With the release of modo 501, Luxology has crossed the boundary from software in primary development to a software that is reaching solid maturation. Having its very solid start as a premier CG/3D modeling tool with the founders coming from Lightwave, modo has maintained its renowned user-friendly demeanor while growing its animation and production pipeline abilities.
If you are new to Computer Generated (CG) graphics for film or thinking of adding CG to your film workflow, check out these earlier modo reviews here at MicroFilmmaker to get a better understanding of the software - I'll only be hitting the 501 highlights in my modo 401 and modo 301 reviews.
Zoic studios is one of the many special FX shops that use modo for CG and modeling needs. This images is from the television series "V".
Adding CG with motion tracking (Syntheyes) to your production or simply doing some green-screen sets, modo is up to the task, and for a fraction of the cost of other CG solutions available. In fact, their pricing hasn't changed in several years.
This update is a sweet refinement to an already great program. modo is still not an "all things to all people" type of CG solution and they don't make any apologies for that. There is no volumetric, particle or character animation systems. But what modo does, it does spectacularly well.
Ease of Use
It's all about you, baby. modo 501 continues to refine the user experience making it ever more seamless and easy to use. CG is inherently complex and not something that can simply be "hacked" through. However, Luxology shoulders much of the weight by streamlining how you work, minimizing the amount of clicks required to accomplish any given task. Smart, contextual menus abound.
Case in point for modeling and working with geometry, in this release "One Click" modeling tools are now included (by user suggestion) to accelerate really common modeling tasks.
In fact, that part about listening to users is what makes modo so compelling. Luxology's whole precept of development is about concentrating on the users needs first and then bending the technology to match. This holds equally true for simply using the program or providing help for the program. Release 501 features a newly redesigned help system that is simple to navigate and fast to use. modo's help system has always been written in a non-tekkie way, but the new layout, navigation and movie integration makes real-time learning a breeze.
Even before the original modo was actually released, they cultivated a forum that persists today filled with beginners and professionals alike willing to interact in helpful and relatively ego-free way. Luxology is a bit counter-culture in the 3D world where elitism is part of the landscape.
I only bring these things up because all CG software is pretty good now. Luxology goes the next step to make sure pro or beginner has a helpful environment to both learn and use their products. The whole Luxology vibe is about ease-of-use.
Depth of Options
As mentioned in the introduction, please visit the preceding modo reviews here on Microfilmmaker to get a full idea of its full feature set. As I mentioned before, I'll only be reviewing the new additions in 501 here.
Rendering
The new RayGL preview allows for progressive, near render quality working previews on scenes. Improved integration with Intel render processes also nets a 30 to 40% gain on final render speed.
Double wow. Luxology has spent quite a little time with the engineers at Intel. The fruit of their labor is rendering speeds increases of between 30 and 40%. That is a huge boost with no new hardware required on the users part. Everything is simply more efficient now and that's a pretty big deal since modo has been an incredibly fast render platform in the first place.
The render speed boost isn't only isolated to the final files either. Even the render previews while you work on the project display at near final quality thanks to Luxology's implementation of RayGL™ which allows you to actually model in a Ray Traced presentation. For those new to CG, Ray Tracing is how the final output is rendered too. Working in a Ray Traced environment simply lets you work more accurately and just flat out looks better. Users can have the preview screen redraw update based upon on a priority where the modify the display area with a pen or mouse. Efficiency on steroids.
Modeling
The new FBX based on FBX2010.2 can exchange the semi-sharp crease data on Pixar Subdivision surfaces between modo and Maya, 3ds max. The PSub edge controls enable precise surface definition.
Modeling well and easily with modo has been its main calling card. That hasn't changed. New to the modeling ability is the emerging standard developed by Pixar for subdivision modeling. Called, um, Pixar Subdivision Surfaces (PSub), this new, optional method allows for better smoothing and texturing. This is a big deal because it allows users to quickly develop models from low polygon count objects and then smooth them without wonky texture stretching. In fact, modo's own subdivision command uses elements of PSub now. Luxology worked very closely with the techs at Pixar to make this happen. Apparently it did because even the Pixar techs have commented on the flawlessness of its implementation. Big props from a third party.
There have been other sophisticated improvements in the surface replicators and hair functions that are ideal for creating landscapes and creating complex detail easily and painlessly. For instance, Hair can actually be used on a landscape to create trees now. The special Tree option replaces hair "strands" with a flat, billboard piece of geometry that tree images (or people for crowds) can be applied to. Introduced along with the Hair/Tree feature is a welcome feature call Frustum Culling which tells modo to ignore the hair items out of camera view at render time. This saves memory, speeds up rendering and generally makes life much nicer.
New occlusion materials makes aging and distressing materials a breeze. Edges and crevices are automatically found.
Users that like to sculpt their objects as if in clay will truly enjoy the multi-res PSub addition. Think of it as adding detail without adding polygon count to the scene. Brush strokes now have additional options such as continuous stroke, draw stroke for better control and visualization. Using a tablet with modo is super.
Already use modo and are a modeler? For pure modeling, Luxology has added nice little refinements to align tools such as allowing users to select some polygons, relocate the working plane to polys and then align points to the working plane. The One-Click Loop tool and Add Point tool are a godsend. Little things like that make a very nice difference in day-to-day needs.
Fur
I've already mentioned improvements to Hair when it is used as a tool for creating fields of trees. However, the Fur ability, when used for fur or hair, has a new ability to exhibit additional randomness such as stray hairs sticking out.
