The animals are unleashed in CAT2. Courtesy of Character Animation Technologies © Digital Pictures Iloura.

When it comes to character animation, there are a number of choices in the current software market, some standalone, some as plug-ins, none entirely perfect for all uses. Something worth considering before choosing a character animation package is usage. The good news is whether animators are creating game content or visual effects there is a definite feeling of convergence in the air. More and more the software used primarily in one field will gain acceptance in another related field. 3D modeling apps are quickly standardizing no matter the specialty of the application. With the pending boost in graphics processing power offered by the next generation gaming consoles, both game developers and visual effects artists are feeling this convergence, in a big way.

One of the outstanding features of CAT2 is how well it handles unique rigs. All product shots courtesy of Fred Galpern.

This is great news for game studios, many of which will be relieved at the larger visual effects talent pool they can draw from. One of the tools that best exemplifies this shift is CAT2 from Character Animation Technologies. This 3ds Max plug-in is the first all-in-one rigging and animation system that may meet the goals of a variety of animation intensive industries. One of the best things about CAT2 is the fact that it integrates so smoothly with 3ds Max. A great example is the full access animators have to animation controllers, a long-standing issue for Character Studio users. Another outstanding feature of CAT2 is how steadily it handles unique rigs. CAT2 works well with bipedal characters, but it performs just as well with multi-limbed characters, something our creative, fantastic imaginations require more and more of these days.

A beta version of CAT2 was used for this review (version 1.79, to be exact). This version is quite close to what Character Animation Technologies expects to ship CAT2 later this month.

The Cat Parent object helps artists create the rig piece-by-piece.

CAT is accessed via a helper object in 3ds Max. Once selected, users place the Cat Parent object and then may choose from a variety of preset rigs or load a previously saved custom rig of their own creation. Creating a custom rig from scratch also begins with the Cat Parent helper object. Once this object is placed, users can begin creating the rig piece-by-piece, beginning with a pelvis and interactively adding, scaling and rotating legs, arms and additional bones. The controls for scale and rotation are intuitive, but users may also use the standard 3ds Max controls. The user interface for CAT is split between the Modify and Motion tabs, with individual controls placed logically on either tab. 3ds Max isn’t particularly strong when it comes to look and feel, and, as a result of fitting in with the 3ds Max interface, neither is CAT. This isn’t a big problem, especially for users already accustomed to 3ds Max’s UI. In fact, CAT excels within the 3ds Max environment by using large icons with bright colors.

Once users have a base rig that suits their character they can begin tweaking. This is where CAT really begins to shine. Limbs, and spines, can be segmented and the segments then freely rotated and animated. This allows animators to correct those offensive arm and leg rotations, quite easily. This functionality is just not readily available within competing software. The thing that strikes me most about building rigs with CAT is how fast I can create a rig. It’s so quick and intuitive at the same time that it almost feels like sketching. For folks interested in creating characters that not only look unique but also move in a unique manner, CAT would be a great prototyping tool. The good news is that realistic rigs can also be created, and just as easily. CAT comes with a decent selection of rigs that can be used directly or repurposed, so novice animators need not delve into the particulars of rigging. Rigs are also easily resized or scaled, at any time in production. Rigs can also use limb symmetry, making the normally repetitive task of setting up like arms and legs go much faster.