digitalRaster ports NEX to Mac OS X and Linux
digitalRaster has ported NEX, its popular Maya modelling plugin, to Mac OS X and Linux. The software was previously Windows-only.
NEX contains a set of features designed to speed up modelling, smoothing routine tasks, minimising the need to switch tools by grouping linked actions within a single tool, and previewing user actions.
The plugin has become a staple of many artists’ toolsets: Peter Zoppi‘s testimonial that “at this point, I don’t think I could model anything in Maya without NEX” is fairly typical.
New features in NEX 1.6
The Mac and Linux releases form part of a wider update to the plugin. New features in NEX 1.6 include Maya Viewport 2.0 support and easier viewing of the mesh while ‘retopologizing’ with the Quad Draw feature.
NEX 1.6 is available for Maya 2011 and above on Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. (Actually, the OS X version is currently only for Maya 2012+ – but digitalRaster is looking into 2011 support, according to this CGTalk thread.) The previous, Windows-only, build supports versions of Maya back to Maya 7.
Version 1.6 is a free update for existing Windows users. New licences cost $168.