The new referencing system (right) and new programming languages for XSI 6.0. Images courtesy of Softimage Co. and Avid Technology Inc. 

XSI 6.0 offers integrated C#, an object-oriented programming language popular with next-gen 3D game developers, and support for Python v.2.5 and .NET compliant languages. These developments might not look like much on the surface, but it is a huge time saver, especially for those developers that already know the languages.

Crosswalk allows you to transfer assets using the latest dotXSI and COLLADA standards, and take advantage of enhanced import/export tools to get assets in and out of Autodesk 3ds Max and Maya pipelines. Neither 3ds Max nor Maya need to be installed on the same system as XSI to enable data transfer.

Transfer your data from XSI to 3ds Max or Maya using Crosswalk. Images courtesy of Softimage Co. and Avid Technology Inc.

In the new rigid bodies tools there are now compound shapes allowing for passive RBDs under active RBDs, where they inherit the parents transform, thus allowing more complex shapes to be made from basic collision types. The new convex hull geometry display will show a yellow wireframe around the rigid body to outline the extents of its collision volume. There are also in-game controls for Rigid Body dynamics.

There are additionally new zipper controls for XSI's Syflex cloth, allowing users to create realistic zippers on cloth fabric or clothing for 3D characters. There is also a new volume force that allows you to inflate an object like a balloon.

You can now choose whether the duplicated hairs are splayed in a proportional way according to the hair strand's length, or splayed according to absolute values. The proportional option is selected by default and should give you better effects on hair that is of different lengths, especially for shorter hairs.

XSI 6.0 includes free DVD training from Digital-Tutors. The five XSI software training chapters include: Introduction; Modeling & Texturing; Animation; Animation & Dynamics; Lighting and Rendering -- a total of 43 lessons.

New zipping tools for XSI's Syflex cloth. Image courtesy of Softimage Co. and Avid Technology Inc.

More Miscellaneous
Clips are now sorted alphabetically in all Clips menus. Dragging and dropping images into XSI does not create just a source; it creates a source and clip. The object wireframe color set no longer uses a specially-indexed palette; instead it uses standard 24-bit RGB color and the color of shapes' wireframes can be set as well. The new transparent option for hidden line surface color allows you to see rotoscopy images, as well as non-geometric objects like nulls and bones that are behind hidden-line objects, but geometric objects will still occlude each other properly. Rotoscope supports fixed image planes, frame; Frame All no longer exits pixel zoom mode and large images display at 1:1 during pixel zoom rather than being scaled. The transform and tweak tool manipulators no longer disappear when navigating the camera in supra mode. In the explorer, + and - on the numeric keypad can be used to expand or collapse the selected node by one level. There is a new mini version of the transformation panel available at the top of the KP/L panel, making it easier to access transformation values as you are keying using the tools in the keying panel and animation layers that are also on the KP/L panel. When the Rectangle Select tool is active in the texture editor, a single click (as opposed to a click-and-drag) performs a raycast selection and selects a single sample, edge or polygon. Sym mode now works "live," without the need for a symmetry map. The new normalize envelope weights upon transfer toggle allows you to turn off the automatic normalization of weights when transferring envelopes making it easy to leave some points completely or partially unweighted. The Animation panel at the bottom of the interface now includes a new Save Key command button and a new Character Key Set menu. The new Save Keys on Modified Parameters Only option sets keys only on modified parameters that already have fcurves instead of setting keys on all parameters. The netview now has a "file open" option. Instead of being part of the install, migration is now done from File > Migrate Preferences. There is a new "Chain Root" Selection Filter.

As you can see, this release has a lot going for it. While I've covered a lot of what's new in XSI 6.0, there is still quite a lot more that I did not cover. With this in mind, it's easy to see that there will be a few fun surprises waiting for you when your copy lands on your desk.

Ed Harriss is a 3D artist/technical director, working at Alternate Route Studios, North Carolina. He is a Softimage expert and very well known in the community for his Softimage Learning Tools and his book How to Get a Job in CG. Ed is also writing for several online and print magazines and he is forum moderator on XSI Base.com