LightStorm 3D recently annouced new deformation tools for Maya called - L3Deformer. This new tool set includes: L3Deformer Collision Deformer, L3Deformer Texture Deformer, L3Deformer Curve Deformer and L3Deformer Surface Deformer. This new tools brings new options and possibilities in Maya and allows the users to do something which they couldn’t before. All tools are available for Maya 2011 and Maya 2012 on windows platform. The release date is 30.05.2011.
The L3Deformer Collision Deformer - is the first in this tool set. It allows you to collide objects with polygon geometry, using projected collisions (directional, cylindrical...). This method does not require a dynamics simulation. Thus the collision effect is computed interactively while moving objects in the scene which provides very good control over the final deformation. Typical applications include indentations like e.g. footprints, shrink wrapping, contact animation, skin sliding (muscles, bones) and high viscosity liquid surface simulation. The deformer can also be used to sculpt the target geometry, using non elastic dynamics.
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The L3Deformer Texture Deformer - it displaces shape components using Maya’s shading node networks. RGB channels of the texture output are mapped to XYZ displacement vectors. When deforming polygon geometry, the vertex normal can optionally be used as displacement vector with the B texture channel defining each vector’s length. Typical applications include geometry randomization, procedural modeling, liquid surfaces and more. Using a noise texture (i.e. Maya’s volume noise) you can turn the Texture Deformer into a noise deformer.
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The L3Deformer Curve Deformer- is the third tool in the set. It can be used to project geometry from a user defined axis (cylinder) onto a nurbs or bezier curve. Typical applications include character animation, path animation, particle flows, text and logo effects, geometry shaping, motion graphics effects, architectural design, visualization and many more.
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The L3Deformer Surface Deformer– is the last tool in this set. It projects objects from a user defined plane onto a nurbs surface. Typical applications include text and logo animation, motion graphics effects, geometry shaping, procedural liquid surfaces, particle flows and many more.
Source and full article: lightstorm3d