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The Foundry Unveils MODO 901

New version of 3D content creation software delivers new creative tools and enhances workflow and productivity.

LONDON -- On Tuesday technology developer The Foundry introduced its most significant MODO update, version 901, which delivers new creative tools and enhances workflow and productivity. MODO, a complete 3D content creation solution for design exploration, game creation, media production, including visual effects, enables artists and designers to ideate, iterate and refine their results to the highest quality in less time.

According to Pfeiffer Consulting, an independent technology research and benchmarking institute, today’s MODO already offers significant performance benefits over its nearest competitors. With the new 901 version, MODO further accelerates performance as well as delivering major advances in creativity and productivity. The Foundry unveiled MODO 901 at a live broadcast on Tuesday from Redwood City, California.

“When we began working on 901, we committed to bringing our customers the most powerful, relevant version of MODO to date,” said Shane Griffith, MODO product marketing manager at The Foundry. “We looked closely at how the roles of artists in our key markets are changing, the demands they face and how MODO can help them succeed in this shifting landscape. Also, we listened to our MODO customers and community to determine how best to make MODO the most stable, efficient solution for them. The result: MODO 901.”

At Tuesday’s broadcast, The Foundry provided a sneak peek at a few selected highlights from MODO 901, which will deliver more than 100 new features at launch later this spring. This functionality will impact the entire content creation process across all disciplines, including modeling, texturing, character animation and rendering. The 901 features previewed today include:

  • Better Booleans in every box, with the award-winning MeshFusion ($395 value) now included—for consistently high-quality results when combining objects
  • New progressive texture baking, featuring a ray tracing methodology which lets artists preview textures as they bake
  • New and improved tools for everyday modeling tasks, including Topological Symmetry, Split and Fill Slice tool option, Quad Fill Pattern mode, Linear and Radial Align and Multi-edge slicing
  • Better ways of working with both regular and UDIM multi-tiled UVs, with new workflows including better packing, transfers, straightening and alignment
  • Layered multi-resolution sculpting, with multiple sculpt layers at each mesh level, and the ability to transfer multi-resolution displacement vectors between meshes

“The inclusion of MeshFusion in 901 is fantastic news; it provides the most creative workflow I've seen for hard surface modelling,” said Grant Miller, creative director at Ingenuity Engine. “901 brings a host of modeling and interface improvements that really speed day-to-day work. It's great to see a focus on improving the core functionality, in addition to adding powerful new features.”

With MODO 901, The Foundry will introduce new pricing for new seats ($1,799), effective on or shortly after the commercial availability of 901. Customers can purchase 801 now (at current 801 prices) and automatically receive an upgrade to 901 when it becomes available. Current users on 701 or earlier can also upgrade to 801 now and automatically upgrade to 901 on shipment.

MODO 901 is expected to become commercially available at the end of May 2015, when the full feature list will be revealed.

Source: The Foundry

Jennifer Wolfe's picture

Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.