Do you already have v11 of PD Howler installed, full version, legit purchase or otherwise permitted? Then you're in for a nice treat: This is a free update, the 2017 Summer Update. This turns it into v11.1

Already know what you're doing? 

   Get to the Main update  files | Get  the optional Medias files | Get the updated Clouds for 3D Designer new!

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Ask yourself: Which version do I have?

If you're a customer who ordered PD Howler 11 "Axehead" from our store through BMTmicro, you should be able to simply re-use the download links that you received by email from the bmtmicro server a while ago as part of the delivery when you originally ordered PD Howler v11. Those tlinks are good for a while, normally, unless they were blocked (for a variety of reasons - and we can unblock them in most cases). Contact us (Philip) if you have trouble with it.

If you ordered from the author direct, Dan Ritchie at Squirreldome.com, to receive v11 in a dropbox link, you will want to look for an email from Dan.

Contact us, Philip for BMTmicro orders, Dan for direct orders.


If you ordered your v11 on Steam, there may be an option to reinstall v11.1 at some point, perhaps in the near future, but who can wait?.... If you don't want to wait, read on, we'll show you how you can patch it yourself in the meantime.

If you have the free demo version, no can do, please ordered the full version first. Take advantage of occasional sales, or if you have an earlier version or a different edition, such as PD Artist or PD Partciles, contact us for a discount coupon. If you like what Dan has created and want to support him to contnue this effort, please order from Dan directly at www.squirreldome.com


Ok, so there it is: if you have a working legit version of the full release of PD Howler 11 (from RC 16 through about 19 or thereabouts):

How to Patch your v11 to v11.1:

How to Teach Axehead the fun of Summer Splash!

In this step by step guide we'll take the cae of patching the Steam edition. You can do the same with the regular edition, it's just going to be a different path as to where your installation currently can be found.

We are splitting the download of the update into two parts: The main files and the optional Medias files.

Main Update Files

Main files: This is required

Download this file: Howler11.1-update-main-files.zip

Size of the zip:  5.46 MB (5,732,979 bytes exactly)

You will need to use this passphrase to extract the files from it:  I promise to mention Summer Splash on social media


When you look at the content of the archive: (compressed)

Important: Please note that the files appear smaller in the compressed view than they really are. If you extract the files, notice their actual sizes:

These 5 files need to be copied into the folder where you have installed PD Howler 11. It's that simple. Replace the pre-existing files with these 5 new files. For example, you could copy/paste the files from the archive view, or you could drag and drop them into the installation folder.

Pre-requisites:

Keep a backup copy handy of the main installer of your Howler v11, or the 5 files you're about to replace.

Make sure PD Howler is not currently running., as you are about to replace some of its main files.

Then do this:

1. Open Windows Explorer view on the folder where you have installed Howler 11. Here is an example for users on Steam, with typical default location. Yours might be different.
   
2. Open a separate view with the 5 files from the 11.1 update's main zip archive. Perhaps you already have extracted them (remember your promise :-) ) or you will need that passphrase mentioned above very soon. Use CTRL+A to select all 5 files. Or Shift-click them all to select. Or use other techniques to select them all.
   
3. Then Copy/Paste or Drag and Drop these 5 selected files into the installation folder of Howler 11. You can also do each file by itself, one by one. (no, you don't have to post on social media each time).
4. Replace the 5 existing files with the new ones in this manner.
   

Important: when you drag and drop the files, be sure not to drop them in one of the subfolders. Be sure to drop them on the main folder of PD Howler.

Confirm replacing the existing old files:

If prompted for the unzip key (or in this case a passphrase, enter this passphrase mentioned earlier):   

I promise to mention Summer Splash on social media


And we'd like to thank you in advance for keeping the promise. Even if it takes a few months :-)


After the files are replaced, you can start PD Howler the usual way. In some rare cases you may need to run it once as Administrator, but that's not usually needed.

If you have any problems with it, don't hesitate to ask us for assistance or post on the Facebook forum or others for PD Howler.

Verify that you are now running V11.1 Summer Splash

After applying the above update, launch Howler again and go to the Help menu, select About Howler... and check the version info:

The version string in the lower left corner should now include 6.00.11.1 and "Summer Splash"

To start enjoying the new Water features in Puppy Ray, create an image of some type of elevation map. For example,

Filter > Render > Dread Plating

or

Filter > Render > Plasma Noise

to name a few ways to create something interesting.

Then you can simply open Puppy Ray, the GPU version:

Filter > Transform > Puppy Ray > Puppy Ray GPU

Water has a new level of realism, with caustics, absorption and scattering, as well as fog over water

Reminder: To learn more about the new Water options: read what's new in Puppy Ray with Howler 11.1


Alert: we found a bug with the volumetric clouds in 3D Designer. We have an update you may want to grab for this. Check the new Clouds

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Additional Watercolor Medias

There are also additional Watercolor settings in for the Medias collection, as part of v11.1. We offer these as an optional separate download.


Download this file:  Howler11.1-update-Medias.zip
Size = 8.09 MB (8,487,076 bytes)
Note: the extract space needed is about 85 GB.

This is a collection of extra watercolor brush presets, for the Watercolor subfolder in Medias.

Since this update has a lot of focus on H₂O, such as Watercolor presets, and various enhancements around rendering the water plane in Puppy Ray (caustics, scattering, absorption...), allow us to wet your appetite: Here's a sneak peek of what the Medias > Watercolor folder might look like after the update.

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Clouds (updated to new format)

We have changed the internal code - the old files were no longer producing the right clouds. (in fact they look sadly broken).

Download this file: Clouds.zip
exact size:  0.98 MB (1,035,520 bytes)

This archive contains the Clouds folder which has 4 cloud files:

You will find a folder of the same name in the installation where PD Howler 11 is installed:

Replace the old Clouds folder with the new. You can copy/paste or drag and drop the whole folder, or each file by itself.

After this update,  clouds in 3D Designer are good to go again.

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