files/pictures/picture-23.jpgOn April 4, 2001, Cambridge Animation Systems, makers of Animo software, announced the upcoming release of Swiffworks, a new plugin that delivers Macromedia Flash format output to Alias|Wavefront's Maya users. The newsoftware is based on the Maya scene interpreter developed for Cambridge's Inkworks plugin, used in the feature film RUGRATS IN PARIS. The new plugin allows users to choose Swiffworks material or use the default Phong material provided by Maya. Swiffworks materials provide the additional capabilities of independent control of ink lines and painted regions, allowing line thickness to be animated and colored separately from the painted areas, as well as control over the color, width and generation of ink lines, including folds, silhouettes, region lines, borders and intersection lines. The Swiffworks renderer is fully integrated into Maya 3.0.1 and includes support for Maya Render Global Values, additional options based on those values and a choice of IRIX or NT platforms. Chris Ford, Alias|Wavefront's senior product manager, commented, "There is a high demand for Flash output from Maya. I am delighted that a company of Cambridge's reputation has such a high-quality solution for Maya users." Swiffworks will be available in May exclusively through Cambridge Animation Systems (
www.cambridgeanimation.com ) and its dealers worldwide.
