ZModeler3 engine have been upgraded to DirectX11. Since this version is incompatible with previous builds, it is unavailable via automatic updates. You can download and install this version into a different folder manually. No more updates will be made for ZModeler 3.2.1 on DirectX9 engine. Also, mind the minimum OS requirement for ZModeler 3.3.0 is Windows 8.1. Mind the backward-only compatibility of .z3d files - you can open old files in ZModeler 3.3.0, but you can't open newly saved files (saved in 3.3.0) in any older version of ZModeler.
As this have been causing problems for some users already, I state this here explicitly: Do not unpack ZModeler 3.3.0 files into the folder of your current ZModeler version! Create a new empty folder for ZModeler 3.3.0 (perfectly not on a system drive) and unpack files into empty folder. You can copy your ZModeler_profile.xml file from an old installation to retain your preferences and settings.
Version 3.2.1 is still available for download via direct links below. In case you might get problems with this release, you can still use ZModeler 3.2.1 (or if you still run Windows 7 on your computer, this is the only option). 64-bit version: Download ZModeler 3.2.1 (20.26Mb) 32-bit version: Download ZModeler 3.2.1 (15.54Mb)
Changes log.
Version 3.3.0 Build 1231
GTARage filter: animals YFT files import/export support with build-in rag-doll collision.
GTARage filter: .YDR file export does not require a .mesh object to be in a child of a dummy to export "geometry only" file. The exporter will pick up a geometry object from scene matching the exported file name if no dummy + .mesh found. This simplifies mass files export.
Bug fix: rotation of compound object caused incorrect rotation of geometry on other states.
Bug fix: refined path/name for autosave scenarios on scene that was never saved yet.
Bug fix: screen resolution with 16K and above are limited to 16K only to create rendering device properly.
Bug fix: colorized bone weight draw: respect multiple weights of the same bone.
Bug fix: tangents computation on polygons (it was available on triangles and quads only).
Bug fix: on-screen texture draw: support for opaque and transparent texture render (UV Mapper transparent/opaque texture issue)
ETS2 materials - storing unsupported parameters on user-defined options. Any material parameter specified on user-defined options of material will suppress evaluated data, so you have an explicit control on what is written in a .mat file.
ETS2 materials parameters read from user-defined options have an opt-out list to exclude some options. See Profile -> Editor -> Preferences -> Filters -> SCSPrism3D -> IgnoreUserOptionsList
Bug fix: GTA export - embedding BC7 textures.
Version 3.3.0 Build 1230
Bug fix: Intel(r) Graphics on-CPU video hardware issue: texture size provided by DX11 driver for DXT textures is incorrect, caused ZModeler to crash on save of .z3d files and on save of .dds textures.
ATS/ETS2 version selection on export. Support for game version 1.47 materials. "truckpaint" material environment level is defaulted to 25% (Output level 64) and is not adjustable in material file.
Load/Save of viewports layout in .z3d file is optional (Settings->General->Files->Z3d->Viewports layout.
Version 3.3.0 Build 1229
Textures drag & drop (one or multiple textures) can be used to get rid of some textures and assign one texture instead of another on all affected materials. When only one texture "A" is dropped over texture "B", the dropped texture "A" will replace texture "B" in materials and texture "B" is removed from textures browser. When multiple textures "A,B,C,D" are dropped onto texture "E", all these textures "A,B,C,D" are removed from textures browser and their usage in all materials is replaced with texture "E". You can use this drag & drop technique to get rid of duplicate textures.
Textures can be renamed in textures browser.
"Remove duplicates" button in textures browser.
New textures browser layout with big texture preview area (on the left or on the right side). If your screen resolution is small or you prefer old browser layout, set "Layout" option to 0 in Settings->Profile->Editor on "Preferences->Textures Browser" branch. Setting Layout = 1 will enable new layout with preview sample on the right side and setting Layout = 2 will enable new layout with sample on the left side.
