As for 3ds Max, Hoffmann said it now contains one of the biggest requested features, Slate, "a powerful new node-based material editor… Artists can also create high-fidelity previsualizations and animatics in less time with Quicksilver. It's a new innovative hardware renderer that provides a near production quality results up to 10 times faster than traditional rendering techniques. And this is all being done on common graphics cards. This is a new multi-threaded rendering engine that utilizes both the CPU as well as the GPU in the system. It supports alpha and Z buffer render elements, depth of field, motion blur, dynamic reflections, area, photometric, ambient occlusion and indirect lighting effects along with precision adaptive shadow maps, and the ability to render larger than screen resolutions."

Hoffmann added that Softimage 2011"introduces innovative new rendering and animation tools that help artists create more complex, high-quality characters and effects in less time. The software offers a new advanced shading architecture and editing environment and an innovative rigging paradigm with support for kinematics and ICE…"

Meanwhile, Patel summarized what Autodesk learned from AVATAR and how it is leveraging that experience in moving forward with its new software:"What we're seeing is that the demand for people to interact with the digital product is very, very important -- it's critical… People want to really be able to direct that process whether it's for a game or a movie or a TV program; they want to be hands-on and they want to be involved and immersed in that creative experience. Our strategy is to provide the technology that enables that. That means toolsets that are highly optimized for whether it's creating high-resolution models quickly and interactively through sculpting, whether it's realtime animation or whether it's focusing on middleware for direct integration of our upstream capabilities into the games' engines, we want to really to focus on making that as seamless and transparent for our customers as possible."

Maya 2011 is anticipated to be available in English and Japanese next month. The (SRP) for an Autodesk Maya 2011 stand-alone license is US$3,495. The SRP to upgrade from Maya 2010 stand-alone to Maya 2011 stand-alone is $1,745. Autodesk Subscription is available for purchase simultaneously with the product or upgrade purchase for $595 SRP per year.

3ds Max 2011, likewise, should be available in English next month, and Autodesk expects to announce Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2011 later this month. The Autodesk (SRP) for an Autodesk 3ds Max 2011 stand-alone license is US$3,495.The SRP to upgrade from either 3ds Max 2010 or 3ds Max Design 2010 stand-alone to 3ds Max 2011 stand-alone is $1,745.Autodesk Subscription is available for purchase simultaneously with the product or upgrade purchase for $495 SRP per year.