Multiverse v7.1.0 for Autodesk Maya

Multiverse v7.1.0 for Autodesk Maya

Multiverse v7.1.0 for Autodesk Maya | 62 MB | Language: English

[spoiler]
J Cube Inc. releases yet another major version of its industry leading USD solution for Maya, rendering & interchange with other DCC apps, Multiverse | USD 7.1.

v7.1.0 release notes – Date: 2022-07-29

Hierarchy Import with Live Connection
Multiverse reads USD data by streaming it into Maya and into the renderers, keeping the scene lightweight and I/O performance very fast.
To allow “round trips” between Maya data and USD data, in version 6.5 a feature was added to import USD data of an individual primitive as Maya data (a prim is an item of a Compound). After any edit, Maya data could be put back to USD using the previously imported prim paths, as new data or as sparse data.
In version 7.1 a new function has been added to allow importing USD data of an entire hierarchy (or a portion of) as Maya data. Note that this feature is implemented with high performance in mind.
Both work with Multiverse unique “live-connection”, that grants back and forth edits of Maya data with a procedural, node-based, live connection provided by the mvUsdImporter node. Edits can be written back into USD via the Multiverse Asset Writer (since the source data is Maya data) and can be written as new or as sparse data. All this with the auto-sync supports which will layer the edit on top of the Compound of origin.
This features can be accessed in the following ways:
– via RMB in MEOW: “import as Hierarchy”, in addition to the already available “Import as”.
– via the new new global Maya “File> Import: USD (Multiverse)”
Import of USD instances and USD point instancers with Live Connection
Added ability to import static or animated USD instances as Maya instances.
Added ability to import USD static or animated point instancers as Maya instancers.
Both support Multiverse live connection provided by the mvUsdImporter node.
When in MEOW, USD point instancer items will show “Import as Instancer” in the RMB menu. Point instancers will be also imported with the hierarchy importer and with the file Importer (see above).
USD Instances in MEOW are actually inherits, and will show Import mesh in MEOW.
Both features also work with the new hierarchy Importer both in MEOW and in the File> Import menu.
OpenPype <> Multiverse integration
Thanks to our new partnership with the Pype.club team (opens new window), we are proud to release a complete integration of Multiverse as of OpenPype 3.11, on all platforms.
This allows to create, publish and load Multiverse USD Assets, Compositions, Overrides and Looks in OpenPype.
The integration allows for a large number of workflows and relies on the Multiverse Python API (opens new window). It is fully open source, thus also offering an example on how easily Multiverse can be integrated in a production pipeline with Python.
We wish to thank Milan Kolar (opens new window)and the entire OpenPype team for the fruitful collaboration.
Prism <> Multiverse integration
We are proud to announce the integration of Multiverse in the Prism pipeline (opens new window)v2.0 beta which allows to create, publish and load Multiverse USD assets, compositions and overrides in Prism.
The integration entirely developed by Richard Frangenberg and used the Multiverse Python API (opens new window), contact him for early access.
USD/Z rendering in HydraVP2 Viewport
It is now possible to display USDZ assets in the Multiverse HydraVP2 viewport, this now includes support for per-face assignments (UsdGeomSubset) when drawing USDZ files in the viewport. USDZ assets rely on UsdPreviewSurface embedded shading networks, as a consequence any USD/A/C/Z asset with UsdPreviewSurface networks can be previewed in the viewport.
USD/Z Rendering with 3DelightNSI
It is now possible to render USDZ assets with 3DelightNSI, this now includes support for per-face assignments (UsdGeomSubset) when rendering USDZ files. USDZ assets rely on UsdPreviewSurface embedded shading networks, as a consequence any USD/A/C/Z asset with UsdPreviewSurface networks can be rendered with 3DelightNSI.
Note
3DelightNSI rendering of USD files with usdPreviewSurface networks use the following assumptions:
Normal maps are in OpenGL encoding
The supported PBR workflow is the roughness/metallic
Opacity maps are expected in the alpha channel of the “base color” texture.
For USDZ assets only PNG and JPG textures are supported (as per USDZ specs (opens new window)).
In case both usdPreviewSurface materials and USD Shading Network exist in the USD file on the same primitive (item), NSI shading networks will win over usdPreviewSurface when rendering.
Note that material overrides in MEOW (whether from Maya materials or Materials in the USD file) will always win over pre-written assignment in the USD file.
Finally, rendering with USD shading networks can be disabled on a Compound via the “Ignore USD materials” option.
Composition Writing
A new option has been added to the Composition Write (both in UI and Python API): “Write as Compound Layers”. This is useful when consolidating a single compound node with multiple layers (at least more than one layer) by writing it as a composition: effectively this writes the Compound’s layers as USD “subLayers” rather than as USD “references”.
This resolves an inconsistency behavior that caused overrides existing in Maya to behave differently than when written to USD.
The bottom line:
– When writing composition of that consists of multiple compounds nested in a hierarchy with transforms, set “Write as compound Layers” to off.
– When writing composition of a single compound with more than one layer, turn it on to use “subLayers”.
This option is currently left exposed to allow the old behavior (“references”) for backward compatibility reasons. We may automate this in future releases.
Asset Writing of Maya Instances
Instances of Maya geometry shapes are now written by the Asset Writer as USD “inherits” (opens new window)instead than as USD “references”.
This allows material overrides to behave like any other other overrides: an override on the original geometry will also propagate to its instances (and individual instances they can accept further local overrides).
As a consequence, written composition are consistent (in terms of how layers and overrides are applied) to what is seen in the Maya viewport and MEOW.
Note that a new option has been added to the API for Asset Writing: writeInstancesAsReferences (defaults to false) in case the old behavior is desired for backwards compatibility reasons.
Note also that item names (prims) that are “inherits” are drawn in light pink text in MEOW (this has also been added to the Help pop up menu).
Maya 2023 and Python 3.9
Multiverse for Maya 2023 with Python 3.9 support has been added to all platforms.
VRay 5.20.23
Upgraded VRay 5 support to VRay SDK 5.20.23 (VRay 5 for Maya, update 2.2)
Redshift 3.0.67 and 3.5.03
Added support for multiple versions of RedShift within the same Multiverse build. The supported versions are:
– 3.0.67+
– 3.5.03+
Depending on customer demand we may add additional versions.
Arnold 7.1
Added support for Arnold 7.1.0.0 and MtoA 5.1.0.