DX9 Luminance textures (L-8) are now loaded as Alpha-only textures (A-8) instead of Red-color-only (R-8) to look better on materials.
GTARage "licenseplate" material is configured to use font texture on DETAIL2 texture slot instead of being a transition texture on DETAIL texture slot. An exporter will make a proper GTA material conversion from both styles of material setup in ZModeler, so you can export your old .z3d saves without additional changes.
Bug fix: Ghost materials leading to app crash in scenario of using File->Merge->Cancel.
Bug fix: material parameters (options) were not being copied when material is duplicated.
Version 3.3.0 Build 1228
Material's color settings and alpha/blend parameters could be changed on material's states like samplers.
PNG textures loaded (or any other SRGB texture) is converted to normalized RGBA. Textures Save As option and storing in exported files refined with respect to this conversion.
Version 3.3.0 Build 1227
Geometry wireframe rendering refined (both anti-aliased and non anti-aliased). It is advised to use non-antialiased lines for performance reasons.
Opacity fade out of non-border outline wireframe and fade out of non-editable objects can be adjusted in Settings\General\Meshes window.
Version 3.3.0 Build 1226
Windows 8.1 is now the minimum compatible version. ZModeler 3.2.1 is still available for Windows 7 users (licenses/validations can be installed and applied). No further updates for 3.2.x series will be made.
Engine library upgraded to DX11. Textures management re-implemented on DX11 and OS-installed WIC (Windows Imaging Component interface). Hardware support of modern block-compressed (BCx) textures. Discrete video card on laptop devices should be available for selection without any need to create per-application profile in external tools like nVidia tool.
Rendering device properties simplified to toggling multi-sampling on/off and wireframe lines antialiasing on/off.
Shaders code was remastered to DX11. Soft-skin rigging implemented on matrices versus old dual quaternions technique. Less rigging-related artifacts expected.
Pure (general purpose/viewports-only) shaders code remastered. Added an option to fade out (desaturate and/or make transparent) back-facing geometry. See Settings\General\Views\Meshes).
Dots on geometry (vertices, spline points, etc.) size is adjustable. See Settings\General\Views\Nodes
Flat-shading is implemented in shaders and should not give any impact on performance or memory usage when toggled on.
Minor UI tweaks (axes tripod, UV Mapper texture background). UV Mapper fly-out windows (objects list, materials list, background settings) retain adjusted size even after restart. Corrected icons size in Materials and Textures browsers, "Pivot" button, etc.
Viewport's "Light" option is now entitled "Ambient light" and should be toggled off by default.
"Active" button for current animation allows to toggle animation off explicitly (to put affected objects into bind pose).
"Unbind" button in animation's Tracks Editor to unbind controlled scene objects from selected animation(s) or track(s) with a single click.
Easy adjust tool in UVMapper allows to manipulate selected elements with ease: move, scale, rotate. Also, this tool has a build-in free form deformation mode (double-click on control point to switch between FFD and normal mode).
Stitch in UV window works on polygons level too (compatible with "compact fragments to object" UV editing mode).
"Recently-used" combo (for example, File Import\Export\Open\Save folder selection) has an option to explicitly delete rows in drop-down list to remove entries simpler. Known bug/limitation: to hover the 'x' area need to move mouse from one row to another to refresh selection.
"Browse for folder" window in SCSSoftPrism 3D importer can use modern style with locations panel. Old style can be enabled by setting "OldBrowseForFolder" to non-zero value in "Preferences\Filters\SCSPrism3D" branch of "Settings\Profile\Editor" window.
Properties window for "Bounding\Box" (for one object selection) and "Dimensions" (for multiple objects selection) allows to edit X,Y,Z values explicitly to resize selection.
Skeleton and bones draw refined and optimized. An option to draw skeleton though solid objects (See Settings\General\Views\Nodes (common).
Accumulated fixes of various bugs that were reported during this upgrade period and were impossible to release for 3.2.1 version.