Autodesk Maya 2016

Autodesk Maya 2016 is development of a packet of computer graphics and animation of Autodesk Maya.

On March 3, 2015 the Autodesk company released the version of Autodesk Maya 2016 for creation of computer graphics and animation^[1].

Screenshot of application window 2015

In 2015 the development team of Autodesk Maya selected several main directions of development of the program and its opportunities:

• Updating of the interface
• Animation and application performance
• Visualization and development of images
• Expansion of opportunities for simulyatsionny modeling
• Expansion of opportunities for procedural modeling

Changes in the interface of the program

The version of Autodesk Maya 2016 received the updated interface and remained is right to own traditions.

Autodesk Maya 2016, 2015 interface

Thanks to support of libraries based on Qt, developers as much as possible paid attention to stylization of basic elements of UI. Having as much as possible got rid of "volume" elements, they managed to create the simple and clear interface without the excessive, sometimes difficult perceived forms. New UI perfectly is entered in the concept of interfaces of modern operating systems, whether it be Windows, Mac OS X or Linux.

Practically all main icons are updated. New icons and processing of the interface of the program are caused first of all by development of technologies of displays with a high density and permissions. For the last months, many of producers of a computer hardware began to release displays with the resolution of 4K (3840х2160 pixels) that significantly increases density of dots per square inch, but can reduce the sizes of elements of the interface considerably. Users of modern Macintosh computers are familiar with this technology thanks to MacBook Pro computers with Retina Display.

Parameters of scaling of elements of the interface in the Preferences dialog box, 2015

Autodesk Maya 2016 supports standard fonts that allows to use fonts of the OpenType, TrueType and Postscript types on any operating system.

Thanks to reorganization and processing of many menu items, it became more convenient to execute navigation on numerous tools of the program. And those elements which occupied personal regiments earlier are transferred to the menu and got the icons.

Example of the updated Rigging menu with the postponed Maya Muscle tools, 2015

The editor of the hot keys — Hotkey Editor is updated. It stopped being too "programmer" and became more friendly to the user.

The new editor of the Hotkey Editor hot keys in Maya 2016, 2015

Evident representation of the keyboard facilitates orientation of arrangement of keys, and the functions appointed by it. Thanks to the list with menu items or tools of the program it is possible to select this or that item and further to appoint or change a combination.

This version of Maya provided to the users a set of small, but long-awaited changes and new products in the interface. One more pleasant trifle it is possible to call emergence of convenient buttons for creation of tabs in such editors as Script Editor and Node Editor and also in Hypershade.

Dialog box of the editor of Node Editor with several tabs, 2015

The graphic subsystem of Maya 2016 is also changed. For June 11, 2015 for display of virtual space and models in a scene the Viewport 2.0 engine is used, it was developed for the last 4 years and had new opportunities. In 2016 versions developers continued its development and made several important changes.

Changes in a graphic core

Expanding functionality and possibilities of tools, rather serious help in Maya of early versions was the fact that the program used the second version of API OpenGL 2.x which was outdate to modern measures.

The graphic core and the engine of visualization of Viewport 2.0 in 2016 were completely transferred to the version of Maya to the modern version of API OpenGL 4.x. Now at start of Maya in the Output Window dialog box or the Terminal window (for Linux and Mac OS X OS), the version of OpenGL used by Maya is displayed.

Transition to the new version of OpenGL helped to implement possibilities of modern graphic API and use of opportunities of the ShaderFX tools without switching of Viewport 2.0 to DirectX.

Important change in Maya 2016 - optimization of a core of the program and implementation of support of multithreading.

Changes in program performance

In Maya 2016 developers paid attention not only to new tools, but also an internal program runtime. The version is optimized under multi-core processors and received the powerful tool for monitoring of how the program uses possibilities of CPU in the course of calculations. This important updating will be very useful to specialists in equipment (threshing barn/set up) of digital characters and animators.

Performance improvement with Evaluation Manager

The Evaluation Manager (EM) modes define how to execute Maya scene assessment, separating work among available computing resources of CPU and GPU for performance improvement. It works in the background, using the existing Maya mechanism for draft distribution and representation of your scene to Forward Evaluation Graph (FG) converts Directed Graph (DG). After FG is created, draft distribution is turned off, and Evaluation Shedule (ES) is under construction. ES estimates nodes (notes) which are in a scene in the correct order. Thus, the scene creates the same result, as with the cornerstone "classical" Directed Graph.

