Maxon announces Cinema 4D updates, move to SaaS model

Maxon has announced the latest updates to its Cinema 4D software as part of its exhibition at SIGGRAPH 2019.

The changes include a new subscription-based pricing model along with the move to a singular version, combining Cinema 4D Prime, Broadcast, Visualize and Studio as one.

Other popular creative tools, like Adobe Cloud, have used the subscription as a service model (SaaS) for many release cycles.

“The availability of a unified version of Cinema 4D will allow us to focus on developing one amazing 3D solution. Very attractive subscription pricing options ensure users around the world can easily access the most up-to-date 3D technology,” said David McGavran, Maxon CEO.

Release 21 will be available for download on September 3, 2019, and will cost $59.99/month with an annual subscription. Perpetual licensing will also be available for R21 and are set at $3495.

Feature Highlights in R21

One Version of Cinema 4D/More Efficient Installation and Licensing – R21 marks the introduction of one singular version of Cinema 4D that includes the complete feature set at an affordable price. Customers no longer need to choose between editions of the software and will benefit from all feature updates as they become available. A new global online store allows users to subscribe and immediately activate licenses.

Caps and Bevel – The all-new Caps and Bevels system in R21 lets users extrude 3D logos and animated text effects – the ‘bread and butter’ of 3D motion graphics – quickly, easily and more accurately. But this feature offers more than just fancy fonts and text – caps and bevels are integrated on all spline-based objects – lathe, loft, sweep, etc., for unlimited possibilities. Enhancements include improved constraints and internal bevels, Delaunay cap skinning and a new library of bevel preset.

Field Forces – The new Field Force dynamics object in R21 allows users to optimize motion graphics workflow in the MoGraph toolset, offering flexibility and power to control dynamic forces in modeling and animation effects for optimized performance.

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Mixamo Control Rig – Offering a quick and customizable way to implement character animation, the new Mixamo Control Rig gives R21 users the ability to adjust Mixamo animations imported into Cinema 4D for a flexible and powerful workflow.

Rendering Improvements – Cinema 4D’s wide range of render options deliver fast, beautiful and professional results for creating outstanding images and animations. New capabilities in R21 include:

Intel Open Image Denoise – R21 integrates Intel Open Image Denoise, a library for high-performance, easy-to-use denoising filter solution to improve visual quality and reduce rendering times via deep learning techniques. This technology is part of Intel oneAPI Rendering Toolkit, a set of libraries to help create high-performance, high-fidelity, extensible, and cost-effective visual applications and solutions. The solution works and is available with Cinema 4D’s internal rendering solutions as well as ProRender.

Material Nodes – Numerous additional nodes and UI improvements to accelerate workflow include the new Node Space that defines which material nodes are available to the chosen renderer. Additionally, an API is now available for third-party developers to integrate render engines with the new material node system.

Interface Speed Enhancements – Interface speed augmentations increase performance in R21 for quicker modeling operations, particularly in demanding, fast-paced productions that require heavy keyframe scene creation.

Access to the Best Technology – R21 leverages the latest processor optimizations from Intel and AMD. Cinema 4D users can also directly import files to the Unreal Engine and Unity game engines to build stunning cinematic games, simulations, and visualizations. Integration into numerous other popular software packages also means artists have the necessary set of features for maximum creative flexibility.

Optimized Workflow – As Maxon continues to transition to a more modern UI in Cinema 4D, R21 features improved color, updated menus and defaults. Support for HiDPI on Windows and Mac, provide optimized, anti-aliased display on high-end laptops and monitors, and more.