New features in early access:
OVERVIEW
For the development of Eyecad VR 2020, the team focused on four fundamental aspects:
- Workflow improvements with the most popular 3D modeling software.
- Bring the RAY-TRACING into an easy-to-use software like Eyecad VR 2020.
- Creating a new high quality "render-ready" 3D libraries (over 2000).
- Stability and performance, importing 3d objects and more.
RENDERING
Ray-Tracing: Perhaps the most important novelty of all. After immense efforts we were able to implement the fast ray-tracing rendering mode. This function performs well with the interiors but you will soon see an update that will be more compatible with the exteriors too. It’s very fast and it is possible to use it in editor during normal operations by switching the render mode on the top of the display.
Shooting mode: The focus function in the camera has been greatly improved. Auto-focus now needs to be activated in automatic mode which will unlock the focal distance function. The quality of the render is greatly influenced by the user's ability to focus on what he really wants to show.
Realistic Rendering (No raytracing): The new realistic rendering mode is much more powerful than the previous one. Now the scene is influenced significantly by a more effectively HDRI and with a better AO algorithm the results are awesome in one click.
New 3D Sky: The 3D sky has been completely redesigned with more accurate and defined procedural clouds.
Videomaker mode: By popular demand, we have improved the video maker mode. Now it is easier to use and at the same time allows you to manage many more parameters for each clip you create. Variable focus, filters and FOV. The path is now created by clicking on "add clip" within each shot.
Sun-shaft: The propagation of sun rays is now much more realistic.
HDRI: The new HDRI structure, combined with Ray-tracing is something never seen before. It is possible to reach a realism never reached before with Eyecad VR. There is also a fantastic function. Clicking on "HDRI floor" the software will create a fake HDRI plan allowing you to insert objects in the photosphere without going to try out uncomfortable operations of advanced CG Compositing. We highly recommend playing with the HDRI power values with active Raytracing.
Shadows: The shadows have been redesigned to be even more realistic.
Ambiental Occlusion: Even in realistic mode, you will notice the ability of the new method of calculating Ambiental Occlusion. It reach a fundamental realism in a physical way of the areas not reached by direct light.
Better quality for HDRIs: The HDRIs quality has been improved, especially with a larger FOV.
HDRI Studio Mode: An important studio setting with a one-colour background. The background color depends from the power of the HDRI Studio image and change from white to dark grey.
NEW USER INTERFACE
We have completely redesigned all the software icons and they are now more easily identified by the user. Moreover all the macro-tabs have been reorganized in order to have all the Output modes that the software offers on the right of the screen, while the editor part has been entirely concentrated on the left side.
New right click: A new and functional menu for the right mouse button allows you to speed up the reading and understanding of the functions that can be performed on that particular object.
New content manager: Now the bookcases of objects and materials have a own space where it is possible to observe the objects and the materials in a more accurate way before even downloading them.
App (Android and iOS): The apps will also be deeply revisited. At this moment the ecosystem app is not available.
Many Startup Templates: A new way to help our users to optimize the rendering mode that now depends from the workflow needs: Interios, Exteriors, Masterplan, 3D Configurator and Photogrammetry.
NEW FUNCTIONS
A software that is defined as Architecture friendly must necessarily have a vast range of 3D models ready to "fill" its projects and functions that allow the user to make the project idea in a few steps.
New material editor: Finally it is possible to create more types of materials, in fact before proceeding with the creation of a new material, it is necessary to choose between Standard (classic), Fur (hairy or grassy), Water (liquid). Furthermore, in Standard it is now possible to load the material maps independently, but we recommend it only if the automated part does not satisfy you. We also added the Displacement / Height Map map.
Objects Library HQ: Added a new objects library of about 2000 super-quality render-ready objects.
Materials Library PBR: Added about 500 PBR "render ready" materials (coming soon).
Path: By popular demand, finally the Path function has been inserted, where inside it is possible to insert paths of Cars and animated 3D people. It is also possible to insert only path objects without animations, dragging them from the library (below) to the scene.
3D terrain: We have inserted new trees of the highest quality and finally the possibility of inserting them into the scene without the need to generate 3D terrain. The new high quality rocks give the land a new, much more realistic look. Large rocks should be inserted manually without a brush.
Importing 3D terrain Heightmap: Designed for who does not want to create a 3D landscape manually, this functions allows to create a 3D landscape automatically from an image in formats: jpg, png, tiff, bmp.
an example of heightmap image
High Quality Static Car: Added about 30 high quality cars render-ready of different categories for your exteriors rendering.
Lights: File IES and artificial Area-lights. They will be implemented in the final release.
VR and monitor explorations without waiting times: No more waiting times to explore your projects. Thanks to the new viewer, when a user click on the explorations button, Eyecad VR will drive the user to the explorations mode without death times. Explorations are available via monitor and via VR headsets. Added the compatibility with the Oculus Rift S.
New Objects manager: Now is possible to manage all objects and layers in the scene thanks to the new objects manager tab that will appear by clicking on the “objects” TAB.
NEW 3D IMPORTER
We have worked hard to improve the quality of 3D models imported into Eyecad VR. The new compatible formats are:
.FBX (almost all versions); .SKP; .OBJ; .3DS; .dae.
In the reading phase, the software will lose some time (it will depend on the complexity of the model in terms of polygons and materials), however, once it has been read, Eyecad VR 2020 will optimize the model automatically, allowing it to have much more fluidity even with extremely complex models.
Speed: The speed of the new import phase depends on the polygonal complexity of the file and not on its weight in Byte. However, it is always advisable not to overdo the polygons. Now Eyecad VR is able to optimize incoming files by lightening the number of points (greater fluidity in the Editor and Exploratory phase).
Mesh optimization: The objects that will be imported, from now on, will undergo an optimization of points to simplify the calculation. In this way the fluidity of the scene and the speed (and quality) of the rescue have been improved. Tested on very complex files.
Software tested: 3D Studio max, Cinema 4D, Rhinoceros, Blender, SketchUp, Vectorworks and many others.
3D Formats: We confirm that the best two formats for Eyecad VR remain the FBX (which now imports many more versions than the previous importer) and the SKP files. However the OBJ remains an excellent format, but heavier than the previous ones.
3D model update: This function will allow you to update the 3D model file with only the changes made in the 3D modeling software to the 3D model imported in Eyecad VR.
Number of personal materials: The new personal materials library can now be filled up to a maximum of 450 PBR materials. This number may vary depending on whether you are using material maps automatically generated by Eyecad VR or personal maps.
Please Note: the Early-Access version of Eyecad VR 2020 has been released and it is in the rollout phase, therefore it will be necessary to wait a few days if the BETA is not yet visible in your launcher. The wait will depend on the country and the operating system you use.