Some days ago I posted a video about boids. Today I upload the video scene. Thanks to Jan C.-Frischmuth for his great work. It’s based on the Boids-AI of Craig Reynolds. Three behaves for the agents (seperation, alignment, coherence) are implemented. Take a look at the following video and download the scene. To use this script, you need Thinking Particles.

[Download] the file.

A new version of Py4D was released. A lot of bugs were fixed and a lot of stuff was added. Its now possible to write Bitmap Im- /Exporter and own Modifier. Check out the Changelog and feel free to update your current version of Py4D via the Online Updater or just download the whole package (Get Py4D).

The makers of ‘Smart Outline’ are back and released their new plugin called ‘Smart Tween’. The plugin ‘Smart Tween’ was prototyped in Py4D and is a node that allows to tween/ease any value based on various curves/ramp types. By using the node it is possible to create dynamic motions fast and easy – no need to draw complex curves within the timeline. The ten curve types…: Quadratic, Cubic, Quartic, Quintic, Sinusoidal, Exponential, Circular Specials – (Elastic, Back, Bounce) … can be combined with the following four ramp types: In, Out, InOut, OutIn.

Smart Tween can also be used as effect when working with particles. Further features are limited, delayed looping, pingpong and a curve preview.

Link: http://www.smart-page.net/smarttween/

Check out this cool library. It contains several Py4D nodes which are very easy to use and might be helpful.

• Print all inports
  The value of all inports will be printed out to the sandbox.
• MinMax Nodes
  Will return the min / max value of all inports.
• Transitions
  One of the best nodes ever used in XPresso. Use it to make animations much smoother.
  Thanks to smart-page.net. The C++ version is known as ‘Smart Tween’.
• Converters
  Just a few converters
• Extract Data
  Extract information from specific datatypes. SplineData, Gradient, …

To get the package, follow the installation guide in the zip file.

Download: [zip]

Some serials of Py4D will expire within the next days. If you have such a serial you can create a new one which is valid until August 27, 2009.. If Py4D expires(0 remaining days) you will get a serialbox where you can paste your new serial. Just wait until you see the serialbox, visit this link and follow step 3. Its recommended to download the new version of Py4D (v0.9.8400).

The following animation was created with ‘Py4D’ and ‘Cactus Dan Tools’ in ‘CINEMA 4D’. Jan-C. Frischmuth, who is famous for several Flash projects, has written an AI fish swarm in Python. The project will be available next time. Just press play and enjoy.

Back again I proudly present a new version of Py4D. The version counter increased up to 0.9.8400 and the final release keeps coming closer and closer.  At first this version is not available via the Onlineupdater because the directory structure was cleaned up and Python was updated up to 2.6.2. so this is the safest way to update Py4D and the components.

Python 2.6.2 is just an update with a lot of bugfixes and is downwardly compatible . See the Changelog to get more information. Py4D also has a Changelog. To avoid problems with previous Py4D versions you should delete the whole Py4D plugin folder after you saved your files. On the next startup of CINEMA 4D you will get a serial request again even you current serial is still valid. The serial generator  (see ‘Get Py4D‘) will create a serial which is valid until August 27, 2009. All examples are adjusted to the changes of the SDK. If you have any questions or found any bugs, please don’t hesitate to ask me via mail or the forum. Have fun with Py4D.

The official page of Py4D moved from py4d.xpresso24.com to www.py4d.com. The Onlineupdater don’t need to be updated because the updater link is still valid.

Due to an error of the internal memory management there is a new update of Py4D available which you can get via the Py4D Onlineupdater or as a complete package (see ‘Get Py4D’). In a few cases the NetRENDER of CINEMA 4D does not startup properly(v0.9.6500 and v0.9.7101). This update is recommended to all users. Py4D 0.9.7150 works stable and fine on all systems.