Discreet will begin shipping combustion 3, the latest version of its award-winning visual effects and 3D compositing desktop software, in fall 2003 for Windows XP and Windows 2000 and early 2004 for Macintosh OS X. Suggested price for combustion 3 software is $995. Upgrade price from combustion 2 or combustion 2.1 will be $199.
"I'm already realizing revenue with the Paint Flash output from the beta version of combustion 3," said combustion 3 software beta tester Lee Roderick of North Gate Studios in Walnut Creek, California. "For corporate productions, I usually provide just one piece of a project for a larger production or event. So when deliverables are discussed and my clients want Web banners or executables they can send out via email, I have to surrender my original content to another shop. I don't claim to be a Flash designer -- but with a little planning, I can hand my clients a full resolution event module and a similar look and feel Flash executable or web banner in one session. I probably don't have to say it, but that rocks!"
combustion 3 artists will also experience increased productivity, flexibility and improved workflow through enhancements including: customizable brushes, savable presets, timeline markers and DV capture and output. Discreet also continues to work directly with plug-in developers to ensure advanced support of numerous plug-ins including superior integration with various Adobe After Effects and Photoshop plug-ins.
"We're proud to be partnering with Discreet in making the high-caliber Sapphire plug-ins available to a broader range of visual effects and motion graphics artists through integration with combustion 3," commented Karl Sims, president of GenArts Inc.
New Features-- Editing Operator - combustion 3 is the first visual effects application with integrated editing, removing the need for the user to spend time mastering non-linear editing software (NLE) for simple editing tasks. Now users will be able to assemble video with transitions directly in combustion software without having to use an NLE.
-- Expressions - The JavaScript expressions will allow combustion artists to easily create complex animations -- eliminating tedious repetitive work.
-- Flash Output - Artists will be able to utilize the vector paint and animation interface tools in combustion 3 software to create and output Flash animations, extending the range of options they can offer to their clients.
"combustion remains the dynamic force for democratizing software for the creation of world-class media," said Paul Lypaczewski, gm of Discreet and evp of Autodesk. "combustion was the first desktop software that put powerful, resolution-independent, vector paint, animation and compositing solutions in the hands of graphic designers, animators, visual effects artists and videographers working on PCs or Macs, and version 3 pushes the boundaries even further."
Montreal-based Discreet (www.discreet.com), a division of Autodesk Inc., creates award-winning solutions for digital media creation, management and delivery -- across all disciplines from film and television visual effects, color grading and editing to animation, game development, Web/interactive and design visualization.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
