Alias announced its intention at E3 to join the Sony Computer Ent. Inc.'s Tools and Middleware Program for PlayStation 3 (PS3) when it launches in spring of 2006. This will enable Alias to tailor the roadmap for software products such as Maya, Alias MotionBuilder and Alias|HumanIK middleware to the needs of developers working on Sonys PS3 titles. These three Alias products are development musts for the leading current-generation console titles.
"Alias continues to deliver technology solutions that meet the demands of game title development," said Geoff Foulds, global industry manager for games at Alias. "In the future, game software will require more and better quality graphics than ever dreamed of. With its decades-long history of providing award-winning software to the film and game development industries, Alias is delivering innovative, production-proven technology and service solutions that developers need."
Maximizing productivity is a defining requirement of game pipelines, and 3D tool extensibility is a key factor in achieving this. The Maya patented Dependency Graph and integrated API and scripting language make it the most extensible 3D package available. And because these features are combined with the foremost tools for 3D modeling, animation and rendering within a single, production-proven workflow, Maya software has risen to become a top choice of top-rated game development facilities.
Alias MotionBuilder is a leading 3D character performance and animation system. An award-winning package, MotionBuilder gives game title developers an advanced realtime architecture, intelligent character controls, and revolutionary Story Timeline performance environment within an intuitive animation workflow. The software natively supports FBX: a free, platform-independent, 3D authoring and interchange format from Alias that enables MotionBuilder to work seamlessly with other 3D software packages. MotionBuilder is highly extensible through its OpenReality SDK and Python scripting capabilities.
Alias|HumanIK middleware is a licensed development library that allows game title developers to integrate an intelligent full-body, or by-body-part, character IK system that can be used within a runtime game engine in order to process biped and quadruped character animation. The software provides developers with flexible character definition templates and animation reusability resulting in improved character animation quality and increased productivity.
Alias offers services for game developers ranging from self-paced, online learning materials and custom training for artists and programmers, to custom engineering of Alias tools and the extension and refinement of development pipelines according to customers' unique production needs.
As a leading innovator of 3D graphics technology, Alias (www.alias.com) develops software for the film and video, games, web, interactive media, industrial design, automotive, architecture and visualization markets. Alias has headquarters in Toronto and a custom development center in Santa Barbara, California, with offices worldwide.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
