Thursday, December 5th, 2024 Posted by Jim Thacker

Maxon releases Cinema 4D 2025.1


Maxon has released Cinema 4D 2025.1, the latest version of its 3D software for motion graphics, VFX and visualization work.

The update overhauls Cinema 4D’s Boolean modeling system, improving the speed and stability of Boolean operations, and making it possible to set up more complex Boolean hierarchies.

There are also updates to the simulation toolsets, including a new Particle Node Modifier, plus updates to Scene Nodes, the animation tools, and USD workflows.



3D modeling: new Boolean generator provides faster, more stable, more flexible Booleans
The headline change in Cinema 4D 2025.1 is the new Boolean modeling system, for creating hard surface models non-destructively by performing Boolean operations on geometry.

According to Maxon, workflow with the new Boolean generator is “consistent” with the old Boole object it supersedes, but is “faster and more robust”, particularly when animating Booleans.

Unlike the Boole object, which is limited to two inputs, the new generator supports any number of input objects, making it possible to create more complex geometry.

Boolean operations can also now be organised into nested hierarchies.

Vertex, edge, and polygon selections are preserved during Boolean operations, and attributes like UVs and colors are preserved as they are for selections.

However, scenes containing legacy Booleans are not converted automatically to the new system, and will need to be updated manually.



Simulation: new Collision Noise and Collision Priority options for rigid bodies
The Unified Simulation System – progressively expanded over recent updates – gets another update in Cinema 4D 2025.1.

For rigid body simulation, a new Collision Noise setting (shown above) adds random variation to output, and there are new Collision Priority settings to prevent unwanted penetrations.

For motion graphics, the MoGraph Matrix Object now syncs with simulated rigid body positions.

Simulation: Out of Core Storage permits larger Pyro sims
The Pyro toolset, for smoke and fire simulation, gets a new Out of Core Storage option, making it possible to perform larger simulations by assigning more GPU memory to Pyro.

There is also a new Ambient Temperature control for simulations, and new options to have simulation pressure control Vorticity and Turbulence.

Simulation: control particle simulations with nodes
The new particle toolset introduced in Cinema 4D 2024.4 gets a new Particle Node Modifier, making it possible to control particles using a node-based workflow.

All of the existing Scene Nodes can be used to control particles, and there are also a number of new nodes with particle-specific properties.

It is also now possible to define custom particle properties to be used in Emitters and Modifiers, including the option to specify what output data is generated for a custom property.

Updates to Scene Nodes, animation, rendering and pipeline integration
Changes to the Scene Nodes system include the option to use child objects or linked objects as generators to create custom mesh or spline generators.

There are also new Geometry by Type and Geometry Info nodes, and updates to existing nodes.

Animators get workflow improvements including the option to copy and paste data in the Powerslider in the same way as the timeline, and the Tween Tool gets a Global Space Mode.

When rendering, users can now specify custom frame ranges, or opt to skip existing frames.

For pipeline integration, support for USD workflows has been expanded.

Users can now import character animation in USD format, including joint hierarchies and skin weighting; and can import and export some animated camera and light settings.

It is also now possible to send and receive data directly to the iPad edition of ZBrush, Maxon’s digital sculpting app, thanks to the introduction of GoZ support in ZBrush for iPad 2025.2.

Price and system requirements
Cinema 4D 2025.1 is compatible with Windows 10+ and macOS 13.6+. It is available rental-only, with Cinema 4D subscriptions costing $109/month or $839/year.

Read a list of new features in Cinema 4D 2025.1 in the online release notes

Read more about the new features in Cinema 4D in the online manual


Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects.