Mari 1.2 with Python Released.

#1

Hello,

 It seems like it is 3D painting app frenzy round here at the moment, so please forgive me if it seems like I'm spamming. 
 
 I'd just like to let folks know that we've released Mari 1.2 for Linux and Windows which represents quite a significant update. 
 
 Grab a download or eval [here](http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/products/mari/product-downloads/).
 
 We've added a Python API for pipeline integration and asset managment. We understand that making your tools work seamlessly is important and believe that this should result in some pretty nice workflows being developed.
 
 The API comes with a fair number of relevent examples, an inbuilt script editor, full QT gui toolkit bindings and it is already pretty powerful. It is based on Python 2.6.5
 
 Along with the Python we've added...
 
 * Realtime fractal noise shaders and masks. Great for adding breakup and detail to those nice clean textures 

[img]http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/media/dpics/2011/01/24/2306.jpg[/img]
 
 * Levels Filter - With histogram and familiar controls

[img]http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/media/dpics/2011/01/24/2304.jpg[/img]
 
 
 * Texture mirroring, (left->right, top->bottom etc). Although this isn't full symmetry painting yet, we hope it will be pretty useful for those of you with symmetrical UVs.

[img]http://www.thefoundry.co.uk/media/dpics/2011/01/24/2307.jpg[/img]

* Copy shaders to objects - This allow quick sharing of shader setups between multiple objects. 
 
 Please find the full release notes [here](http://thefoundry.s3.amazonaws.com/products/mari/releases/1.2v1/Mari_1.2v1_ReleaseNotes.pdf) ....
 
 I've just added a video to YouTube showing some 2D animated paint fixing in Mari, and we've added a great user case from Method studios. Have a look at these [here](http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFoundryChannel#p/u).
 
 So then, onto 1.3. We're well into the process of making our proof-of-concept PTex code usable, should have some interesting news about displacements, will be showing some fun procedural texturing code and some not-very-glamorous but life-saving snapshot version managment. 
 
 No firm news on ATI cards at the moment, but we did pass a major milestone regarding this last week. We should have a clearer picture as 1.3 develops. 
 
 As always, questions and comments very much welcome.
#2

The addition of Python is such great news. If any studios were still looking for reasons to pick up Mari, this should surely seal the deal. I’m looking forward to whipping my one Python-savvy colleague into making some nice little tools for us now.

#3

Definitely; a massive thumbs-up to The Foundry for all the new Python goodies! I really enjoyed playing with it during the betas - it’s a very elegant and simple API, and the developers were really helpful and supportive throughout. We were able to get our asset management interface running in Mari in less than half an hour, which is at least fifteen unique shades of awesome. :smiley:

Many thanks for the new release!

#4

The addition of python is pretty cool - I came up with a simple py script to flip the paint buffer horizontally and vertically today - so I’m looking forward to trying to implement it in a gui now.

I doubt I’ll be able to implement any of my big wishlist* items as they’re rather involved, but hopefully people start contributing to the community with some cool stuff.

*wishlist includes - 2d pan/scan on projectors and copy-warp between shells of matching topology.

Jack - I haven’t looked into this, is it possible to create our own filters - or is that something you guys/gals need to implement still?

#5

Kinda. You can write custom GLSL shader modules. The HSV example shows how to do this. You could write your filter as a shader module then bake it into the channel. A bit of a work around but still useable.

These can also be used to write GLSL versions of in-house shaders. This would allow you to pick whole material types from the module list, i.e. add a Wood, metal or plastic material.

The map and parameters names in Mari can be the same as your production shaders. Using the API you could then extract the settings and pass these downstream to look development.

Natty eh?

#6

Congrats on this great product … !

I wonder if there are plans to incorporate some sort of web-based library of textures, as it is done in zBrush and MudBox to give the users quick access to a large variety of royalty free pics without having to leave the application.

Of course, plain simple google search picture results would be already enough a library for users, but that may give some legal headaches…

Is there anything planned ?

Cheers !

#7

Something tells me that Image Engine is using Mari - hence the Python.

#8

Python is pretty common in most 3d & 2d compositing applications these days(Nuke is largely python). All large companies need it for pipeline integration. Being able to hook into your internal database and call up the right version of the model. Also basic things as naming files with your own naming conventions. There is a whole mess of example scripts in the python menu.

#9

I was being a little sarcastic here, knowing that Image Engine was the company who helped develop Python binding for Nuke =)

#10

There is a Community tab in Mari - but it’s currently empty and I can’t find any info on it in the user guide (or any previous internet info on it).

I’m assuming it’s there so people can contribute and share brushes, shelfs, layouts, textures, filters, shaders, python scripts, edit wiki information (tutorials, tips) etc.

#11

The community tab just goes to the www.paintmore.co.uk site. It is just a user forum. It doesn’t work if the machine isn’t on the internet.

#12

thanks for the inputs, guys.

I got an other question concerning Mari.

how far goes the PTex support up till now ? What parts are missing ?

I’ve just seen in the videos that Mari would have some basic support for PTex with version 1.0, what does that mean technically ?

cheers !

#13

There isn’t any ptex support in 1.2.

#14

So this is not correct ? -->

(look from 5:05 min):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d16uoGK2fdY

#15

Nope.

That video was many months before 1.0 shipped. Jack had a proof of concept for ptex working but as far as I know it never shipped in 1.0.

#16

okay … thanks for that info … I’ve known the video was made earlier than the release (they also discussed the pricing), but I found no evidence so far that PTex was not yet included.

hopefully it will !

#17

Hi,

1.3 will include ptex support. As Deke said, we’ve had PTex as a proof of concept for a while, but needed to beat it into shape to be a full, production ready feature. We’re working closely with some of our customers to provide this support.

Jack

#18

veeery cool !

thanks Jack !

#19

i was reading somewhere that mari could in the future have realtime displacement ? would this be only for preview or also for painting?

#20

I’m testing out the evaluation version and Mari looks pretty impressive.

I am not quite up to snuff on the video card front, having only a 285GTX, but while I am noticing that the painting and general navigating is quite fast and smooth, I am getting considerable lags when the painting is baked down. Sometimes longer than others (and this just messing with the demo blacksmith geo), but it’s enough to almost make Mari unusable for me.

I’m wondering if that sounds graphic card related, or perhaps something else?

Running Windows Vista 64 on a i7 980X with 12GB of RAM, and nothing else running at the time.

Thanks in advance
Brett