Nekki releases Cascadeur 2024.2

Originally posted on 4 July and updated with details of the final release.

Nekki has released Cascadeur 2024.2, the new version of the AI-assisted animation app.

The release adds support for blendshapes, making it possible to adjust facial animation inside the software, and updates the AutoPhysics system to enable multiple characters to interact.

Create animations based on real-world physics, aided by AI-based tools
Launched in 2019, Cascadeur is intended as an artist-friendly alternative to conventional animation software for game development, motion graphics or visual effects work.

Although it has standard tools for rigging, posing and animating characters, its unique selling point is a set of AI-assisted, semi-automated toolsets.

Key poses can be quickly established for a character via the AutoPosing system, which lets users reposition a small number of joints, and have Cascadeur take care of the rest of the body.

For a jumping character, the software can then calculate a physically correct trajectory between the key poses.

For other types of motion, a separate AI-trained system, AutoPhysics, converts an existing keyframe animation into a physically accurate version of itself.

Once generated, animations may be exported the FBX, Collada or USD format for use in other DCC applications, or game engines like Unity and Unreal Engine.

Cascadeur 2024.2: initial support for facial animation via blendshapes
To that, Cascadeur 2024.2 adds long-awaited support for facial animation via blendshapes.

Although Nekki had announced that it would be possible to “create detailed facial expressions and morph targets” for characters, in the initial release, it isn’t possible to create blendshapes directly.

Instead, users can adjust the strength of blendshapes that have already been set up on imported characters inside Cascadeur, using simple slider controls.

The blendshapes and their new values are exported along with the Cascadeur scene.

AutoPhysics in #Cascadeur is getting smarter and can change poses to make movement more optimal#gamedev #indiedev #3danimation pic.twitter.com/EwTPKn637d

— Eugene Dyabin (@EugeneDyabin) June 27, 2024

New options for AutoPhysics and AutoPosing
The release also features significant updates to AutoPosing and AutoPhysics.

AutoPhysics gets experimental support for characters interacting with one another, taking account of points of contact and calculating the characters’ combined center of mass.

The change should simplify the process of creating contact animations, like wrestling.

AutoPhysics can also now solve “pendulum-like animations”, such as a gymnast performing swings on a horizontal bar.

In addition, a new Separation of motion control (shown above) makes it possible to adjust the character’s pose – for example, to reposition the limbs – during physics-driven movements.

AutoPosing has been updated to improve the way a character’s body interacts with the ground, and can now be used on multiple characters at once.

Updates to Animation Unbaking and other existing features
The Animation Unbaking system introduced in Cascadeur 2024.1 has also been updated, and can now be used on non-humanoid characters, and on individual animation tracks.

There are also updates to the Scene Linking Tool and rigging tools.

Price, system requirements and release date
Cascadeur 2024.2 is compatible with Windows 10+, Ubuntu 20.04+ Linux and macOS 13.3+.

For users earning under $100,000/year, Indie subscriptions cost $99/year. Pro subscriptions cost $49/month or $399/year and add advanced features.

Both are rent-to-own plans, with users qualifying for a perpetual license after one year.

There is also a free edition, which is not licensed for commercial use, and saves animation in its own .casc file format, making it impossible to use in other DCC apps.

Read a full list of new features in Cascadeur 2024.2 in the release notes

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Editor’s note: in the light of Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine, readers may wish to know that Nekki’s dev teams are located in Russia, although the company is headquartered in Cyprus.