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San Diego, CA, SIGGRAPH CONFERENCE (August 8, 2007) - Nevercenter Ltd. Co. today announced the release of Silo 2.0, a core rewrite of their acclaimed 3d modeling and sculpting application. The new release features UV unwrapping and brush-based displacement painting, seamlessly integrated into a robust and straightforward traditional modeling application.
Silo 2 represents the culmination of a two year "core rewrite" project during which every existing aspect of Silo was reconsidered and improved, and fundamental changes were made to allow complete integration of the new features and prepare Silo for future growth. Feedback from users and beta testers suggested displacement painting in a traditional modeler was of paramount interest to modern artists. "Everyone is waiting for the perfect modeling application which has the power and ease of brush-based displacement painting, but also all of the tools necessary to really build a usable polygonal model," said Tom Plewe, President of Nevercenter. "Silo now presents the most complete marriage of displacement painting and traditional modeling available."
Other key improvements from the expansive update include UV unwrapping, expanded capabilities for core modeling tools, comprehensive scene management via the Scene Editor, a completely redesigned interface, sticky key functionality for tools, extensive symmetry and mirroring options, surface snapping, improved numerical input, and more.
John Plewe, Director of Development for Nevercenter, explained the benefits of integrated displacement painting. "Artists can switch back and forth between brushes and traditional tools at will, and Silo preserves all displacement data which isn't directly affected by a change to the topology. Preserving displacement data is critical if an art director or client needs a significant change to the model. It also frees the brushes for use throughout the creative process. You can detail an eye before building the mouth, or keep a detailed ear on hand to attach to different models. You can also do things like use the Move brush to quickly adjust proportions on a low-poly model."
Highlights of the new Silo:
Powerful and straightforward polygonal modeling
The majority of polygonal modeling really only requires a small set of adaptable tools. By focusing on enhancing core tools rather than adding a new tool for each new function, Nevercenter has kept Silo's toolset small while increasing its power and streamlining workflow. Concepts such as sticky keys and context sensitivity allow the same tool to change its behavior naturally based on the situation. A single Cut tool, for instance, can perform the separate actions of tools commonly known in other applications as Knife, Connect, Split Tool, Split Loop, Divide and more.
Displacement Painting
Brush-based tools offer direct access to the subdivided mesh for adding fine details, but also work on the base mesh and are useful throughout the modeling process. Displacement is preserved when geometry is edited, so displacement and modeling tools can be freely mixed while modeling. The brushes are accessed with a single key press and don't require any special preparation or UV unwrapping of the model before use.
LSCM-based UV Unwrapping
Silo's UV unwrapping toolset is growing rapidly and is based on the powerful LSCM (Least-Squares Conformal Mapping) algorithm. Objects are unwrapped based on user-defined seams, and the unwrapping can be updated in realtime via vertex pinning and adjustment. Regular modeling tools such as Break, Merge, and even the displacement brushes can be used to edit the UVs.
Topology Reconstruction
The Topology Tool (formerly Topology Brush) and the new Surface Snapping system allow for easy construction of new topology over an existing model. This existing model can be from any source including scan data, a dedicated displacement modeling package, or from within Silo itself. Surface snapping allows almost every tool, including the interactive polygon creation tools, to snap to the surface of an underlying model. The Topology Tool allows artists to literally sketch topology onto a model, and then generate geometry from that sketch.
Customizability
Silo is simply more customizable in more useful ways than any other modeling application available. Any command can be assigned to any mouse and keyboard combination, and on-screen interfaces can be built from scratch. Use Undo a lot? Try putting Undo and Redo on Shift + Scrollwheel to cycle through your edits. Used to working without a manipulator? Turn it off. Silo's view controls and selection can be set to behave like almost any application you're used to.
Size and Speed
Silo is small, fast, and lightweight. Unlike do-it-all applications which can be unnecessarily large and complicated for most given tasks, Silo loads fast and keeps things focused and clean throughout the modeling process. The default interface is purposefully minimal, although custom interfaces can be created for more detail.
Stability
While Silo is widely recognized for its stability, bugs do happen. The true key to stability is having a development team which can quickly respond to any stability issues which may arise. Free access to frequent 2.x updates and an open and friendly bug reports section moderated by developers allows for peace of mind that if a problem is found, it can be dealt with in a timely manner.
Cross-platform compatibility
A single Silo license allows a user to have Silo installed on up to three machines, in any combination of Macs and PCs.
Price
At $159, Silo's low price point is truly a feature. Silo is priced with the intention that every cg artist, professional or hobbyist, will have a use for Silo in his or her toolset. This pricing has allowed Silo's userbase to expand aggressively as studios and individuals discover how well it augments their pipelines.
Pricing and availability:
Silo 2 is available now for Mac and PC at www.nevercenter.com for US $159. Upgrades are available for $59, or for free to users who purchased Silo 1.4 on or after July 1, 2005. A fully-functional 30-day trial which will also function indefinitely as a free file converter can be downloaded at www.nevercenter.com/download. An update featuring displacement map export (to go with the normal map export already available) is imminent, and will be the first of many free 2.x updates available to registered users as Silo's active development continues.
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