Shōgun 1.13 Now Available
Download Shōgun 1.13 for enhancements to some of your favorite features.
Make data-informed decisions based on highly detailed, real-time feedback and visualizations.
REDEFINING VFX MOTION CAPTURE
Built from the ground up, Shōgun takes advantage of Vicon’s 40 years’ experience in motion capture and the improved technology available in Vicon cameras.
Today’s visual effects productions need to be achieved in real time and deliver the highest quality skeletal data in the shortest time possible.
FULL BODY PERFORMANCE CAPTURE
Vicon Shōgun allows for both cameras and full body subjects to be tracked at the same time, making use of optimized tracking profiles for both. This includes high fidelity finger animation and robust occlusion fixing when capturing the most complex moves.
These characters can be re-targeted within Shōgun and streamed directly into the game engine. This supports the latest technology innovations, including EPIC’s new Metahuman project.
WHO IS SHŌGUN FOR AND WHY?
Games Companies
Film Production Companies & Studios
Service Providers
University Film & Game Departments
SHŌGUN FEATURES AND IMPROVEMENTS
REAL-TIME INCLUSION
This is where Shōgun predicts where markers would be. This is useful when a marker is lost on set, there are multiple people in one area close together, or if an item comes between cameras and the subject, as in, they go under a table. This means a better solve, inclusions, and all in real-time.
TRACK BOTH VIRTUAL AND FILM CAMERA
Easily calibrate any film camera that supports SDI along with timecode and sync. This calculates the center of the lens or nodal point so the perspective is correct when the camera moves. We have tested this with the Sony Venice, Blackmagic Ursa, Red Komodo and Arri Alexa Mini LF.
The Virtual Camera rig is designed to support a number of different configurations and allows the user to view the game engine using a tablet device. Bespoke 3d printed stalks allow for high quality object tracking all the way to the edges of the volume. It’s lightweight and completely wireless, allowing you to frame shots and create creative camera moves either during the shoot or as an additional camera pass once the main shoot is complete.
SUPPORT BOTH ACTIVE AND PASSIVE MARKERS
Shōgun supports all all current Vicon motion capture cameras. You can also run Vantage and Vero cameras strobless. This allows for you to capture in complex environments filled with smoke and FX and even capture outside. Alongside traditional passive markers you can also use active markers like the Vicon Nova or solutions from Technoprops or Standard Deviation.
BEST IN CLASS LOW LATENCY OBJECT TRACKING
By placing tracking markers on the camera you can create a connection between the markers and the
camera so that when you move the film camera the virtual camera moves with it. This allows for a sub pixel accurate overlay of the CG layer on top of the film plate. This overlay can be viewed in Shōgun or directly in the game engine.
LIVE 3D OVERLAY ENABLES AR/XR WORKFLOWS
The calibrated lens can be exported to the game engine as an ST map. This can then be used when compositing and allows for the overlay to be replicated in the virtual camera view. Multiple different lens points can be calculated allowing for changes in Focus, Iris and Zoom. These can then be linked in the engine and dynamically blended between using a separate lens encoder.
TRACK ACTORS FOR FULL PERFORMANCE CAPTURE
Shōgun allows for both cameras and fullbody subjects to be tracked at the same time making use of optimized tracking profiles for both. This includes high fidelity finger animation and robust occlusion fixing when capturing the most complex moves. These characters can be retargeted within Shōgun and streamed directly into the game engine. This supports EPIC’s new Metahuman project as an example.
CALIBRATE MULTIPLE SELECTED CAMERAS
Expanding on the ability to quickly calibrate a single SDI camera if the intrinsic or tracking object has moved, the ability to calibrate or recalibrate multiple selected SDI or optical cameras has been introduced for a time-efficient and intrusion-free process on stage. Any cameras not selected are locked and the global co-ordinate system is maintained.
AUTOMATIC RETARGETING SETUP
Character retargeting continues to be a critical component in many VFX pipelines, regularly utilized in games and movies alike. We have introduced the ability to automate large parts of the retargeting setup process, enabling our users to setup sides and parts, and create constraints with single button clicks. Retargeting your performance data to a unique character is now quicker than ever.
AUTO SKELETON
Live calibration produces reliable results for accurate labeling and can produce a high quality solve ready for direct real-time previsualization or retargeting. Auto-Skeleton allows the user to intervene and have greater control over the solving subject as a post-processed alternative to the Live calibrated solve. The solving subject can be reimported into Shōgun Live so that you can use this for real-time and also capture of processed data.
FLIR CAMERAS
FLIR cameras – this will probably be at the bottom of the Shōgun page under hardware.
Vicon Virtual Production
Bringing together Vicon’s industry leading tracking of both rigid object and full body subjects, the virtual production pipeline allows users to track film and video cameras alongside highly realistic digital characters, with fingers and face, all within the Shōgun platform.
From VR Scouting and Full Body Performance Capture, to Green Screen and In-Camera VFX, the Vicon pipeline supports it all.
Click here to visit our dedicated Vicon Virtual Production page.
Watch
Technical information
What is the recommended PC specification to run Shogun?
What operating system (OS) can I use with my Vicon Software?
| Current release version | Windows 11 | Windows 10 | Windows 7 | Linux | OSX |
| Shōgun 1.11 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| Nexus 2.16 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| Evoke 1.7.0 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| Tracker 4.1.0 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| Polygon 4.4.6 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| Capture.U Desktop 1.3.1 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | 10.12 |
| CaraLive 1.3.0 | 64 bit | 64 bit | 64 bit * | x | x |
| CaraPost 1.2.0 | 64 bit | 64 bit | 64 bit* | x | x |
| Pegasus 1.2.2 | 64 bit | 64 bit | 64 bit* | x | x |
| ProCalc 1.6.1 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| ProEclipse 1.5.0 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| DataStream SDK 1.12.0 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | 64 bit | 10.11 |
| Bodybuilder 3.6.4 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
| Nexus Insight 1.0.0 | 64 bit | 64 bit | x | x | x |
Please do note:
- Recommended and fully supported in Windows 11 (64bit) — with .NET Framework 4.5 and above
- * Although Vicon Software may install and function under other Microsoft Windows operating systems
(Compatibility tested only Windows 7 (64bit) — with .NET Framework 4.5) , this is not officially supported or recommended by Vicon.
As of January 14, 2020, Microsoft no longer provides security updates and support for PCs with Windows 7. If you continue to use Windows 7 after support has ended, your PC will still work, but it may become more vulnerable to security risks - For Legacy version please contact Vicon Support
Getting started with Vicon Shogun
Getting more from Vicon Shogun
Vicon Shogun Scripting Guide
Installing and licensing Vicon Shogun
PDF downloads for Vicon Shogun
Download Shōgun
Shogun_1.13.1
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.13.1 Live
-
User preference added to prevent camera temperature update requests during camera calibration.
- Data is no longer hidden in the camera or 3D view when the PC’s region is set to one that swaps commas for decimals.
New in 1.13.1 Post
-
Post no longer crashes on startup when the PC’s region is set to one that swaps commas for decimals.
Shogun_1.13.0
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.13 Live
-
Subject Calibration panel improvements
-
Updated support for 4 x FLIR Blackfly video cameras
New in 1.13 Post
- Improvements to labelling
Shogun_1.12.0
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.12 Live
- Subject Calibration Feedback panel enhancements
- New character skin
- FLIR Blackfly S USB3 Support
New in 1.12 Post
- New character skin
- Paint select keys
- Additional solving setup load and save options
Shogun_1.11.0
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.11 Live
- Live graphs
- Calibration scaling
- Visualise missing markers (ObjectTracker)
- Right click to reboot subject
- Data overlays on exported videos
- VK8 support
New in 1.11 Post
- VK8 support
Shogun_1.10.0
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.10 Live
- Improved Live Subject Calibration Stability
- Finger Tracking – Increased Accuracy
- User Interface Enhancements
- Object Alignment Tool
- Windows 11 support
New in 1.10 Post
- MetaHuman Integration
- Process data using the same settings as the MCP file
- AutoSkeleton support for existing finger calibration
- Windows 11 support
Shogun_1.9.0
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.9 Live
- Compatibility with Valkyrie cameras (VK26, VK16)
New in 1.9 Post
- Compatibility with Valkyrie cameras (VK26, VK16)
Shogun_1.8.0
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.8 Live
- Add and remove prop markers
New in 1.8 Post
- Automatic Retargeting Setup
- StretchSense Support
- Expose object and per object tracking settings
Shogun_1.7.0
Latest version with a number of new features and bug fixes.
