DAZ Prods. Inc., announced the first release of the DAZ Studio Software Development Kit (SDK) with the latest version of its free digital art software, DAZ Studio 1.3. By exposing the majority of the DAZ Studio API, the DAZ Studio SDK enables third-party developers to completely integrate their own technology directly into DAZ Studio. With this digital 3D art market now open to third-party developers, the growth potential for a variety of new DAZ Studio features, tools and plug-ins is tremendous.
"Consumers across the globe demand engaging content and intuitive tools with which to manage it all," said Josh Darling, director of external development for DAZ Prods. "By fully exposing the DAZ Studio API, third-party developers will be able to push their own technology to its limits without wasting time trying to deal with constraints of the main application itself. The DAZ Studio SDK will unlock the potential for outside developers to successfully deploy truly robust plug-ins and add-on tools to the end-user."
New third-party plug-ins are already available for sale or bundled with the release of DAZ Studio 1.3. A sampling of these plug-ins include:
* Importer/exporter for BVH motion-capture files created by GMCC Software and bundled with DAZ Studio 1.3.* FBX file-format exporter created by Bruce Lamming of MetaGin Designs and available for sale on the DAZ Prods. website at: www.daz3d.com/shop.php?op=itemdetails&item=3630.* Power Pose, a full-body inverse kinematics (IK) pose tool created by Steve Huang of Opportunity International and bundled with DAZ Studio 1.3.* Mesh Deformation Tool (D-Form) created by John Brugioni and available for sale through the DAZ Prods. website at: www.daz3d.com/shop.php?op=itemdetails&item=4137.
"In the 20-plus years I've been developing, I don't think I've ever used a development system created with such obvious care and diligence in design, attention to developer-support features and thorough documentation," said Bruce Lamming of MetaGin Designs. "This system proves that modular class design is an extremely powerful concept and provides an excellent example of achieving that goal."
DAZ Studio SDK provides a very tightly integrated, fully object-oriented interface, which has been designed for maximum extensibility of DAZ Studio at all levels. The SDK provides developers with the ability to add new functionality, interfaces, scene components, render engines, file I/O and much more to DAZ Studio, including the ability to integrate new components into the native file structure. The SDK also enables developers to load DAZ Studio with full functionality from other applications, making it possible to directly import/export data as well as host live DAZ Studio content in other applications.
DAZ Studio boasts many robust features, including a full-color OpenGL Preview, integration with the powerful 3Delight Render Engine (compliant with Pixar's RenderMan) and Fast-Time Rendering via the user's video card hardware. DAZ Studio comes with three pre-configured 3D content scenes that are ready to be loaded and rendered into fantastic art at the push of a button. With its powerful content management system, DAZ Studio makes it easy to create, organize and access virtual scenes, objects and images. DAZ Studio also features a comprehensive Poser animation and content import functionality, which allows users to load and modify their favorite Poser content.
DAZ Studio 1.3 is free and available through the DAZ Studio website. The DAZ Studio SDK consists of two parts: The DAZ Script development kit which is available for free to the public, and the DAZ Studio Plug-in SDK, available to all registered third-party developers for a small license fee. To obtain a copy of DAZ Studio 1.3 and/or the DAZ Studio SDK, users must register for a free account on the DAZ website and then visit the Developer Information page online at http://studio.daz3d.com to obtain a copy of the SDK.
Founded in 2000, DAZ Prods. Inc. (www.daz3d.com), located in Draper, Utah, is a market leader in 3D software and digital content creation. The company's model library is renowned for containing high-quality 3D content at the industry's most competitive prices. DAZ also develops powerful software applications that support its content, including DAZ Studio, a free 3D digital art creation tool, Mimic, a lip-synching application, and Bryce, a complete 3D environment and animation package. DAZ's products have been used in many professional productions, television shows and print publications such as X-MEN 2, SPIDER-MAN, AVERAGE JOE, 48 HOURS, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, POPULAR SCIENCE, SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN and The History Channel.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
