Animation and Rendering

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Autodesk® 3ds Max® 2009 software is a full-featured 3D modeling, animation, rendering, and visual effects solution used in the creation of top-selling games and award-winning film and video content. Quickly and efficiently generate convincing characters, seamless CG effects, and jaw-dropping environments.

• Get Precise Visual Feedback and Professional Final Renders

  Reveal™ rendering in Autodesk® 3ds Max® software streamlines and accelerates iterative workflows by providing precise control over what is rendered in the Viewport or Framebuffer. Access to a ProMaterials™ library for mental ray® also provides materials for creating real-world design and building surfaces.

• Streamline Your Character and Mapping Workflows

  With 3ds Max 2009, Biped now offers animators a more efficient workflow for rigging quadrupeds, together with other features that facilitate the character animation process. The release also delivers new UV editing features including a UV spline mapping tool, and enhanced Pelt and Relax toolsets that streamline the UVW unwrap workflow.

• Move Data: Quickly and Accurately

  With 3ds Max 2009, you get the information you want, the way you want it. Greater OBJ translation fidelity and more import/export options mean more accurate data transfers between 3ds Max and Autodesk® Mudbox™ software or other digital modeling packages. Autodesk 3ds Max 2009 also delivers improved Autodesk FBX® memory management and new import options that support interoperability between 3ds Max and other products such as Autodesk® Maya® and Autodesk® MotionBuilder® software.

http://usa.autodesk.com/3ds-max

 

 

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AfterBurn is a production-proven volumetric effects plugin that has been used in cinematic productions such as Flight of the Phoenix, K-19: The Widowmaker, Armageddon, Dracula 2000, various IMAX movies and games such as Warcraft 3, Starcraft, Sin and many others.

 

It is a particle based volumetric solution, where AfterBurn builds a volumetric effect around each particle center. With numerous controls, user can add more or less detail to the volume, change color, rendering method and more. Most of the parameters can be animated over the particle age (or some other property) by using AFC and Interpolation Controller.

 

AfterBurn pioneered many unique features to 3ds max atmospherics, such as intuitive user interface layout, AFC controllers, HyperSolids rendering engine, metaballs, AfterBurn Daemons, support for Rendering Effects and more.

 

This all-in-one solution enables rendering of ultra realistic effects ranging from clouds, pyroclastic smoke, dust, superb explosions effects, liquid metals and various procedurally defined "hard" objects.

One of the AfterBurn's many unique features is the ability to assign glows, and even depth-of-field to different parts of the volumetric effect. This is possible since AfterBurn lets the user create their own channels for Z-Buffer, ID-Channel Buffer, and Age Buffer. These channels can be transferred to 3ds max standard buffers through FusionWorks for use of other (non-AfterBurn) Rendering Effects. AfterBurn even has its own Glow filter, which is capable of glowing AfterBurn volumetric output - with glow color, strength and size varying with the age of the volumetric particle.

 

With AfterBurn's intuitive user interface and three preview windows, exacting complex effects can be created quickly. Like 3ds max, nearly every parameter is animatable. As an aid to animating parameters based on particle age, AfterBurn features optional spline-based graphic control (AFC) of almost each parameter.

 

Effects like fire turning into a smoke are easily created with just one particle emitter, and one AfterBurn entry.

 

http://www.afterworks.com/AfterBurn.asp

 

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The eleventh generation of CINEMA 4D is another milestone in the development of professional 3D software and a testament to two decades of excellence by MAXON's programming team. Professional 3D animation tools have never been easier to use.

• The Easiest To Use 3D Application

  CINEMA 4D's intuitive interface and logical workflow make it possible for those new to 3D artistry to dive in and be productive quickly. Feedback is smooth and interactive so you can let your creativity run free.

• State-of-the-Art Technology

  CINEMA 4D's state-of-the-art architecture means it is always the first to benefit from new technologies and advancements - 64-bit support on Windows and Mac OS or Multiprocessing to name a few. MAXON is a development partner of many leading IT companies, including Intel and Apple. As such MAXON has early access to many future technologies which makes it possible to tailor our products accordingly. Our customers can rely on latest technology and maximum security for their investment.

• Modularity makes it suitable for all industries.

  The core application contains everything you need to create high-end 3D images and animations. For those artists whose work demands more than the basic application, MAXON provides numerous seamlessly integrated modules. Modules can also be purchased individually or in affordable bundles. For specific industries, such as architecture and engineering, MAXON also offers Editions that contain specially tailored functionality.

