Category: Technology

Softimage Co. announced SOFTIMAGE|FACE ROBOT version 1.5 an update to the industrys first software application dedicated to the creation of lifelike facial animation. This release offers a game export solution which allows artists to deliver high quality, in-game acting with detailed facial nuances, with support for all major game platforms. In addition, significant performance improvements to the software have also been implemented and support for the new Mova Contour Reality Capture system is now included.

VICON announced a new set of hardware advancements for its VICON MX motion capture solutions. These new features simplify high camera-count motion capture set up, automate simultaneous live-action footage capture, provide powerful and production-friendly near-infrared strobes and round out the MX line with a two million-pixel, full grayscale MX camera, VICON MX20+.

As standard definition video is being replaced with high-definition, many production facilities must still utilize their existing content libraries. NewTek SpeedEDIT allows producers to mix multiple formats (avi, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, QuickTime) and multiple resolutions (SD 4:3, SD 16:9, HD 720p and 1080i) on the same timeline without transcoding or rendering.

Next Limit Technologies offers Maxwell Render 1.1, a render engine based on the physics of real light. Its algorithms and equations reproduce the behavior of light in a totally realistic way. All of the elements in Maxwell, such as light emitters, material shaders, cameras etc., are entirely based on physically accurate models.

Additionally, inside Maxwell, materials are modeled in a physically correct manner. Consequently the results produced by Maxwell are highly accurate renders of the real world.

At San Diego Comic Con in Booth #719, Marvel Comics and Planetwide Games will unveil new content for Planetwide Games original Comic Book Creator interactive entertainment software. Under the terms of the agreement between the two companies, Planetwide Games has the right to create and publish versions of the interactive software and content booster packs for Comic Book Creator based on classic Marvel s characters such as the X-Men, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Hulk, Daredevil, Ghost Rider, The Punisher, Captain America, Thor, The Avengers, and Dr. Octopus to name a few.

Bionatics announces the release of the version 4 of its 3D plant modeler natFX for 3ds max.

This latest version was developed to integrate even better into an Autodesk 3ds max production workflow, explains Stephan Gourgout, vp/sales director. It answers, in large part, the needs requested for the last 12 months by our clients from the varied industries such as architectural visualization, to the production requirements of the videogame industry and the 3D animation film studios, who need to build rapidly complex realtime or pre-rendered scenes.