iClone 6 Pro + Character Creator (Software Review)

Posted by on Oct 16, 2015 | 15 comments

iClone6 6 ProPublisher: Reallusion
Website:  Reallusion.com
Platform: PC
x32/x64: 64x Dual core CPU or higher
Description:  CG character animation, creation and previz
Purchase/Rent: Purchase
Pricing: $249
Download Demo: Click here.
Discount: Click Here
Expected Release: Available Now
Review Issue: #115 (10/15)
Reviewed By: Mark Bremmer
Final Score:  9.1 (out of 10)

Cinematic story telling is in a very strange but interesting place. Traditional (ie “real people”) movies are not going away any time soon. But with the advent of 3D video games and with ever increasing quality, I’ve heard it argued that some of the most compelling stories are now being shown as complete digital characterizations. ( Toy Story 3 was nominated for “Best Picture” in 2011 and there are some critics who believe Pixar’s Inside Out might actually win it this next year.)

I think it’s true, too.

Award of Superiority

Enter iClone 6 , a consumer priced software with some forward looking, professional aspirations. Using iClone 6 in it’s most humble fashion would get you some amazing pre-visualization images and footage – the kind of stuff that helps you think through scene building or attract investors to the project. Using iClone 6 (hereafter, “iC6”) in it’s most robust ability will get you full production, albeit with a somewhat too perfect–or “uncanny valley”–look, but a look that is common to a wide range of video games and Machinima endeavors.

Camera controls with -mini-preview

Camera controls with -mini-preview

Ease of Use

I typically use C4D, Vue and Lightwave for my TV or movie footage engagements – sometimes with a little Poser thrown in for human content. So, my comments regarding the use of iC6 is based upon a pro-grade software work flow.

To be concise and short, iC6 is super easy to use. In fact, it’s a pleasure to use and the animation is very fluid.

Whoever is in charge of the software user experience at Reallusion deserves an award. They have crafted an amazing experience. The interface is customizable and uses imagery and dials/sliders for a majority of the interactions users have with content such as positioning, scaling etc. When building scenes, onscreen gizmos never leave you wondering how to pose characters or position lights. Most impressive is the ease of character manipulation within a scene. Feet automatically collide with the floor, joints bend believably, click and zoom timeline controls make animation refinement a snap.

To improve ease of use, Reallusion has included a massive collection of texture, motion and content presets that easily reduce workload by converting animation chores to drag-and-drop changes.

Indoor and outdoor-environments are easily made

Indoor and outdoor-environments are easily made

Depth of Options

Frankly, the depth of options in iC6 is awesome and practically overwhelming for this price point of software.

In fact, iC6 has more options than most microfilmmakers may want to use. Depending on the time a user wants to spend with the program, output can range from stylized digital sketches to near photo quality. Consequently, there are tons of options that support that wide range of output. To give you even more options, Reallusion has created some user beneficial alliances for content exchange with other producers for texture creation (Allegorithmic – Surface Designer) and CG content (DAZ 3D and SketchUp–3D Warehouse). Those relationships simply add a 3rd party level of options and resources that most software does not have.

Using Character Creator, when creating and customizing the human form for characters, you have 100% authority over body type, ethnicity and cosmetics with click-and-adjust tools. That ability is a very big deal because of the highly complex functions needed to work with characters. The complexity is totally hidden from the users experience. It’s astonishingly easy to use!

Scene lighting and texturing is just as easy – including doing outdoor environments complete with trees, grass, insects and other organics. Animated bugs and wind blowing through the trees is at your fingertips. Quality of light is easily controlled from harsh to full ambient with the requisite soft shadows everywhere. Physics (object collisions and behaviors) are quite robust and simple to engage and adjust.

Essentially, users can create a total 3D world which can be interior, exterior or both, and then are given the control sets to manage it.

The Motion Puppet has presets and adjustments galore

The Motion Puppet has presets and adjustments galore

Performance

Users must have a reasonably up-to-date PC system to use this software. Most of the on-screen magic happens because the software is using the full, typically underutilized rendering potential of new graphics cards. If you don’t have a Radeon GeForce GTX 600 Series or better, you will be underwhelmed. Less than a GTX 400 series and the program simply won’t run correctly. Check out the iClone site for other specs if you are running Nvidia.

