2019.3.1 is now available

2019.3.1 update is now available , and from what I understand is mostly about fixing some bug fixes on Windows working with Remote Desktop. 

This update is for WINDOWS ONLY ! 

Get it thru your autodesk web portal. 

release notes are usually found here: 
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/maya/getting-started/caas/simplecontent/content/maya-release-notes.html?st=release%20notes

but currently I don't see any for this release. ( yet)

Exploring Luts and Aces

If you haven't scene the "idiot's guide to ACES from the Toadstorm Nerdblog  then I highly recommend checking it out here:
https://www.toadstorm.com/blog/?p=694&fbclid=IwAR2NsTbqXLkuqQXkFP2LIlVKGdCEoeM8ruCEOrhb_xzIxekJIPC4CUwGmQk

Along those lines.  I've also found this video from ZY productions to be very helpful in explaining how 1D and 3D luts work, and are





I would also highly recommend checking out Arvid Schneider's youtube for working with Arnold and rendering in ACES.


and this live stream he did working with OCIO and ACES

VAST solver for Maya

If you are working in games and need to convert blendShapes and other deformers to joint based animations, this might just be the thing. 

The Vast solver from Alen Arslanagic converts pretty much any geometry deformation to joint based animation skinned to match the original . 

Looks like a similar approach that Hans Goddard's developed for Naughty Dog, skinning converter, but never released to the public. 
At $300 it may seem expensive, but not compared to having to do this any other way.


vastSolver (Maya plugin) - Vertex Animation to Skin and Joints Transformations from Alen Arslanagic on Vimeo.


You can get the plug-in here at the Autodesk APP store
https://apps.autodesk.com/MAYA/en/Detail/Index?id=4081421556124369005&appLang=en