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Vortex Studio 2024.1 Change Log

Vortex Studio 2024.1 Change Log

What's new?

Tech Preview: New Hybrid solver

What’s changing

This version is intended as a technical preview of the new hybrid solver.

The hybrid solver solves the dynamic simulation issue using both direct and iterative methods. This is demonstrated via a novel Generalized Hybrid Solver extension and new Fast Friction parameters for dynamic materials and material pairs.

The generalized hybrid solver has some limitations. Before activating it, read the documentation carefully.

Why it matters

The standard solver in Vortex Studio uses a direct method. The direct method is more accurate, but it can get slowed down drastically for content containing many contacts with friction. An iterative solver can be faster for such use cases, but at the cost of lower fidelity.

Additional details

Tech Preview - Generalized Hybrid Solver and Fast Friction Model

 

Contacts Debugging Improvements

What’s changing

Contacts can now be selected in the 3D view of the Vortex Editor and their values inspected in the Properties panel.

image-20240206-215440.png

A legend has been added in the 3D window that describes the different contact colors and modes.

image-20240206-220244.png

Why it matters

This feature can be especially useful when debugging erroneous contacts between two geometries such as the contacts between a wheel geometry and the terrain during simulation.

Additional details

Debugging the simulation content

Customization of the Operator Interface of the Simulator

The Vortex Simulator operator window was updated in 2023.11. The window now supports new page categories as well as multiple pages under the same category.

dd6c1180-0316-4269-9609-79ab89727b78.png

Why it matters

This feature provides more flexibility to content creators when customizing the operator’s window pages.

Additional details

How to add UI pages to a simulator

The Vegetation Library is no longer available

What’s changing

Vortex Studio no longer supports the vegetation extensions and modules, leading to warnings when loading content that uses them. It is safe to remove these extensions and modules from the system.

Why it matters

The vegetation library could not be updated when updating rendering technology. It is suggested to create simple collision geometries for representing vegetation, and to utilize a 3rd party rendering engine for visualization in a simulator context.

Additional details

Integrating Vortex Studio with Unity

System Requirements

License Requirements

Starting with Vortex Studio 2023.7, no license is needed to run a simulation of content created with Vortex Studio Editor (or purchased from CM Labs).

"Running a simulation" is available on any single computer, allowing the use of applications like Python, Unity, or Unreal to run Vortex Studio content regardless of the operating system, as long as it's supported by Vortex Studio.

Vortex Studio Create applications, including Vortex Studio Editor and Vortex Studio Debugger, still require a license.

Whenever a Vortex Studio Activate feature is used in a simulation, a Vortex Studio license is required.

Supported Platform

Windows

Vortex Studio 2024.1 runs on the following platforms:

  • Microsoft Windows 10 (x64), version 22H2. 

  • Microsoft Windows 11 (x64), version 22H2. 

Linux

Not all features are available on the Linux operating system. See Features and Capabilities Overview for more details.

2022.8 is the last version supporting CentOS7 or equivalent.

An update to the latest Ubuntu LTS and equivalent operating systems is in progress.

Currently, Vortex Studio on Linux can only open content created on Vortex Studio (Windows) 2023.3 or earlier until this issue is fixed in a later release.

Using an earlier version of Vortex Studio on Windows to create content still works on Linux.

Hardware Requirements

Recommended Configuration for Vortex Create Applications

  • CPU Intel i7-9700 or better

  • RAM 32GB

  • GPU minimum 4 GB of VRAM with Vulkan 1.3 support

    • Nvidia GeForce GTX 10 series or later

    • AMD Radeon RX 5000 series or later

    • Intel UHD Graphics 600 or later

Any computer running Vortex Studio Create or Activate must support AVX2 instructions set.

The Vortex OpenGL rendering module (named Cyclone) while still supported is now considered a legacy mode.

Vortex Studio Create now supports major graphics cards using Vulkan technology as listed above.

