Modo (software): Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Software3D graphics software}}

{{multiple issues|

{{More citations needed|date=June 2010}}

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| developer = [[The Foundry Visionmongers]]<ref name="FXGuide">{{cite web | url=http://www.fxguide.com/featured/foundry-and-luxology-merge-fxg-exclusive | title=Foundry and Luxology Merge | publisher=fxGuide.com LLC | work=fxGuide | date=25 September 2012 | access-date=19 January 2014 | archive-date=19 September 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919061716/https://www.fxguide.com/featured/foundry-and-luxology-merge-fxg-exclusive/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

| latest_release_version = 16v217.1<ref name=Luxology>{{cite web|title=Modo New Releases|url=https://www.foundry.com/products/modo/new-releases|work=foundry.com|publisher=[[The Foundry Visionmongers]]|accessdate=16 August 2022|archive-date=15 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115082705/https://www.foundry.com/products/modo/new-releases|url-status=live}}</ref>

| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes|20222024|0611|2126}}

| operating_system = [[Windows]], [[Linux]], [[macOS]]

| genre = [[3D computer graphics]]

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'''Modo''' (stylized as '''MODO''', and originally '''modo''')<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.macworld.com/article/45268/2005/06/modo.html | title=Luxology modo ready for Intel switch | work=[[Macworld]] | publisher=[[International Data Group|IDG]] | date=10 June 2005 | accessdate=22 February 2012 | last=Cohen | first=Peter |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130128050253/http://www.macworld.com/article/1045268/modo.html |archive-date=2013-01-28}}</ref> is a discontinued [[polygon]] and [[subdivision surface]] modeling, [[digital sculpting|sculpting]], 3D painting, [[animation]] and rendering package developed by [[Luxology, LLC]], which is now merged with and known as [[The Foundry.<ref>{{Cite web Visionmongers|last=Seymour |first=Mike |date=September 25, 2012 |title=Exclusive: Foundry]] and Luxology merge |url=https://www.fxguide.com/fxfeatured/foundry-and-luxology-merge-fxg-exclusive/ |website=FX Guide |access-date=17 July 2024 |archive-date=19 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919061716/https://www.fxguide.com/featured/foundry-and-luxology-merge-fxg-exclusive/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The program incorporates features such as [[n-gons]] and edge weighting, and runs on [[Microsoft Windows]], [[Linux]] and [[macOS]] platforms.

==History==

Modo was created by the same core group of software engineers that previously created the pioneering 3D application [[LightWave 3D]], originally developed on the [[Amiga]] platform and bundled with the Amiga-based [[Video Toaster]] workstations that were popular in television studios in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They are based in [[Mountain View, California]].

In 2001, senior management at [[NewTek]] (makers of LightWave) and their key LightWave engineers disagreed regarding the notion for a complete rewrite of LightWave's work-flow and technology.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://forums.luxology.com/discussion/topic.aspx?id=18008 |title=Modo – What Lightwave Should Have Become. |work=The Foundry Forums |publisher=[[WP:SPS|Self-published]] |date=21 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215234008/http://forums.luxology.com/discussion/topic.aspx?id=18008 |archivedate=15 February 2009 |df=dmy-all }}{{SPS|date=May 2014}}</ref>{{SPS|date=May 2014}} NewTek's Vice President of 3D Development, Brad Peebler, eventually left Newtek to form Luxology, and was joined by Allen Hastings and Stuart Ferguson (the lead developers of Lightwave), along with some of the LightWave programming team members (Arnie Cachelin, Matt Craig, Greg Duquesne, Yoshiaki Tazaki).{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

After more than three years of development work, Modo was demonstrated at [[SIGGRAPH]] 2004 and released in September of the same year. In April 2005, the high-end visual effects studio [[Digital Domain]] integrated Modo into their production pipeline. Other studios to adopt Modo include [[Pixar]], [[Industrial Light & Magic]], [[Zoic Studios]], [[id Software]], [[Eden FX]], [[Studio ArtFX]], [[The Embassy Visual Effects]], [[Naked Sky Entertainment]] and [[Spinoff Studios]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

Modo 201 was the winner of the [[Apple Design Awards]] for Best Use of [[macOS|Mac OS X]] Graphics for 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carlson |first=Jeff |date=2006-08-14 |title=Apple Design Award 2006 Winners |url=https://tidbits.com/2006/08/14/apple-design-award-2006-winners/ |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=TidBITS |language=en}}</ref> In October 2006, Modo also won "'''Best 3D/Animation Software'''" from ''[[MacUser]]'' magazine. In January 2007, Modo won the ''[[Game Developer (magazine)|Game Developer]]'' Frontline Award for "Best Art Tool".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-01-09 |title=Luxology's modo Receives Prestigious Game Developer Magazine Front Line Award |url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/luxologys-modo-receives-prestigious-game-developer-magazine-front-line-award |access-date=2024-08-24 |website=GamesIndustry.biz |language=en}}</ref>

Modo was used in the production of feature films such as ''[[Stealth (film)|Stealth]]'', ''[[The Ant Bully (film)|Ant Bully]]'', ''[[Iron Man (2008 film)|Iron Man]], and [[Wall-E]]''.

On November 7, 2024, Foundry announced the decision to discontinue the development of Modo.

