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Author Topic: Forest Pack Pro 6.0.8 beta  (Read 6109 times)

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Forest Pack Pro 6.0.8 beta
« on: May 25, 2018, 12:04:16 PM »
    Forest Pack 6 beta is now available for testing. Registered users of Forest Pack Pro can download the upgrade from the User Panel->Beta versions. For any question about this release, please use the Forest Pack beta forum.

    Note: Beta versions include new features and fixes, but a beta version is NOT the final version of the product and therefore we don't guarantee there won't be errors that may disrupt the computer's operation and/or result in data loss. Use it always at your own risk.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.8
    • Added support for V-Ray Next final (v4.02.04).
    • Fixed: Display->Render->Mode has no effect in Arnold (always is set as "Automatic").
    • Fixed: Forest Color doesn't work in Arnold if Display->Render Mode is set to "Meshes".
    • Fixed issues with rotated Distribution maps.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.7
    • Added improvements to Update Manager.
    • Fixed animation modes in Arnold.
    • Fixed issues with Custom Edit mode and Effects which modify items position.
    • Added mechanism to search automatically the texture maps, and add them to "Customize->Configure User Paths->External Files".
         * First time Forest is used, it collects all folders with name "maps" in the Library paths (defined at Library Browser->Options).
         * These paths are added to the registry at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Itoo Software\Forest Pack Pro\TexturePaths.
         * In a second phase, all paths defined in "TexturePaths" are added to External Files (this part works in same way that previous versions).
         * The process is executed silenty in render nodes, and can be disabled setting "collectTexturePaths = 0" and "checkTexturePaths = 0" in forestpack.ini.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.6
    • Added Areas->"Force Open Splines". When enabled, treats all splines in the Area as open, applying the "Thickness" parameter.
    • Distributions from Particle Flow can be filtered by Event.
    • Added new attribute to Effects:
         * 'particleFlowEventID': returns a numeric ID from the Event of a Particle Flow. The ID is generated as the first number found in the Event description.
            For example: particles generated from 'PF Source 01->Event 02' get ID = 2.
         * 'particleRotation', 'particleScale': rotation and scale of particle in Particle Flow distributions.
    • Added support for "Physical Material" and Arnold "Standard Surface" in Material Optimizer.
         * The tool cannot convert to those materials, just can apply Forest Color/Edge and the optimizations.
    • Forest Tools now disables FP objects using Display->Build->"Disable Object", instead setting Custom Objects to "Disabled", as before. This method is more suitable for the Forest Lister.
    • Distribution by Path->"Follow Path" can be defined for X and Z axies.
    • Fixed bug with 'Align' in PFlow distributions: the rotation in degrees was computed as radians.
    • Main configuration of the plugin can be defined using environment variables:
         * Each registry key used in the configuration may be replaced by a variable, replacing non alphanumeric characters by '_'.
            For example: for "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Itoo Software\Forest Pack Pro\MainDir", you must define the variable "ITOO_SOFTWARE_FOREST_PACK_PRO_MAINDIR"
         * The minimum variables to run Forest Pack are the following:
              For Network licenses:
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_FOREST_PACK_PRO_MAINDIR=C:\Program Files\Itoo Software\Forest Pack Pro
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_LICENSES_LICENSEDIR=C:\ProgramData\Itoo Software\Licenses
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_FOREST_PACK_PRO_USELICSERVER=1
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_FOREST_PACK_PRO_LICSERVHOST=192.168.1.20
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_FOREST_PACK_PRO_LICSERVPORT=16720
            For Stand-alone licenses:
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_FOREST_PACK_PRO_MAINDIR=C:\Program Files\Itoo Software\Forest Pack Pro
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_LICENSES_LICENSEDIR=C:\ProgramData\Itoo Software\Licenses
               ITOO_SOFTWARE_FOREST_PACK_PRO_USELICSERVER=0
         * If you define the variables in a .BAT file, be sure to not include any space at both sides of the '=' symbol, or it will not work (this is a known Windows issue).
         * Environment variables are used only by the Max plugin. Other tools as the License Manager requires configuration registry keys yet.
         * If both registry keys and environment variables are defined, the variables have precedence over keys (priority order is Variables->HKLM->HKCU).

