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You can't multi-thread xpresso. That is the problem. That is why the new system is being created with multi-threaded at the heart of the architecture. The scene nodes will allow you to overcome the object count limitation that has plagued C4D for years. Allowing for hundreds of thousands, or millions, of objects to move around your scene. Scene nodes have a purpose and will be the future of a lot of new content in C4D. Essentially you can create capsules that are the equivalent, or surpass, the speed of C++ plugins. This is because the capsules code can run on the GPU taking advantage of all your system resources. Xpresso won't go away. But it is a very different system to the Scene Nodes. Scene nodes won't talk to Xpresso because then that would tie Scene Nodes to the Xpresso update system, essentially making it single threaded and reliant on all the other messaging going through C4D. However you could use Xpresso to control a Capsules parameters if you wanted. The same way you would control a Sphere for example. Since a Capsule can also create new geometry types (as an example), and expose parameters to C4D that Xpresso could control. Different things, different use cases.

Scene nodes are more of a bottom up approach than top down. First come technical necessities and further on the higher level access. Something you can start to see in capsules, which can deliver Cinema typical ease of use functionality with the power of nodes behind them. Xpresso is just an expression system, f we were to enable it to do what scene nodes can do it would become no less complex than scene nodes, just much slower.

The current scene nodes we were told 2.5 years ago are low level nodes and akin to a nodal programing language, and not something intended to be intected with often by average users, but rather the underpinnings of things to come. There was supposed to be a user friendly 2nd tier of nodes developed that users would interact with but they never materialized.

I think Maxon would be well served to look at Blender's implementation of nodes. Maybe Blender is better at promoting what nodes can do than Maxon, but to the casual observer it just feels like there is more success with user adoption of nodes with Blender than there is with C4D users. If true, then why? Are C4D nodes too complex? Do they operate at a lower "programming" level than Blender nodes? Do Blender nodes operate no lower than a pure nodal allegory to their standard modeling/animating commands (similar to modo's "tool pipe")? If so, then they are probably easier to learn and more inviting to the average user for experimentation and further study. Remember, there is always a trade off with ease-of-use and power with any programming language and nodes are a programming language after all. You miss that sweet spot and over-pivot to choosing power (but at increased complexity) and adoption will be slower. Choosing more power over ease of use means the nodes operate at a layer closer to the programming language itself. But they have to in order to provide the flexibility that makes them powerful. So, which of the following will lead to higher adoption rates: Having 400 ways to configure 10 different nodes to do a series of the same thing in various flexible ways or 1 way to use 1 node to do something similar but with less flexibility? Not sure if that explains the point I am trying to make. I can follow RS nodal trees, but I cannot follow scene nodes and that could explain why I am struggling to explain their complexity. Hopefully all of this makes sense but even if it does not, then chuck it all aside. BUT PLEASE look at Blender nodes and then ask why the difference in the rate of adoption between Blender and C4D users? There has to be a reason and that reason could help C4D. Otherwise, nothing changes. Dave

No surprise that Perpetual is dead. No surprise that it was done in such as sh**ty, disrespectful manner to long standing customers. Apologies for the turn of phrase - but they earned it.

Disclamer I AM by no means going to take Responsiblity if anything you find here "Does Anything Bad/ Fry" your pc or anything u use it for. 😨👀🤣🤣🤣. Don't like the idea of me not taking Responsibli don't read on sorry 😎🤣 Stuffs: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1. 2 Examples 1 for general and 2 for those that use my E_c4D module "It's Grantted to works on R21 - the year Ec4D was last Updated" ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you see any Typo errors "I don't mean TheSE" pls let me know If you have smt You'll like to Add Pls Reply I'll Add ASAP I umm am Highly focused on 2 things 🤝😎 1. Making tools that are assured to be used daily like "Drop to floor" &/or "Magic Center" either for specific Creators or Freelancers like me who do multiple things. Find my C4D Plugins/Scripts/PythonObjects **Link to gitHub** 2. The second is New Creating An Almost seemless bridge btw mutiple softwares "Like C4D to Blender to maya to Cascaduer to Unreal" WIll be more active on github Soon **Link to github** YOUR Personal Intro 2 Python 4 C4D CheatSheet This is like A cheatsheet for anyone getting into learning python for C4D am Just going to dump about a 100+ of code samples from actual working scripts to thoeries to "Helping" codes and other codes of all types some not c4d related but helpful with tips and tricks. The Only difference this has from the SDK/Doc is that it's all working examples of what is written in the SDK/DOC Also if you are completely new to python I have absolutely no intension of supporing this book "At least for now" but This should be of great help to get you started **Copy of Learn C4dpy by EaZyStudio-Core4D Edit.pdf** If you want smt to play with or You are not a beginer then scroll all the way down to Um COde Helpers and/or Random Scripts If your scripts are acting weiredly After A restart or you are copy and pasting and it does not work Go though your script and delete the emojis or anything related to that 👀👀😒 C4D hates them You can acess Objects MAterials and tags At once using 😒 doc.GetSelection() Um the "Script Log" is also a cheetsheet of it's own "Open "Script LOg" then click move a cube 🤝" you'll see c4d.EventAdd() # this is Refresh C4D I mostly just do it the Script LOg way and Just dump it at the end of my code FInally you can use the Console to learn more about some c4d fuctions and or modules using help(Anything) then hit ENTER "Example Below" If you don't understand where I get code syntax Try draging the Attribute The code is controlling in to the console or scriptmanager if that does not work then search for it in the python SDK😒🤣🤣 Working with UNDO's And that is that, You are readddyyyy Causions: While Loops: If you accidentally set up an infinite loop in c4d C4D Freezing will be the least of your worries expecially if you did not have a copy of your code in an external editor 😨😱😱😨 Lost a lot of code to c4d. # What I did when using a while loop is either break out or cause an error on purpose if I don't want a longer code or just not sure what c4d will do #Break out method: count = 0 # I just keep counting up and use that as a way to break out if c4d ends up fu**ing with me while SMt(): # you don't nessary want to use the count as the "SMt" in this case we can still break out without making it a condition count +=1 # Keep increasing count if count == 100: print ("Print while loop exited me out") break # then yoour code goes here # Want to feel like superman then Scroll down to my helper modules I added a crazy timers Class that Allows U to just call when doing an infinite loop and they exit you out with a message Dialog that shows u Some kinda good enough info for debugging. I use them even if I know my loop is perfect Cuz U just dont know # Your loops might not be the ones that are broken ur var could be Read Objects and Attributes below first if you want to acess Objects or materials or layers I dumped most of the info and repetitive stuff there Objects & Attributes Creating Objects & Playing with attributes To create an object you have 2 options It's name & it's Id to get this Use this line of code selection = doc.GetSelection() # Get active selection (objects, materials, & tags) for x in selection: # Iterate through selection if x.GetTypeName() == "Python Generator": print ("ObjType = Python" + "\nID = "+ str(x.GetType()) ) else: print ("ObjType = " + str(x.GetTypeName())+ "\nID = "+ str(x.GetType()) ) c4d.EventAdd() # Refresh Cinema 4D Let's Start You can create an object using this code Below Also Acess it attribute to get/set it and do more. if you dont know the syntax just drag that attribute to the scriptmanager or the console import c4d from c4d import gui def main(): saver1=c4d.BaseObject(c4d.Onull) # Initialize a object saver1()[c4d.ID_BASELIST_NAME] = "Ummm, A NAme :)" # Changeing the NAme you can change any of it's attributes this way doc.InsertObject(saver1) # Insert the object into the scene saver1.SetBit(c4d.BIT_ACTIVE) # Select the Object "Note if you have stuff selected then It adds to selection" # Execute main() if __name__=='__main__': main() c4d.EventAdd() # refresh c4d Modifiying Already Created objects in the Scene There are a bunch of methods to acess object in c4d some of the time you have to custom Make your own was and this part of the cheetsheet is all about giveing you 5 of most common methods. Lets's Walk This part We will walk to the Topmost Parent of our current selected object Walking Materials & Tags FOr material Just use Mat = doc.GetActiveMaterials() #or Mat1 = doc.GetFirstMaterial() Tag = doc.GetActiveTag() Mat.GetNext() #You will figure it out Tag.GetNext() # Same # Then use a while lloop like the above code and u should get a working Material and tag walker # Obviously u will not be needing a Lookahed solution like the code above #Just Get the first material and while name is Not found keep going if name is found then Stop Modifiying Buttons In Objects (Not really the way for your own UserData's but Hey it works 👀🤣) import c4d from c4d import gui def main(): saver1=c4d.BaseObject(c4d.Onull) # Initialize a object saver1()[c4d.ID_BASELIST_NAME] = "Ummm, A NAme" # Changeing the NAme you can change any of it's attributes this way doc.InsertObject(saver1) # Insert the object into the scene PyTag = c4d.BaseTag(c4d.Tpython) # Adds a tag into the object PyTag()[c4d.EXPRESSION_ENABLE] = False # Edits attribues same as objects saver1.InsertTag(PyTag) # inserts the the tag into the scene c4d.CallButton(PyTag(), c4d.TPYTHON_OPENEDITOR) # now this is how you interact with buttons if you want to piggiback from objects/tags that are not yours # Obviously PyTag() can be the current selected tag not a newl created tag # To get the c4d.CallButton() use the script log "It's the quick and dirty way to achive your aim" saver1.SetBit(c4d.BIT_ACTIVE) # Select the Object "Note if you have stuff selected then It adds to selection" # Execute main() if __name__=='__main__': main() c4d.EventAdd() # You know you have to refresh c4d yes? Working with colors I think I made A simple 0/255 0/1 example for converting RGB to Vector Float numbers In the learn c4d py PDF I have above Just go online and use an online converter. import c4d #Welcome to the world of Python def main(): obj = doc.GetActiveObject() obj[c4d.ID_BASEOBJECT_USECOLOR] = 1 ob[c4d.ID_BASEOBJECT_COLOR] = c4d.Vector(0.173,0.714,0.714) if __name__=='__main__': main() c4d.EventAdd() It Feels like am still missing smt But we'll see Materials & Attributes Even if what you want to know is how to acess materials Go up and see Objects there are a lot of stuffs there that I don't want to keep repeting all through Cuz it's going to be fustrating to new pythoneiers that are reading from top to down. Basically the way you acess materials Working with C4D Node MAterials Probably would refer you to some code Working with Arnold Materials asda Working with VRay Materials asdas Working with RedShift MAterials (Sorry I Use R25 and DOn't use Redshift) Probably would refer you to some code Tags & Attributes to "Helping" codes and other codes o Annoying LAyers & Attributes + Refreshing layers so Actually they Update to "Helping" codes and other codes o Working with Animations (Simple intro Nothing too fancy yet) to "Helping" codes and other codes o Xpresso to "Helping" codes and other codes o C4DPY FOr 3rd party Plugins For Buttons in 3rd Party tools Scrooll up or "CTRL+F" and search "Modifying Buttons" o "Helping" codes and other codes o C4DPY for Workflow ("Rigging", "Animation", "Speedup Modelling" "Texturing") to "Helping" codes and other codes o Code helpers Working with .ini files (InComplete) Honestly it depends on how you want to handle your files, for me I prefer to work with .ini in c4d But I prefer json for compatablity and scalability when making Cross appliation Tools Only .txt u can break down the rest your self Working with temporary Files You can Use c4d.GetWorldContainer() Pls read more on "c4d.BaseContainer" in the doc. What I can tell u is that Most times it's better to look at the C++ SDK and this is one if those times https://developers.maxon.net/docs/Cinema4DCPPSDK/html/page_manual_basecontainer.html I'll also have a few examples for u. Note: I don't recommend using c4d.GetWorldContainer() Cuz there is a high chance u'll Fu umm Make a mistake, but it's here just so u know it's something u can do def get_default_settings(settings): """Get the value from Your own world container if none Set one """ worldContainer = c4d.GetWorldContainerInstance() # Get a copy of the world container Read more on WorldContainer in the SDK myContainer = worldContainer.GetContainer(10000000) # This part Pls use A unique ID from Plugin Café https://plugincafe.maxon.net/ if myContainer is not None: settingsString = myContainer.GetString(10001) # If you used a unique ID form Plugin Café then feel free to do ur worst with ur ids here if settingsString: settings = json.loads(settingsString) # I am saving it as Json cuz I like the name DUMP:(❁´◡`❁). Personal prefrence return settings Working Example tested only on C4D 2023 "I don't want to make the code extrmly long and also don't want to use my E_c4d module so everyone can understand so it's tested only on 2023 which technically means it should work on R23 - 2023" Well the example am showing is kinda stupid but yaaa it works. Quick Update after weeks. U should Use Surfix so it's not random when using it for the test purpose I am using it for LInks to some GIthub Related to C4D sa o "Helping" codes and other codes o Gui Popup DIalogs Ummm.. A simple popUp Cheetsheet with everything you need to understand if you want to add your own custom images Scrool DOwn to "Bitmap Buttons" that should give you an idea. FInally Search "ShowPopupDialog" in the SDK for more details Custom Gui Interface Okay I have to put this up here! Umm We technically have 2 DIalog Types Even though there are like 7. Let me explain first search "GeDialog.Open" in the SDK. so it all comes down to DLG_TYPE_MODAL and DLG_TYPE_ASYNC The first being what you will get if you run the Hello world script you get when creating a new script "You can't interact with c4d" and the Second being what you will get if you open the assets browser or any-other plugin "Here is the thing though" you have to kinda be careful when using ASYNC. Just make sure if you want ASYNC fuctionality then start with ASYNC some time's it not as simple as changing DLG_TYPE_MODAL to DLG_TYPE_ASYNC On the GeDialog.Open() Method. 😨😨😱 You don't want to learn this your self 😭 Some More Harderder to understand GUi Interface Progress Bar saa Images (BitMap Buttons) adsas Dynamiclly Resizable Guis Dyna How to use InExclusion Custom Gui asa "Helping" codes and other codes o Recreating some C4D Methods/Classes First Smt that not available search for Layers I think this code is documented enoguh but if U dont understand the scroll up to the walker for object above or CTRL+F and search "Let's Walk" tht should be a good place to start also look at layers a few more scrolls below that. Using Python DOcs to "Helping" codes and other codes o Random Scripts with Name ("Just Have a look copy and paste part of the codes in your code you'll learn as you go") You Can post And add More to this list if you have smt to add So about a week ago out of fustration for c4d no material Search And the fact that I was in unfamilier teritory "Not My personal computer" Hence It'll take me a few hrs to Remake My Solution personal solution But U see I did not have time to spare so the code below is what I ended up making. This shows How quickly you can hack ur way through c4d And end up with extremly flawless results by just Faking your way "I have a better working solution In the " Ec4d Module (Work in Progress) How it works4 Import as u like This will be updated soon Installation (In the current Phase Pls don't do this yet) 1. Create a folder called "eazyheaven" in C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Roaming\Maxon\python\python39\libs 2. Create a .pyfile called "__init__.py" 3. create all the .py files as they are named in the TITLE of Codes you will copy below 4. Paste paste the copied code into that And restart c4d if u use linux or osx just click open prefrences folder inside c4d prefrence manager u will see a folder called python39 open that up and the libs folder then follow up from step 2 Obviously copy the names "eazyheaven and __init__.py" without the quotes 😒😓 Ec4d.py A Striped down version of my own Ec4d Module Right now still working on porting stuff over and making the code self explained Others.py (I'll have roughly 3 - 4) saa Not Mine But ReallY HelpFul t o "Helping" codes and other codes o