For single frame pre-viz, there is nothing to complain about. However, if rendered footage (ie a sequence of frames) are the output intent, you’ll have to be patient. The program, while speedy enough, isn’t blazing fast and there aren’t provisions for setting up local render farms, unless users add the Indigo render engine and set up multiple nodes themselves. Currently, there are no commercial render farms available that I could find, which can be a deal breaker for movie makers considering feature length, animated story telling.

The software seems to be reasonably stable. Real-time lighting is a huge benefit when setting scenes and moods. Also, there is an auto-recover that helps prevent lost work if you happen to push iC6 a little too far or if it’s having a bad day.

The one downside for Mac shops is that you can’t run iClone in virtualization on VMware; instead, you’ll need to do an actual Bootcamp PC launch.

Value

iClone is not mature enough to be considered a true cinematic quality animation tool. That said, in the realm of pre-viz or Machinima, it is a perfect solution.

If you want to create a 3D character for rigging in another program such as Maya, iClone is also a good fit. One of the Reallusion’s consumer targets with iClone is the gaming industry – specifically authors using the Unreal or Unity game engines. Many of iClone’s feature sets are built with those needs in mind.

Do you need or want a pre-viz tool that easily let’s you realistically create cinematic camera moves, scene and character builds? Then this is by far the best package I’ve used.

Final Comments

For microfilmmakers that like to control production and convey their vision to team members, iClone 6 is the tool to do it. While it would be nice if  iC6 actually ported into other CG programs such as Vue, Lightwave, or C4D the way Poser does, I don’t think that eventuality is too far off in iClone’s development.

Breakdown
Ease of Use
9.2
Depth of Options
10.0
Performance
7.5
Value vs. Cost
10.0

Overall Score

9.1

Mark Bremmer has operated his own commercial studio for over 18 years. He’s been fortunate enough to work for clients like Caterpillar, Colgate, Amana, Hormel Foods, Universal Studios Florida, and The History Channel producing stills, digital mattes and animations. Mark contracts regularly as an art mercenary with production houses that shall remain nameless by written agreements. If you've seen shows like The Voice, The Grammy or the ESPY Awards, then you've also seen some of Mark's day-job work.

    15 Comments

  1. Hello Mark,

    I am Tae. I was just carrying out some research online when I luckily discovered your lovely and informative website.
    I am an aspiring, young film maker. When it comes to ‘animation’ as an aspect of modern film making, I an a newbie!
    In a nutshell, your reviews, concerning ‘iClone 6’ is a ‘WOW’ factor! I don’t know that there’s a software that is so easy like that. I want a faster way to delve into the modern film making in the field of animation to be specific.
    I want you to know that you have equipped me with unequal and invaluable (Priceless/incalculable) information concerning realtime/machinima animation.
    For some years back, I locked my head around daz 3d because of the little or no knowledge that I have about the giants like MAYA, 3D MAX, CINEMA 4D and BLENDER 3D. Although, I have it on my Plan book to learn MAYA and C4D in the nearest future, my plan for now is to start at a certain starting point hence, Rome was not built in a day.
    Thank you very much. Be informed that I would like to have you as my mentor. I read on your website on which I am now about the many works you have done in the industry, from which numerous experience would have been acquired beyond the measure. I will still contact you over and over from now on.
    Thanks.

  2. I forgot to ask whether iclone 6 characters creator can be used to model a highly detailed and production ready characters like daz 3d Michael 6 and Victoria 6!?
    2. Can I create a typical model of myself from my own picture, so that I can have myself previz in a homemade video show of my own. This seems an impossibility in daz 3d. I just want to know if it’s possible in iclone 6.
    3. You said iclone 6 has physics which makes collision detection possible inside the software, and this is not possible in daz 3d. According to your reviews, daz characters can be imported into iclone 6. If so is the case, will daz characters response to iclone 6’s physics?
    4. How smoothly is iclone 6 workflow with Vue software?

    Thanks a lot. From Tae.

    • Hi..so how your project doing bro?

    • The voice of rattlnaoiiy! Good to hear from you.

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