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[v16.1] Modo – Creative 3D modeling, texturing and rendering toolset

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Modo (AKA: The Foundry MODO) is a professional, comprehensive, and flexible 3D modeling, texturing and rendering toolset developed by The Foundry Visionmongers (Foundry for short) from United Kingdom. It integrates advanced polygon subdivision surface, modeling, sculpturing, 3D drawing, animating and rendering in one place, and serves as a comprehensive and complete software solution for many design and creativity links.

Compared with most other 3DCG software, the workflow of Modo is quite different, and its basic design philosophy is concise, flexible, clear and intuitive. Unlike Maya, 3ds Max and some other popular and big 3D software, Modo does not have too many contents and functions to learn, and we do not need to face a lot of sidebar tools or parameters. Only with the combination and match of some small tools, will you be able to design a satisfactory 3D model with ease. Correspondingly, Modo allows to highly customize all user interfaces, all the shortcut keys, and supports their highly free combinations, so as to make it easy for users to configure their own ideal working environment.

Modo comes with many advanced technologies, such as N-gons (polygons with more than 4 edges are allowed), multi-layered 3D drawing tool and edge weighting tool, can run on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms, and more. It is often used by companies in the field of film production or game development for character design, animation creation, special effects design, etc. Its rendering result is very delicate and is so convenient to use, especially its practical real-time rendering capability gives artists a very intuitive usage experience, and saves their a lot of valuable working time.

// Key Features //

Feature Description
Modeling Modo offers a unique combination of best-in-class direct modeling tools working hand-in-hand with a highly robust and flexible procedural modeling system. Additionally, Modo features the award-winning MeshFusion Boolean tools, integrated sculpting and retopology functionality.
UV workflows Take the drudgery out of tedious UV creation tasks, with a highly efficient built-in toolset that offers many automated options, supports UDIM workflows, and—unlike some other 3D content creation tools—integrates fully with modeling and selection workflows.
Sculpting Bring your artistic expression to 3D modeling, as you use Modo’s integrated brush-based sculpting tools to intuitively rough out volumes and add multiple levels of fine detail with speed.
Shading Streamline your workflow with fast, flexible layer-based and nodal shading systems for building sophisticated, convincing materials with ease. Drag-and-drop presets let you quickly develop the look you want, or simply select from a huge library of highly realistic physically-based materials.
Rendering Enjoy photorealistic rendering at amazing speeds and limitless resolutions—even network rendering is free. Modo’s production-proven, physically-based renderer offers a rare blend of speed and quality.
Baking Review textures as you bake and watch them refine progressively. Modo also allows you to tweak settings and make surface changes without waiting for a final render, and it accurately bakes to Unity or Unreal standards with no extra tools required.
Rigging Featuring a non-destructive, non-linear toolset and fully-integrated modular workflow, Modo’s flexible node-based rigging system lets you easily create, edit, manage and reuse complex character rigs.
Animation Incorporating traditional animation techniques applied in innovative ways, Modo’s 3D animation framework is highly customizable to meet the most demanding of production challenges.
Effects Modo’s rule-based, directable particles work together with the fully-integrated rigid and soft bodies, and procedural shattering, to let you create compelling dynamic simulations in less time.
Hair and Fur Modo lets you create and manipulate realistic hair, fur, grass, feathers and other fiber-based effects as actual geometry that can be sculpted, shaded and rendered directly in your scene.
Camera and projection tools Modo’s advanced tools for virtual camera creation and digital matte painting are perfect for set extensions and product placement shots, while the spherical camera rig lets you work with 360° video.
Presets Segment your work into more manageable parts, avoid repetitive modeling tasks and create repeatable looks with saveable, shareable, reusable assemblies and presets. Plus, convert a series of procedural modeling operations into a new specialized tool to share with others.
Collaboration and customization With in-viewport support for Unity, Unreal-compatible PBR materials and built-in export tools, Modo delivers a true WYSIWYG asset creation experience for games and VR authoring. Plus, support for a wide range industry-standard file formats, together with Python and macro scripting, means it’s easy to make Modo work in your pipeline.