There is a CINEMA 4D to satisfy the needs of every artist and industry that utilizes 3D graphics. Take a tour through our solutions pages to see where CINEMA 4D dominates and thrives worldwide - then download a demo version and convince yourself.

 

http://www.maxon.net/content/products/cinema4d/cinema4d_e.html

 

Key Features

http://www.afterworks.com/FumeFX.asp

 

 

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Houdini combines superior performance and dramatic, new ease-of-use functionality to deliver a powerful and accessible 3D animation experience to CG professionals everywhere. With a new user interface designed to match the UI standards of the CG industry, you can enjoy smooth, stress-free learning and unparalleled results.

 

http://www.sidefx.com/index.php

 

 

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LightWave 3D® is a complete modeling, animation and rendering solution. Its native renderer is unparalleled and serves as the centerpiece in the production pipeline of many facilities both large and small. Render nodes are free and set up is quite straightforward. LightWave Modeler excels both as a subdivision surface and a polygonal modeler, fast, efficient and again, straightforward in functionality. In addition, an industry leading node-based texturing and shading system allows you to create any look you desire - quickly and easily.

 

LightWave is in the midst of a major renaissance driven by the needs of 3D artists worldwide. Vast improvements have been made to the system in the LightWave v9 development cycle. A large troupe of LightWave artists contribute to the development efforts through the Open Beta program, where registered owners of LightWave v9 gain early access to the software for testing and feedback. As a result, the LightWave v9 series, including the recent LightWave v9.5, has seen the addition of the following benefits:

 

http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/

 

 

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Award-winning Autodesk® Maya® software is a tool of choice for those in the film, television, game development, and design industries who desire a high-level of control over their 3D content workflows and pipelines. Artists and designers select Maya because of its intuitive user interface, which facilitates customization and fine-tuning of effective workflows, and technicians (technical directors and programmers) choose Maya for its reliability, open architecture, wide range of supported platforms, and the ease with which it can be incorporated into any existing or new production pipeline.

• Productivity-Enhancing Workflows

  Get unmatched productivity through a combination of performance and workflow features, including marking menus, 3D manipulators, selective display, brush-based tools, selection management tools, and unlimited levels of undo. Advanced data and scene management functionality give you the flexibility to work the way you want.

• Comprehensive 3D Modeling and Texturing Toolsets

  Access a full suite of production-proven polygon, NURBS, and subdivision surface modeling and texturing tools. The polygon workflow tools, including advanced selection functionality, attribute transfer tools, an interactive UV layout and unfolding mode, and optimization tools—have also been designed to promote efficiency.

• Powerful Animation Functionality

  Animate characters and other scene elements with a comprehensive range of specialized keyframe, nonlinear, and advanced character animation editing toolsets, including animation layers, graph and dope sheet editors, constraints, expressions, a nonlinear animation data editor, full-body inverse kinematics (IK) system, skinning functionality, and Maya Muscle.

• Advanced Visual Effects Tools

  Produce any visual effect you can imagine, from highly realistic natural phenomena to stylized, 2D “painterly” effects. Maya software delivers dynamic interaction of hard and soft bodies determined by physical rules, along with the state-of-the-art visual-effects technology of Maya nCloth, Maya nParticles, Maya Fluid Effects, Maya Fur, Maya Hair, and more.

• Flexible Rendering

  With Maya, you get the freedom to choose the right renderer and rendering pipeline for your project. A unified user interface and workflow provide easy and consistent access to the Maya hardware and vector renderers as well as the powerful mental ray® for Maya and mental ray for Maya network rendering (Satellite) options. You can also use the Render Layers and the Render Pass tools to create an efficient workflow from Maya to Autodesk® Toxik™ software and other compositing packages.

• Tools for Extending and Customizing Maya

  Customize, extend, and manipulate Maya. The fully integrated Maya Embedded Language (MEL) and Python® scripting languages give you high-level access to every aspect of the software so you can create custom windows, reconfigure the user interface, and issue commands from an HTML page. Moreover, the OpenMaya API/SDK completely unlocks the power of Maya for C++ and Python developers, providing direct, low-level access to all scene data required to make effective plug-ins and new types of nodes, shaders, manipulators, file importers and exporters, and more.

https://www.Autodesk.com/Maya

 

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Maxwell Render™ is a physically correct, unbiased rendering engine. By calculating complex light interactions, Maxwell Render is capable of simulating light exactly as in the real world. Unbiased means Maxwell Render™ does not use tricks to imitate real world behavior like other renderers – everything is reproduced as it is through governing physical equations.

 

Maxwell Render™ can fully capture all light interactions between all elements in a scene no matter how complex they are. All lighting calculations are performed using spectral information and high dynamic range data.

 

Maxwell Render™ is more than just a render - its core is completely different from other engines. The concept of “rendering” falls short of Maxwell Render’s scope and potential. What we are dealing with isn’t just another render, it’s The Light Simulator.

 

Maxwell Render™ has been acclaimed as a landmark in the next-gen rendering technology, having produced the best photorealistic images to date.

 

Maxwell Render™ is the perfect solution for high end rendering for photographic quality and advanced lighting, especially in areas like architectural visualization, industrial and product design, prototyping and 3D production.

 

http://www.maxwellrender.com/

 

 

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Particle Studio is a particle system plug-in for 3D Studio MAX and introduces an event driven paradigm for MAX users. For standard particle system you define a set of parameters at the beginning of the particle system. Then, you control the particle system over time by either altering those parameters, or by using space warps or other tools. While this is effective, it can be tedious and limiting when it comes to creating various types of particle systems. Particle Studio’s event driven paradigm breaks the particle system up into time-based events. At any given time over the life of the particle system, you can define a new event, and a new set of parameters for that event. Event driven paradigm generalizes "object keyframing" concept for particle systems. When you create a keyframe in an animation, you determine that you want to have certain elements in certain positions at a given point of time. When you create a multiple keys at different points of time, MAX interprets the animation in the intervening frames. With an event driven particle system, you define the particle parameters for set blocks of time, called event blocks. Each event block is comprised of two or more elements. Particle Studio interprets how the particle will react between the different event blocks and their elements.

Here are the most important features of Particle Studio:

Particle Flow Tools is a set of operators and other software tools created by the original author of Particle Flow for extending its capabilities. Some of these are improved versions of the features in Particle Studio, Atomizer, Glider and Spray Master plug-ins, while others are brand new, designed to the specifications of top Hollywood special-effects artists who use them in movie production. You can drop the Particle Flow Tools plug-ins into your 3ds max installation and instantly start using its powerful capabilities to organize and ease your workflow, as well as create amazing particle effects that were previously impossible or would have required extensive scripting.

 

http://www.orbaz.com/products/

 

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RealFlow is a stand-alone application, fully working in 32 and 64 bits, it works on various OS, it is OpenGL compliant that works with 3DStudio MAX, Maya, LightWave, XSI, Cinema 4D and Houdini. Due to RealFlow's Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) engine and its propagation rigid body solver, any kind of effect is possible, from a tornado that breaks a roof apart, to a flood, to a river with flowers floating on it, to a rainstorm; anything you can imagine! Special features include a wet map generator to create surface wetting effects and the inclusion of a camera into the simulation.

 

RealFlow has been used for the production of spectacular effects in numerous major movies. These include Poseidon, X-Men 3 (The last stand), Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, and Ice Age 2 (The Meltdown) to name but a few. It has also been used to produce effects for countless commercials and television products worldwide.

 

Working in conjunction with the most popular 3D platforms, its core consists of an extremely realistic, physically based continuous-particle system and a new stacking rigid body solver. A team of physicists and dynamics engineers have been working on RealFlow for 8 years to bring this groundbreaking technology to the world of CG.

 

 

http://www.realflow.com/n_what.htm

 

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RenderMan Studio is a collection of tools that form an advanced render pipeline that is both easy to use and fully customizable. From Maya scene translation, to network rendering, to compositing . . . RenderMan Studio provides a powerful render pipeline for maximum efficiency. The RenderMan Studio includes:

• RenderMan for Maya Pro

  Integrates tightly with Maya to provide a bridge to Pixar's RenderMan.

• Slim

  The complete solution for shader management and creation. Build shaders visually and take full advantage of the RenderMan Shading Language.

• Alfred

  The scriptable work distribution system. Perfectly suited for managing large render farms.

• "it"

  The image tool with powerful script based compositing.

https://renderman.pixar.com/products/tools/studio.html

 

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The V-Ray rendering system has a rich set of features; we have listed some of the major ones here. For a full list of features and capabilities visit the V-Ray documentation. Please be aware that every features is subject to change without prior notice.

http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/vray_features.html

 

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