Known as one of the leading developers of creative softwares for creative artists of all sorts across the entertainment industry, Foundry has announced some major updates and upgrades coming to their family of products including Nuke, Katana and Mari.
With a focus on increased efficiency and productivity, these new updates are set to increase processing speeds by up to 20% and double up training speeds in Nuke’s CopyCat machine learning tool. Mari is getting new baking tools to help artists with geometry-based maps and Katana is upgrading its ability to switch between applications more seamlessly.
For more in-depth context though, let’s take a look at everything new coming to the Nuke family of compositing and review tools.
Nuke 15.0 Updates
As mentioned above, the biggest updates coming with Nuke 15.0 are really all about improved speed and efficiency. With native Apple silicon support, Nuke 15.0 should feature up to 20% faster general processing speeds for a variety of tools.
The updated CopyCat machine learning training tool should see a major upgrade as well alongside updates for the USD-based 3D system and multi-pixel blink effects.
Here’s everything coming to Nuke 15.0:
- Native Apple silicon support: Up to 20% faster general processing speeds and GPU-enabled ML tools, including CopyCat, in Nuke 15.0.
- Faster CopyCat training: With new distributed training, share the load across multiple machines using standard render farm applications, and compress image resolution to reduce file sizes for up to 2x faster training.
- USD-based 3D system improvements (beta): Including a completely new viewer selection experience with dedicated 3D toolbar and two-tier selections, a newly updated GeoMerge node, updated ScanlineRender2, a new Scene Graph pop-up in the mask knob, plus USD updated to version 23.05.
- Multi-pixel Blink effects in the timeline: Only in Nuke Studio and Hiero. Apply and view Blink effects, such as LensDistortion and Denoise, at the timeline level, so there’s no need to go back and forth between the timeline and comp environments.
- OCIO version 2.2: Adds support for OCIOZ configs to be used directly in a project in Nuke 15.0.
Katana 7.0 Updates
Announced alongside these major Nuke updates, a Katana 7.0 was also announced and is set to release here soon. Katana will see some new tools and features like the aforementioned USD scene manipulation, as well as multi-threaded live rendering and optimized Geolib3-MT runtime.
Each of these tools should build on the same underlying architecture as Nuke’s new 3D system and will be compatible with Foresight+, plus should overall help minimize memory bloats and downtime.
Here’s everything new coming to Katana 7.0:
- USD scene manipulation: Building on the same underlying architecture as Nuke’s new 3D system, experience the pipeline flexibility that comes with USD 23.05.
- Multi-threaded Live Rendering: With Live Rendering now multi-threaded and compatible with Foresight+, artists can benefit from improved performance and user experience.
- Optimized Geolib3-MT Runtime: With new caching strategies, prevent memory bloats and minimize downtime, ensuring the render will fit on the farm.
Mari 7.0 Updates
Finally, along with the updates to Nuke and Katana, Mari is getting a host of new tools, backups and updates which should help streamline workflows overall. With new baking tools, texturing content, auto project backups and shader updates, Mari should cut out the need for a separation of applications and plugins.
Also, new licensing improvements should help admins better manage the uses of licenses for Mari for reduced pipeline friction.
Here’s everything new coming to Mari 7.0:
- New baking tools: Cut out the need for a separate application or plugin, and create geometry-based maps including curvatures and occlusions with ease and speed.
- Texturing content: With new Python Examples and more procedural nodes, access an additional 60 grunge maps, courtesy of Mari expert Johnny Fehr.
- Automatic Project Backups: With regular auto-saving, revert to any previously saved state either locally or across a network.
- Upgraded USD workflows: reducing pipeline friction, the USD importer is now more artist-friendly, plus Mari now supports USD 23.05.
- Shader updates: Ensuring what’s seen in Mari is reflected in the final render, shaders for both ChaosGroup’s V-Ray 6 and Autodesk’s Arnold Standard Surface have been updated.
- Licensing improvements: Team licensing is now available, enabling organization admins to manage the usage of licenses for Mari.
To get started with these updates you can get started with the Nuke family of products here. Foundry is also offering an extended free Nuke 15.0 90-day trial, which you can check out here
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