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Epic Games has announced the latest preview release of its real-time engine. (more...)

Wysilab has released a new version of Instant Terra, its landscape creation tool. Version 1.13 adds a new world browser that allows the user to download height information from the Open Topography database directly into Instant Terra. A new Colorise satellite map node can then be used to add colour information to this height data based on altitude. (more...)

Pixomondo has released a breakdown reel for its work on Perry Mason. Watch it on YouTube.

Foundry has announced a new version of Nuke Indie, the cut-price version of its compositing tool. The big news in this release is the lifting of restrictions to support third-party OFX plug-ins. The Foundry also reveals that they are "working with developers of popular commercial NDK-based plug-ins toward enabling support for these in a future release.". Other new features of this release include support for H.264 and AAC audio codecs, bringing Nuke Indie in line with all file formats supported by commercial Nuke Studio. Read a full list of what's new in the online release notes. 

Chaos Group has announced a new update to Phoenix FD, its fluid dynamics tool for 3ds Max and Maya. Version 4.3 adds force tuning to Voxel and Particle Tuners to "allow forces to affect particles or voxels with certain channels, inside or outside geometries, or according to textures, effectively allowing you to mask forces and gain precise control over how, when and where forces affect the simulation." (more...)

DNEG has released a VFX breakdown reel for its work on Away, including the creation of a futuristic moon-base and space walks scenes. Watch it on Vimeo.

Autodesk has joined the Open Design Alliance, a nonprofit consortium that's dedicated to providing support and access to open design file formats.

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Important Looking Pirates has released a VFX breakdown for its work on Lost In Space season 2. Watch it on Vimeo.

Wysilab is the latest software company to have received an Epic Megagrant, this time to create a plugin to use Instant Terra inside Unreal Engine. Little more is revealed at present, but the announcement suggests that the plugin will be able to "create and update Instant Terra terrains while working in Unreal Engine". Read it in full here.

CGarchitect has published the latest results of its illuminating annual render engine survey focused on trends in the archviz industry. Read it on CGarchitect.