Not only do we have the incredible iClone4 to play with, but Reallusion has also released four bumper content packs to coincide with the release.
Check out the fantastic artwork and then click the links to find out all the information on these new iClone4 exclusive packs.
FLOWING HAIR ELEMENTS VOLUME 1
FLOWING SKIRT ELEMENTS VOLUME 1
The great news is that iClone4 has now been released. This next generation of iClone is absolutely bursting at the seams with new features that will honestly blow your mind. There are just so many new “goodies” it’s difficult to know where to start.
If you want to find out all about this incredible new release then the best place to start is the Reallusion product pages. There you will find all about the new features as well as links to tutorials, samples and links to some great bundle offers for iClone4.
If you haven’t already seen them, below is a list of the iClone4 Sneak Preview videos released so far. These show off the amazing new features coming with this exciting new upgrade.
iClone4 is scheduled for release at the end of the month.
If you have ever used iClone’s sister product Crazytalk 5 or 6 you will already know about puppeteering. Well the great news is that this fantastic system that allows advanced facial animation to be created layer by layer is now coming to iClone4.
At first glance the puppeteering panel can be a little bit daunting, but really it isn’t. There are basically two ways of working with puppeteering and these are using full face profiles or using solo feature control.
When working with Puppet Profiles you just select a profile from the list (see image) and then choose one of the Full Face Control options. This will automatically highlight the appropriate areas of the face ready to animate. Then it’s simply a case of having a dummy run by pressing Preview or actually recording your puppeteering by pressing Record.
Solo Feature Control works the same way but instead of selecting pre-set profiles, you choose the areas of the face you wish animate by clicking them directly on the wireframe head yourself. Then preview or record as before. Either method you choose, once recording begins you just use your mouse to make each facial feature move. Want to make your avatar blink? Just click the mouse button. It’s very simple really.
What is so great about Puppeteering is that you don’t have to do everything in one pass. You build up the facial animation in layers and in any order you like. Work with eyebrows, chin, cheeks, eyes etc, step by step until you have compiled a detailed facial animation of your liking.
To see Puppeteering in action, check out the video below. This will give you a great insight into what you can achieve with Puppeteering and iClone4.
It was announced a while back that iClone4 will not feature a fourth generation of avatars (G4) as it did in previous releases. Now like this move or not, there is still much to look forward to when it comes to your actors in IC4 and here I’ll give you a taster of what’s coming our way soon.
Not having G4 avatars does have its plus points for some after all. One thing I think was not expected by Reallusion is that as soon you release a new generation of avatars, many users will immediately think of the older models as now being redundant. Why I couldn’t understand personally, but this was the reality. This became quite an issue with iClone3 with its G3 avatars because there was no CloneCloth specifically for G3 avatars available on release. This prompted many to complain that this was a major failing. It didn’t matter that you could quite easily add a G3 head to your G2 CloneCloth bodies, the fact there was no G3 CloneCloth was a big issue to many and they let it be known on the RL forum. In fact it was nearly 10 months before G3 CloneCloth was released but finally we have Generation 3 avatars and a Clothing system to match and generally people are happy with the way things are.
Now If you have recently invested in G3 CloneCloth you may not have been happy to think that G4 avatars were going to appear in iClone4 so soon after the release of G3 CloneCloth. Well this is not the case so overall I think the majority will be happy… I hope.
So no G4 avatars, but we do have G4 heads in which while not affecting the clothing situation does mean greater control of not only how your avatar will look but also how you can animate the facial features of your actors.
So what do we have to look forward to in iClone4.
DETAIL MODE
While at first glance when switching to Head/Face, things may look the same as iClone3 but believe me they are not. Now you have a couple of small but very important new buttons on the Modify Panel that you will be using a lot in the future.
At the bottom of the Modify Panel you have a button marked Detail. Pressing this will give you the Modify Detail window seen above. This new window enables you to select one or more of the blue points and easily move them with your mouse to mould your avatars face into something new and original.
You can switch from Front, Right and Left to work on and your changes appear instantly on your avatar in the preview window.
It really is a simple but amazingly effective process. Within seconds you can have your avatar looking exactly how you want him to. Want the eyes closer together? No problem. Bigger lips? No problem.
RANDOMIZE
If you want a new character for your movie but don’t fancy creating it yourself then the Randomize button is perfect for you. You know, when you like “Surprise Me”.
This is just a simple process that involves 1) Choosing one of the nine facial features, then 2) setting the Variation slider for the amount of difference you want to be from the original, and then 3) Press the Randomize button to see the effect.
You can click the Randomize button as many times as you like but if you end up with something grotesque, then simply hit the reset button and try again. All in all its a feature that once you have it, you’ll wonder how you managed without it. Need a cast of extras for your scene. Just a few clicks and you’ll have them with iClone4.
Next up we will look at iClone4 Puppeteering. That’s right, the brilliant facial animation system from Crazytalk comes to iClone.
PLEASE NOTE: All the information and features contained in this preview is based on a development version of iClone4 and are subject to change before the final release.
Rumour no more. At Siggraph earlier this month, Reallusion officially unveiled iClone4. Just twelve months after iClone3 was released, this latest incarnation is feature packed as the evolution of the 3D Movie Machine continues apace.
Even though it’s only been a year, this latest version doesn’t just a add a few minor improvements, but packs a mighty punch with some seriously impressive new features.
To whet your appetite, here are the major new features you can find in iClone4.
REAL TIME 3D and VIDEO COMPOSITING. iClone4 allows you to insert videos for any texture channel such as background, prop, water, particle, image layer.
HDR and IBL EFFECTS. The HDR ( High Dynamic Range ) effect in iClone4 accurately represents the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to shadows. The IBL (Image Base Lighting) feature helps you create colourful ambient light effect with one single image or video.
DRAG & DROP EDITING. Instead of using the Content Manager or Import to load your assets, you can now drag and drop desired files into the iClone Preview Window directly from Windows Explorer. It's quick and it's easy.
MOTION PATHING. Motion Path is a simple method to plan your route beforehand for any object or character to follow or blend between path to path.
3D FACIAL PUPPETEERING. iClone4 interfaces facial animation with revolutionary real-time puppeteering controls for full face or bone level control. If you have used Crazytalk puppeteering you’ll be right at home as iClone4 uses the same easy to use system.
MATERIAL SHARING. In addition to retrieving a material, iClone4 allows you to apply retrieved materials to other objects. This method allows these objects to be mapped with a single material without increasing the size of the project.
PARTICLE SOFTNESS and FACE ANGLE. iClone4 allows you to decrease the seams as the particles intersect with other objects in the scene. This vastly improves the realism of the particles.
TRANSITION CURVE. iClone4 now provides a complete solution which allows you to define the curve between key frames as "Step", "Ease In", "Ease Out" for more natural movement.
As well as the major features listed above, iClone4 also features a large number of more minor improvements. Leading up to the release of iClone4 next month I’ll be posting some more detailed information on using the new features. Stay tuned.
iClone Daily is now on Twitter. If you are into the world of twittering , or even if you haven’t a clue what it is, why not head over to http://twitter.com/iCloneDaily and check it out for the latest iClone and Crazytalk updates.
