Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.4a) (23th Nov, 2022)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.4a has been released.

This update fix a memory leak problem on OpenGL/macOS. Please see details in Release note.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.4) (2nd Nov, 2022)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.4 has been released. The main changes are as follows;

• [Select - Joined face] can now be used to limit the angle of selection.
• A [Fix direction] option has been added to [Move] that does not change the orientation of the handle.
• The [Iridescence] has been added to the extension settings of the glTF shader in the [Material Panel] settings.
• [Indirect Lighting] has been added to the material settings as a light source that is not itself visible during path tracing.

Please see details for other changes and bug fixes in Release note.

Note that macOS version 10.15 (Catalina) or later will be supported from this release. macOS 10.14 (Mojave) will not work, so please update your macOS to Catalina or later, or use Ver. 4.8.3b as-is. Please update your macOS to Catalina or later, or keep using Ver. 4.8.3b.

Iridescence

Supports the [Iridescene] extension recently added to the glTF specification, which reproduces the rainbow-colored phenomenon of light reflections, such as on CD/DVD recording surfaces or in soap bubbles.

When using the iridescence, please apply an environment map. It is difficult to see the change with only normal parallel light sources.

Indirect lighting

When the [Indirect lighting] is turned on in the material property, the surrounding objects will be illuminated. But, the light source object itself is not directly visible even if it is in the field of view. This is not physically correct, but it can be an effective drawing method in cases where the light source itself would be obtrusive if it were visible.

When using the iridescence, please apply an environment map. It is difficult to see the change with only normal parallel light sources.

The indirect lighting is only reflected in the path tracing. In the left image with indirect lighting on, you can see that the lighting is on, but the spherical light source itself is not visible.

Note that when indirect lighting is turned on, perhaps because the light source object itself is no longer self-shielding, the entire image becomes brighter even with the same light source intensity, so the exposure is adjusted in the example above.
(This specification may be subject to change in the future.)

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.3b) (27th May, 2022)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.3b has been released.

This update contains some improvements and bug fixes. Please see details in Release note.

Trial license for older versions(Ver3.1) will end (25th May, 2022)

The issuing system of trial license for older versions (Ver3.1) will end at the end of June 2022. Please migrate to Metasequoia 4.

The trial license for Metasequoia 4 will continue to be available.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.3a) (28th Mar, 2022)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.3a has been released.

Three bugs has been fixed in this update. Please see details in Release note.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.3) (20th Mar, 2022)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.3 has been released.

In this update, support for glTF has been enhanced, and the following extensions for physically-based rendering (PBR), which were added after the glTF 2.0 specification was developed, are now supported in their entirety.

• Clearcoat
• Index of refractive (IOR)
• Sheen
• Specular
• Transmission
• Volume
• Unlit

Each parameter added to the glTF shader is reflected in both the real-time preview and the path-tracing rendering, and It enables much more advanced texture expression than before.

In addition, the [Measure] function can now measure thickness radially, which can also be used to generate a "thickness map" to be used in conjunction with glTF volume settings.

We plan to introduce an overview and its operations of physically-based rendering and glTF in separate articles.

Some fixes are also included in this release. Please see details in Release note.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.2a) (7th Mar, 2022)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.2a has been released.

Improved path tracing rendering

Alpha mode of glTF is now supported, and semi-transparency is displayed as in the preview. In addition, shadows created through semi-transparent areas are now accurately rendered.

About Normal Morph

Normal vectors on morph objects as "Normal morph" can now also be output in the FBX file. Normal morph can be applied if the receiving software supports it, and we have confirmed that Unity currently supports it.

When importing an FBX file with normal morph settings in Unity, please specify "Import" in the [Blend Shape Normals] field.

However, due to the limitations of FBX, it is not possible to have different normals for surfaces that share vertices, and the output will be a unified normal. Also, due to the limitations of either FBX or Unity (or both?), it is not possible to handle data in which only the normals are changed without moving the vertices. If you have changed the normals, move the vertices only slightly so as not to affect the appearance of the vertices.

This update includes some improvements and bug fixes. Please see details in Release note.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.2) (25th Feb, 2022)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.2 has been released.

Here are some of the major improvements.

Path tracing supports bokeh

The expression of "bokeh"; often referred to as the "depth of field" in 3DCG software; is supported in the path tracing rendering. Objects in front of or behind the focal point are rendered blurred.

The degree of blur can be adjusted using the "f-stop" value, just like a regular camera, but unlike a real camera, there is no change in the amount of exposure.

Enabling bokeh does not change the total amount of rendering time. It can also be combined with noise reduction to get high quality rendering results in a short time.

Enhanced normal direction movement

The normal direction has been included in the Move command for a long time, but now there is a new option to move to the normal direction for each vertex.

You can also specify the direction of movement as either the normal direction of the selected face only, or the average direction of the normals of all faces surrounding the vertex.

