iClone 6 supports IDV’s SpeedTree real-time plants, including improved wind behaviour and LODs. Reallusion has just made the update to its real-time animation tool available to pre-order prior to its release in December.

Reallusion has made iClone 6, the next version of its real-time 3D animation tool, available to pre-order. The update adds support for key real-time technologies, including PhysX, SpeedTree and Allegorithmic Substances.

Tools for creating quick previz-quality animations
iClone is intended to provide a quick way to create previz-quality animations via a simple drag-and-drop workflow structured conceptually in the same way as a real live-action shoot.

It comes with a set of DAZ-style stock characters and props, and more can be bought online.

Paid add-ons enable users to import custom characters in standard formats or build new characters from a library of stock parts, and to import motion-capture data from a Kinect sensor.

Support for industry-standard technologies
Although traditionally viewed as a hobbyist’s tool, the new update implements a number of standard professional technologies, including Allegorithmic’s Substance system for procedural materials.

It also extends iClone’s existing native rigid and soft body physics systems with a new ‘soft cloth’ simulation system based on Nvidia’s PhysX technology.

iClone 6 also adds support for multiple textures and improved level of details and wind behaviour in IDV’s SpeedTree vegetation – recently integrated in Unreal Engine 4.

The software will also support physically based rendering via a plugin for Indigo Renderer – although it’s another paid add-on, in addition to needing to own a licence of Indigo itself.

Other new features include an overhauled UI, improvements to the quality and topology of stock characters, support for an unlimited number of lights in a scene, and support for DirectX 11-based viewport tesselation.

Pricing and availability
iClone 6 is due for release in December. The software is Windows only. The list price of the Pro edition of the software is $199; the Standard edition – which lacks some of the animation tools – is $99.

If you order the equivalent versions of iClone 5 now, you get a free upgrade when version 6 ships; and if you buy enough add-on content, you get either iClone 6 Pro or the Indigo Render Suite bundle for free.

Given the number of add-ons available, the permutations soon mount up, so check the link below for details.

Read more about the new features in iClone 6 on Reallusion’s website

Watch demos of the new features on Reallusion’s YouTube channel

Tags: Allegorithmic, animation, cloth, iClone, iClone 6, IDV, Indigo Renderer, lighting, new features, physically based, physics, PhysX, price, props, real time, Realusion, release date, rendering, SpeedTree, stock characters, Substance