For advanced simulation application rendering, we recommend using the Unity or Unreal graphics together with the Vortex integration plugin.

See Integrating Unity as Graphics Renderer in a Vortex distributed simulator and Integrating Vortex Studio with Unreal Engine.

Some monitors have factory refresh rates set to high frequencies, i.e. 144Hz. Vortex applications will process the graphical information at 60 Hz by default, which might lead to visual artifacts. Please set the monitor refresh rate so it matches the Vortex simulation rate.

Software Capabilities

MongoDB Support - Deprecated

MongoDB is the database system used by the Legacy Vortex Console. The technology is end-of-life and new versions of Mongo will not be supported by Vortex Studio.

The version supported is Mongo DB 4.2.

Qt

Vortex Studio uses a custom version of Qt 5.15.2.

Python

Python 3.8 is supported. Vortex Studio contains an embedded version of python 3.8.6.

The corresponding Python or Anaconda distribution can also be used to include more modules in the scripts.

Unreal Engine Integration

Vortex Studio 2024.1 supports integration with Unreal Engine version 4.27.

Unity Integration

Vortex Studio 2024.1 supports integration with Unity Unity 2021.3.22f1 LTS.

Supported Compiler

Vortex Studio 2024.1 supports Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 (VC14) compiler and above.

GCC 7.3 is the supported compiler on Linux.

Simulink/MATLAB

  • Real-time UDP protocol of Simulink/MATLAB is supported.

  • Vortex S-Function block in Simulink is supported.

Supported 3D model File Types

The following 3D model file types can be imported into Vortex Studio Editor.

  • .cive, .dae, .fbx, .flt, .ive, .obj

  • .osg2, .osga, .osgb, .osgs, .osgt, .osgx, .shp

Vortex Human

The Vortex Human library is deprecated. It will be removed in a future version. It is no longer possible to create humans.

Visualization of humans can be done in a simulator using Unity or Unreal.

Vortex Vegetation

The Vortex Vegetation library has been removed from Vortex studio. It is not supported anymore.

Licensing

Vortex uses RLM by Reprise Software™ for licensing.

See Licensing for more information.

Compatibility Notice

Backward compatibility

Files created with previous versions, up to 2 years, can be used in the newest release.

We recommend that you use the "Save All Child Documents" feature of the Vortex Editor to ensure that all components are properly saved.

It's important to backup your assets before migrating to the latest version, as overwritten files will not be recoverable in their original state. Assets encompass a wide range of files created using the Vortex Editor, Vortex Director, or programmatically with the Vortex SDK, such as code, extensions, legacy parts, assemblies, mechanisms, galleries, scenes, setup files, simulator files and other proprietary Vortex file types.

Part documents no longer exists; Opening Assemblies in the editor will automatically merge it's part document into it. Opening a part file will create an empty assembly document with the part in it.

A VHL Interface extension in an Assembly document will automatically be converted in a Linking Interface.

Forward compatibility

Vortex is not forward compatible. The older releases of Vortex Studio cannot open files created in a newer release. Once a file is saved, it is associated to its version.

 

Between the Windows version and the Linux version

Vortex Studio on Linux can only open content created on Vortex Studio (Windows) 2023.3 or earlier. This will be fixed in a later release. For the moment, use an earlier version of Vortex Studio on Windows to create content to work on Linux. The recommended version and the last supported version of Linux is 2022.8 and the same version on Windows needs to be used for the best results.

 

Between any Vortex version

Record-and-Playback as well as Keyframe files created with previous versions may not work with Vortex Studio 2024.1.

Vortex Console

The Legacy Vortex Console is no longer being developed and its technology is considered deprecated. To make Vortex-based Simulator, the Vortex Launcher is the new interface to use.

End-of-life Notice

  • Python 3.8 needs to be used.

The CAD plugin feature no longer available and its support is discontinued.

  • Feature Snap to Surface in the Vortex Editor was removed.

