first
version of the 0.97a preview dated March 18, 2008 is
ready. Get a copy here: anim8or_v097a_preview.zip
Try it out and see how the new ART ray tracer works! |
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| New Features in v0.96a Preview
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The first preview is called the
v0.96a preview
dated July 31, 2007. The major changes are:
- .MTL file input and output support
(for .OBJ import and exported
files)
- Holding
the Control key down when selecting shapes in an Object or faces,
points or edges in the Point Editor allows you to click-drag the mouse
to select or deselect multiple things. If this is popular I may make it the
default and use the Control key to select just one thing (as it does
now).
- Add user attributes
to Objects, Figures and Elements. These are typed, named
variables of
int, float, point, orientation or string type. For example you
can
define a float attribute called mass
and set it to 10.5.
Currently they are only useful by programs that parse the .an8 format
but will be accessable from ASL scripts in the future. You define
these with the Object->Attributes command.
- Holding
the Cotrol key down when using the Cut Faces tool user only cuts
selected faces.
- A new
Edit->MovePoints command in the Pooint Editor that moves sepected
points by a precise amount.
- Show light frustums when lights are
selected.
- Improved UV tool.
Each shape in an object can define it's own UV widget that does planar,
cylindrical, sperical or normal projecton of texture coordinates onto
that shape. You can interactively move, rotate and scale the
widgent
in UV edit mode. Also UV widgets are saved with the shapes so
that the
UV tool doesn't force you to restart from scratch wach time you use it.
- Export binormals to the .an8 format
when Export Normals is set (and bump maps are used fore that shape).
- Add Cubemap Backgrounds to Scenes.
Any cube map texture can be used as a background in a scene.
- Fixed a
few bugs.
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| Compatibility |
V0.96a should be able to read
previous versions of .an8 files. Though the opposite is not
entirely possible, it generally should work especially for the most
recent releases. Newly
added features will be ignored, of course, but shouldn't cause other
problems. |
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| Download Preview Executable |
This first
version of the 0.96a preview dated July 31, 2007 is
ready. Get a copy here: anim8or_v096a_preview.zip
Try it out and see how the new features work!
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| V0.95a Preview User Manual |
There
isn't an update to the manual for the v0.96a preview. Use the
regular manual, the notes on this page, and the v0.96 Preview forum for
help.
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| Current Bug List |
A
current bug list can be found here v0.96_bugs.txt
I'll try and keep it current so you know what's happening.
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Reporting Problems
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In order
to keep the beta forum useful to everyone, please take the following
steps before you post:
1. Limit your posts to v0.96 preview problems or suggestions about the
new features. No wish lists, and no
pictures unless they are in support of a problem or question on how a
new feature works. You can post pictures as you normally do in
the Works In Progress and Finished Works forum.
2. Read through the other posts. Read through the current big
list. If your problem is already posted and you don't have
anything new to add, don't reply.
3. If you don't understand how Anim8or v0.95 works, you probably
shouldn't be posting in the v0.96 preview forum.
4. When you post a new problem topic you should:
a) Use a meaningful title. Titles like "Question?",
"Help!", "Big Crash!" are not meaningful.
b) If it's reporting a problem, give a detailed
description of what the problem is and how to reproduce it.
c) If it's a question on a new feature be as precise as you can.
d) Don't reply about a different topic besides the one the thread is
about.
e) If you have some unique feedback on v0.96 you can also post it here.
f) Use proper English sentences. Cutsie abbreviations are too
ambiguous and aren't nearly as helpful when I'm trying to understand
what you've said.
With these rules in mind if you think you found a problem or have a
question the place to post is the Anim8or v0.96 Preview forum.
Don't
ask for help with the v0.96 preview in the other forums. |