NextLimit > RealFlow 3
for Softimage|XSI
REALFLOW IS, PUT SIMPLY, THE WORLD'S MOST ADVANCED PARTICLE AND FLUID SIMULATOR.
The technology developed by Next Limit for the simulation of fluids is groundbreaking in that it is particle based. This method differs from the traditional system of finite elements in its adaptability to complex environments and deformations. With RealFlow, the particles themselves can be considered part of a global fluid that acts according to the viscosity, pressure and surface tension forces of neighbouring particles and, through constant development, is capable of handling up to 2 million particles in a standard PC.
Working in conjunction with the most popular 3D platforms, its core consists of a new and extremely realistic, physically based continuous-particle system. A team of physicists and dynamics engineers have been working on RealFlow for 7 years to bring this groundbreaking technology to the world of CG.
RealFlow is a stand-alone application, fully OpenGL compliant that works with 3DStudio MAX, Maya, LightWave, XSI, Cinema 4D and Houdini. Due to RealFlow's Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) engine, you can simulate any kind of liquid, viscous and elastics body, gas and soft matter. Realistic water, petrol, milk, smoke, steam, jelly, gunge etc. can be animated to do anything you can imagine. Special features include the fastest metaball-based mesh generator on the market that allows you to generate the liquid surface and render it in your favorite 3D platform with an awesome sub-polygon material mixer.
VERY FAST!
This new version of RealFlow includes many general optimizations and improvements that allow simulations to be computed up to twice as fast! Furthermore, multithreading support has been updated and tuned to fully exploit power users with multi-CPU systems.
CROSS-PLATFORM
RealFlow's user interface has been reconstructed from scratch using a new and versatile graphical user interface (GUI) toolkit that enables us to provide versions for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows which all provide the same user experience and features.
NEW USER INTERFACE AND COMMAND LINE OPTIONS
The new user interface introduces many visual enhancements users will notice including improved OpenGL performance and panel display. The interface has been kept consistent across different platforms allowing users to seamlessly and easily switch platform without loss of productivity. The numerical parameters in the user interface can now be modified according to expressions and math calculations defined by the user. This new RealFlow also allows simulations to be started from the command line using a new command line tool. This is particularly valuable for highly demanding production workflows.
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FULLY INTEGRATED HELP MENU
RealFlow3 now boasts a completely integrated user manual in the form of an extended, complete Help Menu and Functions Guide. Now, you’ll no longer have to shift through the manual to find what you need. You can just hit F1 on any of the icons in the software’s interface and immediately find definitions, functions, tips and examples of how to use each and every feature and parameter. This Help Menu will also be updated regularly to coincide with improvements and additions to the software.
NEW FLUID ENGINE SOLVER
The fluid engine of RealFlow has been completely revamped. The fluid core has been redesigned and powerful new features have been added which allow greater control over the fluid. Moreover, fluid simulations are computed much faster than before and with greater accuracy. The fluid panel is now much more intuitive and robust, allowing for first time real physical values to be used. Fluids now look and behave even more like real fluids!
IMPROVED RIGID BODY SOLVER
RealFlow provides an integrated rigid body solver which, in RealFlow 3, is more accurate and faster than ever. Rigid bodies and fluids can interact together in any way a user desires and interaction forces are completely two-way; that is the liquid can move the body and the body can move the liquid. Every rigid object carries its own physical properties like mass, center of gravity, friction, etc. and these dictate how the object behaves.
RIGID BODY CONSTRAINTS
Ball-socket, Hinge, Slider, Fixed, Rope, Car-wheel, Limb and Path-follow constraints allow you to create a whole new set of simulations using the rigid body engine.
MESH GENERATION ENGINE
RealFlow’s sophisticated mesh engine enables the generation of smooth polygonal representations of the fluid surfaces. There are many features available to control the mesh appearance including UV mapping, filters, deformations, texturing, clipping, noise, and many more. A new mesh creation method - outputting small polygons for each particle has also been included.
The mesh generation process can be completely decoupled from the fluid engine and calculated as a post-process using separate RealFlow licenses across the network. This is achieved with the help of a special utility called the RealFlow Mesh Dispatcher.
WAVES AND BUOYANCY (REALWAVE® FEATURES)
RealFlow includes almost all the features of the Next Limit’s RealWave software. RealWave features allow the creation of a flat or custom wave surface, addition of active control points for wave propagation, fractal or spectral waves. The hypermesh feature enables users to create a multi-resolution wave surface that adapts to the path followed by animated objects in the scene. The foam texture, generated when the objects or the particles hit the surface, can be used as a mask to create complex foam effects in the 3D environment. Splashes, rain, and bubbles can be also created efficiently.
EFFICIENT MEMORY MANAGEMENT
RealFlow’s memory foot-print has been reduced by a factor of 10. Now you can have simulations with more particles, more emitters and more objects.
NEW CURVE AND EXPRESSIONS EDITOR
The curve editor has been redesigned to include several powerful new features. Different types of splines and improved “looping” capabilities have been added. A new expression mechanism has been included allowing a user to type in complex expressions that describe the evolution of a quantity. These functions can be written in either the properties panel or in the curve editor.
DAEMONS TO AFFECT FLUIDS AND OBJECTS
The wide range of daemons (effectors) included in RealFlow expand the user’s creative potential. Vortices, attractors, morphing, etc, can be linked together and animated, affecting both particles and objects in simple and complex ways.
WET TEXTURE MAPPING (“WETMAP”)
A new method for representing “wet” properties of an object has been included. Particles are able to “paint” an object’s surface and produce a texture bitmap with the same UV mapping. Effects like “wet” or “painted” objects can now be obtained easily.
PARTICLE AND MESH TEXTURING OPTIONS
RealFlow’s particles can transport texture coordinates (UVW) along with the flow. Particle texture coordinates can be obtained in many different ways. One powerful option is the ability to obtain texture coordinates from nearby locations on object surfaces. This facility allows a user to produce impressive texture dragging, deformation, melting and numerous other dynamic texture effects. Coordinates can also be obtained from a simple rectangular surface.
The fluid properties (density, age, pressure) can be also transferred to the RealFlow mesh by UV mapping or weight maps, allowing a complex creation of visual effects through texture channels or post-production.
INTEGRATION WITH THE 3D PLATFORMS
RealFlow includes plugins to import and export data to and from the most popular 3D applications including Lightwave, 3dsMAX, Maya, XSI, Cinema4D and Houdini.
