Widely used by gaming and animation studios, Marvelous Designer allows artists to design 3D clothing just like real clothing, stitching virtual 2D pieces together. Users can import an animated character model, apply clothing to it, and then export the result to a 3D application in Alembic, FBX, or USD format, as a sequence of OBJ files, or as Maya, PC2, or MDD cache. In addition to simulating the effect of gravity on clothing, wind animation can also be created.
The new features of Marvelous Designer 2024.0 include support for soft body modeling. The implementation is aimed at enhancing the realism of fabric-to-skin contacts, so it's a simple skin elasticity system rather than a full set of simulation tools. Currently, it only works for default Marvelous Designer avatars, and animations with skin deformation can only be exported to Alembic cache. Other changes in physics include support for multiple controllers for wind effects. There are also useful changes in integrating Marvelous Designer into the production pipeline.
When importing a 3D character from another DCC software, Marvelous Designer can now automatically convert it to one of its own avatars, matching the default rig structure. Additionally, there's now the option to manually scale custom avatars upon import in FBX format as well as OBJ format. When exporting, the new EveryWear system from Marvelous Designer, demonstrated in the video above, streamlines the clothing optimization process, particularly for use in games or real-time applications. It automates key tasks, including fitting and rigging clothing to the avatar, baking textures, and creating LODs.
Additionally, the update introduces Marvelous Designer LiveSync - a connection with Unreal Engine. It eliminates the need to manually export data when using Unreal Engine for real-time rendering, allowing users to preview changes to clothing in Marvelous Designer in real-time.
LiveSync is still in development and currently does not work on macOS, nor does it support fur and accessories such as earrings. A list of current limitations can be found in the online documentation. Also, there's now the ability to record animation directly from the viewport in Marvelous Designer, with users able to export 3D character animations at resolutions up to 1080p.
Among other changes, there's a new Puckering system, which generates small wrinkles on 3D clothing: in the most logical places, along seams, but it also works along any internal segment line in the pattern detail. Additionally, a number of minor workflow enhancements have been made for clothing creation, topology adjustment, collision setup for props, and data export to USD and Alembic formats.
Marvelous Designer 2024.0 is available for Windows 10 and above and macOS 12.0 and above. It's only available through rental. The Personal subscription costs $39 per month or $280 per year. The Corporate subscription costs $199 per month or $1700 per year for a node-locked license and $2000 per year for a floating license.
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