Enhanced FBX output

When outputting to FBX files, glTF shaders can now be converted to the Stingray PBR shader used in Maya. If the receiving software supports the Stingray shader, you can use it as an option to pass physics-based shader parameters other than the glTF (glb) format. Due to the limited number of supported software, the default output will be Phong as before.

And, an object with no vertices or faces will be output as a 'Null' node.

Enhanced transcription

Transcription of vertex colors is now supported, and UV edit and normal transcription have also been slightly improved.

 

This update includes other improvements and bug fixes. Please see details in Release note.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.1a) (25th Dec, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.1a has been released. This update includes some bug fixes. (Release note)

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.1) (12th Nov, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.1 has been released. This update includes some improvements and bug fixes. (Release note)

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.0a) (28th Oct, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.0a has been released. This update includes some bug fixes. (Release note)

About Windows 11 and macOS Monterey (28th Oct, 2021)

The operation check of Metasequoia 4 on Windows 11 and macOS Monterey has been completed. Version 4.8.0 or later can be used as the Windows 11 and macOS Monterey compatible version.

Since no special changes were required to make Metasequoia 4 compatible with Windows 11 and macOS Monterey, there is a high possibility that Metasequoia 4 will work with versions 4.7 and earlier. However, we cannot guarantee that it will work. Even if a new problem is found in the future, we will not be able to support older versions. If you do not update to version 4.8.0 or later on Windows 11 or macOS Monterey for unavoidable reasons, and continue to use version 4.7 or earlier, please understand that you are responsible for your own actions.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.8.0) (19th Oct, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.8.0 has been released. This version includes major improvements, and I will now introduce the main new features.

Physically-based path tracing rendering

Physically-based rendering using a path tracing method is now available. The path tracing also reproduces the scattering of light between objects, allowing to render soft shadows.

'glTF' or 'Transparent' shaders are used mainly. Traditional Phong shader can also be used, but please note that the results will be different from the original parameters.

An area light with an arbitrary shape can be used by setting the 'Emission' of the material. In open space, parallel light sources and an environment map can also be used.

The path tracing renderer also includes a denoise function that removes the noise inherent to path tracing and significantly reduces rendering time. (Available for Windows 64bit and macOS)

There is no difference between the Standard and EX editions in terms of image quality, but the resolution of the Standard edition is limited to 1280x720 or lower. If you need a higher resolution, please use the EX edition.

An environment map

It uses a 360-degree panoramic photo like the one below and displays it as an environment map in the background.

It is also displayed on the object surface by setting a reflection in the Phong shader, and a metallic and roughness in the glTF shader.

The environment map display supports both real-time preview and rendering.

Improved window display

You can now perform other operations while the object property, material property, rendering, etc. windows are open.

For example, when repeatedly re-rendering while adjusting material parameters, you do not need to repeatedly open and close the window, which greatly increases your work efficiency. This is especially recommended in an environment with a wide monitor or multiple monitors, as it is easy to keep the work area with the window open.

High-precision smoothing and filtering

The previous smoothing function caused a slight inward contraction, but the new smoothing filter function prevents contraction as much as possible. (Available only in the EX edition)

One thing to note is that it consumes a lot of memory, so if you have a large amount of data, you will need a lot of installed memory. Also, depending on the shape, it may be difficult to filter.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.7.7d) (9th Jul, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.7d has been released. This version contains RenderMan 24 support and some bug fixes.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.7.7c) (23th Jun, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.7c has been released. This version contains some improvements such as numerical input and bug fixes.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.7.7b) (12th May, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.7b has been released. This version fixes three bug bugs, including one that causes abnormal termination.

(5/13 re-release) In the installer for Windows, the files were not updated properly and remained 4.7.7a, so the installer has been re-released. The filename of the new installer contains "477b1".

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.7.7a) (2nd May, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.7a has been released. This version contains some bug fixes and following improvements.

• More enhance symmetric editing support for [Selected] menus
• Improved lathe (single-sided or double-sided)

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.7.7) (14th Apr, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.7 has been released. In this version, the basic operations have been revised, and the main changes are as follows.

• Improved robust boolean
• Enhance symmetric editing support for [Selected] menus
• Reorganization and consolidation of some menus
• Enhance local coordinate support in each command
• Enhance numeric input in [Move] command
• Switch 2D/3D mode in [Bend] and [Shear] commands
• Support PBR Next extensions and Draco compression for glTF
• Other several improvements and bug fixes

Please see the Release Note for more information.

Caution: Windows 7/8 is no longer supported from this version. Please update to Windows 8.1 or 10 if you are still using an older OS.

Metasequoia 4 (Ver4.7.6) (26th Jan, 2021)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.6 has been released.

From this release, the macOS version has been made as a Universal App with native support for both Intel and Apple Silicon CPUs. This will allow it to run more efficiently on the latest Macs with Apple M1.

Please note that we no longer support OS X El Capitan (10.11) and macOS Sierra (10.12) from this version due to difficulties in supporting older operating systems. If you are using both OS, please update to macOS 10.13 or later, or keep using Ver4.7.5a.

