Luxology on Wednesday announced modo 301, a major new release of their 3D content creation software for Mac OS X and Windows. It’s coming this summer; the current release, modo 203, costs $895, with a 30-day trial version available for download.
Modo provides modeling, painting and rendering tools for 3D artists and designers. The software originally distinguished itself as a subdivision modeler, and has since developed other key features like hooks into other creative tools such as Maya and Photoshop, extensive scripting capabilities, and multithreading support to take advantage of multiprocessor and multicore computers.
New to this release are brand new “core capabilities:” true-3D sculpting and the ability to animate items and their properties. The software also features more precise modeling and sculpting tools to help generate organic shapes and rigid models; threading for 3D painting, and the ability to lay paint strokes cross multiple images and multiple UV maps. The modo renderer now features a built-in cross platform network renderer, to help speed creation of high-resolution stills and animation sequences. The user interface has also been refined and improved.
Modo 203 users are eligible for a special reserved price for the 301 upgrade; more details are available on the Web site.