e-on software's 2021.1 release adds over 500 additional feature, performance and user experience enhancements including USD export technology preview, Nvidia Omniverse export presets, updated interoperability, new technology previews for PlantFactory importer plugins including support for Cinema4D and V-Ray 5, a new Leaf Cluster creation tool and over 300 new content assets.

Paris, France – February 10, 2021 – E-on software, a leading global developer of software for the creation, animation, rendering, and integration of natural 3D environments in the computer graphics, VFX, architecture, and gaming industries, announced the immediate availability of the 2021.1 Release of its VUE, PlantFactory and PlantCatalog Exporter software.

A new free trial version is also available of its VUE and PlantFactory software which includes all the updates from the new release.

The full release note details are available online at https://info.e-onsoftware.com/release-notes-february-2021

Support for Pixar’s Universal Scene Description (USD) - technology preview

VUE, PlantFactory⁽¹⁾ and PlantCatalog Exporter can now export assets to *.usda, *.usdc and *.usdz formats.

Because USD is still in development, the supported features during import and export vary by each application. As of this release, the following asset types are supported:

• Cameras and their properties such as depth of field, focal length etc.
• EcoSystems (static and animated) with and without USD point instances
• Single objects (static and animated)
• Materials

The company will add more features to the USD export as the file format itself continues to expand and support more content.

All three software titles also include a custom-tailored USD export preset dedicated to the recently released Nvidia Omniverse Open Beta.

Deeper integration with Cinema4D

The integration with Cinema4D has been completely revamped and encompasses:

• Rewritten scene export to *.C4D file format with cameras, hierarchies and animation
• Support for V-Ray 5 & Arnold in the conversion tool of the VUE plugin
• The first release of the PlantFactory technology preview plugin for C4D

Interoperability and integration technology updates

The VUE integration plugins are now supported in Autodesk 3ds Max 2021, Autodesk Maya 2020 and Cinema4D up to R23. Additionally, both VUE and PlantFactory plugins are now compatible with V-Ray 5. VUE Convert tools can now use native host application instancing technologies to convert EcoSystem populations such as Arnold procedurals (3ds Max, Maya and Cinema4D) or Cinema4D multi-instances.

The PlantFactory importer plugins technology previews are also now supported in 3ds Max 2019 to 2021, Maya 2019 to 2020 and Cinema4D R20 to R23

Leaf clusters

PlantFactory now offers a leaf clusters creation toolbox. A leaf cluster is a baked texture map of high-resolution geometry which can be used for deriving lightweight plants that work especially well in real-time environments.

Leaf clusters support baking of Color / Diffuse channels, normal maps, backlighting, Ambient Occlusion and highlights from up to three different perspectives. In addition, it will autogenerate a component based on the leaf node with one, two or three crossed planes, which can be loaded immediately from the content browser as a ready-to-go-asset.

Other notable new features in VUE and PlantFactory 2021.1

As with previous releases, e-on software has also added many other new features and UI/UX enhancements such as:

• All applications now natively support MacOS BigSur (running the apps on an M1 architecture still requires going through Rosetta 2 currently).
• Added support for the Substance GPU engine with expected speed gains of up to 200%, depending on the Substance material.
• Several new nodes in the Function Editor: For advanced normal map creation, RGB composer & decomposer as well as a "Normal" input; tree new cloud inputs: Cloud starting altitude, Cloud ending altitude and Cloud height.
• The Path Tracer now supports both Relighting and NPR.
• Real-world unit displacement mapping.
• Vastly improved UV unwrapping
• Up to 25% reduced computation time for complex plants with over a million polygons
• New 3D displacement functionality for the segment node for utilizing vector displacement
• New "Position in distribution" mode in the "Parent parameters" node, which respects the start and end distribution values for children
• Improved compression of *.tpf species for smaller file sizes
• Improved Ambient Occlusion preview in the 3D view
• And a lot more

 ⁽¹⁾ Export and Integration Plugins are only available in Professional and Enterprise solutions

300 New collection items

e-on software continues to release its owned content collection formerly sold on Cornucopia3D to users of its new software solutions. The 2021.1 release includes the last batch of over 300 new 3D assets comprised of atmospheres, materials, vehicles, animals, sample scenes etc. This finalizes the full former Cornucopia3D content collection representing a total of 1250 new free content assets added over the course of the last 4 releases.