import c4d def main(): objs = doc.GetActiveObjects(0) for obj in objs: inst = c4d.BaseObject(c4d.Oinstance) inst.InsertAfter(obj) inst[c4d.INSTANCEOBJECT_LINK] = obj inst.SetName(obj.GetName()+"_inst") c4d.EventAdd() if __name__=='__main__': main() Enjoy 🙂

nitro4d wrote earlier on twitter that he has updated all his plugins 🙂

Please explain further. Geometry Spreadsheets is a new term to me. Thanks, Dave

And that's the catch. Even the more than average users (more technical users) doesn't use the scene nodes. At least based on the mographdotcom slack channel. And for good reason, again and again, the design of the scene nodes is convoluted. too verbose. i wish the devs used houdini first. reference it. and make that node flow better. again, use GEOMETRY SPREADSHEETS. that's the real deal with these using nodes in 3D.

I think we all understand that the xpresso core needed to be rebuild under the hood. What the problem is is that for 95 % of c4d users the scene nodes are too deep into programmers territory. Xpresso was very good at enabling the artist to quickly build connections between c4d objects. With scene nodes we can build the same connections but we also need to handle the objects data structure as well which no artist really cares about and does not want to be bothered with. Hence 1 xpresso node now equals 3 scene nodes. The power is tremendous of scene nodes. It is just not build with the majority of c4d users in mind. A suprising design failure they try to compensate for with the capsules system now. People who want to program in c4d have python already. Why would somebody with programming skills that a required for scene nodes use nodes at all? An iteration of xpresso with slightly deeper user level access with new core architecture would have been great.

Thanks for the explanation. But wouldn't be possible to create, lets say, a Xpresso-like higher level Node system to control the Scene nodes? Because what was shown to us until now is way more complicated than Xpresso and not something very artist friendly.

