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Latest Version: 2.10
Updated on 07/06/2011
Upgrade to 2.10
Online Documentation
Read the FAQ
Customer Showcase
Video Tutorials
All Softimage versions from 7.01 up to Softimage 2011 are fully supported. The plugin runs on windows and linux systems.
Since mbFeatherTools makes use of the multi-threaded ICE platform, you will experience dramatic performance gains on multi-core machines.
"It is worth every penny, I dont know what kind of nightmare I would be in now without it." - Laurence D. (Porkpie)
"[...]your plugin is a masterpiece!!" - Malcolm Z.
"[...]the best option we have come across for our production." - Mike B. (Triggerfish)
Features:
See the new 2.0 features on vimeo
What mbFeatherTools is NOT:
The toolbar allows you to easily create a feather system and inspect the operators without having to dig around in the explorer.
The simulation is based on the Verlet algorithm. This algorithm was popularized by the French physicist Loup Verlet in 1967 who used it to calculate molecular dynamics. In Verlet integration, we use a "velocity-less" representation of the particle system. Instead of storing a particle's position and velocity (Euler integration), we store it's current position and it's previous position (at the last simulation tick). The benefit of this method is a much greater stability.
This is the equation for the feather dynamics:
Where x is the position, v the velocity, a the acceleration and t the time.
"WOW man this is amazing you are really taking [this] to another level [...]" - Claudio P. (Lung Animation)
Watch the feature tour by clicking on the picture above. You can also watch this video in HD on vimeo.
Some of the features shown in this video are from version 1.10 which will be released very soon. When purchasing a license of mbFeatherTools, you automatically get updates up to version 1.9.
This video shows a comparison of some simulation settings. The ball on the left side shows you what is happening below the feathers. Click on the picture to start the video, or watch this video on vimeo.
If full control over the feather animation is needed, the simulation operator can be deleted or the spring stiffness(keyable) can be set to a very high value. This method makes it possible to combine keyframe animation and simulation in the same shot in an undestructive way.
Watch mb Feather Tools in action while applying feathers on a generic bird mesh.
You can also watch this video on vimeo.
This example shows leafs placed and simulated with mbFeatherTools (Watch in fullscreen to see HD version).
The tree model was created with T-Gen and merged into a "trunk" and a "twigs" object. A feather system was then applied to the "twigs" mesh.
You can also watch this video on vimeo.
Click here to order mbFeatherTools
"[...] I'd just like to say how impressed I am with your plugin." - Laurence D. (Porkpie)
"the plugin is ace" - Darren C.
Licensing:
Each license is bound to one MAC address (physical IP address). When you start softimage, the plugin checks the MAC address of the computer and all connected devices and is activated if a registered MAC address is found.
To find out the MAC of your PC, open a console (cmd) and enter "ipconfig /all". To find it out on linux, enter "ifconfig". You can bind the license to your bluetooth,wifi or any other ethernet adapter as long as its physical IP is shown in ipconfig. You can use a USB device as a dongle this way.
The plugin will sometimes contact the server to validate your license. No private or unnecessary information is being sent and the data is being held confidential. An internet connection is not required to run the plugin.
You can transfer your license to another MAC address by writing an email to support (at) michael-buettner dot com. The fee for a license transfer is €20.
Requirements: