Just a question as to what plugins you are using? I just purchased Carrara 4 Pro and would like to extend its functions, I have been looking at Anything Goos and Toon Pro. I read somewhere a while back that someone was developing a better partical system, is this still happening?

I haven't heard about a new particle system for a long time... BUT.... if someone knows of one, please let the rest of us know! :D

I got the Power Pack deal; Anything Grooves and Anything Grows, plus Shader Ops. (Includes StarBright as well but there are problems with how that was implemented, making it useless for anything other than off-line generation of starscapes). Saving up money for Architools now. Also Anything Goos and Veloute.

I use Anything Grows, Anything Grooves, Shader Ops, Shaders Plus, Replica, Anything Goos, Primvol, & Ground Control.

To be on topic: I also have the Power Pack deal from Eric's Digital Carvers Guild. (http://www.digitalcarversguild.com) I also picked up Julien's Primivol, Swap and Replica. (http://www.inagoni.com) And, then there's the FREE plugins from Michael Gochoco's (http://www.associatedfx.com/plugins.html)A bunch of little helpful things that I haven't even had the time to test all of yet.

Veloute and ShaderOps all the time.
Anything grows frequently
Anything goos, just got it but looks useful.
Anything grooves, almost never (nice concept but there are often better ways to accomplish this affect)
Starbright, occasionally but wouldn't recommend it (could stand to be redone)
Shader Gel: use it occasionally but nice when you need it
ToonPro, just got but love it. (Here's something I did with ToonPro + lots of postwork).
http://www.renderosity.com/viewed.ez?galleryid=1050637&Start=1&Artist=marcq&ByArtist=Yes

ShaderPlus: I'd only get if you have a specific need for it but useful.
Seems like I'm forgetting a few but I don't use the others much.

For particles, I really like ParticleIllusion which is a 2D, post-render tool. I find it much better than the existing Carrara particle system. An enhanced particle system in Carrara would be nice but for most of what I do, PI is better and faster. But then again, I don't do animations. Most of the particle effects in my gallery are PI.

Marc

There any documentation on Gochoco's plug-ins? I can't figure out what most of them do.

They are a little weird, but I think they all include a 'readme.txt' file to explain the usage and options.

I have the advance pack which is great. AnythingGrows AnythingGrooves Starbright AnythingGoos ShaderOps ShadersPlus -Kix

My most "useful and used" plugins have been ShaderOps and Velout They allow you to make very complex shaders. If you are rendering architecture these two are must-haves. The redo of the particles you heard of is probably AuroDigital's Particloid which hasn't been released yet. See link below. Also worth watching for is Shoestring's Toolbox which wasn't released this month as planned, but will add new modifiers and tweeners. Bookmark the following sites: http://www.digitalcarversguild.com/ http://www.associatedfx.com/plugins.html http://inagoni.com/ http://www.des-web.net/shoestring_graphics.html http://www.kawachi.zaq.ne.jp/kurozuka/akurodigital/ holly

I have all the plugins from Eovia, DCG, ShoeString, and Inagoni. I haven't used Gemini yet, or Cognito. My favorite ones to play with are Toon! Pro, VectorStyle 2, Wireframe Pro, and Anything Goos (the plugins that have to do with rendering).