Description
WHAT IS RAILCLONE?
Tired of using fixed, hard to modify, assets that require time-consuming manual labour to edit? Wish it was easier to create smart parametric objects that are easy to update, can be used and reused again and again, but requires minimal time investment? Enter RailClone - the artist-friendly parametric modelling and spline-cloning plugin for 3ds Max that's fast, efficient, and easy-to-learn.
RailClone is unlike any other tool on the market. Objects are created simply by assembling and repeating existing geometry using an easy-to-define set of rules. If you can model in Max, you can create procedural objects with RailClone
Choose from hundreds of built-in presets, adapt existing objects by adding your own geometry, or even create your own from scratch using RailClone's easy-to-understand visual editor
THANKS TO RAILCLONE, NOW ANYONE CAN CREATE AND USE SOPHISTICATED PARAMETRIC ASSETS.
How does it work?
Learning RailClone is as easy as 1-2-3
1 - Base Objects
RailClone doesn't construct an object from scratch, it works by assembling and repeating existing pieces of geometry along paths. To do this it needs two things - a spline for the path and of course, some modular geometry.
2 - Rule Generators
Imagine you're explaining to a manufacturer how to build this bus shelter, you might say: "Put a glass panel at the start and the end, add mullions at 2m intervals, then fill in between with the roof and glazing." If you understand this, you understand RailClone.
3 - Modifiers
Just like Max, RailClone has its own modifiers, called operators, that are used to manipulate geometry. You can group items, create patterns, randomise transforms, UVs and materials IDs, create conditional relationships and much more.
GET STARTED WITH RAILCLONE
CHECK OUT OUR RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GET THE MOST FROM YOUR NEW FAVOURITE PLUGIN
Tips and Tricks tutorials
Start with the Principles of RailClone tutorial and head to our learning section for loads more videos. New episodes are added regularly!
No feature is left unexplained in our comprehensive documentation that even includes two complete books, exercises and scene files.
Got a question? Let us know on the forum or simply browse previous conversations and benefit from the knowledge of our helpful support team
KEY BENEFITS
PARAMETRIC MODELLING MADE EASY
Versatile
With RailClone there are no limits on your creativity. Unlike other scripts and plugins that are designed for a single type of model, in RailClone you can create almost anything.
Easy to use
RailClone uses an easy-to-understand visual Style Editor to create sophisticated structures. Unlike other tools, absolutely zero programming knowledge is necessary.
Fast!
RailClone is fully multi-threaded and highly optimized for speed. This, coupled with the efficient viewport display modes, and powerful instancing means that you can create and render huge objects, made from thousands of highly detailed parts.
Adaptive
RailClone assembles, transforms, slices and deforms geometry to create a seamless object. Just set a few rules, and the object is constructed for you automatically, even on curved paths!
Smart
Let RailClone do the thinking for you with advanced algorithms to deform geometry to follow sloping paths and surfaces. Inclined and uneven walls, stairs, handrails and balustrades and stepped fences are no longer a chore to create in 3ds Max.
Ready to go
RailClone Pro comes with nearly 400 predefined styles, including fences, railings, barriers, traffic, walls, and much more. The library browser is fully customizable, allowing you to add new categories and models with and share them with your colleagues
Read more about RailClone's features in the technical specification
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONFREE LIBRARY WITH MORE NEARLY 400 PRESETS IN OVER 30 CATEGORIES INCLUDED
INDUSTRIES
ARCHITECTURAL VISUALIZATION
RailClone allows anyone to create smart architectural components that are easy to set-up and edit. It's not just a modelling tool either, its instancing power means you can easily create scenes with huge poly counts.
VISUAL EFFECTS
RailClone is an exceptional scene assembly tool. It's rule-based approach to modelling makes parametric layout accessible to VFX artists. From the most intricate detailing to planet-scale designs, RailClone has got you covered.
AEC
RailClone fits perfectly into design processes that require rapid and regular updates. Models are fully editable at any time and making changes is fast and easy - which means less time spent updating scenes, and more time spent designing.
Use Object Materials
Use the materials applied directly to the source geometry. No more manually creating complex multi-sub object materials, great when using RailClone as a layout tool or with stock models.
Spline Modifier
Precisely place geometry on paths by adding markers with the new Spline Modifier. Each marker can contain rich information that can be used to control nearly any parameters of a graph.
Nested Generators
Dramatically simplify graphs by nesting one generator as a segment inside another, while opening up exciting new possibilities for what's possible with RailClone!
Automatic Capping
Automatically cap clipped objects to make it easier than ever to create a seamless object. Capped faces are UVed using real world mapping coordinates so you can easily apply materials to the new geometry.
New Group Mode
Ever wished the compose operator behaves more like 3ds Max's Groups? Well now it does. The Compose operator's output is now calculated as a single object with a bounding box that encompasses its entire size.
Viewport Instancing
RailClone already has unparalleled instancing power at render time, but it's now possible to enable viewport instancing to preview hundreds of millions of polygons directly in the 3ds Max viewport.
Faster and more optimised
RailClone 4 introduces huge improvements in instancing efficiency when using shared segments or linked styles by including a global cache for all RC objects in the scene.
Improved stability in IPR renders
Using RailClone while in IPR rendering mode gets a significant stability improvement making it easier than ever to visualise how your styles will look in the final image.
Updated Selector Operator and new expressions
To take full advantage of the RailClone Spline features, the Selector operator has several new modes. Expressions have been updated to support markers too, along with the ability to access data from nested generators!
More Logical Transform nodes
In previous version of RailClone the order of transform nodes had no effect, in RailClone 4 we've made this much more intuitive so that the order of Transform nodes is now taken into consideration when applying a rotation, translation, or scale operation.
Statistics Window
Look under the hood of your RailClone style with the new Statistics Windows to help make change to optimise performance or debug complex objects.
Improved usability
The style editor gains several usability improvements including the ability to insert a node on a wire, automatic rewiring on deletion, grid view and snap, the ability to select and delete unused nodes and much more.
Image courtesy of Factory Fifteen
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