Thinkinetic has released Pulldownit 4.5 for 3ds Max, the latest iteration of its shattering and dynamics plugin.
This update introduces a new Alembic exporter for exporting geometry caches to other software and enhances the performance when working with high-poly animated meshes.
New Alembic exporter simplifies geometry cache export
Similar to Pulldownit 4.5 for Maya, released last year, this update emphasizes improving the workflow for adding dust or fine debris to a fracture simulation.
In the 3ds Max version, the focus is on adding dust in an external application, with a new Alembic exporter for exporting geometry caches.
Thinkinetic claims that this exporter offers advantages over 3ds Max’s native Alembic exporter, including the option to combine all objects into a single cached Alembic mesh, leading to faster viewport playback.
Additionally, the ability to exclude non-animated objects or those with jagged faces is now available.
Performance and workflow enhancements
Significant performance gains have been achieved when working with high-poly deforming meshes, such as a character’s skin. Thinkinetic reports that simulations in the 3ds Max edition update up to twice as fast.
Other additions include an “Only Breaks” option, causing geometry to fracture without complete collapse. Also, users can now set fractures to propagate through geometry only at a specific animation frame.
Workflow improvements include an “Increase Selection” feature for incrementally expanding the selected fragment set and the option to select or toggle the visibility of all disabled rigid bodies within a scene.
Pricing and availability
Pulldownit 4.5 for 3ds Max is available for 64-bit Maya 2016+ on 64-bit Windows. New node-locked licenses are priced at €395 (approximately $445), while new floating licenses cost €495 ($558).