FG defines dependences between scene elements; if two nodes (note) in a scene are independent, they are good candidates for parallel processing on different processors / flows.

One of three operation modes of Evaluation Manager is available:

• DG — Is used determination on the basis of Dependency Graph. This mode is used by default in the previous versions of Maya (till 2016).
• Serial — In this mode is used new Evaluation Manager, but limits determination on one core (serial evaluation). This mode was used by default before Maya 2016.
• Parallel — this mode implements the parallel mode of assessment and uses all available computing cores for scene assessment. It is used by default in Maya 2016.

The GPU Override parameter represents expansion of opportunities of the Evaluation Manager modes for acceleration of deformations if they are found in the Serial or Parallel modes. If for geometry in your scene standard deformer are used, it can give a performance benefit. Results can vary depending on deformer and density of a grid of geometry in your scene. The GPU Override mode works only with Viewport 2.0.

Example of the scene with a tyrannosaur used for testing of work of the Evaluation modes, 2015

In the DG mode the program uses generally only two cores (flow) of the processor for processing of nodes in a scene. Pay attention that the basic elements requiring calculations are processed, having just typed in the sequence, and are not distributed between available cores in the processor in any way. Respectively on more difficult models and threshing barns such approach was the least productive, and overall performance decreased just catastrophically.

The corrected Serial mode works differently. Though it is also adapted on serial processing, cores of the processor are loaded more evenly and everyone executes the transactions.

The Parallel mode allows to distribute more fully calculations on each of cores (flows) of the processor. When it is activated, the program tries to distribute calculations of nodes and their actions between all available cores of the processor.

Parallel tries to distribute a set of the same tasks between several cores, and those that require simple and minimum efforts, are simply distributed between two cores.

Use of GPU in the course of a program runtime - at start of Maya defines existence in the system of the graphic accelerator and gives about it summary information. Two GPU — NVIDIA Quadro K2000 and K4000 are installed in the workstation used for writing of article, the second is used in quality with - the accelerator. In Terminal the following information on a graphic subsystem is output:

• Initialized VP2.0 renderer { }
• OpenCL evaluator is attempting to initialize OpenCL.
• Detected 1 OpenCL Platforms:
• 0: NVIDIA Corporation. NVIDIA CUDA. OpenCL 1.1 CUDA 6.5.20.
• Supported extensions: cl_khr_byte_addressable_store cl_khr_icd cl_khr_gl_sharing
• cl_nv_compiler_options cl_nv_device_attribute_query cl_nv_pragma_unroll
• OpenCL evaluator choosing OpenCL platform NVIDIA Corporation.
• Choosing OpenCL Device Quadro K4000. Device Type: GPU Device is available.

The program defined that in a system there is OpenCL the device — Quadro K4000, and for processing of Evaluation Modes it will be used. If to activate the GPU Override parameter, in a specific window information on application of GPU and the amount of memory used for calculations will be displayed.

Depending on complexity a threshing barn and the nodes (notes) participating in calculations load of GPU can vary. In an example with a tyrannosaur of GPU it was slightly loaded in the course of reproduction of animation and transformations, however it does not mean that it is practically not used – the load was from about 4 to 7 percent.

The instrument of profiling in Maya (Profiler Tool)

In programming profiling is used for the analysis of accomplishment of certain blocks of the code and functions and measurement of time spent for their accomplishment. It is especially relevant during the work with multithreaded applications and their development. Maya is rather functional platform and has different tools which differently can load the central processor. For identification of how possibilities of CPU are used, in Maya 2016 the new tool — Profiler Tool was implemented.

Dialog box of the editor of Profiler Tool from the animation written in the course of reproduction displayed by record of profiling, 2015

The interface of the editor of profiling is simple. Everything that it is necessary - to specify amount of memory, occupied by data and to click Start Recording. Start animation and wait until the profiler completes record. And he finishes it as soon as reaches the memory buffer volume set in the field of Buffer Size.

Practically all modern technologies available in Maya give in to profiling and data writing, received using this tool. For search of a necessary element and its display in the graph of the profiler, it is possible to use the Search field or the Search Options dialog box.

The instrument of profiling supports a possibility of expansion of its functionality and implementation of new categories of records.

Visually columns of profiling it is provided by several modes. The first mode — Category View which displays all records on categories. Those categories which were selected from the Record/View Categories list will be displayed in this mode.

