PRESS RELEASE - Carbon Graphics Releases Geo STUDIO Pro 4.3

1 day ago

2 min read

New release adds worldwide runway generation, X-Plane 12 model support, enhanced simulation behaviours and a redesigned orthographic modelling environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Carbon Graphics has released Geo STUDIO Pro 4.3, a major update to its 3D modelling, conversion and simulation-content development software.

The new release introduces a broad range of capabilities aimed at improving the creation, conversion and testing of visual simulation content, including a new RunwayBuilder, partial X-Plane 12 aircraft support, enhanced animation and behaviour tools, improved LightPoint visualization and a completely re-engineered orthographic modelling system.

One of the major additions is RunwayBuilder, which can generate geo-accurate runway geometry for airports worldwide using data derived from the OurAirports Database. Users can search by airport identifier or name and automatically create runway geometry, centerlines, threshold markings, edge markings and runway and approach lighting. Runway priorities are automatically calculated to manage markings, lighting and tessellation where runways intersect.

Geo STUDIO Pro 4.3 also introduces X-Plane 12 OBJ and experimental ACF import support. Aircraft components can be imported individually or, using the ACF importer, loaded automatically from the object references contained within an X-Plane aircraft configuration.

X-Plane animations can optionally be converted into native Geo Behaviours, with X-Plane DataRefs represented as Geo External Variables.

A new GeoDataRecorder X-Plane plugin can record DataRef values on a frame-by-frame basis and export the results to CSV. Recorded simulation data can then be replayed inside Geo STUDIO, allowing imported animations and instrument behaviour to be tested against actual simulator data.

To support more complex simulation-driven animation, Geo STUDIO's Behaviour system has also been expanded. Rotate and Translate actions now support interpolated key-value lookup tables, while Visibility and Range actions include additional range-based control.

Version 4.3 also includes a major redesign of Geo STUDIO's orthographic modelling environment.

Geo STUDIO now uses a single OpenGL window containing configurable viewports rather than separate OpenGL windows. More than twenty predefined layouts are available, while Top/Bottom, Front/Back and Left/Right orthographic views maintain independent projection, zoom and grid settings.

Each orthographic view can also display a separate reference image. Users can calibrate images by defining a known real-world distance and datum, allowing blueprints and reference photographs to be scaled directly to model coordinates.

This functionality has been incorporated into a redesigned Tube Tool, providing a faster workflow for constructing vehicles, aircraft fuselages and other complex shapes from calibrated front, side and top reference images.

Geo STUDIO Pro 4.3 introduces a significantly improved reference-based modelling workflow. Calibrated orthographic images can be registered directly in Top, Side and Front views, while coordinate locking allows existing modeling tools to trace and construct geometry accurately within those views. Users can combine polygon tracing, extrusion and other conventional techniques with specialized tools such as the new Tube tool, choosing the most efficient approach for each part of a model.

Additional improvements include shader-based directional LightPoint visualization, Time-of-Day LightPoint testing, new Split Edge and Combine Vertices tools, improved grid controls, enhanced OBJ material import, DDS texture importer improvements and numerous modelling and workflow fixes.

Geo STUDIO Pro 4.3 is available now from Carbon Graphics.

For product information and video tutorials, visit Carbongraphics.com.