The Windows version also has some improvements and bug fixes, such as a larger mouse cursor for high resolution monitors. Please update to the latest version for both Windows and macOS users.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.5a) (18th Dec, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.5a has been released. This update includes some bug fixes.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.5) (13th Oct, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.5 has been released. This update provisionally supports macOS Big Sur (confirmed in beta version), and includes some improvements.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.4d) (6th Jul, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.4d has been released. This update includes a bug fix about Direct3D display. It is available for Windows only.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.4c) (6th Jul, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.4c has been released. This update includes some bug fixes. It is available for both Windows and macOS.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.4b) (18th May, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.4b has been released. This update resolves the Direct3D 11 display delay. It is available for Windows only.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.4a) (7th May, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.4a has been released. This version includes these two changes.

• [Apply bind poses] option has been add in FBX importer.
• Fixed the bug that Direct3D 11 display causes an error when [Change the colors of lines in selected faces] is on.

This update is for Windows only.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.4) (28th Apr, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.4 has been released. The main updates are as follows.

• Update FBX SDK (Corresponding to security issues)
• PBR shaders support in FBX importer
• Add a bone template for Unreal Engine 4
• Other minor updates and bug fixes

Please see the details in Release Note

In addition, support for Windows 7/8 has been reduced in this version, and Direct3D 11 display is not available if D3DCompiler_47.dll is installed on Windows. If you can't display it, please install it using the following method.

• Windows 7: Please apply all updates in Windows Update, or apply KB4019990 manually.
• Windows 8: Please upgrade to Windows 8.1 or 10.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.3) (31th Jan, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.3 has been released.

Download the new version from Download page.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.2b) (15th Jan, 2020)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.2b for macOS has been released. The following problems have been resolved or improved.

• The GUI is changed by the macOS's appearance (Light or Dark).
• An installation is complex because of the security warning in macOS Catalina (10.15).
• An extension is not automatically changed when a file is saved in macOS Catalina (10.15).
• Lists and Paint Panel are not updated after operations.
• An application freezes when an object whose name contains non-English characters.
• A part of shortcut keys is not available when the help is docked.

This update is applied to macOS only.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.2a) (10th Dec, 2019)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.2a for macOS has been released. It fixes bugs for importing and exporting .fbx files. This update is applied to macOS only.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.2) (4th Dec, 2019)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.2 has been released. It contains some improvements and bug fixes.

Download the new version from Download page.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.1) (24th Oct, 2019)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.1 has been released. It contains some improvements and bug fixes.

TIPS are updated - Introduction of Metasequoia 4's useful features(7) (1st Aug, 2019)

An article to introduce useful features of Metasequoia 4 has been published.
Please check TIPS for Metasequoia.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.0a) for macOS (22nd May, 2019)

Metasequoia Ver 4.7.0a has been released.

This update is a bug fix for macOS edition.
There was a problem with display on 3d views. This bug has been fixed.

But, if you use multi monitors on macOS, depending on the type of monitor, the display may be disturbed or numeric input field of operation handle is not displayed.
If the display of the view is disturbed, please check the [Prevent a broken screen for multi monitors] in [Configuration > Preview > OpenGL].

Download the new version from Download page.
*This release is only for macOS version. There is no update for Windows version.

Metasequoia 4.7 (Ver4.7.0) for Windows and macOS (24th Apr, 2019)

Main updates of Ver 4.7.0 are as follows.

Bone command has been improved.

The Bone structure has changed. In the new version, bone editing is done by node operation.
This will help you organize and manage bone settings. And, the compatibility with FBX/PMD is improved.

• Align - You can align the parent and child bones straight, or align along the X / Y / Z axis.
  
• Play Pose Simple Animation - During weight editing by [Paint], you can play back the saved pose to see skin deforming by the bone movement.
  
• [Needle] added - [Needle] has been added to select vertices and apply fine weights. Unlike brushes, you can also paint weights on vertices behind objects.
  
• Weight list - you can list and edit the weights assigned to any vertex.
  

[Bent] and [Shear] has been updated.

Detailed operations such as numerical specification of the bending angle are now possible.

Improved support for glTF format

For glTF import / export, bone and morphing have been supported. And setting items have been added in the Material Property of glTF shader.
These improves data conversion accuracy when import and export glTF files. It also improves the reproducibility of glTF file display on preview display in Metasequoia.

File Import/Export

• The standard file format has been changed from MQO/MQX to MQOZ. Data of two files, MQO and MQX, are merged into MQOZ as one. The file size will be smaller than before.
• File Export for COB(trueSpace), POV(POV-Ray), WRL(VRML 1.0), SUF(DoGA), AMF, JMF(three.js) are abolished.

Please check release note if you want to see detail of updates.
Download the new version from Download page.

And Plug-in SDK is updated to Rev4.70. Please check this page if you are Plug-in developer.