Minor Improvements in Vortex Studio 2024.1

In addition to features documented in the “What's New”, minor improvements have been made during the development of Vortex Studio 2024.1:

ID

Summary

ID

Summary

VP-47022

Unity Usage - VortexScene contains a list of Vortex extensions that will use Asset Bundle prefab

VP-47147

Vortex Simulator - Add new page category enumeration field on IQtPage and use it in Vortex Simulator

VP-47149

Vortex Simulator - Support more than one pages in each category

VP-47150

Vortex Simulator - Create new window extension for Drone view

VP-47323

Vortex Editor - Display the contact information in the property pane

VP-47352

Make the hybrid solver extension available in the Vortex Studio

VP-47421

Vortex Studio: Remove Vegetation Library

VP-47510

Vortex Simulator - Final Reports page header section update

VP-47514

Vulkan renderer: Display a legend for contact debugging in the 3D view

VP-47551

Documentation update: Function required to implement when creating a Vortex plugin

VP-47573

Vortex Simulator - Add a scrollbar to the Exercise Selection screen

Fixed Issues in Vortex Studio 2024.1

Various bugs and workflow issues have been fixed during the development of Vortex Studio 2024.1:

ID

Summary

ID

Summary

VP-45931

Vulkan renderer: Node shading is inconsistent due to the normal computation

VP-46911

Vortex Editor - Cannot use the keyboard to copy text from the Python Output

VP-46965

Prismatic constraint drifts when rotating

VP-47099

The DeformableTerrain produces Vulkan Validation Errors

VP-47116

Constraint coordinates values reset when constraint is re-enabled

VP-47119

Unity integration - Earthwork particles can show up black

VP-47253

Demo Scenes - Errors and Warnings when loading UnityIntegrationDemoProject

VP-47266

Vortex Editor - Dragging viewport area causes duplicated render area

VP-47325

Vortex Editor - Vulkan Renderer - Selection/highlighting object not working in Typhoon at wireframe mode

VP-47340

Vulkan Renderer - The wireframe renderers produce Vulkan validation errors

VP-47347

Vortex Editor - Can't access a VHL input if the parent is an assembly

VP-47376

VortexSetup - Cannot interact with VortexSetup if sign in popup is closed

VP-47440

Vortex Editor - Right-clicking highlighted contact in Assembly causes crash

VP-47449

Vortex Editor - Application can freeze when changing tabs

VP-47480

Unity Integration - Unity editor always crashes the second time using Vortex Player pages

VP-47500

Vortex Setup - Download fails. Failed downloading package: Connection timeout error

VP-47531

Vortex Editor - Crash when adding contact Properties to Graphical Plotter

VP-47565

Vortex Editor - possible crash when switching tabs

VP-47575

Unity Integration - Some graphical elements of Vortex Objects are not moving correctly in Unity

VP-47630

Unity Integration - Graphic cables object gets set to inactive every time Vortex Scene object is refreshed

VP-47638

Unity Integration - Using Asset Bundle Prefabs toggles do not save

Known Issues in Vortex Studio 2024.1

ID

Summary

Workaround

VP-41437

When a sound is created such that the listener and the emitter are exactly at the same location, or the listener is moving together with the emitter such that it is precisely above it, the sound that the operator hears becomes garbled. 

This happens for monaural sound track when the listener and the emitter are moving in tandem while being either too close or aligned vertically. The workaround is keep the sound emitter and the listener separate and make sure they can't be move in a way where they could align with each other.

VP-43810

Memory blocks dumped, when terminating the application. 

None. This memory leak is not growing, it's memory that should be returned before the end of the process. Requires a 3rd party update.

VP-44315

Memory leak related to VxContactMaterial when there is a contact upon termination of a VxCore application.

Removing all parts and collision geometries before destroying the VxUniverse ensures that any ongoing contact is invalidated before destroying the VxUniverse. Optionally, using the higher level VxSim API and loading content created in the Vortex Studio Editor seems to work around this issue as the content is automatically unloaded before the application is destroyed.