Availability

The new update is available for download as a free software update for all registered users of the company’s VUE, PlantFactory and PlantCatalog solutions. Users will find the software update download links on their user account page (under the Software Center tab)

The 2021.1 trial versions are also immediately available at no cost from https://info.e-onsoftware.com/try.

All VUE and PlantFactory software titles are available in English, French and German and perform under all versions of Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10 (64 bit only), and Mac Intel (64 bit) for MacOSX 10.15+.

Supporting resources

Public announcement blog article: https://info.e-onsoftware.com/blog/2021.1_release

VUE and PlantFactory 2021.1 presentation videos:

• USD export in VUE and PlantFactory: https://youtu.be/l3qbif_sj0I
• VUE & PlantFactory: Improved integration with and support for Arnold and V-Ray in Cinema 4D: https://youtu.be/VMqOE8i7p1I
• Creating leaf clusters in PlantFactory: https://youtu.be/gtkL0iKt8As
• Converting VUE assets to Arnold in Maya: https://youtu.be/jPMX9HAJWWg
• Converting VUE assets to V-Ray in Maya: https://youtu.be/s3Z3PHOy4OE
• Converting VUE assets to Arnold in 3ds Max: https://youtu.be/7uMjSkx6ofE

More information on VUE: https://info.e-onsoftware.com/vue

More information on PlantFactory: https://info.e-onsoftware.com/plantfactory

More information on PlantCatalog: https://info.e-onsoftware.com/plantcatalog

Video demonstrations for all available species in the PlantCatalog collection can be viewed on the company’s dedicated YouTube channel.

About e-on software

E-on software is the leading developer of solutions for the creation, animation, rendering and integration of natural 3D environments (VUE and PlantFactory). E-on software products are used worldwide by the film, television, architecture, game, science, educational and entertainment industries.

E-on software products were used in feature films such as "Dr. Strange," "Kubo and the 2 Strings," "Jupiter Ascending," "Minions," "Guardians of the Galaxy," "The Croods," "Dragons 1&2," "Hunger Games," "Hugo," "Tintin," "Super 8," "Thor," "Avatar," "Clash of the Titans," "Sucker Punch," "Despicable Me 1&2," "The Wolf Man," "2012," "Lovely Bones," "GI Joe – The Rise of the Cobra," "Land of the Lost," "Terminator 4, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," "Indiana Jones 4," "Monster Vs Aliens," "Australia," "The Spiderwick Chronicles," "KungFu Panda," "Pirates of the Caribbean 2" and TV series such as "Spartacus," "Smallville," "Battlestar Gallactica," "Caprica," "Stargate Atlantis," "Stargate Continuum," "The Vampire Diaries" and more. Read more on these stories in e-on software's Spotlights section: https://info.e-onsoftware.com/meetourusers 

E-on software was founded on the premise that powerful graphics tools should never get in the way of the designer's creativity. By investing significant resources in research and development, e-on software is able to deliver cutting-edge, user friendly technologies that produce stunning digital nature scenery.

In 2015, e-on software was acquired by Bentley Systems and now operates as an internal venture subsidiary.

E-on software is based in Paris, France. For more information visit https://info.e-onsoftware.com.

About Bentley Systems

Bentley Systems is a global leader in providing engineers, architects, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for advancing the design, construction, and operations of infrastructure. Bentley users leverage information mobility across disciplines and throughout the infrastructure lifecycle to deliver better-performing projects and assets.

Bentley solutions encompass MicroStation applications for information modeling, ProjectWise collaboration services to deliver integrated projects, and AssetWise operations services to achieve intelligent infrastructure – complemented by comprehensive managed services offered through customized Success Plans.

Founded in 1984, Bentley has more than 3,500 colleagues in over 50 countries, more than $700 million in annual revenues, and since 2012 has invested more than $1 billion in research, development, and acquisitions. www.bentley.com 

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Bentley, the "B" Bentley logo, Be, VUE, PlantFactory, PlantCatalog, LumenRT, MicroStation, and ProjectWise are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. All other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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