MentalCore: Optimize your Maya and mental ray workflow
[permalink] 25.01.2012

CoreCG, a New Zealand-based R&D company that specializes in creative solutions for CG animation and visual effects, announced the release of MentalCore - a cross-platform, standalone plug-in designed to help artists achieve maximum creativity and efficiency while using NVIDIA mental ray with Autodesk Maya. The software is production-proven and provides enhancements to the standard rendering workflow using Autodesk Maya with NVIDIA mental ray. Suitable for any size studio, MentalCore supports Maya 2011 or Maya 2012 and Windows, Linux and Mac OS X systems, and hosts a user-friendly interface and robust feature set, including a quick access to all global settings and render passes, node-based render pass system, dedicated shader library, support for a linear color workflow, support for ambient occlusion transparency, Python API, and compatibility with a stand-alone version of mental ray... MentalCore is available now as a node locked license at an introductory price of $189 US, or as a floating license for $199 US. A free 30-day trial of MentalCore is also available. [source]

www.core-cg.com

Massive Importer 1.5 beta for 3ds Max
[permalink] 17.01.2012
Massive Importer for 3ds Max, a tool designed to import MASSIVE crowd simulations into Max, has been released in v1.5 beta. The beta is limited by 100 agents and automatically imports skeleton, geometry, skin weighting data as well as textures. Among the new features are: Clone Geometry Node, the ability to import textures, Instance/Copy Material functionality and more. Full commercial version will add Geometry Cache support and unlimited number of agents... Maya and Houdini versions are in the works. More here. [source]
visual3dtools.blogspot.com

RE:Vision Effects releases RE:Map v2 for Nuke, Composite and Fusion
[permalink] 09.01.2012

Visual effects plug-in maker RE:Vision Effects announced the initial release of RE:Map , the ultimate kit of mapping and distortion tools, as an OFX plug-in set for use within The Foundry's Nuke, eyeon's Fusion, and Autodesk's Maya or 3ds Max Composite. RE:Map is a set of 5 plug-ins for UV mapping, image warping using displacement maps, corner pinning and color image distortion. Full version node-locked licenses are priced at $189.95 US, floating licenses are priced at $284.93 US, the plug-in is also available within the Effections bundle. A demo version (that draws an "X" on each frame) can be downloaded here . [source]

www.revisionfx.com

RandomControl Arion 1.6: Bigger, better, stronger
[permalink] 29.12.2011

RandomControl, makers of the fryrender 3D rendering system, announced a new version of its multi-CPU, multi-GPU, and multi-IP interactive rendering solution Arion. Version 1.6 supports unlimited objects, textures and materials, adds native OpenEXR support, and provides a smaller memory footprint (more). The software works on Windows and Max OS X machines (render slaves are also available for Linux), and supports Autodesk 3ds Max, Maxon CINEMA 4D, NewTek LightWave, Autodesk Maya, McNeel Rhinoceros 3D, Google SketchUp, Autodesk Softimage, and Luxology Modo applications. Priced at 550 EUR (and up), version 1.6.x is available now, including a new demo version (requires registration). Updates are free for all registered users. [source]

www.randomcontrol.com

Allegorithmic's Bitmap2Material reaches v1.5
[permalink] 07.12.2011

Allegorithmic's Bitmap2Material, a specialized 3D texturing tool designed to transform any photo into a seamless tiling material, has been updated to version 1.5. The tool can run stand-alone on Windows systems (within a Substance Player), or as a filter in Autodesk 3ds Max 2012, Maya 2012, Flame 2012 or Unity 3.4 game engine, on both Windows and Mac OS X platforms. B2M costs $149 US and can be used on both Windows and Mac OS X with one licence. [source]

www.allegorithmic.com

Autodesk hosts 13th annual 3December celebration
[permalink] 06.12.2011

From December 5 to 8, Autodesk Inc., together with the support of HP, AMD and Xsens, hosts 3December 2011, the company's annual celebration of 3D computer graphics and the artists who create them. The event website will be the virtual home for celebrations, providing 3D artists with the opportunity to actively participate through events streamed live, watch free MasterClasses, view Autodesk tutorials and connect with fellow artists in user group meetings held in cities around the world. More information available here. [source]

www.autodesk.com

NewTek LightWave 11 to ship by the end of 2011
[permalink] 16.11.2011

NewTek announced LightWave 11, a powerful new version of its Emmy Award-winning, professional 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software for Windows and Mac OS X systems. LightWave 11 offers support for Autodesk Geometry Cache and FBX, including pixel-perfect camera matching with Autodesk Maya cameras; also supports the Unity game engine and Pixologic GoZ ZBrush workflow; features new instancing functionality; flocking animation technology for realistic motion of grouped objects; a specialized tool for fracturing geometry and Bullet Dynamic physics simulation system; support for new controller types, including the Sony PlayStation Move; and more. LightWave 11 is expected to ship Q4 2011 for a suggested retail price of $1495 US. Upgrade pricing from earlier versions of LightWave will be $695 US, educational pricing is also available (learn more in the LightWave 11 FAQ). [source]

www.newtek.com

Vue 10 Infinite and Vue 10 xStream shipped
[permalink] 07.11.2011

E-on software announced the immediate availability of the tenth generation of its Vue line of products designed to generate virtual natural environments. E-on released the professional programs (Infinite & xStream) first, and will release the rest of the Vue 10 product line - Pioneer & Theme-packs, Frontier, Esprit, Studio and Complete - mid November 2011. For more information on functionality, read the previous news release. Vue 10 xStream (the integrated solution for Autodesk 3ds Max, Maya, and Softimage, Maxon CINEMA 4D or Newtek LightWave), and Vue 10 Infinite (the stand-alone version) are available now, for an MSRP of $1,790 US, and $1,190 US, respectively. Upgrades from Vue 9 xStream are starting at $395 US, upgrades from Vue 9 Infinite are $295 US. Upgrades from Vue 8 Infinite and Vue 8 xStream are also available. [source]

www.e-onsoftware.com

Maxwell Render Suite 2.6 with 5 free render nodes
[permalink] 03.11.2011

Next Limit S.L. updated their state-of-the-art 3D renderer Maxwell Render for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X systems. Version 2.6 adds a new procedural primitive for rendering hair compatible with the most popular hair systems (Shave & Haircut, Maya Hair, Max Hair, Ornatrix, Cinema Hair), new procedural primitive for particles compatible with RealFlow, Maya particles and 3ds Max, support for Vector displacement, faster faster motion blur, referenced MXS files and materials, and more. Maxwell Render Suite 2.6 is available now for an MSRP of $995 US / 895 EUR, including five free render nodes. Freshly released were also ArchicAD 15 plug-in and Maxwell for Google SketchUp. For demo versions, visit this page. [source]

www.maxwellrender.com

Maya 2012 Subscription Advantage Pack and Service Pack 1 released
[permalink] 07.10.2011

Maya 2012 subscribers can now download the new Subscription Advantage Pack for Maya 2012, Autodesk's professional 3D modeling, animation, and rendering system for Windows, Mac OS and Linux. The SAP contains an Open Source simulation engine AMD Bullet Physics, support for the Alembic point cache format, and a new Node Editor that makes managing complex node networks easier. For more information on features, watch the introductory video on YouTube. Autodesk also released Maya 2012 Service Pack 1, which packs over 20 fixes. The Advantage Packs are available here. [source]

www.autodesk.com