// System Requirements //

  • Mac 10.11.x, 10.12.x and 10.13.x
  • Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 (64-bit only)
  • Linux 64-bit operating system (RHEL 6.8+ & CentOS 7+)

// Edition Statement //

AppNee provides the Modo multilingual full installers, local license servers (FLT and RLM), universal license server config file and universal individual license file, unlocked files, as well as portable full registered versions for Windows 32-bit and 64-bit, Mac and Linux.

  • FLU = Foundry License Utility
  • FLT = Foundry License Tools
  • RLM = Reprise License Manager

// Installation Notes //

for v14.1v2 on Windows/Mac/Linux:

How to install the RLM License Manager on your machine:

Windows
  1. Copy “RLM_Windows” folder to “C:\“
  2. Run CMD as administrator
  3. Type “cd C:\RLM_Windows“
  4. Type “rlm_install.cmd“
  5. Wait
  6. Delete the “RLM_Windows” folder under “C:\“
  7. Done
Mac
  1. Extract file to Desktop
  2. Open Terminal
  3. Type “cd ~/Desktop/[folder name]/RLM_macOS“
  4. Type “chmod +x ./rlm_install.sh“
  5. Type “./rlm_install.sh“
  6. Input your login password
  7. Wait
  8. Delete the folder
  9. Done

*** If your macOS is older than 10.11, you need to repair disk permissions:

  1. Open Disk Utility
  2. Select your Hard-drive, and click “repair disk permissions“

*** If you use macOS is 10.12 Sierra, you should turn your firewall or 3rd party tools like Little Snitch or Hands Off off!
Linux
  1. Extract file to Desktop
  2. Open Terminal
  3. Type “cd ~/Desktop/[folder name]/RLM_Linux/“
  4. Type “chmod +x ./rlm_install.sh“
  5. Type “./rlm_install.sh“
  6. Input your login password
  7. Wait
  8. Delete the folder
  9. Done

*** You can also check a few more info via the following web GUIs:

  • http://127.0.0.1:5053 = http://localhost:5053
  • http://127.0.0.1:5054 = http://localhost:5054

How to install the RLM License Manager on your Client:

Step One:

First you must install the RLM license Manager on your server and then obtain the Server HOST_NAME or server IP address:

How to get your server HOST_NAME
  • Windows: Open the Command Prompt and type : hostname
  • Mac OS: Open the Terminal and type : hostname -sf
  • Linux: Open the Terminal and type : hostname
How to get your server IP Address
  • Windows: Open the Command Prompt and type: ipconfig
  • Mac OS: Use System Preferences > Network
  • Linux: Open the Terminal and type : hostname –i

Step Two:

Do the following steps on your clients:

Windows
  1. Copy “RLM_Windows” folder to “C:\“
  2. Run CMD as administrator
  3. Type “cd C:\RLM_Windows“
  4. Type “rlm_client.cmd –add YOUR _SERVER_HOST_NAME” or “rlm_client.cmd –add YOUR _SERVER_IP_ADDRESS“
  5. Delete the “RLM_Windows” folder under “C:\“
  6. Done

For example:

your server Host Name is : vfx_server:

  • rlm_client.cmd –add vfx_server

your server IP Address is : 192.168.1.50

  • rlm_client.cmd –add 192.168.1.50
Mac
  1. Extract file to Desktop
  2. Open Terminal
  3. Type “cd ~/Desktop/[folder name]/RLM_macOS“
  4. Type “chmod +x ./rlm_client.sh“
  5. Type “./rlm_uninstall.sh –add YOUR _SERVER_HOST_NAME” or “./rlm_uninstall.sh –add YOUR _SERVER_IP_ADDRESS“
  6. Delete the folder
  7. Done

