by Next Limit·Simulation
Images © Next Limit. Used for product review; image policy.
RealFlow earns its place in the toolfarm library as a dedicated fluid simulation tool with free connectivity plugins into Cinema 4D and GPU acceleration for faster calculations.
Next Limit RealFlow is a fluid simulation package that pairs with Cinema 4D through free connectivity plugins. The fluid simulation is set up in RealFlow using the Standard License, and once complete it is exported to the 3D platform. Connectivity plugins are also available for 3ds Max and Maya.
GPU acceleration runs simulations 2 to 8 times faster than on CPU, with CUDA and OpenCL both offering around 3x over RealFlow 2015 and CPU calculation roughly 2x. RealFlow Nodes let you send different iterations of a scene, or secondary Hybrido elements, to calculate on your farm. Other features include Bitmap Emitter improvements and Continuous Collision Detection.
Version 10.5 adds a curvature-cohesion model to the surface tension daemon and a new Macro daemon for the fluid effect seen in high-speed macro photography. It also brings a Maxwell 4 denoiser, a Free camera mode alongside Target mode, Alembic Stitcher progress that can be canceled, and customizable level of detail for object primitives.
Next Limit RealFlow is best for artists creating fluid simulations in RealFlow and bringing them into Cinema 4D, 3ds Max, or Maya.
Next Limit RealFlow is completely free to download and use.
Next Limit RealFlow runs on Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8, 8.1, and 10, on Mac OS X 10.9 and higher, and on 64-bit Linux distributions with a 2.6 kernel and glibc 2.12, plus csh and binutils. It needs a 64-bit multi-core Intel or AMD processor and 2 GB of available disk space for installation. Memory starts at 4 GB minimum, though 8 GB of RAM is highly recommended. Check the developer's page for the exact supported configurations before installing.
Next Limit RealFlow uses GPU acceleration that requires CUDA 3.0 and OpenCL 1.1, a minimum local memory size of 32 KB, and at least 2 GB of VRAM. That VRAM figure matters because it limits the size of simulations you can run on the GPU. GPU acceleration can run simulations 2 to 8 times faster than CPU, with CUDA and OpenCL each offering around 3x over RealFlow 2015. CPU calculation remains available and runs roughly 2x over RealFlow 2015.
Next Limit RealFlow handles the fluid simulation itself, which is set up in RealFlow using the Standard License. Once the simulation is complete, it is exported to the 3D platform through free connectivity plugins. The same free plugins cover Cinema 4D as well as 3ds Max and Maya. For scenes that need extra compute, RealFlow Nodes can send different iterations of a scene, or secondary Hybrido elements, to calculate on your farm.
Next Limit RealFlow is listed as free in this catalog, and its connectivity plugins for exporting simulations to the 3D platform are noted as free as well. Licensing terms can change, so check the developer's page for current details before you plan a project around it. The fluid simulation itself is set up in RealFlow using the Standard License, and the exported result then moves into your 3D platform.
Next Limit RealFlow 10.5 adds a curvature-cohesion model to the surface tension daemon and a new Macro daemon that produces the fluid effect typically seen in high-speed macro photography. It integrates the Maxwell 4 denoiser and upgrades Maxwell Render support to version 4.2.0.3. The camera can now be set to Free mode in addition to Target mode. Alembic Stitcher progress is displayed and can be canceled, files can be removed from the Stitcher dialog, and you can customize the level of detail of object primitives.
Also in Simulation for Cinema 4D.
by Chaos
Chaos Anima brings lifelike 3D and 4D characters and moving crowds into Cinema 4D. It populates architectural scenes with crowds and traffic, drawing on a library of over 4,000 people models and a growing collection of animated urban vehicles.
by Pixel Lab
Pixel Lab Fluid Effects: 3D Crown Splashes brings 25 ready-made 3D crown splash animations to Cinema 4D. Delivered as Alembic files, each simulation carries real-world fluid splashing characteristics and ships with regular and slow-motion versions.
by Sitni Sati
Sitni Sati FumeFX is a fluid dynamics plugin for Cinema 4D built for simulating and rendering realistic fire, smoke, explosions and other gaseous phenomena using voxel-based, physics-driven simulation.
by Insydium
A complete particle and physics toolkit for Cinema 4D covering fluids, grains, cloth and gaseous sims.
by Chaos
Chaos Anima brings lifelike 3D and 4D characters and moving crowds into Cinema 4D. It populates architectural scenes with crowds and traffic, drawing on a library of over 4,000 people models and a growing collection of animated urban vehicles.
by Pixel Lab
Pixel Lab Fluid Effects: 3D Crown Splashes brings 25 ready-made 3D crown splash animations to Cinema 4D. Delivered as Alembic files, each simulation carries real-world fluid splashing characteristics and ships with regular and slow-motion versions.
by Sitni Sati
Sitni Sati FumeFX is a fluid dynamics plugin for Cinema 4D built for simulating and rendering realistic fire, smoke, explosions and other gaseous phenomena using voxel-based, physics-driven simulation.
by MAXON
Maxon One from MAXON bundles tools like Cinema 4D, ZBrush, Redshift, Red Giant and Maxon Studio into a unified ecosystem, letting artists move between applications and Adobe hosts such as After Effects and Premiere Pro without friction.
by MAXON
Maxon Teams Annual Subscription Licensing is a one-year named-user plan for teams working across After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Premiere Pro. It provides access to Cinema 4D, Redshift, ZBrush, and Red Giant's creative tools.
