In nuce: Chaos releases version 5.0 of Phoenix – the fluid simulation software for 3ds Max and Maya. To put a damper on the joy: Phoenix 5.0 is currently a work in progress, which is why some of the more elaborate features may not yet be supported.
New features: We have summarised the most spectacular new features for you below. Please also note the release video, which we have linked below.
- Phoenix with a single licence: This is only logical, as Chaos merged the individual licences for 3ds Max and Maya at the end of 2021. The subscription, which includes both 3ds Max and Maya, costs 70 US dollars per month, or 390 US dollars per year.
- More control over object movement: This includes Thruster Force, Axis Lock – but also Size Variation & Stringy Parameters to control the pattern of foam created with a flip solver. Also: A new voxel shader for gaseous liquids makes it possible to shade uploaded meshes and fire & smoke at the same time. In addition, you can expect new presets for: stormy sea surfaces, ship waves, ice cubes (floating in liquid) and (the cone of an) engine exhaust. You can read all about it at docs.chaos.com (Active Body Thruster) and again at docs.chaos.com (Active Body Axis Lock) – and for the third time – at doc.chaos.com (Voxel Shader).
- Standalone Simulator: A new command line tool with which you can further process scenes that have been calculated out of 3ds Max or Maya. According to Chaos, the simulation should be up to 40 per cent faster compared to the same simulation within 3ds Max and Maya. You can find detailed information on the standalone simulator at docs.chaos.com .
- Standalone Node Viewer: For debugging .simscene files. Further information is available at docs.chaos.com.
Click further: If you would like to click through to the source of information, please refer to the corresponding release note from 26 May of this year, published on Chaos Docs.
Chaos Phoenix 5 – now availableChaos Phoenix 5 – now available