All usual methods of navigation in a working space are available and are applied in Profiler Tool. The following display mode of information — CPU View. This mode allows to trace how the selected types of categories use possibilities of each of available processors in a system. In modern understanding, the processor for the software, first of all, is the core, but not the physical processor installed in the workstation. Each of processed at a given time and on a certain processor an element will be presented in the form of the separate block in a line of a core on which it is executed.

Display mode of CPU View, 2015

The Thread View mode, is responsible for data mapping on the column of profiling, distributing it on flows.

In this mode it is possible to trace as flows at accomplishment of that are used or ache transactions. For the program the operating system selects flows in which there is accomplishment of calculations and data processing.

Changes in instruments of data exchange

With Maya LT entry into the market individual developers of game and interactive applications had a number of new opportunities for integration into such engines as Unity and Unreal Engine. In full-fledged Maya 2016 this functionality is added to the program and the new editor for setup of export to game engines received.

The version of Maya for Mac OS X and Windows in the File menu has several new commands allowing to execute export of model or scene to one of modern game engines. Maya supports export of models to Unity and Unreal Engine, and also received the new Game Exporter tool.

Example of model of a wooden box and new features of the File menu and Game Exporter dialog box, 2015

Using function of export to Unity or and using the FBX format you can export your scene in the form of assets for the subsequent application in the game engine to Unreal Engine.

For use of cloud opportunities the group of tools under the general name Cloud Import/Export is added to Maya 2016. In the presence of the general account for Autodesk services, it is enough to execute an input in the user profile of Autodesk service 360 and to export a scene straight from Maya, having defined her name and a format. Autodesk 360 allows to store files and to organize collective work, distributing the created files between users. The system of commenting of files is available.

In addition to native cloud services of Autodesk the DropBox service is available.

Changes in modeling tools and editing UV

Since 2014 versions, in a packet of Autodesk Maya began to implement new tools for modeling and creation of UV of development. In 2014 versions there was Modelling Toolkit, and in 2016 versions it became even more densely integrated into Maya and replaced with itself(himself) many of the outdate and duplicated modeling tools.

In this version of Maya, in connection with change of the interface, a few different approach to creation of objects is implemented. Now each new object will be created by default in the stage center with coordinates 0, 0, 0.

Maya Marking Menus underwent cosmetic changes. Now by default in them the icons symbolizing this or that tool will be displayed. It will allow to find much easier the necessary tool and to use it. The updated Marking Menus became slightly more in the amount of, and the text more readable. Other Marking Menus did not undergo cardinal changes. Instruments of setup remained former.

One more innovation of Maya 2016 — display of parameters of modeling tools straight in a specific window. This function received the name In-View Editor and allows to perform directly in a specific window tuning of this or that tool.

The updated instruments of transformations are uniform now and do not require switching between MTK and the standard Maya tools. It allowed to achieve bigger convenience and to fix such problem as switching between the MTK mode and a standard mode of transformations.

One more considerable updating was received by the instrument of determination of provision of a point Pivot. Considering that MTK provided own implementation of Pivot, in 2016 versions of Maya, due to consolidation of classical instruments of transformation and MTK, Pivot received a number of changes. It can be defined for top, an edge and an edge, to use classical tools for determination of the provision Pivot with a binding to a reference grid.

Skulpting in Maya

In Maya rather powerful and functional tools of brushes are implemented long ago. In due time in the program tools, rather interesting to the time, for a molding were implemented. A decade later developers decided to update this functionality and to provide modern CG of artists with more modern solutions. It served implementation of the whole line of tools for a digital skulpting directly in Maya. In essence it is the technology inherited from Autodesk Mudbox for a digital molding. In addition, for sale of new tools, developers had to implement possibilities of the Mudbox engine in Maya thanks to what became possible to use geometry with high detailing.

Blend Shapes support. It is possible to use the Sculpting tools during creation of the new purposes for Blend Shapes.

Maya 2016 got rid of a number of duplicates of modeling tools, breakdown between several operation modes and received rather unified modeling process which can be pleasant to many artists, preferring classical approach to work.

Changes in editing UV of coordinates in Maya

One of the important directions which developers intensively develop in the latests version of Maya — improvement of instruments of editing UV. Developers began implementation of the Unfold3D tools and this version of Maya did not become an exception.

The editor of UV underwent little changes in the interface. On the main panel of the editor the action buttons representing 8 new tools for editing UV development are added. Practically all these tools are based on Unfold3D technologies.

In the version of Maya the color management mechanism allowing to use uniform color settings both in virtual space, and in the visualized image is implemented, the editor of UV also got support of opportunities of this technology. It is possible to include or disconnect Color Management and to select a necessary profile of color from the corresponding revealing list.

