Michael Lord

As with any new release or Service Pack one of the first things I look for is if there are any new Materials that have been added.  With 2013 it’s Liquids, a variety of interesting liquids. Milk, Orange Juice, Wine (both Red and White) very civilised!  Beer both Dark and Amber although it doesn’t add a “head”  There is also a Beer called Light! Now in Australia a “light” Beer is normally Low Alcohol so I can’t see too much use for that one!  If Wine or Beer doesn’t do the trick you can always go for something a little stronger and use Whisky!  Moving to the motoring side, there is both Motor Oil and Gasoline!  Which just leaves Blood! Which I’m sure will have use for those in the medical profession! (or those planning to Render a Zombie Apocalypse!)         

A little Red Wine!

And an interesting carafe of Blood!

A glass jar of Motor Oil

 Whisky “straight up”

Along with Liquids there is also a collection of Waxes! Beeswax wax and candle wax both shiny and dull!

Shiny Beeswax Wax Candle

Dull Red Wax

Modo Materials 

SolidWorks users (on Subscription) can also now use Modo Materials files in SolidWorks. I haven’t looked but Rod Rodriguez on his Axis CAD Solutions Blog has a good video

Reflection – Refractions

You can now adjust the number/ amount of Reflections and Refractions (used mainly with Transparent Materials).  Located in PhotoView 360 Options it can be used to change how much light is transmitted thought and reflected by transparent materials and the visibility of materials behind them.  Nice with the use of Liquid materials!

Decorative Fillets

Another new and interesting feature is “Decorative” Fillets.   To add Decorative Fillet, “Edit” a material, Select Advanced, then Illumination.  Under PhotoView Illumination, select Round Sharp Edges.  Adjust Radius to the desired size.

This adds a decorative fillet to the sharp edge and ‘softens” the Render image.

Add the ability to Render across multiple computers on a Network, add Copy & Paste Mater
ial, along with a new “Final Render” Interface, and PhotoView 360 just keeps getting better with every new release!