Foundry announces version 17.0 of Nuke, its compositing software. This update incorporates features requested by studios to modernize workflows. The inclusion of a USD-based 3D system and the integration of Gaussian Splat are the main changes. These tools aim to streamline the incorporation of real-world scans and improve interoperability in complex VFX and animation pipelines.
A renewed 3D core and expansion of ML tools 🤖
The new 3D system in Nuke 17.0 uses OpenUSD as its base, offering a consistent scene representation capable of handling large amounts of data. Native support for Gaussian Splatting allows importing and working with visually dense point clouds from photogrammetry or LIDAR scans. Additionally, machine learning capabilities are expanded with new nodes, and optimizations are made to the engine to better manage resources during compositing.
Goodbye to compatibility issues, hello to new headaches 😅
With this update, the classic problem of passing assets between applications could be a thing of the past. Now, thanks to USD, we will have a universal format for all departments to share files. That said, prepare your scripts and templates, because the transition to this new 3D system promises several reconfiguration sessions where nothing will work on the first try. One step forward, two undo clicks.