If you're into digital 3D art, you're surely familiar with 3DCoat, one of the most complete tools for creating, retouching, and painting 3D models. Recently, 3DCoat released its new version 2024.30, which brings a ton of improvements and very interesting new features for artists and studios.
What's New in 3DCoat: Integration with RealityCapture
One of the big news is the integration with RealityCapture, Epic Games' photogrammetry software. This means that by simply taking photos and videos of real objects, you can now convert them into 3D models directly from 3DCoat. The best part is that RealityCapture is now free for artists and studios earning less than a million dollars a year, making access to this high-level tool much easier.
Once you have the 3D model, you can use 3DCoat's tools to clean it up or modify it as you wish, whether for details or even for retopology.
New Tools to Facilitate 3D Sculpting
Regarding sculpting, two new tools have been added that will greatly facilitate the work:
- Array: To distribute shapes orderly along a curve, ideal for repetitive structures like walls or paths.
- Surface Array: Allows placing objects along a 3D surface, perfect for creating complex and detailed surfaces.
Advances in 3D Painting and High-Resolution Details
3D painting has also taken a big leap. Now you can convert normal maps into real 3D geometry, meaning you can recover high-resolution details in simpler models. Plus, you can apply text, curves, and images without worrying about damaging the model, making it much more flexible.
Improvements in Boolean Systems and Workflows
The Live Booleans system has been improved, now allowing you to perform boolean operations more efficiently and with more options, which is especially useful when working with 3D printers. Also, if you're a Blender user, integration with this program is easier than ever thanks to a new update on GitHub, which facilitates sharing and working on projects between both tools.
Conclusion: 3DCoat Keeps Improving
With this new update, 3DCoat proves once again that it's an essential tool for 3D artists. Version 2024.30 brings a ton of improvements and new features that not only make work easier but also much more powerful and accessible for everyone. If you haven't tried this new version yet, it's time to explore everything it offers and take your 3D projects to the next level.