For example:

your server Host Name is : vfx_server

  • ./rlm_uninstall.sh –add vfx_server

your server IP Address is : 192.168.1.50

  • ./rlm_uninstall.sh –add 192.168.1.50
Linux
  1. Extract file to Desktop
  2. Open Terminal
  3. Type “cd ~/Desktop/[folder name]/RLM_Linux/“
  4. Type “chmod +x ./rlm_client.sh“
  5. Type “./rlm_uninstall.sh –add YOUR _SERVER_HOST_NAME” or “./rlm_uninstall.sh –add YOUR _SERVER_IP_ADDRESS“
  6. Delete the folder
  7. Done

For example:

your server Host Name is : vfx_server

  • ./rlm_uninstall.sh –add vfx_server

your server IP Address is : 192.168.1.50

  • ./rlm_uninstall.sh –add 192.168.1.50

for v14.0v1 Portable on Windows:

  • Just download and extract to use

for v15.x, v13.x, v12.x on Windows:

SINGLE MACHINE
  1. Install your Foundry product
  2. Install FLT
  3. End the Foundry License Server process (rlm.foundry.exe) via Task Manager
  4. Copy the unlocked RLM (rlm.foundry.exe) to the following path and overwrite:
    • C:\Program Files\The Foundry\LicensingTools7.1\bin\RLM\
  5. Open the License Server Config File ‘xf_foundry.lic‘ with Notepad, replace the strings “HOST_NAME MAC_ADDRESS PORT” with your own ones:
    • You can get this information via CMD and “ipconfig/all” command
    • Make sure the info is from the network adapter you are using (such as: Ethernet adapter Ethernet)
    • PORT is 5053 by default (or delete the word “PORT” if you don’t want to specify one)
    • HOST – full name of your computer
    • MAC_ADDRESS – don’t keep the middle colon or dash
    • PORT – Just delete this word if you don’t want to or don’t know how to fill in this parameter
    • If you need more info about this, just read the RLM user manual
  6. Copy ‘xf_foundry.lic‘ file to “C:\ProgramData\The Foundry\RLM\” and “C:\Program Files\The Foundry\LicensingTools7.1\bin\RLM\”
  7. Restart RLM Server via services.msc, or run Foundry License Utility as administrator -> RLM services -> click ‘Start Server’ (the best way to check logs and info)
  8. All done

*** Be sure to keep an eye on the presence of spaces, otherwise it will not be successfully activated.

*** Make sure the MAC address is from the physical address of the Ethernet adapter
MULTIPLE MACHINES
Machine A – acting as RLM license server:

  • The same as SINGLE MACHINE’s 2~7 steps

Machine B, C, D, … – acting as RLM clients:

  1. Install your Foundry product
  2. Start program
  3. When you are prompted to activate, click ‘Activate License’ or ‘Use Server’
  4. For license server, you must enter the following info that you can get from Machine A:
    • port_of_rlm_server@ip_of_rlmserver
  5. If you didn’t specify a port, it will look like this:
    • 5053@ip_of_machineA
  6. Do make sure your firewall accepts communications with the clients

*** Foundry License Utility will help you find info on hostname, hostid, systemid, mac address, port and problems you may run into if
you didn’t follow the above steps.

*** Diagnostics will help you figure out what mistake you did.

*** You can also check a few more info via the following web GUIs:

  • http://127.0.0.1:4102
  • http://rlm_ip:4102

// Related Links //

// Download URLs //

OS Version Download Size
Official Full Installer
Windows v16.1v1 n/a
Mac AppNee.com n/a
Linux for Linux Fast Link Page n/a
Universal FLT, RLM, Individual License, License Server Config File
Windows v12.x reserved 10.2 MB
Mac reserved 9.61 MB
Linux reserved 9.87 MB
Windows v13.x reserved 10.2 MB
Mac reserved 10.5 MB
Linux reserved 10.3 MB
Windows v14.x 842 KB
Mac AppNee.com 514 KB
Linux for Linux Fast Link Page 1.26 MB
Windows v15.x, v16.x 10.2 MB
Mac AppNee.com 10.5 MB
Linux for Linux Fast Link Page 10.3 MB
Portable Full Registered Versions
Windows v14.2v2 1.01 GB
… … … …

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