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San Mateo
1978 posts
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Good gracious!
How's everyone doing out there today? We're about to push out another beta and this one marks the final UI freeze as we had to make a few tweaks for consistency etc. Of course, as the guy writing most of the docs Im pretty happy about this because no one wants to be writing about a moving target! So the burning question of course is release date and unfortunately I don't have a specific date yet. We are making good progress but there are a few trouble spots that we have yet to overcome. You want the truth? Can you handle the truth?! OK. Here it is.
201 uses some very cool new OpenGL methods which yields a 3x speed boost in most cases. Unfortunately we believe we may be the only professional graphics app to use these methods and it seems there may be some driver issues. Anyone remember the head aches we had with Vertex Arrays and the very first release of modo? Turned out that one was an NVIDIA bug which they fixed (Thanks!). This is a similar situation. The difference is that we are not 100% sure it is a driver issue versus something on our end. In fact we hope it IS our bug because then we can fix it. At any rate, we are working very hard to track it down and are even bringing some top testers into our office to help with the last big push on bug fixes.
We know everyone is excited and anxious and so are we. As I said in our first update note we really appreciate the level headed approach this community has to development efforts and product releases in regards to taking the time to get it right. Of course, this might be a good time to let you know I am not saying that we will not hit March. It is possible. All I am saying right now is that I can't say for certain and rather than blow sunshine up your...well...where the sun normally doesnt shine, we simply want to keep you up to date with as much open and honest info as possible.
All that having been said, DANG 201 is cool. (WARNING: For those who can't take seeing and hearing cool stuff about 201 without having it, now is a good time to go somewhere else. If you need distraction I recommend the following:
Soothing Link
OK. For the rest of you rowdy people lets get to the good part.
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3/3/2006 - 2:01 PM
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San Mateo
1978 posts
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This week I wanted to show you a wide assortment of images. The testers are really picking up the pace and creating some very cool stuff.
Since our testers put their stuff on the line each week I thought we should post some internal images as well. Here is a WIP from Dion while working on testing the texturing engine.
And if you promise not to laugh I'll show you an image I did recently. This is a WIP version of a project that I plan to make into a model, texture, light and render tutorial. It's not too fancy but it covers a lot of basics and is a lot of fun to do.
Virtual Product Shot
And since there were so many requests to see modeling enhancements I decided to stay on that thread. Two cool clips for you. I'm reading all the requests and I will get to as many as possible so if you have asked for something even 20 or 30 times (I'm looking at you Sonk), don't think we are ignoring you. I just can't get to everything all at once. It will happen. In fact, Sonk you might find a tiny teaser below if you look carefully...
Old Tools New
Backdrop Items: Reference Modeling
There you have it. One heaping helping of open communications with a spoonfull of sugar to help that medicine go down. Can you tell I have a daughter that makes me watch scenes from Mary Poppins at least once a day?
Back to it...
BP
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3/3/2006 - 2:01 PM
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California
3687 posts
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About time Brad, downloading now! thanks for being honest about the major bug!! Next Limit can learn from you guys...
The human race is going through a shift in consciousness, from 3D to 5D. Reattach to your higher self and wake up! 10/10/10-11/11/11-12/21/12
Message edited by Son Kim on 3/3/2006 - 2:13 PM
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3/3/2006 - 2:02 PM
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64 posts
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Nice cats ;-)
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3/3/2006 - 2:02 PM
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Leipzig, Germany
1124 posts
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Oh no. Beaten within seconds. And I thought I was first this time.
Mylenium
[Pour Mylene, ange sur terre]
Message edited by Mylenium on 3/3/2006 - 2:03 PM
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3/3/2006 - 2:02 PM
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Canandaigua, NY!
360 posts
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I cannot wait any longer..............
“I was born ready.”
Message edited by Gary Haus on 3/3/2006 - 2:04 PM
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3/3/2006 - 2:04 PM
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2088 posts
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Thanks for our weekly dosage!
Yazan
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3/3/2006 - 2:07 PM
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World Wide Web
81 posts
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No no no...
Nice cats, but... I already have enough cats. I don't have enough Modo though. Gimme gimme gimme 201.
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3/3/2006 - 2:11 PM
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Champaign, IL USA
547 posts
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hope you quash that bug and finish all youre work. im hoping for a march release!
lvl 3 3d artist
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3/3/2006 - 2:13 PM
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51 posts
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Brad.....
There's nothing about to laugh!
Great stuff!
Bring it on!
Cheers,
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3/3/2006 - 2:18 PM
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Realm of Reason
2240 posts
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Brad: There is currently an nvidia driver bug for OSX. Users of other apps have reported trouble in the Maya and Blender forums, too. There are kernel panic reports on Apple's site as well.
The trouble seems to have started with 10.4.3 and still remains in 10.4.5. Modo locks up while working in the perspective view and BANG! kernel panic. The workaround so far is to extract the drivers from 10.4.2 and install them over the current ones in 10.4.5.
