Softimage 2011 features include: Rendering Sandbox (automatically hosts external shaders and renderers without the need to build a custom shader user interface), ICE Kinematics (aids in the creation of advanced rigging elements with custom inverse kinematics, spines, constraints and dynamics tails), automated lip-synching in Face Robot, Mental Ray 2011 renderer, 100 new ICE compounds, PhysX 2.83 (the latest NVIDIA PhysX rigid body library).
Maya 2011 features include: improved customizable user interface (based on Nokia Qt), enhanced tools for character animation (including non-destructive live retargeting, dual quaternion option for smooth skinning, interactive volume binding, enhancements to the Paint Skin Weights tool, etc.), improved display of large scenes in the viewport (completely redesigned graphics pipeline), new 3D editorial capabilities for pre-visualization and virtual production workflows (new Camera Sequencer adds multicamera editorial capabilities using a Maya timeline), integrated color management, asset structures for pipeline connectivity and improved rotoscoping.
Mudbox 2011 features include: new tools for helping deform and pose models, new image adjustment brushes and blend modes for paint layers, vector displacement map extraction, the ability to create higher-quality turntables, and enhanced file transfer with Maya and Photoshop.
MotionBuilder 2011 features include: significantly improved interoperability with Maya 2011 and 3DS Max 2011. Skinning and blendshape deformations are now calculated on the graphics processing unit (GPU) for improved performance. The in-viewport experience is more interactive, and playback is many times faster, further enhancing the software’s capabilities as a real-time virtual production system.
FBX 2011 features include: new support for additional third-party and proprietary applications. In addition, game developers using Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 3 will be able to import FBX files directly into the Unreal Editor. Developers can now use the Python programming language to integrate FBX technology into pipelines not based on C++.
HumanIK 4.5 middleware run-time IK sofware features include: improved ease of use with an artist friendly integration into the Unreal Engine and a Characterization plug-in for creating and validating characters in Maya.
Kynapse 7 middleware AI engine features include: easier to use, with new pathdata generation, improved tuning and profiling, simplified integration and configuration, as well as off-the-shelf behaviors.
From March 11-13 visit the Virtual GDC event on Autodesk’s Area to watch demonstrations of the 2011 software, as well as customer presentations, live from Autodesk’s booth at the Game Developers Conference (GDC). Short videos of new features in the 2011 Digital Entertainment Creation software line are also available on the Autodesk YouTube channel.
Read the whole PR and find more information at Autodesk.