New in 1.7 Live
- Capture to uncompressed MOV for high quality footage
- New and improved Z-up skeletons
- Y-up origin control
- Improvements to subject calibration
New in 1.7 Post
- Improvements to AutoSkeleton
Shogun_1.6.0
New in 1.6 Live
- Best in class, low latency object tracking
- Track both film and virtual cameras
- Support for Viper and Viper X
- Track both subjects and cameras at the same time with either passive or active markers, with optimized tracking profiles, retarget and stream directly into game engine
- Live 3D overlay enables AR/XR workflows
- Import FBX environments
- Calibrate multiple selected cameras
- Static mesh
New in 1.6 Post
- Add control with auto skeleton
- Improved subject setup
- Position and rotation constraint hotkeys
- Render scene to Mov using Playblast
Shogun_1.5.2
Latest version with a number of small fixes to Shogun Live only.
- Compressed VUE / SDI video now doesn’t hang under heavy system load
- Shogun no longer crashes when checking firmware
- Warning when low disk space is fixed
- Mouse wheel jog is now the same as Post
Shogun_1.5.1
Latest version with a number of small fixes.
Shogun_1.5.0
This latest version of Shogun for Live and Post has a number of new features and bug fixes.
LIVE
- Vantage +
- Realtime compression
- Track fast moving props
- 4 * 4K video playback
- New systems panel for better responsiveness especially with large systems
- Occlusion fixing improvements to match Post
- Scrub time middle mouse
POST
- Animated weights
- Interactive solving
- Mirror weights
- Mirror skeleton
- MOV to MOV
- Scrub time middle mouse
- Label mode shortcut
- Split Gap List panel
Shogun_1.4.0
This latest version of Shogun for Live and Post has a number of new features and bug fixes.
Live
- New Tracking Panel in Live, improves workflow when creating subjects, props, clusters and loading retarget files.
- Improved occlusion fixing of the body when using fingers.
- Improved subject calibration including hands, fingers and shoulders.
- Improved calibration and solving of small subjects.
- Improved cluster attachment.
- Improved video playback in MCP Review including support for 4K.
- Python 3 support.
Post
- Fast MCP reprocessing to remove dropped frames.
- Python 3 support.
- FBX 2020 support including 119.88 framerate.
- Settings now remembered when restarting.
- Single frame labeling now works with fingers.
- Labeling list now follows marker selection.
Shogun_Post_1.3.1
This is an updated version of Shogun Post only which fixes a number of small bugs found since release. Please use the next link to download Shogun Live 1.3 if you haven’t already.
· Fixed issue with video converter producing black videos
· Fixed pre-rotation values getting replaced as part of “Prep Unused Bones”
· Timeline playback now starts from correct frame
· Camera view filters now match Live
· Can now use Xray mode in camera view
· Drop fixing now works with the new finger skeletons
· Frame selection now works with cameras
· Added scrollbar to the pipeline editor
· Marker editing panel now scales correctly
· Improved static mesh manipulation
· Fixed a crash importing certain x2d files
· Fixed crash when changing retarget scale
Thank you for choosing Shogun for your motion capture pipeline.
Shogun_1.3.0
Abstract
Vicon Shōgun is a new motion capture software platform for entertainment users that introduces an exciting new set of innovative features unique to Vicon. Shōgun’s new feature set will change the way you work by improving efficiency at each stage of the motion capture workflow, saving you time and delivering the highest quality data in record time. Shōgun supersedes the current industry-leading Vicon Blade software. The Shōgun platform consists of two executables: Shōgun Live and Shōgun Post.
Shōgun allows you to do more than ever possible before in Live. Our new software allows you to calibrate your subject in Live; monitor your camera health frame by frame; see a step change in labeling and solving quality; provides a functional and scaled subject mesh; overlays 3D and calibrated video; directly streams to game engines; all while writing your real-time data directly to disk. Load data into Post in seconds, address issues in a file automatically as it loads, see the overall quality of data presented on your time bar, then make use of the most powerful tools in mocap to polish your take.
The latest release of Shōgun Live & Post includes the following new features.
LIVE
- High fidelity fingers supporting High, Medium and Low marker sets
- Retargeting phase 1
- Multi-machine
- A-Pose for subject calibration and labeling
- Production marker set
- Prop manipulation panel
- Subject calibration hotspot, reconstruction visualization, withsnap to extents
- Custom L-Frame workflow
- Paint camera masks
- Camera rotation using camera gyroscope (Vantage,Vero,Vue)
- View filter matrix design
- Marker radius view filter
- Marker count view filter
- Zoom grayscale view filter
- MCP Review via Live SDK
- Red overlay for disconnected cameras
- Reboot all offline cameras
POST
- High fidelity fingers supporting High, Medium and Low marker sets
- Retargeting phase 1 workflow including re-scale on export
- Gap list, use play range, sort list, auto zoom graph
- Auto rigid fill tool
- View filter matrix design
- Reconstruction volume visualization
- Static FBX import
- USD / TRC file format support
- Re-sample data rate
- Custom folder for import / export subjects option
- Scale missing markers
- Hold Ctrl for manipulator option
- Manipulator DOF aware
- Disable pre-selection option
- In / Out filter for smoother range filtering
- Props no longer use VSS, just VSK
Shogun _1.2.1
Abstract
File Name: Shogun_1.2.1.109386h_x64.zip
Shōgun 1.2.1 includes a number of bug fixes and adds the ability to control Live Subject Calibration using the Live API.
Fixes include:
Shōgun Live:
- Capture now completes even after data discontinuity.
- You can stop capture after data discontinuity.
- During subject calibration, you can no longer click Accept T-pose without a T-pose being found.
- Subject calibration now has improved booting with shoulder markers.
- Shogun GUI now updates when using the API.
- Clusters are now added and maintained during subject calibration.
Shōgun Post:
- Multi-person FBX now imports into Motionbuilder correctly.
- Camera ray contributions appear over the grid.
- Calibration of multiple actors now takes clusters into account.
- You can now toggle Label cursor text.
- You can now set hotkeys via the number pad.
- Timebar selection has been improved.
- Solving using batching no longer hangs.
- Marker size slider now increments correctly.
- Bonita VVID files now un-distort correctly.
- Deleting objects in the selection tree no longer closes the list.
- You can now modify selected attributes including primary selection.
- FBX files are now converted to face Z forwards.
Requirements
- Shōgun 1.0 SafeNet License.
N.B. – The licensing system for Shōgun differs from Blade and other Vicon software applications. Although there are two executables (Live and Post) there will only be one licence type = Shōgun (as opposed to Shogun Live and Shōgun Post). Shōgun Post is seat-licensed and requires one free seat of Shogun per instance of the software that is desired to be used simultaneously. Shōgun Live however uses a new ‘catch and release’ concept. Shōgun Live does perform a licence check during launch and must find a valid Shōgun licence, but does not ‘check out’ this licence.
Shogun _1.2.0
Abstract
File Name: Shogun_1.2.0.108131h_x64.zip
Shōgun 1.2 introduces a number of new features including
Live:
Custom skeleton support in Shōgun. SDI video support. Prop mesh with manipulator in Live. Vue and SDI video is now part of MCP Review. Live subject calibration feedback. Camera rays are now visible. Marker co-variance is now visible. Improved 3D overlay with opacity slider. Reload Subject button. Removed the idea of Y/Z up in Shogun.
Post:
Offline subject calibration. Brighten video files as part of your batching in Shōgun Post. Batch export video files as image sequences in Shōgun Post. Print timecode to videos in Shōgun Post. Zoom the Shōgun Post time bar and easily set range handles. Populate updated subjects across MCP files via batching. Ability to set primary selection color and improved visual representation.