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.5
    • Added support for Arnold 5.1 and MaxToA 2.0, both in Max 2018 and Max 2019.
         * Forest doesn't longer work with Arnold 5.0. The upgrade to 5.1 is a requirement. It can be downloadeded from here: https://www.solidangle.com/arnold/download/#3dsmax
         * Forest Color and Forest Edge are supported turning on "Legacy 3ds Max Map support" in Render Settings->System.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.4
    • Added support for V-Ray Next beta 3.
          * Problems with Max 2013/2014 and V-Ray Next are solved as well.
    • Fixed crashing bug in V-Ray RT when Geometry items have not valid object assigned.
    • This feature is removed: "Faster load of V-Ray and Corona proxies". It was causing several issues in Corona Renderer.
    • Fixed missing User Paths in Library Browser->Options.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.3
    • Added support for 3DS Max 2019.
    • Added Arnold support.
          * Forest Color and Edge mode are not currently supported. Both require an update to Arnold, which is expected within the next few months.
          * The builtin library doesn't include Arnold materials yet. We'll upgrade it on next updates.
    • Fixed: Distribution by Path generates same distribution for each sub-spline.
    • Fixed: Display->Viewport Mode overrides Render Mode on V-Ray IPR.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.2
    • Added support for V-Ray Next beta 2.
         * Note: actually there is a problem with Max 2013 and 2014 causing a crash on render. We're investigating this issue. Other Max versions work fine.
    • Added "Select all Forest dependences" to the quad menu.
         * It selects the Forest object together all their dependences (geometries, areas, surfaces, etc).
    • Fixed crash rendering nested FP object without any material assigned.
    • Fixed potential crash with animation maps returning negative values.
    • Fixed freezing issue with nested objects and V-Ray IPR.
    • Fixed bug in Effects expressions with functions returning vectors.
    • Fixed freezing issue with V-Ray RT on IPR mode.
    • Fixed: excluding areas from FP objects are not updated correctly in some renderers.
    • Fixed: some parameters are not updated in the interface when are animated using Autokey.
    • Fixed rare crash when Forest object is created.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.1
    • Fixed freezing bug when a nested FP object is used in more than one Forest.
    • Fixed: "Geometry->Consolidate Materials" is always on, regardless of the checkbox.
    • Fixed problems with Layered Lawns library.
    • Fixed: surfaces are cleared when importing a preset from library.
    • The "XRef Unit's mistmach" popup (shown when loading from library) can be disabled setting disableXRefPopups=1 in forestpack.ini, or from "General->Configuration->Disable Popups".
         * "General->Configuration->Disable Popups" will disable ALL Forest popus, not only this one.
         * Before turning off the popup, double check that "Rescale the XRef Objects" is on, as default option. If not, libraries will be not loaded correctly.
    • Initial computing of Point-cloud now is multi-thread. That should improve a bit the load of heavy models.

    Forest Pack Pro 6.0.0

    New Features and changes
    • Added support for V-Ray Next beta 1.
    • New memory management system. Scattering performance is increased up to 150% with large distributions.
    • Improved stability with V-Ray IPR.
    • Faster load of V-Ray and Corona proxies.
      • Viewport now uses a quick draft of the proxy, instead the full mesh as before.
      • Note: To use Point-cloud with Corona proxies, it's necessary to set the Proxy Viewport method to "Full Mesh".

    • Updated UI
      • Added General->Settings icon. This button lets you to configure global settings for all FP objects, including:
        • Visible Rollups. Lets to hide Forest rollups from the Modify panel.
        • Disable Popups (moved from the General rollup).
      • Group Boxes are collapsible. State is global and saved between Max sessions.
      • Resizeable lists (such as Geometry List). State is local to each Forest object and saved with the scene.
      • Added new Icon mode to Creation panel.that lets you to create an empty Forest object, and edit it later from the Modify panel.
      • Added item tooltip to the listboxes. Put cursor over an row to see the full item name.

    • Added new Distribution modes (available from the Distribution rollup)
      • Image, the default mode in previous versions.
      • Using Reference objects, by Pivot point or Mesh faces.
      • Along a path.
      • From a Particle Flow.
        NB Reference and Path modes replaces Tree Editor->Creation Tools, which have been removed.


