Forest Pack Pro 4 is out

Itoo Software has released the latest version of its set of plugins for creating large extensions of trees and vegetation. New features include:

Render

• Added native support for more render engines: VRayRT, Maxwell, Arion, Octane and Thea Render.
  • Forest Color and other tint modes are not supported on the new engines.
  • Render software should be upgraded to the latest version.
  • Support for these engines is experimental.

Library Browser

• Added 3D models of grass, flowers and stones.
• Added Ready-to-use Presets. Some of them include two versions: detail (for small areas), and large (using clumps, optimized for large areas).
• Added support for models organized in separate meshes or groups. Forest attachs all elements in a single mesh when importing.
• Commonly used options have been moved to the main window: Material handling, Merge/XRef, etc.
• Added render engine selector for libraries that support multiple materials.
• Classic 2D Library is not installed by default. It is available from the installer as “Legacy Library”.

Geometry List

• Support for groups in Custom Objects.
  • This mode is useful to scatter groups of plants, preserving their composition. For example, sets of flowers or grass.
  • It works nicely used together Distribution->Diversity->Clusters.
  • Elements of a group are handled as individual items once scattered, both for the boundary checking and surface placement. This also has a great impact on the number of items generated, be care when scattering groups with many objects.
  • Don’t use groups for objects that must be handled an unique object (for example a tree). In this case, use a single mesh as before.
  • Groups must be assigned using the name selector. Max doesn’t support “pick” groups from the scene.
• Added compatibility with Laubwerk Plants.
• Added multi-select support. Now it is possible to edit or delete multiple items at once.
• Added lock aspect ratio button to Geometry->Width/Height.
• Geometry->Material is not longer a required parameter. If not defined, the material of the Custom Object is used.
• Forest automaterials are generated using random names, to avoid duplicates.
• Optimize Material works on the custom object material if Geometry List->Material is not defined.

Display

• Points-cloud now uses a simulated shading mode, to improve 3D look. Use the slider to define the shading factor.
• Added global and local density parameters for Points-cloud.
• Nested Forest objects (as clumps of grass) don’t require to set anymore Render->Meshes mode (VRay and Mental Ray only)

Camera

• Custom Look-at targets, independent from the Camera.

Surfaces

• Added Density/Scale falloff curves by Slope.

Tree Editor

• Added three creation modes: selection, random and sequence. These modes also works with the Creation Tools.
• Added separate model selector for “Add Items”.
• Added Properties->SubItem. Defines the subitem index when the item belongs to a Group.
• Transform->Store Values and Re-Seed are moved to Tree Editor->Properties. Re-Seed now works only over the selected items.

Plus bug fixes and minor changes. A free Lite version with cut-down functionality is available. Watch a new features video on YouTube and find out more on Itoo Software.