275 bug fixes including: Improved finger-solving using new subject models. Workspace axis is larger and off to the side. Origin in clearly marked on the grid. Improved alias folder management. Improved booting during subject calibration. ExportFBX.hsl no longer has the wrong defaults. Exporting subjects to a folder now only requires one click and defaults to the Subjects folder. Removed ‘Keep existing labels’ dialog when removing a subject. Aligned workspace menu in Live and Post. Added a warning window when modifying joint lengths in Post. Added option to remove single frame trajectories from MCP files.
Requirements
- Shōgun 1.0 SafeNet License.
N.B. – The licensing system for Shōgun differs from Blade and other Vicon software applications. Although there are two executables (Live and Post) there will only be one licence type = Shōgun (as opposed to Shogun Live and Shōgun Post). Shōgun Post is seat-licensed and requires one free seat of Shogun per instance of the software that is desired to be used simultaneously. Shōgun Live however uses a new ‘catch and release’ concept. Shōgun Live does perform a licence check during launch and must find a valid Shōgun licence, but does not ‘check out’ this licence.
Shogun _1.1.0
Abstract
File Name: ShogunLive 1.1.0.103309h.zip
Shogun 1.1 introduces a number of new features in LIVE and POST.
LIVE:
- MCP Review
- Improved mesh approximation
- Side waist marker set
POST:
- Improved MCP workflow including
- Current subject chooser
- Selection range handles
- Improved data visualization
- Improved data heatmap
- Quick switching between views
- New Windows file dialog
Shōgun 1.1.0 Features
Along with a series of addressed issues
Live:
- Head and hand mesh now matches more closely to markers.
- Shogun Live closes correctly when a floating workspace is open.
- You can now select all cameras with one click.
- Tap to select can now be toggled across all cameras and via Vicon Control.
- You can now set the Vicon system host IP address
- Shogun Live no longer crashes when starting a second video capture.
Post:
- Heat map updates less frequently.
- Running solving no longer shows all subjects.
- Custom subjects now show labeled feedback in the Labeling editor
- Gap dimming now uses opacity to show number of gaps.
- Shogun Post selection is not affected when holding left and right mouse buttons together.
Vicon Shogun – Final Quality Skeletal Data by Day’s End. Vicon Shogun is a new motion capture software platform for entertainment users that introduces an exciting new set of innovative features unique to Vicon. Shogun’s new feature set will change the way you work by improving efficiency at each stage of the motion capture workflow, saving you time and delivering the highest quality data in record time. Shogun supersedes the current industry-leading Vicon Blade software. The Shogun platform consists of two executables: Shogun Live and Shogun Post. Shogun allows you to do more than ever possible before in Live. Our new software allows you to:
- calibrate your subject in Live;
- monitor your camera health frame by frame;
- see a step change in labelling and solving quality;
- provides a functional and scaled subject mesh; overlays 3D and calibrated video;
- directly streams to game engines; all while writing your real-time data directly to disk. Load data into Post in seconds, address issues in a file automatically as it loads, see the overall quality of data presented on your time bar, then make use of the most powerful tools in mocap to polish your take.
Requirements
- Shōgun 1.0 SafeNet License.
Shogun _1.0.1
Abstract
File Name: Shogun_1.0.1.101150h.zip
Shogun 1.0.1 fixes a number of bugs including
LIVE: Subject calibration being slow when lots of clusters are in the system Labeling Cluster Mode is off by default and now warns the user when it’s active. This improves subject labeling performance. Markers in the data stream now have occlusion fixing turned on.
