Autodesk expects the Mod Tool, with new learning materials and real-time shading API, to be available by the end of April

PRESS RELEASE

25 March 2009 – Autodesk, Inc., has announced Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 software (formerly SOFTIMAGE│XSI Mod Tool). This free* 3D modelling and animation package for aspiring game artists is based on the same professional toolset as Autodesk Softimage (formerly SOFTIMAGE│XSI). Game studios have used Softimage software to create hit titles such as Metal Gear Solid 4 and Fable II.

“Softimage Mod Tool gives the next generation of game artists access to professional tools, so they can learn while making their own games or game mods,” said Marc Stevens, Autodesk Media & Entertainment vice president, games. “Game developers can also use the software to extend the life of a game by building a community of modders. Game mods can go on to become commercial games in their own right, and they can be used by developers to identify talent for recruiting purposes.”

New Features in Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool 7.5
•New learning materials: Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 comes with training materials from Noesis Interactive. These materials show users how to create a character and export it for use in Microsoft XNA Games Studio 3.0.
•New real-time shading API (application programming interface): Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 supports the Realtime Shader API version 3.0, which helps make real-time shader development simpler and more flexible. The new version offers an architecture focused on programmable shaders (GLSL, HLSL) and file-based effects (CgFX and DxFX). With these capabilities, what game developers see in Softimage Mod Tool is what they get in the game.
•Interactive Creative Environment (ICE): ICE is an open, scalable platform that enables artists to extend the capabilities of Softimage more quickly and intuitively using a node-based dataflow diagram. Artists can now quickly create complex 3D effects and tools without writing code.
•Support for Windows Vista operating system: Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 now supports the Windows Vista Business operating system.

Create Compelling 3D Content for Microsoft XNA and Major Game Engines
Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 can export 3D models and animation for use with the Microsoft XNA Game Studio 3 framework. Fledgling or independent game developers now have access to a professional toolset for creating original games on the Microsoft Xbox console or Windows platform.

Users can also download add-ons for content export to Crytek CryENGINE 2, Epic Unreal Engine 3 and Valve Source game engines. With this professional 3D toolset modders can produce characters and props for their favourite game.

Commercial Version for Microsoft Xbox Live Community Games Available
Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool Pro 7.5 software is functionally identical to the Mod Tool, but has an End User License Agreement that allows users to produce assets for games sold via Microsoft’s Xbox Live Community Games. Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool Pro 7.5 is available only with Microsoft’s XNA Creator’s Club Premium membership. For more information visit creators.xna.com.

Availability
Autodesk anticipates that Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 software will be available in April 2009. For more information, visit www.softimage.com/products/modtool.

'La Main des Maitres' fuses 2D and 3D elements to create a distinctive ‘euro-anime’ appearance

With influences ranging from 19th-century painters to Hollywood blockbusters, the student-made short ‘La Main des Maitres’ [The Hand of the Masters] spends much of its time proving that opposites attract. Its three creators pooled their skills, bringing together 3D and 2D effects to produce an action-packed war short full of intense colours.

You can read more about the making of ‘La Main des Maitres‘ in issue 116 of 3D World.

Watch 'La Main des Maitres'
In most browsers, right-click on the link and select Save As to download the movie (67.5MB)

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Visit the official 'Les Main des Maitres' website

e-on Software has released a new series of 'Thematic packs" named Fantasy, Science Fiction and Fairy Tale as well as offering Pioneer for free

PRESS RELEASE

March 24, 2009. Beaverton, Oregon: e-on software, maker of Vue, the leading solutions for natural 3D environments, today announced the immediate availability of a new series of products in its Vue 7 line for 3D artists: the Vue 7 T-Packs (for “Thematic Packs”). Vue 7 T-Packs are specifically designed for physical and download retail and include a Vue 7 Core Application together with a large collection of thematic content centered on the worlds of Fantasy, Science Fiction or Fairy Tale.

E-on software also announced that the full Vue 7 Pioneer application is now available free of charge from cornucopia3d.com.

Vue 7 Pioneer – Create Your Own 3D Worlds, for Free!

Vue 7 Pioneer is derived from the research e-on software makes for Vue Infinite and xStream, its high-end products for the professional CG market.

As a result, some of the technologies available in Pioneer are also used in recent Hollywood blockbusters!