New tools which partly duplicate tools from the main panel were also added to two main menus of the UV Editor dialog box, and some perform special functions, but are not implemented in the toolbar. New tools for editing UV of development are based on work with the brushes determining the radius and force of influence. All key parameters of new instruments of editing UV can be configured in the Tool Settings panel.

One of functions of new UV Editor — Pin UV's. It will be useful when it is required to concentrate efforts on certain UV fields of development, but at the same time not to influence other areas. Unlike the Freeze UV Tool tool, the Pin UV's tool works not by the principle of a brush, and just fixes UV of top selected with you or the selected edges.

Improvements in OpenSubdiv

The OpenSubdiv technology which appeared in Maya 2015 developed by animation studio Pixar in the new version of Maya 2016 had two new opportunities.

• Adaptive subdivision method: the new method of division of surfaces OpenSubdiv Catmull-Clark Adaprive Subdivision uses GPU for generation of geometry with high resolution which can be visualized with a high performance of the hardware engine of visualization, without influence on scene performance. The Adaptive Subdivision method supports the high levels of a tesselyation and adjusts the tesselyation based on a camera position, representing geometry of the scene maleficiated depending on that there is it closer to the camera or is far from it. New OpenSubdiv Cutmull-Clark Adaptive is supported only on Windows platforms and Linux when OpenGL 4 and DirectX 11 compatible graphic accelerators is used.
• UV Tiling support: function is activated in the OpenSubdiv parameters for loading and the tiled textures display in a scene.

Changes in instruments of animation and visualization

One more important direction — visualization. Many visualizers, such as mental ray, V-Ray, RenderMan, 3delight are compatible to Maya, Arnold and others. At the expense of an open architecture of a format of data and representation of a set of elements of a scene of Maya, any engine of visualization can be very well adapted and optimized under its opportunities. In Maya 2016 new tools for color management appeared, capable it is correct to represent color both in windows of projections, and on the image visualized using a hardware or program visualizer.

In Maya 2016 program performance at the expense of new Evaluation Manager is increased. It was made first of all for performance improvement of work of animators who expected support of multithreading and the latest processors long ago. In addition to Evaluation Manager the additional parameter which is responsible for inclusion and an exception of a node of Evaluation Manager calculations is entered into Maya 2016 for optimization of calculations and loading in process of reproduction of animation and work with it.

Exception of nodes (nodes) of Evaluation Manager processing

The new status of a node (node behavior) of Frozen is created temporarily to turn off processing of problem nodes in the course of Evaluation Manager work.

Improvements in Motion Trails

The Motion Trails tools used in Maya for the analysis of the movement of objects in a scene in 2016 of the version had several new opportunities. Now it displays animation before and after the current frame as the animated object moves along a way of the movement with the displayed vertical locking (Show Frame Timing).

Updating of the editor of Blend Shapes

The editor of Blend Shapes underwent though minor changes, but allows to work with the system of a skulpting in Maya now.

In the editor several new features are added:

• Add New Target — allows to create the new purposes, on the basis of an original form.
• Edit — allows to activate the mode where it is possible to apply transformations and a skulpting to creation of the new purpose.
• Rebuild Blend Target — allows to rebuild Blend Shape purpose after editing.
• Remove target (trash can icon) — allows to delete the purpose from the Blend Shape node.

Support of selection of edges and edges deformer

There was an opportunity to add deformator (deformers) to the selected edges and edges. Maya will automatically transform edges and edges to tops when the deformator supporting polygonal objects is created.

In tools for animation there are no significant changes in comparison with considered by higher than performance the program.

Possibilities of instruments of visualization

Autodesk Maya 2016 received a number of updates in the tools connected with visualization.

Management system for Color Management color

The management system for color appeared in Autodesk Maya 2015 Extension 1 and was developed for two years. In version 2015 Extension 1 the first version of a new management system for color which was transitional from that which was used in Maya 2011 - 2015, to new which is implemented in Maya 2016 was implemented.

The main objective which was implemented by Maya developers and divisions of visualization — unification of process of work with color between a set of the most various applications and tools.

Tools for compositing as Autodesk Smoke, Autodesk Flame Premium, The Foundry NUKE (NUKEX and NUKE STUDIO) and also Blackmagic Fusion, fully support linear formats of images and are able to transform correctly them to space of sRGB or another which is used in system operation. One more moment — texture mapping in specific windows of projections and on final visualization. Now it is possible to select necessary settings of color profiles, both for Maya Viewports, and for mental ray for Maya and other visualizers supporting the new mechanism.