Animation
Animation rigs can now be visually designed in a node-based format. Relationships are 'smart' and respond to forces without additional key framing.
In 401, modo debuted animation. 501 reveals a most welcome enhancement of being able to rig geometry for animation in a visual node based system. Our filmmakers who have been exposed to the node-based systems in either Shake or Nuke, will feel right at home because the modo animation system functions just like that; drag and drop nodes with node based math functions to modify the in and out results.
Most filmographers are visual people so having this ability is a huge advantage over simply working in an "data entry" mode using pure numerics. But even with the visuals it has to be learned - you can just learn faster. Additionally, don't confuse this ability with character animation tools. This is primarily for animating hard edge items like cars, robots, insects, and the like, for which this system is fantastic. While not as mature as Cinema 4D Studio's Expresso node system, the modo implementation is very robust.
Texturing
Displacement sculpting textures let users and multi-res detail to models.
At its core, modo is about realism. If you are new to CG, this will sound like, "blah, blah, blah" but if you have been texturing, you'll like it. New texture enhancements like occlusion masking for aging/distressing and texturing, combined with massive texture map sources and a host of newly included procedural textures make life just that much better.
Performance
Modo 501 is designed for Mac and PC systems on 32 or 64 bit Intel with a 2G RAM minimum. (There is no such thing as a computer system that is too fast with too much RAM, though.) That said, the quality and speed at which an obviously well optimized modo runs, even on a modest system, can only be described as exceptional. I tested on on a new dual quadcore as well as a four year old dual and was very surprised how fleet modo ran on the older system.
As an added bonus, several render farms are now also offering services for modo users. That means if you develop a render that can overwhelm your system, it can be run very economically by an outside service. However, modo does have a very easy to set up render network that any user can deploy in a snap if they have some extra machines sitting around.
Like most 3D software, you can find a some flakiness on the very fringes of the product. However, for everyday operations, 'rock-solid' is a title well earned. Luxology seems to be extra careful in releasing quality software because they obviously highly respect their user base. That's worth something.
Value
The render speed increase is virtually worth the price of the upgrade alone if you are going to do some match-move animation rendering. For stills to be used for digital matte painting and/or greenscreen backgrounds, the speed increase may not help out that significantly. The node-based animation controls are also an excellent addition for filmmakers requiring mechanical rigging.
modo continues to be one of the best values on the market for photorealistic rendering abilities, speedy renders and quality modeling and scene building needs. Luxology seems to also be cautious about not creating bloat-ware by only adding enhancements and feature sets for their chosen audience. They are working very hard to reward users so much with quality that you'll never want to go anywhere else. This is all good.
Are you new to 3D and only considering your options? For the humble filmmaker on a modest to low budget that also has humble but realistic imagery needs, modo fits the bill. If quality imagery is your only criteria, than modo is a perfect fit.
If you are considering more robust CG involvement in your scene like time delay effects, character animation or environmental effects that involve things like clouds, particles or steam, you'll need to either do more in post production or consider something like Cinema 4D Studio, Vue or even something like humble DAZ Carrara.
The above statement is not a dig at Luxology. Just a realty. I interviewed Luxology president Brad Peebler a couple of years ago and he was very explicit about modo being part the solution and not the total solution. And the part of the solution they are responsible for continues to come out first class.
Final Comments The only way that a user would regret getting modo would be if they didn't use it. I'll admit it. I love modo. But Luxology's audience is carefully chosen: CG professionals, reality freaks, Game developers, illustrators that need virtual realities and full-time modelers/content creators - all with additional toolsets at their disposal or who are part of a bigger production pipeline. This may not be you.
Adding CG to films is never fast and easy until you are fluent at CG, and even then, it's not fast and easy. modo takes the edge off of that reality by being smart, being committed to their user and producing a quality product. Luxology helps users transferring from other CG software or complete newbs by aggressively providing quality learning resources that both come with the program or that can be purchased directly from Luxology. This is an important consideration.
There are a bunch of other options that I and other writers have reviewed for low-budget filmmakers here at MFM. My personal favorite for robustness and multitasking combined with ease of use is still Cinema 4D Studio. For filmmakers who want one tool that can do most of what they need, that's a great choice.
However, for filmmakers who are wanting to cultivate more complex 3D models and elements in their films (or even go fully into low budget 3D animation as a focus) and are willing to use multiple tools for that job, then modo is an amazing place to simplify the modeling and creation elements of that chain.
Is modo right for you? At the risk of sounding like Yoda, you must look within yourself and discern the truth therein! (Or simply download the demo and find out!)
Ease
of Use
9.7
Depth
of Options
8.9
Performance
9.9
Value
vs. Cost
9.0
Overall Score
9.4
Mark Bremmer has operated his own commercial studio for 15 years. He’s been fortunate enough to work for clients like Caterpillar, Amana, Hormel Foods, Universal Studios Florida, and The History Channel; producing stills, digital mattes and animations. Mark contracts regularly as an art mercenary with production houses that shall remain nameless by written agreements. His production pipeline is Mac-based, with the FCP Studio2 workflow. He loves Shake and Motion. And his family.
With the release of modo 501, Luxology has crossed the boundary from software in primary development to a software that is reaching solid maturation. Having its very solid start as a premier CG/3D modeling tool with the founders coming from Lightwave, modo has maintained its renowned user-friendly demeanor while growing its animation and production pipeline abilities. 