Great release, lots of cool and useful stuff 🤩 Extra thanks for implementing WatchFolders in the Asset-Brower, I really do feel heard. 👍

As far as I know the Scene Node system does actually interpret the node hierarchy and produce code that is then compiled to work directly on the architecture that you have on your machine. So it is actually a programming language. And eventually they will provide more higher level nodes to wrap around these lower level ones, which would then take it out of "tech preview" status and make it more artist friendly. I would like to see a scripting language implemented that lets me essentially write the node scene graph. One that also lets you debug the flow by stepping through it and inspecting values. I could then version control it in Github and have less worry about what line I accidentally removed from my pile of spaghetti that caused my capsule to break.

That sucks. R25 was a bit of a fizzer of a release, with some good stuff in 26 and 27, so it's a shame that 25 is the last perpetual option.

There are only two new node, Spline Chamfer and OCIO transformation I'd love the idea of Maxon adopting an update plan like this: Main annual release - Introduce new technologies (simulation, rendering etc), format support (import, export, other iso), Generators/Modifiers/Fields/Tags, UI First semester update - Bug fixes, hardware compatibility fixes Mid-term update - expand color schemes, expand Asset Manager, expand Capsules pool, expand curve presets Second semester update - Bug fixes, new nodes, minor functionality expansion on some random old tools

You took the time to make me a diagram, thank you very much, yes, indeed, no doubt, after turning the angle to 90°, the strength works! Good night! Take care!

There is a lot of truth in here. I think that despite the growing education in computer knowledge there is something like over complexity for the mayor user base. especially as most users are artists not engineers. Imho xpresso represented this sweet spot between power and ease of use quite well. also material node systems like octane for example. quite some developments of c4d in the last years are on the powerfull but not so easy to use side.

The lack of visible progress.

You can't announce a technology preview and then have zero to show for it two and a half years later, with narry even a peep of a mention in the latest update. Maxon is quick becoming famous for simply ignoring whatever it doesn't want to talk about, as if it doesn't even exist, and at this point it looks like nodes is one of those things.

Well, that answers it then. But when you look at the computing industry in general, we all knew this day was coming. Software as a Service (SaaS) really sucks for the consumer, but everyone is moving to it. Microsoft no longer offers MS Office as a purchased perpetual license. Office 365 is now subscription only (I wonder about the "365" tag at the end....it kind of rubs in the fact that they are making you pay yearly). Honestly, how far will SaaS go? Will it extend to the operating systems? If you want your computer to boot in the morning or your cell phone to turn on, then pay the annual subscription fee. Will it extend to driver support? Well, your computer boots but the screen flickers because the latest OS is incompatible with the GPU drivers. Pay the subscription fee to get the latest GPU drivers. You may even see unscrupulous hardware vendors forcing those incompatibilities just to generate licensing revenue for their latest drivers. Forget that every piece of software you run could go to SaaS, but imagine if that extended to all the drivers and OS? And I have even yet to touch the internet and the potential for subscription sites for your favorite sites (including this one). You pass out $5 a month to maintain 10 or 20 licensing subscriptions to both keep your PC and your most common apps running along with connectivity to the internet and pretty soon you're dropping over $1000 a year. Sound crazy? Well....10 years ago SaaS was just being introduced by Adobe and now it is everywhere. Imagine what happens in the next 10 years? If people start to be over-burdened with licensing costs (and the headache of maintaining all those licensing costs) then I see a greater drive for everything going to the cloud. This completely removes the need for a personal computing device. You just have an internet appliance to access all your software from your ISP. Your ISP maintains the hardware and offers different levels of service and software in a tiered pricing model. You want basic MS Office capability? That is one tier. You want render farm access with C4D? That is its own tier. Oh...and within those tiers come monthly caps on data usage. Sorry, but your tier only supports 1 Tb of data consumption a month. Please pay $30 more for the next terabyte. Scary world, isn't it? Now, the safe haven offered by open-source programs is not guaranteed. They undermine the big tech companies' ability to milk as much as they can out of SaaS. As more of our computing infrastructure moves to SaaS, there will be an increase in open-source adoption. This is where the cabal of big tech companies push for the cloud and the internet appliance. As more people shift to the internet appliance, individual PC hardware sales will drop. It will just be cheaper for people to go with the internet appliance than pay annually for the software to run on your own hardware (helped along by these same companies raising their annual licensing costs). The law of supply and demand kicks and pretty soon owning your own hardware becomes cost prohibitive. Without a PC, you are limited in your ability to run open-source hardware because you can pretty damn well bet that your ISP is NOT going support access to open-source software. This is sort of happening now with Windows 11 "S". "S" mode in Windows 11 ONLY allows you to download software from the Microsoft App Store under the interests of insuring that you are free from malware and viruses. "For your protection" Microsoft tells you that Windows S approved software from their app store are completely virus free. Interestingly enough, Google Chrome is not an MS App store offering even though its software is at the core of MS Edge. So I guess "S" stands for "security" and not "Subscription". But who are we kidding? Dave BTW: For people who think that PC companies will fight to keep selling their hardware, here is a shocking revelation from someone who has been in the electronics hardware manufacturing business for over 30 years: These companies hate building hardware! It's hard. It has supply chain issues. There are warranty repair and reverse logistic issues. There are regulatory requirements on the materials they use. The cost of releasing a new product is very high. Lots of cost for not a great margin -- especially in the consumer market. But software is soo much easier to manage because its only cost is people. It may cost a lot for the first item, but after that it is all pure revenue. Selling software is like printing money when compared to hardware. Thus, all the big hardware vendors will be motivated in the push to cloud computing once they figure out how to sell their software into that platform as well. Ever wonder why nVidia keeps churning out all these really neat graphical applications? Who would have expected that from a hardware vendor.

