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MillimeterEdit Review: e-on software Vue 6.5 Infinite
Sep 1, 2008 12:00 PM, Reviewer: Franklin McMahon
3D landscape generation software does so much more.
The atmosphere editor in e-on software Vue 6.5 Infinite has several panels of features for tweaking wind, clouds, sun, light, fog, and haze.
Dual-platform 3D landscape generator e-on software Vue has a long and legendary following, including some high-profile fans at Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). You probably think that if it's good enough for ILM (which most recently used it on The Spiderwick Chronicles), it's good enough for me. And you would be correct. With a dazzling array of features and a very friendly price point, e-on software's Vue 6.5 Infinite would play a strong role within any creative artist's arsenal. But to think of Vue as a tool only for making trees and mountains misses most of the point.
The program is so feature-packed that it could be applied to any number of projects, from title sequences to composited fly-bys. That's been true for a while, but with version 6.5, e-on raised the bar quite a bit. According to the company, Vue 6.5 is based on an entirely redesigned architecture that enhances performance throughout the program. It's also got a large number of brand-new tools and modules. I don't have the space to list them all, but if you're interested, consult e-onsoftware.com/products/vue/vue_6_infinite. (See our review of Vue 5 Infinite here.)
If you've read my reviews before, you know how I am about nice interface experiences. Well, Vue 6.5 for Mac OS X completely ignores any and all Mac interface design considerations. Even the install seemed like a mashup of old Windows shareware installers. When the program booted, I noticed that because OS X structure had been ignored, icons and buttons on my large monitor appeared very tiny, with no apparent way to adjust them. As I sat through the included intro video, grumbling and clutching my coffee, I went through the steps to create an object, light it, add a sky, drop in a mountain, place a tree, animate, and render. The more I watched and learned, the more I realized that all those tiny icons were exactly where they should be, and the program started to feel very intuitive. Was Vue winning me over? Most definitely.
The program shines with many presets and ways to edit. For the sky, there were several presets, ranging from dark and gloomy to bright and sunny. Double-clicking each one brought me to a window where I could alter and tweak a long list of parameters, ranging from cloud cover to atmosphere sky effects. Same goes for the terrain. I added landscapes from the stock ones included, but I could easily go in and paint in mountains, naturally erode them with a few clicks, add peaks and canyons, throw in some dunes, or carve in some icebergs. Adding in trees and plants was just as easy. The program will plant a wide variety of them correctly, meaning that it will automatically snap the elements to the ground so you don't have to line them up by eye. When you add a terrain, the program asks if you would like to add vegetation. Sure! In a few seconds, the hills are suddenly filled with bushes, trees, and plants — a quick step that might take days in lesser programs. There is even an ecosystem paint brush. Load it up and use it to click and place trees, plants, and bushes.
