The most recent RapidCompact 6.3 update includes many additions and improvements. The biggest feature is a new REMESHER that solves geometry problems with several complex 3D models. The Cloud update includes an improved 3D viewer with augmented reality and QR Code support plus better visual quality on high dpi displays. A new search engine in the cloud solution makes finding 3D models in large 3D model collections easier, the API v2 update improves how RapidCompact can be integrated in your own systems and pipelines and our new subscription plans offer more for lower prices, including a new yearly plan option.

Read on to learn more about these improvements and changes.

 


REMESHER

The new remesher helps with complex 3D models where standard decimation is not sufficient enough. There are several cases in which geometry may overlap, vertices don´t merge correctly, or triangles with different materials intersect, so that results look completely wrong. The remesher automatically creates new meshes around complex geometry so that such problems can be solved.

The results are much better compared standard decimation algorithms only and allow significantly improved optimized models that look good and perform well on demanding platforms and devices.

RapidCompact´s remesher offers two options:

  • Remeshing (Keep Alpha) – Keeps the alpha information from original textures and maps
  • Remeshing (Bake Alpha) – Bakes opaque alpha information from input textures on to the closest surface of the optimized result (e.g. a shirt with an additional plane containing a logo set-up with alpha)
  • More about the Remesher in the CLI Documentation

 


ATLAS SPLITTING

By default RapidCompact creates ONE new UV Atlas when optimizing a 3D model and using the flattening mode. This method results in one set of textures (albedo, normal, ORM …) at the selected texture resolution. While this might be desired, an option to split the UV map into more than one atlas could help to improve texel resolution when texture sizes are limited in a target application. For example, Snap AR Studio only allows textures up to 2k resolution and Spark AR even only allows 1k maximum resolution. In those cases, it might be useful to split the UV atlas into multiple parts, which would result in higher texture density and model quality for those platforms (of course at the cost of higher memory usage and more draw calls as well).

Another useful case is to split the UV atlas into multiple parts to improve UV layout and distribute charts among more than one UV atlas. For example, using the atlas factor 3 with 2k texture resolution would result in 3 x 2k texture sets, which will have a lower memory usage than one 4k atlas, at even a potentially better resolution for some part of a 3D model.


IMPROVED 3D VIEWER

The 3D viewer has improved significantly with better sharpness on high dpi displays, a QR code option and a channel inspector.

Sharpness on high DPI displays

On displays with higher pixel density like 4k UHD monitors or mobile devices with retina resolution, the new 3D viewer adapts it´s resolution to the pixel density, so that a 3D model in the embedded RapidCompact web viewer looks perfectly sharp.

Channel Inspector

The new channel inspector can now be enabled for public in every 3D viewer. With the dropdown menu on the bottom left, you can choose to view these texture channels individually and interactively on a 3D model:

  • Original  (full material and light setup)
  • Albedo (color information only)
  • Normal (normal map)
  • Emissive (light emitting channel)
  • Metallic (Occlusion, Reflection, Metallic)

 

3D Viewer Setup

Within the 3D viewer setup page you can adjust the appearance of the embeddable web viewer, change light setup /  camera / logos, and enable augmented reality and the new QR code option.

QR Code

The new QR Code option enabled an icon on the viewer and in the published model page for download. Clicking on the QR Code icon shows a dialog with the QR code in the web viewer and opens the viewer URL when scanning with a mobile device. If Augmented Reality is enabled, the Icon is a AR icon, while disabling Augmented Reality will show a QR code icon instead.

3D Viewer Overview

The ´Published Models´ overview page has been adjusted to include a View button that opens the web viewer, a button to show the <iframe> code for web embedding and a QR Code button to show and download the QR code as a graphic file.

New 3D Viewer Example

… using channel inspector, better sharpness, QR code and augmented reality.


NEW DETAIL VIEW

Knowing details about your uploaded 3D models is important, so we have cleaned up the ´Detail View´ a bit to provide a more intuitive interface, improved usability, previewing textures in the source models section and more.

 

 

 

 


IMPROVED SEARCH

When managing large datasets of 3D models, it´s essential that searching is quick, easy and flexible. The new search engine is much faster than the previous version, allows to search with multiple search strings using AND logic, and can search names, tags, and metadata information.

 


API V2 UPDATE

With our V2 API, we have taken performance and ease of use to another level, meaning that your API requests will be processed faster, and the new API allows you to do things that were impossible before. This includes native handling of optimization presets, as well as a multi-optimize endpoint and the option to create 3D embeds directly from base assets, amongst other new features and improvements.

 

 


NEW SUBSCRIPTION PLANS

With the new subscription plans, we´re now offering:

  • A 30% lower price for the monthly Basic plan (99 € instead of 129 € before)
  • 100 more api calls / RapidPoints for the Professional plan for the same price (499 € per month)
  • Yearly plans for even 20% less compared to the monthly plans
  • More information about the new plans here…

Try the free demo or get in touch!

Upload and process 3D models with the free web demo or get in touch if you have any question. We´re happy to help…

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