Viewport – Hardware rendering of normals in the Multiverse HydraVP2 viewport is now always correct also in cases with hard edges or various cases with per-face or per-vertex normals.
VRay – Fixed an issue which was preventing Multiverse attributes to be added to VRay nodes.
USD – Removed some unnecessary warning message verbosity coming from the USD library.
Info View – The info window on the shelf now also displays the Multiverse build date and the python version.
Writers – More informative error messages when writing with incorrect selections.
MEOW – Improved the Item View (triggered by MMB) to display aside MEOW and not above it.
MEOW – Show the prim path and type separately from attributes, on top.
MEOW – Allow for resizing columns, and reorder attributes according to alphabetic or numeric values.
MEOW – Ability to copy any row (name type value) via a double click as a quoted CSV string.
Python API – Added a new API to list all primitives (items) that have a material override applied: ListMaterialOverridePrims.
3Delight – Improved support for per-vertex UVs for the procedural in some special cases.
Redshift – Added support of rendering per-point primvars (equivalent to Houdini’s “point” storage class) on points/particles geometry.
Redshift – Added support of rendering per-curve primvars (equivalent to Houdini’s “primitive” storage class) on curve geometry.
Redshift – Added support of rendering per-point primvars (equivalent to Houdini’s “point” storage class) on mesh geometry.
Redshift – Added support of rendering per-vertex primvars (equivalent to Houdini’s “vertex” storage class) on mesh geometry.
Redshift – Added support of rendering per-face primvars (equivalent to Houdini’s “primitive” storage class) on mesh geometry.
Viewport – Correctly display per-primitive curve displayColor.
Redshift – Added support for reference positions “P ref” (from Maya reference objects). This prevents USD assets to “swim” into 3D textures if the primvars:Pref attribute is present in USD (it can be written in a USD file by the Multiverse Asset Writer).
Redshift – Largely improved performance in IPR.
Redshift – Better handling of (potentially missing) normals and winding order.
Redshift – Improved typed primvar reading on meshes, curves points.
Asset Writer – Improved to handle cases where maya references have no dag parent. reminder: writing multi-root USD geometry prims albeit allowed is not recommended, when using the asset write always select one single node in Outliner (or pass a selection of one node in the API): Multiverse will always writs its children and optionally its ancestors.
Redshift – Removed some unnecessary logging warning about primvars

