Ambient shadow calculations are now by default based on object parameterization. Previously, ambient shadows for objects without splines would be calculated based on vertices, which could lead to unusual results if the objects were tessellated too coarsely or non-uniformly. If you prefer, you can still calculate based on vertices; just select Compute per vertex in the Create Ambient Shadows dialog box. For more information, see Compute per vertex.
Improved support for Autodesk Inventor
Showcase is now able to read Autodesk Inventor’s welding maps, thread maps and decals.
Environments in storyboard slides
When switching storyboard slides, environments are allowed to fully load before the timed duration of the slide begins. This allows animations (if there are any) in the slide to play as expected.
Hardware rendering performance and quality
The Performance and Quality dialog box has been modified. Instead of setting performance according to frame rate, use the Automatic quality control slider to set the emphasis you want to place on visual quality. Showcase will adjust frame rate to maintain visual quality as best as possible according to your choice. It does this by using the LODs defined in the currently selected LOD script.
Generally, frame rate should not be adversely affected by adjustments you make to this slider. Quality is increased for close-ups, where there are less objects to display. As the distance to the object is increased, display quality is managed so as to maintain an appealing appearance without necessarily reducing frame rate.
See Optimize Hardware with the Performance and Quality dialog box.
Tessellation scripts have been improved to give better results across a wider range of models. As a result, the number of default scripts needed to cover the most common scenarios has been reduced to six. See Adjust import conversion settings.
You can still access the old default scripts if necessary. In \Program Files\Autodesk\ShowcasePro2011\support\, copy the scripts you want from LegacyTessellationSettings to TessellationSettings. You can do this during a work session, without having to restart Showcase.
Showcase uses FBX SDK 2011 and supports V7.1 of the FBX file format.
This version of FBX supports object instances exported from applications such as the 2011 versions of Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Maya, and Autodesk 3ds Max. Autodesk Showcase 2011 supports import of these instances.
Node assignment for animations
Previously, when importing animations, Showcase would create new nodes on a model. It was sometimes necessary to re-parent the objects to be animated beneath the new FBX nodes. Now, existing nodes in the model are used for the animation, and re-parenting is no longer necessary. See Import an FBX Animation.
Showcase now uses its own custom browser to display the online help. This eliminates problems with sizing and ActiveX components.
A number of changes have been made to the Showcase Customization Help to make it easier to use.
The table of contents now includes entries for all of the classes and modules in the Showcase API. The message references has been broken up from a single alphabetical list into categories based on functionality to make it easier to understand what is possible using the Showcase API. Each message category page is divided into action messages, response messages, and information messages. Each action or information message entry that has an associated response message now lists that response and the default maximum waiting time.
The primary customization help has been extended and rearranged with new topics to help explain in more detail how to write and troubleshoot interactive plug-ins and batch scripts in Python.
The flash UI builder is still included as a sample with Showcase 2011, but is no longer documented in the customization help. A PDF file is included in the extras/Flash folder contains instructions on how to use it.
Simplified naming in the Organizer
Naming inside the Organizer has been simplified. The top-level model name is no longer appended to the file name of the model, and objects within the model are no longer prefixed with the file name of the model.
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For more information, see The Organizer.
