Katana 8.0 expands support for USD-based workflows, building on the Native USD framework introduced in Katana 7.0. Now users can export data in USD format as well as import it, thanks to two new nodes: UsdLayerDefine and UsdLayerExport, which allow exporting data from the Native USD stage to a USD layer in Katana. The new KatanaToUsd node converts Katana data into Native USD data, enabling scene changes to be transferred between Katana and other pipeline applications.
The release also introduces support for USD pattern-based collections. Artists can now use workflows similar to those applied in CEL, Katana's native collection expression language, within the Native USD framework. This change should simplify the adaptation of Katana templates for multiple shots by creating rules that describe groups of objects in the scene, which scale better depending on the scene's complexity.
Several new Native USD nodes have been added, including UsdLight, which allows creating lighting directly within the Native USD scene. It is also now possible to work with USD locators for lights and cameras directly in Hydra Viewer. TDs now have new USD debugging tools.
In addition to the features mentioned, the Node Graph traversal function has been "largely" moved from Python to C++, which should make working with large Node Graphs more interactive. As a result of these changes, scenes now load "up to 2.5 times faster" than in Katana 7.0. Additionally, the new Python Profiling section on the Performance tab helps debug which part of the Katana interface is causing scene slowdowns. The update also brings Katana in line with the CY2024 specification for the VFX Reference Platform.
Katana 8.0 is available for Windows 10 and Rocky Linux 9. It is available by subscription only. Since the release of Katana 7.0, the price of the existing Katana Interactive subscription has risen to $4,199 per year. The Katana Render subscription costs $339 per year. For new users who need fewer than 10 interactive seats, Foundry offers a Team subscription, priced at $7,497 for three years for interactive licenses and $627 for three years for render licenses.