Writer & Importer – Fix handling of per-vertex UV coordinates in some special geometry cases.
Compound – Fixed a regression with layer muting in the Compound shape.
Reader – Fixed a regression with display purposes loading in the viewport even when disabled.
macOS – Fixed an issue with USD Metal conflicting with other USD libraries that could be concurrently loaded.
macOS – Fixed issue with launching usdview caused by wrong environment. Remember that usdview must be launched from mayapy.
VRay – Fixed a crash when editing materials in IPR in VRay 5.
MEOW – Fixed an issue with renderers materials menu potentially empty.
Maya – Fixed attribute editor template missing extension attributes on shapes whose AE were already shown prior to the Multiverse plugin load. This affected shape nodes from Maya and from the renderers plug-ins Maya integrations.
Redshift – Fixed a regression when rendering the per-primitive primvars on mesh geometry.
Viewport – Fixed a crash with per-primitive curve displayColor.
Reader – Fixed generation of USD clips in the Multiverse Read UI, this was due to changes in the USD 20.05/21.11 handling of clips. Note that now clip generation will create both a *.topology.usda and a *.manifest.usda file along with the main sequence .usda clip file.
Redshift – remapValue shading nodes are now correctly interpreted.
macOS & Python – Improved linking of Python on multiple versions of macOS and Maya, for more details hop to the install macOS document. Arnold – Fixed missing Arnold support due to a build error in the 7.0.0 RC version.
Viewport – Fixed an issue causing some animated abc or usd assets to not update the draw correctly when scrubbing the timeline.
Redshift – Fixed material overrides on instances.
Writer – Avoid crash and print a warning when trying to write assets with invalid filenames due to special characters.
Viewport – Fixed issue with Maya playblast turning out black with floating point render target.
Redshift – Fixed wrong orientation with USD point instancers.
Multiverse | USDis a plug-in for Autodesk Maya made by J Cube Inc. which allow users to write, read, import, compose, override, layer, preview, playback and procedurally render USD files (Alembic files are also supported and treated as in-memory USD data, with other formats in the works).
This new release brings the Hierarchy Importer with “live connection” (able to handle also USD instances & point instancers), OpenPype intergation, Prism integration, USDZ rendering in the HydraVP2 Viewport and in 3DelightNSI, Composition Writing of layers as USD SubLayers, Asset Writing of Maya instances as USD Inherits, Maya 2023 with Python 3.9 on all platforms, Arnold 7.1+ & MtoA 5.1+, VRay 5.20.23+, support for multiple Redshift versions (3.0.67+ and 3.5.03+ currently), and many other features, improvements, bug-fixes, documentation and web updates.
Multiverse | USD v6 – 001 Write / Read USD Asset
Originally established in 2013 to respond to the local demand for professional solutions for 3D CGI in Japan,J CUBEhas quickly positioned itself internationally, first by publishing research at SIGGRAPH, and then with the widespread adoption of its 3D CGI VFX and Anime software products Multiverse and Maneki which are being used on major Hollywood film productions and Original TV Series by Netflix, Amazon, HBO and much more.
Product:Multiverse
Version:7.1.0 for Autodesk Maya
Supported Architectures:x64
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