On the toolbar of the editor of Render View and on the toolbar of a specific window of a projection several new parameters are added. The first, in the form of the On/Off button, allows to include or disconnect a management system for color for the current specific window or for the visualized image. The second – the revealing list, with available color spaces.

One more important innovation in a new management system for color — support of the correct Floating Point display of images in specific windows of projections. Earlier it was necessary to adjust HDR of the image using different tricks, but now developers provided rather available and simple tools where it is possible to select the necessary color profile and it is correct to display HDR textures directly in a specific window of a projection.

The Color Profile parameter inherent in textural cards underwent little changes. Now there is no additional Color Profile button which was earlier, it is replaced with available profiles in the Color Profile list. If the scene is created in Maya of the previous versions, Maya 2016 automatically optimizes this attribute and will transform them to the sRGB profile.

In addition to representation of classical models of color profiles, Autodesk Maya 2016 supports the OpenColorIO (OCIO) standard developed by Sony Pictures Imageworks studio and successfully applied in production of modern movies and animation. The OCIO standard is also supported by modern solutions for compositing, such as NUKE from The Foundry company therefore now you can safely unify workflow as in Maya and the engine of visualization, and in the solution for compositing and post-processing.

One more of advantages of a new management system for color in Maya is the convenience of preserving of its parameters. All settings are saved in the XML file which can be edited in any simple text editor, is browsed in the normal browser.

The file of the OCIO configuration can be edited in the text editor for compatibility with workflow.

If several different formats of images with different digit capacity are used, it is possible to configure Color Management System on that it automatically applied to them necessary profiles of color. It can be executed in global settings of the program, in the section of Color Management. The group of parameters of Input Color Space Rules allows to configure rules for the imported images and the transformations of color applied to them.

With color management system implementation — Color Management, developers paid attention and to the choice of color. The Color Picker tool also received updating and now supports conversion of color from space sRGB in Linear. When using the pipette (Eyedropper) and if the Color Management system is activated, it is possible to receive correct color values, taken from any source. For example, from the picture in the web browser.

Updating of the editor of Hypershade (Lookdev Editor)

One of the most long-awaited changes in new Autodesk Maya 2016 — the processed editor of Hypershade. The development team which is responsible for instruments of visualization for 2014 did huge work, and implemented many wishes of users concerning the editor of Hypershade.

Though the name of the editor of Hypershade remained without changes, but developers for themselves preferred to give it a new name and called it in a most up-to-date way – Lookdev Editor.

The editor of Hypershade represents a modular window in which necessary elements can be disconnected from it and are used on other monitor or are simply hidden. As process of work means minimization of transitions between dialog boxes, added a new panel to Hypershade — Property Editor which represents attributes for the selected node of the graph of shaders. The Create/Bins panel is also separated. Now them it is possible to locate in different areas of the Hypershade window. The Browser panel contains tabs in which the basic elements of a scene which are responsible for visualization are provided: shaders of materials, textures, light sources, groups of shadowing and other categories of nodes. The main work area in which nodes among themselves integrate and the graph of shaders is browsed, it is decided to replace with the modern editor on the basis of Node Editor. The editor of Node Editor in the new version also underwent some changes, first of all — visual representation of nodes and communications between them.

Representation of nodes became more readable, it became easier to monitor communications between nodes. In addition to the usual Hypershade tools, use in a working environment of Hypershade of the Maya tools is available: Render View, Outliner, Viewport and others.

Nodes in the graph of shaders underwent several functional changes. Work with search of necessary attributes and the personalized sets of attributes is improved. Now the search mechanism works much quicker and can significantly help in search of necessary attributes of a node in the course of work.

Dense implementation of opportunities of Node Editor allows to avoid a set of old diseases of Maya connected with performance and quality of information representation about a scene.

Updating of mental ray for Maya 2016

The system of visualization mental ray continues the development though in interface 3ds Max and Maya not so often enter changes under new features of a visualizer, but the engine develops and continues to improve the opportunities. Autodesk Maya 2016 is the next round in development of mental ray integrated into it.

Changes began to enter into Maya 2014, experimenting with different opportunities and including them or disconnecting. So, in 2015 the version the new library of shaders of MILA (mental images layering shaders) was added, and the engine had a number of new opportunities which were available using String Options and in mental ray Standalone.