I don't know if you knew about this but in light of what you've just said about your ogl trouble, I think it's worth looking at.
Here's my thread at Apple:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=1818035#1818035
I'm using nvidia 7800 on a quad G5
Custom 3D modeling and animation - MagicAnimation.com
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3/3/2006 - 2:19 PM
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Hertfordshire, UK.
335 posts
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OOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhh, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...cute kitties and cats...will they be incorprated as a plugin? I want that Cute Cat script now! Can we have the Cute Cat script for 103?
They are the most realistic cats I have ever seen...does that mean fur in 201? Yippeeeeeeee!!! I don't care about the other feaures, I want realistic cats like that...NOW!! I can only handle so many realistic lizards....and once again, when you add a feature you take it a little bit further...but I never expected cats in a million years.
Thanks Brad...once again you Lux guys and testers come up trumps ;)
Cheers
--------------------------------------------------------
A life?! Cool! Where can I download one of those?
--------------------------------------------------------
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3/3/2006 - 2:20 PM
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San Mateo
1978 posts
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Zarathustra,
That one sounds bad but I don't think it relates to what we are seeing as 103 has a very different GL path and the issue I am referring to is seemingly Windows only.
Thanks for the heads up though. We will definitely look into that one as well and see if we can help push Apple/NV to get it quashed!
BP
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3/3/2006 - 2:21 PM
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Milwaukee
794 posts
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Love the Backdrop Items. Cool.
Thanks for the update... It was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Dave
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3/3/2006 - 2:22 PM
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Washington, USA
3581 posts
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I'm ganna cry lol.
Oh well, thankfully i still have modo.
And honestly i'd much rather have you guys fix the bug rather than have Radeon's Drivers kill me. I'll die if it won't work for my comp and there is nothin you guys can do.
---
401 made me switch from Linux to OSX so i could use it. Guess i should be glad it didn't ask for more. :)
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3/3/2006 - 2:23 PM
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Los Angeles
303 posts
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I thought about posting some anonymous, inflammatory, unsupported rant about something or another, then leaving for a week and coming back to do the same next Friday, like some sort of jackass.
Nah. Thought better of it.
I think I'll just say "Thanks Brad!" instead. Seriously. Can't wait anymore. What was that about you guys not having any security? Hmm... sounds like it's time to break out the 'ol grappling hook and get me a beta license the old fashioned way.
Message edited by prbroste on 3/3/2006 - 6:55 PM
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3/3/2006 - 2:23 PM
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Los Angeles
303 posts
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DP
Message edited by prbroste on 3/3/2006 - 2:26 PM
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3/3/2006 - 2:25 PM
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Washington, USA
3581 posts
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*double post, it said an error occurred lol.
---
401 made me switch from Linux to OSX so i could use it. Guess i should be glad it didn't ask for more. :)
Message edited by Lee Olayvar on 3/3/2006 - 2:26 PM
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3/3/2006 - 2:26 PM
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Orlando, FL
568 posts
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Thanks Brad!
We really appreciated the status reports!! I am really sick of companies that have the attitude of "It will be done when its done, so shut up and stop asking questions."
-Tim
modoArchiver coming soon...
http://www.vimeo.com/channels/modoarchiver
------------------------------------
www.cgmstudios.com
www.twitter.com/concussiongfx
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3/3/2006 - 2:29 PM
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Los Angeles
303 posts
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Quote from BradPeebler :
the issue I am referring to is seemingly Windows only.
BP
Well heck then... I'll take 201 for my G5 next week, thank you!
;-)
Oh, and Brad... Let the battle begin!
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3/3/2006 - 2:31 PM
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Edmonton, Canada
181 posts
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Cats are my favourite animals. Those are some fanastic cat pictures.
------
Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe. -- Albert Einstein
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3/3/2006 - 2:31 PM
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Paderborn, Germany
906 posts
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Great images. I am especially impressed with the landscape.
Thats looking really impressive!
Thanks for keeping us informed. I hope you guys track that bug
down and squash it. Take your time.
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3/3/2006 - 2:31 PM
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173 posts
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Woot, Its friday. yeayeayea
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3/3/2006 - 2:34 PM
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London, UK
7321 posts
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Quote from BradPeebler :
the issue I am referring to is seemingly Windows only
Does that mean you'll release 201 for Mac earlier? ;)
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3/3/2006 - 2:35 PM
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California
3687 posts
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Quote from Captain Obvious :
Does that mean you'll release 201 for Mac earlier? ;)
Err i hope not, it'll make us PC user feel like second class citizens, kinda like how Mac users get the short end of the stick in the good old Zbrush land..
No, its all or nothing!
The human race is going through a shift in consciousness, from 3D to 5D. Reattach to your higher self and wake up! 10/10/10-11/11/11-12/21/12
Message edited by Son Kim on 3/3/2006 - 2:40 PM
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3/3/2006 - 2:39 PM
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