==Workflow==

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===Action centers===

Modo allows an artist to choose the "pivot point" of a tool or action in realtime simply by clicking somewhere.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Perry |first=Todd Sheridan |date=2008-08-11 |title=Luxology's modo 302 |url=https://www.animationmagazine.net/technology/luxologys-modo-302/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=Animation Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Thus, Modo avoids making the artist invoke a separate "adjust pivot point" mode. In addition, the artist can tell Modo to derive a tool's axis orientation from the selected or clicked on element, bypassing the needs for a separate "adjust tool axis" mode.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

===Falloffs===

Any tool can be modified with customizable [[falloff]], which modifies its influence and strength according to geometric shapes. [[wikt:radial|Radial]] falloff will make the current tool affect elements in the center of a resizable sphere most strongly, while elements at the edges will be barely affected at all. [[Linear]] falloff will make the tool affect elements based on a gradient that lies along a user-chosen line, etc.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==3D painting==

Modo allows an artist to paint directly onto 3D models and even paint instances of existing meshes onto the surface of an object. The paint system allows users to use a combination of tools, brushes and inks to achieve many different paint effects and styles.{{Citation Examplesneeded|date=August of the paint tools in Modo are [[airbrush]], clone, smudge, and blur. These tools are paired with your choice of "brush" (such as soft or hard edge, procedural). Lastly, you add an ink, an example of which is image ink, where you paint an existing image onto a 3D model. Pressure-sensitive tablets are supported. The results of painting are stored in a bitmap and that map can be driving anything in Modo's Shader Tree. Thus you can paint into a map that is acting as a bump map and see the bumps in real-time in the viewport.2024}}

==Renderer==

Modo's renderer is multi-threaded and scales nearly linearly with the addition of processors or processor cores. That is, an 8-core machine will render a given image approximately eight times as fast as a single-core machine with the same per-core speed. Modo runs on up to 32 cores and offers the option of network rendering.{{Citation needed|date=August 2024}}

In addition to the standard renderer, which can take a long time to run with a complex scene on even a fast machine, Modo has a progressive preview renderer which renders to final quality if left alone. Modo's user interface allows you to configure a work space that includes a preview render panel, which renders continuously in the background, restarting the render every time you change the model. This gives a more accurate preview of your work in progress as compared to the typical hardware shading options. In practice, this means you can do fewer full test renders along the way toward completion of a project. The preview renderer in Modo 401 offers progressive rendering, meaning the image resolves to near final image quality if you let it keep running.

Modo material assignment is done via a shader tree that is layer-based rather than node-based. As of version 801, node-based shading is a part of the work flow as well.

Modo's renderer is a physically based ray-tracer. It includes features like [[caustic (optics)|caustics]], [[Dispersion (optics)|dispersion]], stereoscopic rendering, fresnel effects, [[subsurface scattering]], blurry refractions (e.g. frosted glass), [[volumetric lighting]] (smokey bar effect), and Pixar-patented Deep Shadows.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luxology modo 401 Review: modo now has a preset library, packed with models, textures, environments and materials. - Software and Services - Graphics & Publishing - PC World Australia |url=https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/luxology/modo_401/313354/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=www.pcworld.idg.com.au}}</ref>

==Select features==

{{Cleanup rewrite|Long list of features resembling marketing blurb|section|date=May 2009}}

* Tool Pipe for creating customized tools

* Scripting ([[Perl]], [[Python (programming language)|Python]], [[Lua (programming language)|Lua]])

* Customizable User Interface

* Extensive file input and output

===Key modeling features===

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

* N-gon modeling (subdivided polygons with >4 points) and

* Mesh Instancing

* [[Retopology]] Tools

* A powerful sculpting toolset

* Procedural modeling with "Mesh Operators"

* MeshFusion (Non destructive subD boolean operations)

{{div col end}}

===Key animation features===

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

* Animate virtually any item's properties (geometry, camera, lights)

* Layerable deformers

* [[Morph target animation]]

* Rigging with full-body [[Inverse kinematics]]

* Dynamic parenting

{{div col end}}

===Key rendering features===

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}

* Global Illumination

* Physical Sun and Sky

* Displacement Rendering

* Interactive Render Preview

* IEEE Floating Point Accuracy

* [[Subsurface scattering]]

* Instance Rendering

* Physically Based Shading Model

* Motion Blur

* Volumetric rendering

* Depth of Field

* Network Rendering

* 3d paint toolset

{{div col end}}

Modo's renderer is a physically based ray-tracer. It includes features like [[caustic (optics)|caustics]], [[Dispersion (optics)|dispersion]], stereoscopic rendering, fresnelFresnel effects, [[subsurface scattering]], blurry refractions (e.g. frosted glass), [[volumetric lighting]] (smokey bar effect), and Pixar-patented Deep Shadows.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Luxology modo 401 Review: modo now has a preset library, packed with models, textures, environments and materials. - Software and Services - Graphics & Publishing - PC World Australia |url=https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/luxology/modo_401/313354/ |access-date=2022-07-20 |website=www.pcworld.idg.com.au}}</ref>

Modo once included imageSynth, a Plug-in for creating seamless textures in [[Adobe Photoshop]] CS1 or later. This bundle ended with the release of Modo 301. Luxology has announced that the imageSynth plugin for Photoshop has been retired.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://forums.luxology.com/discussion/topic.aspx?id=54392 |title=ImageSynth has been retired |work=The Foundry Forums |publisher=[[Luxology]] |first=David |last=Tracy |date=23 February 2011 |access-date=9 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816155517/http://forums.luxology.com/discussion/topic.aspx?id=54392 |archive-date=16 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==