Summary Far more than just a standard upgrade, Maxon has literally reinvented Cinema 4D with release 10. Cinema 4D R10 features vastly improved interface, asset management and workflow, as well as innovative character animation tools. Best of all, it ships with a full version of BodyPaint 3D.
Target Apps
3D modeling, animation, and special effects for film, broadcast, illustration and design; game and 3D real-time content development; architectural, engineering, medical and scientific visualization.
What It Costs You
Cinema 4D R10, $895; Cinema 4D R10 XL, $2,195;
Cinema 4D R10 Studio, $3,495
What's Cool
The most welcome new feature is the redesigned MOCCA module. Though character animation will never be easy, the new tools in MOCCA greatly speed up and facilitate the process. The new animation tools make this release a dream for character animators.
What's Missing
Advanced rendering, such as radiosity, caustics and subsurface scattering, is available in the Advanced Render module (this ships only in the XL and Studio bundles). It’s time that Maxon make the "advanced" rendering features part of the core program, as much of the competition does.
Ratings: Products are rated for features, performance, ease of use and overall value.
Specs Minimum System Requirements: Macs OS X 10.3.9 / Windows 2000, XP, 512 MB RAM, CUP w/1 GHz
Greatly Improved Workflow and Revamped Character Animation
Mike de la Flor
August 1, 2007 Source: Studio Monthly
Cinema 4D R10 is not your typical upgrade release. Instead of just fixing a few bugs and adding the expected novel tools, Maxon has completely overhauled the Cinema 4D core, putting Cinema 4D on the same level as applications such as Softimage|XSI.
Maxon has given the Cinema 4D R10 interface a much needed makeover with new icons, buttons and skins giving the application more of a contemporary look (the classic interface is still available for diehard Cinema 4D users). However, the new appearance is more than skin deep as the interface has been retooled with time-saving improvements such as a comprehensive, but much overdue, layers system. Layers are indispensable when working with large datasets or complex animations and Maxon’s color-coded layers implementation is fast and easy to use. The Objects Manager also features great filters and search functions that make managing projects a breeze. Overall, the new interface works nicely to speed up the 3D workflow.
Retooled and Made Over
Cinema 4D’s animation systems have been completely redesigned providing animators with an arsenal of comprehensive innovative tools. Notably, the new PowerSlider provides a quick and intuitive way to rough in animations, and the reworked timeline and the F-Curve Manager greatly improve animation management. Also worth attention is the new VAMP feature that allows that transfer of UVs, Vertex Maps, Bone Weights and selections between disparate meshes. The most significant animation update, however, comes in the form of a completely re-written MOCCA module. It now features a joint-based rigging system, a welcome move away from the old bone-based rigging system, which lifts Cinema 4D up to par with applications like Maya.
The improved MOCCA module, along with new features such as Auto-weighting and the intuitive IK tools, greatly reduce the amount of time needed to set up a character rig. If you throw in the rest of the new tools, the complex business of character animation becomes much less of a chore.
Cinema 4D R10 is shipping with the latest release of BodyPaint 3D— arguably the favorite feature of this upgrade. One of the best, if not the best UV Editing and 3D Painting application available, BodyPaint 3D offers advanced UV editing tools such as LSCM mapping (pelt-mapping) and sophisticated 32-bit 3D painting. The only competition comes from modo 202, which features similar functionality. In my opinion, BodyPaint 3D’s ease of use leaves modo in the dust. Powerful and simple to use, there’s nothing that can’t be easily textured with BodyPaint 3D.
Comments (2) for "REVIEW: Maxon Cinema 4D R10"
1.
I do like Cinema, but saying it's on level with XSI is not correct in my very humble opinion. XSI has some advanced features, such as GATOR and MOTOR I haven't seen in Cinema, as well as much more advanced render/shader options (and a whole host of other stuff - just check the XSI manual if you wish). I also think modo can paint very efficiently. I would not have any qualms using modo over bodypaint. Especially since you can easily do texturing, bumping and vector displacement in modo. I don't know why bodypaint leaves modo in the dust? In modo you simply open the model, apply a texture map and off you go, paint away. VERY VERY easy.
Posted by Jake on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 @ 11:59 AM
2.
I appreciate your comments. It\'s becoming more and more difficult to make head-to-head comparisons of 3D applications. For example, is Maya or 3ds max better? Well that depends who you ask. 3ds max has many features that Maya does not have and vice versa. So to simply say that Maya is better because it features nCloth and 3ds max does not for instance is not completely accurate. Maya and 3ds max are on the same “level” because the offer professional solutions. Equally Cinema 4D is now at the same level as 3ds max, Maya, and yes XSI because it offers professional level tools. But in more practical or realistic terms Cinema 4D has been integrated into the pipelines of many film studios and has been used for VFX effects in blockbuster features.
Though modo is an excellent UV mapping, 3D painting, and displacement modeling solution in my review of BodyPaint 3D I was specifically comparing UV and 3D painting, not displacement painting (which Cinema 4D does not have). When it comes to UV mapping modo and BodyPaint are about the same. I agree that modo maybe easier to use, but BodyPaint features more robust solutions for UV mapping complex models.
However, when it comes to 3D painting there is absolutely no comparison, BodyPaint is much better than modo. In fact BodyPaint features many Photoshop-like features such as true layers which modo does not. In addition BodyPaint may be used as a stand alone application for 2D or 3D painting which modo cannot do. Because of its superb abilities BodyPaint has become a favorite of professional matte painters.
Well I hope I helped to clarify my position in my Cinema 4D review and I truly do appreciate the feedback.
Mike
Posted by Mike de la Flor on Tuesday, May 27, 2008 @ 10:14 AM
