Anim8or v0.85 Release Notes
---------------------------

This release of Anim8or is the first beta test of version 0.85.
The primary differences between this and the previous version,
v0.81, are new modeling tools but there are many other bug
fixes and enhancements.

Compatibility
-------------

V0.85 should be able to read previous versions of .an8 files.
Though the opposite is not entirely possible, it generally
should work especially for the most recent releases.  Newly
added features will be ignored, of course, but shouldn't
cause other problems.

Modeling Tools
--------------

A number of new modeling tools have been added.  They include:

* FRONT and BACK facing selection for points, edges and faces.
* Cut tool to slice models along a plane.
* Shell tool to give thin models thickness.
* A Bump tool to add bulges to models.
* Point Slide tool that slides points along existing edges.
* Subdivide Faces command to split selected faces in smaller
  faces.
* Cut Edges command that splits selected edges into two.
* Connect Edge command that connects the middle of selected
  edges that share a common face.
* Edge Loop Select command.
* Edge Right Select command.
* Edge Loop Cut command to split things into multiple objects
  along selected edge loops.

Figure Changes
--------------

* Insert Bone command that inserts a bone as the parent or
  between the children of an existing bone.
* Bone Diameter property so bones aren't all the same thickness.

Material Changes
----------------

* Environment Map texture mode for reflections.
* Cube map textures.
* Texture image invert.
* Bump map direction can be inverted, i.e. black can be either
  dents or bumps, be using a negative weight in the texture
  dialog.

Rendering Features
------------------

* Radial Fog.
* Environment Maps.
* Render depth buffer as image.
* Interactive views are closer to what a render will look like
  in a number of cases.

GUI Enhancements
----------------

* GUI configuration dialog.
* Wireframe over Flat and Wireframe over SMooth options for
  working views.
* Point over flat or smooth option.
* Frame and Frame Selected commands for all views, plus hot-keys
  for both ("f" and "F").
* List view of objects in a view.

Undo Buffer Size
----------------

* You can set the size of the undo buffer from 1 to 100 MB.  In
  previous versions it was limited to 1 MB.  Use the File->Configure
  dialog to change it.

Windows XP Registry Crash
-------------------------

Many Windows-XP system administrators create user accounts that
restrict how the Windows registry can be used.  This would
prevent Anim8or from running.  Anim8or now uses the new
Windows-XP user-specific registry to record user preferences
and to associate the ".an8" extension with the Anim8or
executable.  So Anim8or should now be able to run in these
environments.

Major Bug Fixes
---------------

* Point and edge picking now picks the closest choice when one
  point or edge is directly behind another.
* The whacky spline path problem in the Scene editor has been
  fixed.
* Spline overshooting bug has been fixed with only a minor
  net change in the shape of a spline.
* Extrusion along a path now works in 3D.
* The random number generator for Monte Carlo rendering used
  to occasionally show severe artifacts.  This has been fixed.
* A bug where rendering tiny triangles could cause small holes
  in certain cases has been fixed.
* .3ds material export/import has been improved.
* Rendering start up time for complex scenes has been reduced.
* Misc. other bugs.


Have fun!

Steve

August 23, 2003