The interface and arrangement of the global mental ray for Maya parameters allows to use much less than the parameters for setup. Developers tried to optimize process of setup to a minimum, but at the same time to receive reasonable result in the course of visualization. With the advent of sublibrary of shaders of MILA (layering.so) need for optimization under outdated libraries of basic shaders and shaders from architectural.so library (mia_material_X) disappeared. It allowed to remove a number of functions which in the current development of a visualizer lost the relevance and to activate new opportunities which perfectly work with layering shaders.

According to a scene the technique of Light Importance Sampling allowing to expedite visualization of scenes with a large number of vulgar, photometric and geometrical light sources is used now, and management of global lighting is minimized, and at the heart of modern mental ray, for calculation of GI the Final Gather method with a number of optimization and support of calculations on GPU is used. Using GPU visualization of such effects of lighting and GI as Ambient Occlusion and Final Gather is available. It allows to increase the speed of calculations and, at the same time, to use graphic accelerators with support of architecture of NVIDIA CUDA.

One more significant change in mental ray for Maya — an output of separate passes of the image. In Maya 2009 the new system of visualization of separate passes of the image which did not change for several years is implemented. But with introduction of the new model of shadowing based on mila_material shaders, this section was reviewed, and mental ray began to execute much quicker visualization of images with several passes.

Visualization of a set of passes of images was one of enough difficult subjects for many artists. Maya intensively used for this purpose the Maya Render Layers and Pass Contribution Maps system, and with the advent of layering library of shaders, in mental ray the new model of an output of separate passes was implemented. But it differs from the system of an output of passes of library of shaders architectural.so. It also led to updating of all principle of work with passes to mental ray for Maya.

One more small opportunity can be useful to specialists who want to apply Deep Images to compositing of images in NUKE. Developers from NVIDIA decided to begin to implement functions for an output of OpenEXR of images with support of depth. At the moment this function is at an early stage of development and supports not all opportunities of mental ray. But implementation of support of Deep Compositing and Deep Images in mental ray is rather long-awaited opportunity among professional users who create a computer-generated imagery and wish to use standard means of mental ray for Maya.

Possibilities of Viewport 2.0

The graphic core representing your scene in virtual space of Viewport 2.0 continues the development and replenishment by new opportunities. As you remember, in Maya 2015 API DirectX support was implemented and also the bias on support of opportunities of the hardware shaders created using ShaderFX is made. It is rather demanded function among those developers of games and interactive applications who want to create the projects in a uniform environment of Maya, and only then to export the created data to the game engine.

In the Hardware Renderer 2.0 parameters the new feature — Hardware Fog was added to Autodesk Maya 2016. This function allows you to visualize effect of fog or mist without additional tricks. The effect at first sight can seem very simple, but in practice can yield very interesting result, especially if you visualize Playblast of a sequence and want to look how animation will look if to add a little fog.

It is possible to select recession type for simulation of recession of fog from distance, to configure its density and distance and also to define color and transparency.

In addition in Viewport 2.0 several new features are added:

• The option Hold-Out is available to each object through the Shape node
• Depth of field can be activated for each of windows of projections individually now and is included in the final visualized image.
• The new Deferred and Parallel modes for loading of materials (in the section of Display, the Prefernces dialog box) for improvement of loading of complex scenes allowing the user it is better to interact in the course of creation of materials and loading of textures.
• Blind data visualization
• Templates in the shadowing mode
• Active object pivot
• UV Editor supports now the Placement 2D Texture node so now it is possible to change attributes of the place2dTexture node and to visualize their changes in UV Editor and Viewport 2.0.
• Interactive sequence caching for acceleration of reproduction of sequences of images is entered
• Now the following types of shaders are supported: Solid Fractal, Volume Noise, Marble, Env Chrome, Env Sky, Env Sphere.

The graphic core of Viewport 2.0 becomes rather powerful hardware solution capable to provide substantial assistance in the course of preparation of scenes of varying complexity. Providing support of the modern mechanism of processing of the graph of nodes and parallel computings, Viewport 2.0 becomes the irreplaceable assistant for the animators and specialists working in the industry of development of games and interactive applications.

The Autodesk Maya 2016 system almost completely passed to integration with Modelling Toolkit, and now there is no vague separation of tools between Legacy tools and MTK. The new release is aimed not at changes in the interface or adding of new tools any more, and concentrated on completion of the tools which appeared in the latests version and one of the major components — program productivities. This moment raises the question connected with performance of the program for animators who long enough waited for implementation of support of multithreaded calculations. Autodesk Maya 2016 provides new approach in work with lighting, shaders and visualization.

Notes