“We want to attract new users to the fun world of Vue. We‘ll be happy if people end up doing this as a job, after they discovered 3D and Vue with Pioneer!” said Nicholas Phelps, President of e-on software.

Vue 7 Pioneer is the perfect introduction to the world of 3D. It‘s available as a 32- and 64-bit application for Windows and MacOS X, in English, German and French (a Japanese version is underway). Pioneer is published by Cornucopia3D, a division of e-on software.

Newcomers to 3D and casual artists will find in Vue 7 Pioneer all the landscape-creation tools they need to easily create and render amazing images of their own 3D worlds.

The product can be extended with 12 optional modules that add specific functionality to the base application. Thanks to this modular approach, users can progressively upgrade all the way from Pioneer up to Vue 7 Complete. Vue 7 Esprit, Pro Studio and Complete represent pre-bundled, cost-effective alternatives to the modular approach of Pioneer.

More information is available at home.vue7.com.

Introducing the Vue 7 T-Packs

The Vue 7 T-Packs include all the software tools and ready-made content for the creation and animation of themed 3D images and video clips.

There are 3 different Vue 7 T-Packs: Vue 7 Science Fiction, Vue 7 Fairy Tale and Vue 7 Fantasy.

Each Vue 7 T-Pack includes over $100 worth of exclusive content – 3D virtual sets, models (plants, pre-animated meshes, etc.), atmosphere presets and more.

The Vue 7 T-Packs are compatible with all 12 Vue 7 expansion modules.

Priced at $49.95, these products are available directly through e-on software‘s online store, and will progressively be available through e-on software‘s international reseller channels.

Vue 7 users can also purchase individual theme packs from www.cornucopia3d.com.

About e-on software

E-on software is the leading developer of high quality solutions for the creation, animation, rendering and integration of natural 3D environments. With products specifically targeted for the different market segments, e-on software provides solutions adapted to every project and budget. E-on software products are used worldwide by the film, television, architecture, game, science, education and entertainment industries.

E-on software was founded on the premise that powerful graphics tools should never get in the way of the designer‘s creativity. By investing significant resources into research and development, e-on software is able to deliver cutting-edge technologies that significantly improve usability and workflow.

E-on software is based in Beaverton, Oregon with a European office in Paris, France.

Visit their website at www.e-onsoftware.com.

Part of the Cartoon Masters series of vocational seminars for the animation community, the event is set to look at convergence in animation and video games

The following programme and speakers have been announced for Cartoon Digital, which runs from 21–23 April 2009 in Murcia, South East Spain:

• Disney Interactive Studios: the growing interactive leisure activity within Disney, by Christophe Maridet (General Manager)
• Ubisoft: developing partnerships with animation studios, by Frédéric Thonet (Director of CGI Operations)
• scopas medien: the business model of web series, by Thomas Schneider-Trumpp (Executive Producer, Head of Animation)
• Ilion Animation Studios: from video games to animated features with “Planet 51”, by José Rodriguez, (Executive Producer)
• Aardman Animations: prospects for digital animation, by Miles Bullough (Head of Broadcast)
• The economics of online and digital animation on the new networks through ad-funded programmes, fund raising, online marketing tools, broadcasters‘ strategies, digital rights and digital exploitation…
• Nikodemo Animation: success stories of webtoons, by Albert Garcia (Owner)
• Dailymotion and its online Kids Channel DM kids, by David Ripert (Senior Manager Content & Partnerships) ...

Full programme can be viewed here.

Deadline for registration is 10 April 2009.

Visit the Cartoon website.

New 3D features have been added to the online and desktop application creation software, including a new SketchUp 3D importer

PRESS RELEASE

London — March 24, 2009 | At the Game Developer Conference, Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced a new version of Adobe Director software offering game developers, multimedia authors, and e-learning professionals a host of new features for creating immersive gaming and multimedia applications. With support for a new audio engine, high-definition (HD) video and advanced 3-D features, Adobe Director 11.5 provides a rich and flexible platform to create applications for both online and desktop worlds.

The new features in Director 11.5 include a new audio engine that allows developers to deliver 5.1 channel surround sound and create audio effects using real-time mixing capabilities. With support for the H.264 format and RTMP-based streaming, users are able to deliver HD video content. Developers can also create and import 3-D assets through Google SketchUp and SketchUp 3-D Importer. In addition, advanced physics capabilities based on the NVIDIA PhysX engine help users create games and simulations that model real-world gravity and other life-like effects.