    • Effects
      • Added attributes for Particle Flow distribution: particleAge, particleSpeed.
      • Added a generic property to the items in Tree Editor: User ID.
        • This value can be edited by the user and read in Forest Effects, for any use.
        • Also it's used for some special purposes. For example, in Distribution->Path mode it stores the item counter along the path.
      • Added new transform attributes:
        • "fpItem.xrotaxis", "fpItem.yrotaxis", "fpItem.zrotaxis": rotation of Forest Item expressed as a system of 3 vectors.
      • New Parameter types: Texture maps and Curves.
      • Multiple effects per Forest object.
      • Added new Effect attributes for new paths mode:
        • distPathPos: Normalized position of item on path (Distribution by Path only).
        • distPathTangent: Tangent vector of path on item position (Distribution by Path only).
      • When fpItem.geomID is greater than maximum ID, result is the remainder, not the maximum value as before.
      • 30 Effects added to the library.

    • iToo Software Update Manager
      • New manager for downloading, installing and managing Forest Pack content including libraries, presets and effects.
      • Separates the library content from the application.
      • Download new libraries, presets and effects at any time.


    • Libraries and Presets
      • Surface parameters are now imported from Library presets.
      • New starter library - 23 new trees in 11 species.

      • New grass presets designed to work in layers. 26 variations.

      • New vertical walls presets

      • 13 new distribution maps.

    • Raised Distribution->Max.Density default value (from 20 to 40 mill.)
    • Improved viewport performance with Camera features.(When camera changes, Forest is updated only is some Camera feature is used).
    • Added Maxscript function: getSelected(). Returns indexes of items selected on Custom Edit mode (array of integers).
    • Material->Forest Shader parameters are removed from the interface. These are used only for billboards in Mental Ray and if needed, you can modify them from Maxscript as: fastopac, tracedepth, opaclevel, selfillum, irradiance.
    • Appended source name to Library objects imported in the "forest_templates" layer (i.e. "_forest_library_H4AXKAQ_birch_01").
    • "Tree Editor" is renamed to "Items Editor". Replaced other references from "trees" to "items"
    • Added Display->Point-cloud Style: Small or Large Dot. Value is global to all Max scenes.
    • "Camera->Limit to Visibility" and "Look-at->On" are off by default.
    • Main Forest folder is moved from "C:\Program Files (x86)\Itoo Software\Forest Pack Pro" to "C:\Program Files\Itoo Software\Forest Pack Pro"
    • 32 bit versions and legacy plugins (Forest Pro 2.x) are removed.

    Fixes
    • Fixed: items dissapear when using Undo/Redo in Custom Edit mode
    • Fixed: Items are not visible on viewport while using Interactive Render (both V-Ray and Corona).
    • Fixed: "XRef Material->Override" option is ignored when building the Forest automaterial.
    • Fixed: Changes in the Geometry List don't modify existing items in Custom Edit mode.
    • Fixed updating issue with Color Swatch controls in PBStore.
    • Fixed behaviour of Forest Lister when rollups order is changed.
    • Fixed several issues of General->Presets. Now Areas, Surfaces and Effects are not saved with the preset.
    • Fixed: Geometry->Color ID doesn't support Copy/Paste.
    • Fixed crash loading nested library objects.
    • Fixed: Items with high values of random Translation are placed outside of its area.
    • Fixed: Effects Editor cannot load JPG thumbnails.
    • Fixed: Both Point-cloud and mesh are drawn on viewport when Display->Render->Mode is set to "Meshes".
    • Fixed: Tree Editor->Add inserts multiple items for LOD objects.
    • Fixed: User toolbars using Forest actions are reset when Max is loaded.
    • Fixed crash loading scenes with LOD linked to a XRef.
    • Fixed: Camera in Deadline render jobs is not updated, when using "Camera->Auto assign to active view".
      NOTE: to make it work, be sure to select a Camera as current view, when render job is submitted to Deadline. It WILL FAIL if current view is a not a camera (as perspective, top view, etc.)
    • Fixed issue with missing references when a library item is used both in the main and a XRef scene.
    • Effects
      • Fixed "controller returns invalid type" warning when a Controller Parameter is linked to a rotation control.
      • Fixed: Error reading constant values in expressions with regional settings which not use "." as decimal point.
      • Fixed: Z value of fpItem.areaIncNearest and fpItem.areaExcNearest now matches with item's Z position. 
      • Fixed: Parameter->Default range is limited to 0-100 for real and integer types.
    [/list]
    Carlos Quintero
    iToo Software