files/pictures/picture-35.jpgPress Release from Luxology
GDC - SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - French game development studio, Eden Games, has recently used modo, Luxology's 3D modeling, painting and rendering software, to help the company transform the multiplayer driving game genre with the company's newest innovative and highly anticipated title. Eden Games turned to the company's dedicated Car Team - where modo is used exclusively - to design the highly realistic vehicles that are prominently featured in the action-packed release of Test Drive Unlimited 2 (TDU2).
The sequel to the popular original Test Drive Unlimited, TDU2 is a massively open online racing (MOOR) game set on the Mediterranean island of Ibiza with over 2,000 miles of roadway and back roads. The experts on Eden Games' Car Team knew they needed to provide players with new and cutting-edge details and content. The game's luxury cars are a crucial part of the experience of playing TDU2 and needed to be just as beautiful as the real thing, which is why these experts turned to modo.
"Each car we modeled for TDU2 was a challenge because we only had 30,000 vertices to model the interior and exterior of the entire car," said Jonathan Marole, lead car artist at Eden Games. "Thankfully, with modo, we are able to easily model very detailed cars due to the software's advanced optimization techniques."
Although most artists within Eden Games use a variety of software programs, the Car Team uses modo exclusively due to its power, ease of use and advanced modeling toolsets. The team appreciates features like the reflection render, which is a great aid in controlling the normality of the mesh in order to perfect the reflection on the car and is vital when creating luxury cars on this caliber. The team also continually utilizes the multiple viewports and versatile work views provided in modo as they allow them to modify the shape of a car on the orthogonal viewport of one screen and immediately see the result in the rendered perspective of the second screen.
"Rotating and moving the views and working with objects was never so simple than with modo," said Clément Dieu, car artist at Eden Games. "Rotating the views is very important in car modeling to ensure the right shape of the car and modo is the only software I've found that does it so elegantly."
"modo is so versatile that it's like having my hands directly on the metal or the wood, just like a sculptor," said Dieu. "I started using modo in 2007 when I arrived at Eden Games and it showed me a completely new way of modeling and rendering. I have not used another 3D software program since!"
Test Drive Unlimited 2 is available now for Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system, and the PC. For more information, please visit the official site at
http://www.testdriveunlimited2.com/ .
About modo
modo is an innovative 3D modeling, painting and rendering software designed to accelerate the creation of world-class models, associated color and normal maps, and ultra high-quality renderings. modo's modern workflow and advanced toolset easily deliver enhanced productivity for 3D artists working in game development, design visualization, package design, film visual effects, video production and graphic arts. A favorite tool among many designers and artists, modo's innovative toolset offers one of the fastest paths to content creation on the PC and Mac. modo is available from
www.luxology.com or through any of Luxology's authorized resellers around the world.
About Luxology
Based in Mountain View, Calif., Luxology® LLC is an independent technology company developing next-generation 3D content creation software that enhances productivity via artist-friendly tools powered by a modern underlying architecture called Nexus®. Founded in 2002 by Allen Hastings, Stuart Ferguson and Brad Peebler, Luxology is home to some of the top 3D engineering expertise in the industry. More information on the company, its licensable Nexus technology, its flagship product modo® and a gallery of artists' images from the active modo community is available online at
www.luxology.com .
