Maxon CINEMA 4D
Developer: MAXON Computer GmbH Last Stable Release: R14.025 / September 2012 Operating system: Microsoft Windows Type: 3D computer graphics License:Proprietary Website: Cinema 4D at Maxon.net
OVERVIEW:
CINEMA 4D is a 3D modeling, animation and rendering application developed by MAXON Computer GmbH of Friedrichsdorf, Germany. It is capable of procedural and polygonal/subd modeling, animating, lighting, texturing, rendering, and common features found in 3d modelling applications.
Four variants are currently available from MAXON: a core CINEMA 4D 'Prime' application, a 'Broadcast' version with additional motion-graphics features, 'Visualize' which adds functions for architectural design and 'Studio', which includes all modules. CINEMA 4D runs on Windows and Macintosh PC's. Initially, CINEMA 4D was developed for Amiga computers in the early 1990s, and the first three versions of the program were available exclusively for that platform. With v4, however, MAXON began to develop the program for Windows and Macintosh computers as well, citing the wish to reach a wider audience and the growing instability of the Amiga market following Commodore's bankruptcy.
Up until Release 11.5, Cinema 4D had a modular approach to the application, with the ability to expand upon the core application with various modules. This ended with Release 12, though the functionality of these modules remains in the various flavors of Cinema 4D (Prime, Broadcast, Visualize, Studio) The old modules were: Advanced Render (global illumination/HDRI, caustics, ambient occlusion and sky simulation)
BodyPaint 3D (direct painting on UVW meshes; now included in the core. In essence Cinema 4D Core/Prime and the BodyPaint 3D products are identical. The only difference between the two is the splash screen that is shown at startup and the default user interface.) Dynamics (for simulating soft body and rigid body dynamics) Hair (simulates hair, fur, grass, etc.) MOCCA (character animation and cloth simulation) MoGraph (Motion Graphics procedural modelling and animation toolset) NET Render (to render animations over a TCP/IP network in render farms) PyroCluster (simulation of smoke and fire effects)
With CINEMA 4D R10, the module PyroCluster became integrated in the Advanced Render module Sketch & Toon (tools for cel shading, cartoons and technical drawings) Thinking Particles (enhanced particle system based on nodes) Xpresso (is not and never has been a module, it is a core functionality)
As of Release 13, Cinema 4D comes in 4 components: Prime (the core application) Broadcast (adds MoGraph2) Visualize (adds Virtual Walkthrough, Advanced Render, Sky, Sketch and Toon, data exchange, camera matching) Studio (the complete package)
As of 2007, these alternative rendering engines and connections are currently available as plug-ins for CINEMA 4D: finalRender stage 2.0 SP4 from Cebas Computer GmbH FryRender from RandomControl Maxwell Render from Next Limit Technologies Pixar Renderman Connection Cineman from MAXON Computer GmbH Indigo Renderer, unbiased photorealistic renderer Octane Render, unbiased GPU-accelerated renderer SunFlow V-ray mental ray & iray
As of September 2012, Maxon offers a free, fully functional, Student Edition of CINEMA 4D (from the R14 on). The functionality in the free student edition of CINEMA 4D differs only slightly from the package used by professionals worldwide in their high-end productions. Students receive a special version of CINEMA 4D R14 Studio, including all features such as the physical render engine, Hair, MoGraph, Sketch and Toon, the character animation toolset and libraries of objects and materials. MAXON also offers educational institutions very affordable pricing for CINEMA 4D Studio licenses. All files created with the student version are fully compatible with the commercial version. The Student Edition license is available to qualified students at institutions of higher learning. Students can register online and can quickly get started once their status has been verified.
A number of films and related works have been modeled and rendered in CINEMA 4D, including:
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Beowulf The Ship-boys of Bontekoe The Golden Compass Surf's Up We Are the Strange Spider-Man 3 Monster House War of the Worlds Chronicles of Narnia Serenity Inception Doom Prehistoric Park Homework Van Helsing Bernd das Brot Generation The Polar Express TV Patrol (logo and in-newscasting props) King Arthur June 17, 1953, State of Emergency Open Season[2] He Was a Quiet Man Surrogates Tron: Legacy Roger Waters: The Wall Live tour projections
