San Francisco-based MetaCreations Corp., which develops and markets 2D and 3Dvisualization software for graphic artists and the World Wide Web, hasannounced Carrara 1.0, a 3D modeling and animation solution for print,video and the Web. Carrara will contain a hybrid Ray Tracer, advancedshader editors, multiple modelers, real-time Metaballs, particle systems,3D light sources, lens flares, motion blur, key framing, physical effects,deformers and more. Carrara will introduce a workflow called SmartFlow thatwill allow users to "walk" projects through a series of production steps,with each compartmentalized area featuring the tools required to completetasks. Carrara will also support the industry standard MetaStream fileformat to allow the creation of high-quality, compact 3D objects forstreaming over the Web. Carrara is expected to be available in the fall of1999 for Windows 95/1998/2000/NT and Power MacIntosh on CD-ROM. For moreinformation visit www.metacreations.com/products/carrara. MetaCreationsCorp. has also announced KPT Vector Effects 1.5, an upgrade to the plug-insfor Adobe Illustrator. The upgrade, expected in September 1999, will beavailable for the first time for the Windows platform and will offer fullcompatibility for users of Illustrator versions 7 and 8. KPT Vector Effectsreduces the number of steps required to produce results with Illustratorwithout adding complexity. Vector Effects can be used to create 3D looksfrom line art, shadows, warped text and images, and more. Vector Effects isexpected to ship in September 1999, with an estimated retail price of US$149. For more information visitwww.metacreations.com/products/vectoreffects.
