What's New in Modo 17.0

Experience new levels of performance and unlock your creative potential with the new Modo 17.0. With an overhauled architecture and powerful tool performance enhancements, Modo just got even better.

Mesh View Objects

This is the largest architectural change Modo has ever seen. We’ve created a system that allows us to accelerate how quickly things are drawn in the viewport and added the ability to push a calculation to a background thread. This means that Modo can leverage two threads at once, while future additions will allow for multiple background threads. This marks the beginning of Modo taking greater advantage of modern many-threaded systems.

Incremental tool updates

We’ve made significant accelerations to 10 of Modo’s modeling tools and MeshOps. This includes a system-wide change to VOs and further optimization of tools. The updates applied across the 10 modeling tools also have an impact on additional tools, due to Modo’s modular nature.

OctaneRender bundled with Modo

Modo 17.0 brings a single GPU version of OctaneRender, in collaboration with OTOY. This gives artists access to the fastest and most reliable GPU renderer on the market. You’ll be guided through the registration and licensing process for OTOY from within Modo. What’s more, OTOY enables you to upload your scenes to its GPU render farm for a more streamlined experience. The Modo plugin is one of the most robust Octane plugins for DCCs and Foundry is committed to working with OTOY to keep it that way.

For more information, see Rendering with OctaneRender.

Native macOS ARM build

With Modo 17.0, comes a new native ARM version of Modo for Apple silicon, resulting in an average of 50% speed improvements when compared to emulating the X86 version of Modo for Macs.

Note:  Some items are unavailable in Modo 17.0 due to third-party technology not being compatible with Mac ARM, including the IKinema full body IK. In addition, the pose tool and retargeting will not work in the Native ARM version, however they will work in the X86 emulated version of Modo 17.0 which all users on maintenance and sub have access to.

AVP Improvements

Artists now have the ability to toggle textures on or off, without the need to go into the Shader Tree, thanks to improvements to Modo’s Advanced Viewport. The new default AVP setting means you can view environment lighting and any viewport lighting at the same time, so that you can make sure that all your lights interact as they should. We’ve also improved wireframe drawing, along with the visibility of MeshOp handles and selections.

For more information, see 3D Viewport Properties.

Procedural modeling experience enhancements

Thanks to a combination of VOs and incremental updates, MeshOps are now processed faster for a much more interactive and engaging experience. This is the first in a planned series of performance updates for 2024, which will see the performance of Modo continually improve. We’ve also improved many of the UX and workflow interactions with MeshOps.

For more information, see Using the Mesh Ops Tab.

Decal workflow improvements

With Modo 17.0, it’s now faster and easier to use decals, and wrap flat images onto complex surfaces with minimum distortion and no UV creation needed. Combined with VOs, decals are now more predictable and valuable than ever before.

For more information, see Procedurally Project Planar Decals with The Decal Planar MeshOp.

PolyHaul enhancements

PolyHaul was introduced in Modo 16.1 to combine multiple modeling operations into a single streamlined tool. We've made the UI easier to navigate, and also added the option to use it in conjunction with Falloffs, for maximum precision. What’s more, we’ve also refined how PolyHaul deals with switching between modeling modes, ensuring that quality geometry is created.

For more information, see Create Complex Models with a Single Tool Using Poly Haul.

Primitive Slice enhancements

Modo 17.0 makes it possible to use clones with the Primitive Slice. This means artists can create multiple slices of the same shape at once, reducing the need for repetition when adding multiple slices to a mesh. We’ve also added Corner Radius for working with rectangles and squares, so that you can round corners of the shape that’s being sliced. This means you can make quick adjustments to slices, without the need to switch between multiple shapes or presets.

For more information, see Creating Geometry on a Mesh Using Preset Shapes.

Mesh Cleanup enhancements - Fix Gaps

Mesh Cleanup fixes broken geometry, and now includes Fix Gaps. This means that you no longer have to perform these operations manually, so you can stay productive and avoid interrupting your creative flow.

For more information, see Mesh Cleanup.

Radial Align enhancements

Radial Align turns a selection into a flat circle. However, artists frequently need to have a partial radius rather than a complete circle. Modo 17.0 brings the ability to create a partial radial alignment, giving you more tailored tools to enhance your artistry.

For more information, see Radial Align.