POST: Improved object interaction in the 3D workspace. Fixed crash when importing in FBX files getLastFile HSL now returns correct value
Vicon Shogun – Final Quality Skeletal Data by Day’s End. Vicon Shogun is a new motion capture software platform for entertainment users that introduces an exciting new set of innovative features unique to Vicon. Shogun’s new feature set will change the way you work by improving efficiency at each stage of the motion capture workflow, saving you time and delivering the highest quality data in record time. Shogun supersedes the current industry-leading Vicon Blade software. The Shogun platform consists of two executables: Shogun Live and Shogun Post. Shogun allows you to do more than ever possible before in Live. Our new software allows you to calibrate your subject in Live; monitor your camera health frame by frame; see a step change in labelling and solving quality; provides a functional and scaled subject mesh; overlays 3D and calibrated video; directly streams to game engines; all while writing your real-time data directly to disk. Load data into Post in seconds, address issues in a file automatically as it loads, see the overall quality of data presented on your time bar, then make use of the most powerful tools in mocap to polish your take.
Highlighted Features:
A New Streamlined GUI Live Subject Calibration Scaled Subject Mesh with Video Overlay Unbreakable Solving Camera Health Monitoring and Recovery Write Real Time to Disk Drag and Drop to Post Direct Game Engine Streaming Data Health Time Bar
Requirements
Shōgun 1.0 SafeNet License
Shogun _1.0.0
Abstract
File Name: Shogun_1.0.0.100110h_x64.zip
Vicon Shōgun – Final Quality Skeletal Data by Day’s End.
Vicon Shōgun is a new motion capture software platform for entertainment users that introduces an exciting new set of innovative features unique to Vicon. Shōgun’s new feature set will change the way you work by improving efficiency at each stage of the motion capture workflow, saving you time and delivering the highest quality data in record time. Shōgun supersedes the current industry-leading Vicon Blade software. The Shōgun platform consists of two executables: Shōgun Live and Shōgun Post.
Shōgun allows you to do more than ever possible before in Live. Our new software allows you to calibrate your subject in Live; monitor your camera health frame by frame; see a step change in labeling and solving quality; provides a functional and scaled subject mesh; overlays 3D and calibrated video; directly streams to game engines; all while writing your real-time data directly to disk. Load data into Post in seconds, address issues in a file automatically as it loads, see the overall quality of data presented on your time bar, then make use of the most powerful tools in mocap to polish your take.
Highlighted Features:
A New Streamlined GUI Live Subject Calibration Scaled Subject Mesh with Video Overlay Unbreakable Solving Camera Health Monitoring and Recovery Write Real Time to Disk Drag and Drop to Post Direct Game Engine Streaming Data Health Time Bar
Requirements
Shōgun 1.0 SafeNet License
FAQs
Where can I find the latest Software documentation?
You can find the latest documentation for all current versions of software here:
Vicon Core Software will also install documentation/help guide when you install the software.
Once installed, launch the software and select Help > View Installed Help
The following software will install Help:
Nexus 2, Shōgun, Tracker 3, Blade 3, Pegasus, CaraLive, CaraPost, Polygon 4
I just installed the latest version of software but the cameras no longer connect when I run it. What can I do?
If the cameras continue to connect with the previous version of software but don’t in the latest version then the software is probably being blocked by the Windows Defender Firewall. Although Vicon officially specifies that the Firewall should be turned off completely to ensure unobstructed communication with the cameras and connectivity devices, sometimes institutional protocols mandate it to be turned on. If this is the case:
- Go to Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall and click on Allow an app or feature through Windows Defender Firewall.
- Scroll down the list of applications to look for the instance of Vicon software (Vicon Nexus, Vicon Tracker, Vicon Shogun, Vicon Evoke).
- Select the application and click Details to ensure it refers to the version you are trying to run.
- Click on Change Settings to enable the networks (Domain, Private, Public) that match those of the previous version. If this option is disabled then please contact the system’s administrator or your institution’s IT personnel for assistance.
- Click OK.
- Restart the Vicon software.
If this does not resolve the issue then please contact Vicon Support.
Related hardware
Valkyrie
Valkyrie is the most powerful motion capture camera ever brought to market, offered with four different specs with four different focuses: resolution, speed, value, and strobeless.
Vero
With the best resolution/speed/price offering on the market, Vicon Vero is the latest optical camera from Vicon. Building on the success of Vantage, Vero combined market-leading resolution and speed at an unrivaled price point. Like its bigger brother, Vantage, Vero has on-board sensors that monitor camera position and temperature to ensure optimal performance at all times.
