Zona, Inc., a massive multiplayer online game server solution provider, has announced that they has developed a new server engine called Terazona for online 3D games capable of supporting tens of thousands of users on a server. Terazona is capable of supporting a minimum of 32,000 concurrent users per server. Existing server loads can only support around 6,000 concurrent players. In addition, the servers contain fault tolerance, which prevents downgrade in game play experience within a growing base of concurrent users.

auto.des.sys Inc. has released form.Z 3.8 which replaces form.Z 3.8g that was originally shipped in May. Although only a gamma version, the reception of version 3.8g has been like a "warm welcome home," said Alexandra Yessios, vice president of sales and marketing at auto.des.sys. form.Z is a hybrid solid and surface 3D modeler that combines polygonal with smooth parametric modeling under a single roof. It is complemented by drafting, photo-realistic rendering, Radiosity, walk through animation and advanced CAD capabilities.

Softimage has created advanced tools to support the creation of new titles for the Nintendo GameCube console. This is the result of a six-month collaborative effort by Nintendo and Softimage to define a suite of new features in the SOFTIMAGE|3D system that leverage the run-time capabilities of the Nintendo GameCube.

Xara has launched its new desktop graphics software - the online 3D Heading Maker. The 3D Heading Maker allows potential customers to test-drive Xara's 3D desktop software, Xara3D, in real-time on the Xara Website, without downloads or any required installations. Users can create, customize and save text-based 3D graphics live on the Web page. Content can then be embedded in any third-party Website with all the same functionality.

Toon Boom Technologies has teamed with Electric Rain to extend its support for 3D animation. These new plug-ins will feature a special edition that outputs in the USAnimation format, allowing USAnimation users to import 3D animation created with 3D Studio MAX, LightWave or XSI into the 2D world. Electric Rain is a leading developer and supplier of 3D to vector solutions with Swift 3D MAX, Swift 3D LW and Swift 3D XSI. "Toon Boom is pleased to offer its customers the option to integrate 3D animation created with the leading 3D animation software.

Digimation, Inc. has shipped FaceGen, an all-purpose head generator for 3ds max 3 and 4. FaceGen is built around a series of published anatomical metrics for real-life male and female heads. With the software, users receive full control over each feature independently. FaceGen also offers a complete set of Custom Mesh components so that after users create their preferred head style, they can add a skeletal structure beneath that will fit perfectly.

Kaydara Inc. announced the release of FiLMBOX 3.0, the latest release of the company's real-time 3D content authoring and delivery tool. FiLMBOX 3.0 brings real-time mixed-media authoring capabilities to Apple computers, with support for Mac OS X. Enhancements made to the new edition include improvements to the Control Sets feature, enabling 3D artists to animate CG characters without having to program complex IK rigs and constraints as is usually required by this type of advanced feature.

Alias|Wavefront, an SGI company, has announced that its Maya Complete software for Mac OS X is scheduled to ship on or before September 25, 2001. Beta tester and 3D artist, Kevin Baille, said, "All of us here at The Orphanage are ecstatic about the progress Alias|Wavefront has been making with the OS X implementation of Maya. Being a completely Mac-based visual effects and production studio, we are extremely impressed by how easily Maya for OS X fits into and enhances our existing production pipeline.

Toon Boom Technologies, a leading supplier of 2D animation software, announced the commercial release of Toon Boom Studio v1.0 for Mac and PC. Toon Boom Studio increases productivity for digital animators with improved drawing accuracy, an automatic lip-sync feature, 3D scene planning and compact Flash-compatible file rendering for greater scene complexity. The software package also incorporates the feel of traditional animation with a rotating light table, "X" sheet visual representation of the work and a "flip-book" feature.

Caligari Corporation, a provider of 3D authoring technologies, has announced that its 3D modeling and animation package trueSpace 5.1 now supports Macromedia Flash. This is in addition to Caligari's existing support for Macromedia Shockwave3D, Director8.5 and Viewpoint Experience Technology. Web developers can now convert their trueSpace5.1 objects (including NURBS) and scenes to Flash format, including all trueSpace geometry, materials, lights, views and even advanced animation techniques such as script animations, bones and key-frame animations.