“Director 11.5 is a significant milestone in our mission to deliver an advanced set of audio and video features for game developers and multimedia application authors,” said Naresh Gupta, senior vice president, Print and Publishing at Adobe. “With the brand new audio engine in Director 11.5 along with high quality video, developers can now create 3-D online gaming experiences that are simply unparalleled in this space.”

“Adobe Director is a powerful platform for creating compelling and exciting 3-D Shockwave games, which play a significant role in establishing our leadership position in the rapidly growing 3-D online casual gaming space,” said Rob Small, CEO of Miniclip, the largest online games Web site and largest distributor of the Adobe Shockwave plug-in. “With all our 3-D games being developed with Adobe Director, the new version enables us to deliver the kind of rich gaming experience that online gamers worldwide are demanding today.”

In addition to the new features, Director 11.5 also supports Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard and continues to support both JavaScript and Lingo — the native scripting language of Director — while providing additional functionality through enhanced scripting performance, an easy-to-use user interface, and a wide variety of third-party add-ons that create an extensible multimedia authoring environment.

Pricing and Availability
Adobe Director 11.5 is expected to be available by the end of March 2009 and is priced at £795 ex vat for the full product and £235 ex vat for an upgrade from the prior versions of Director. Educators can purchase Director 11.5 for £235 ex vat. The product runs on multiple operating systems, including Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows Vista® and Mac OS X version 10.5 on Intel-based Macintosh systems. The Adobe Shockwave player runs on all of those systems as well as Mac OS X 10.4 on PowerPC-based Macintosh systems. For more information please visit www.adobe.com/products/director.

About Adobe Systems Incorporated
Adobe revolutionises how the world engages with ideas and information – anytime, anywhere and through any medium. For more information, visit www.adobe.com.

In 3D World issue 116, Tim Danaher tests LightUp 1.3, an update to the plugin for SketchUp. Tim‘s also made a flythrough video showing the results LightUp produces within the SketchUp viewport, which you can view here:

Watch LightUp flythrough video

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Download supporting files for issue 116's short technical Q&As

The Quick Questions in issue 116 of 3D World span a range of topics, from animating magnetic attraction in Maya to rigging a piston engine in XSI (pictured above).

Full-sized screenshots and other supporting files, including scene files, test animations and videos where appropriate, can be downloaded below.

Download 3ds Max files (57.3MB)

Download After Effects files (4.6MB)

Download Blender files (1.9MB)

Download Cinema 4D files (8MB)

Download Houdini files (2.4MB)

Download Maya files (42.3MB)

Download MotionBuilder files (31.1MB)

Download RealFlow files (784K)

Download XSI files (3.3MB)

Download previous tutorial files

Download scene files and screen-capture videos for Brian Haberlin's tutorial on recreating a classic Spawn comic book cover

Spawn is a registered trademark and copyright of Todd McFarlane Productions, Inc. Used with permission.
Visit the official Spawn website

In issue 116 of 3D World, Brian Haberlin shows how you can recreate a cover from the Spawn comic book, which Brian worked on, using ZBrush, Poser and Photoshop. Here are the scene files, screenshots and videos required to follow the magazine tutorial.

This tutorial requires The Freak, a rigged figure available to buy from Daz 3D: The Freak is included on the CD with 3D World issue 116.

Download tutorial files for Stage 1 (278.3MB)

Download tutorial files for Stage 2 (19.6MB)

Download tutorial files for Stage 3 (64.8MB)

Download tutorial screenshots (4.7MB)

Download screen-capture videos (109.7MB)

Download scene files and screen-capture videos for Kent Schoberle's guide to muscle rigging in Maya

In issue 116 of 3D World, Kent Schoberle explains how to rig a superhero character (modelled by Scott Spencer) using Maya Complete‘s Maya Muscle system. The scene files and videos you need to follow the magazine tutorial are here, along with a complete finished scene file.

Download tutorial files (109.7MB)

Download final scene file (153MB)

Download videos for steps 1 to 21 (162.3MB)

Download videos for step 22 (112.6MB)

Download videos for step 23 (108MB)

Download videos for step 24 (168.9MB)

Download videos for steps 25 to 31 (145MB)

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