My wife and I tested DALL-E 2 yesterday evening, just to see what it's all about... The result were astonishing, unbelievable. This AI is more creative than both of us! For every input we gave it managed to generate something interesting. We wrote random stuff like "a horse inside a tornado painted by Klimt", "a tree made of snakes in darkness" or "a Japanese pagoda inside a volcano" and tested a few variations. In a few seconds it created fantastic original artworks. here are a few examples :

Thats what I thought when I heard C4D 2023 and it is exactly what we predicted, when subscription came up 3 Years ago. Using R25 as a last perpetual version is just another expression of their contempt of this kind of license and customer.

Here is a fun one - pendulum 🙂. This is pure nodes setup with imported geometry Top Graph Subgraph magic part There are some convenient controls 30_Pendulum.c4d

Here is how I built the pooling of sand that collects -Displaced piece of mesh w/noise in global space, as previously discussed. Using global space permits an object to "flow through fixed 3d distortion" (This principle is same in c4d, Blender and I'd guess other major 3d apps) -The object, which is parented to rake, starts below the sand briefly animates up to rise into view at the first part of the video. Creates the illusion of sand accumulation -Bump texture on the sand (not here pictured of course) did the rest Quite possibly if one studied reference closely the exact details could be improved upon. But it generally works as is.

Mistakes 2, 3 and 4 To visualize where sand collects in front of the scraper's path I created an object with animated displacement. (Nope, no particles or physics here.) The displacement noise is in global space, which I found worked quite well (continuous, flowing). C4d users know their noises, as early Maxon developers 10+ years ago conceived the richest 3d noise technology in the industry. And of course Houdini users can seemingly dial in virtually any setting to tune the exact look. Perhaps a Houdini user would even opt to use physics. They gods, we humans. Here I used Blender's "Cloud" noise. My mistakes here: 2. Wasn't bold enough with the displacement value. Since rendering the initial animation I've noticed it looks/works better 2x. 3. I didn't make this sand object tall enough, it didn't descend deep enough... and you can see below it in a few angles. This also generated unwanted shadow. Probably could be a tad wider as well. 4. Though the same texture is used as the primary sand bed, it isn't properly scaled/projected for this object. Texture doesn't look right. And #5: Lighting. I lazily threw an *outdoor* HDRI into the scene and just turned the intensity way down. Had two scene lights. Told myself, "You know better, Ice! Get an indoor HDRI" But never changed it. There are some harsh, unwanted lights, for sure, playing along the texture's bump map. When living in Alaska these kinds of casual, lazy decisions with details give you frostbite...or get you killed. I'm so lazy now in sunny Arizona, lol!

Here is my recreation. Liked the idea of including a camera move. Welcome critique. Happy to answer any production questions on how to achieve using either Blender or c4d. Later I'll post a few things I'd do different if this was a client job or a demo reel piece. Five notable mistakes/issues (at least). Perhaps you can spot some things I didn't catch.