This week we get started on animation, which is a big focus of the modo 401 release and will be the topic of several reveals in the coming weeks.  First, we delve into modo’s ability to layer transforms without the clutter and execution penalty of always having to create explicit hierarchical relationships in the scene. Then we move onto modo’s channel architecture, which has always offered deep flexibility in that all channels are treated equally and their values can all change over time (aka animation). Now in 401 you can link those channels to drive each other – and those channels can have a relationship. Not that kind of relationship – we mean a gradient curve can specify how and when one channel drives another (think Set Driven Key). When you can affect any channel of any object with another, the possibilities for scene orchestration grow exponentially. Taking this further, you can add your own User Channels, which are generic channels that you add to control other channels. To make it easier to work without breaking your concentration, we have added some new “heads up” tools for channel hauling and specifying channel relationships. Cue the videos!

Modeling Part II

modo 401 partially revealed. Click on a video below to play.