POINT RICHMOND, Calif., July 25 2000-- Pixar Animation Studios today announced that it is releasing version 4.1 of the complete RenderMan Artist Tools suite.

The new software, available now via web distribution, makes RenderMan easier and more powerful for creative artists, and for the first time, provides support for Maya artists working with the Windows NT operating system. Until now, the RenderMan Artist Tools have only been available on Silicon Graphics computers running the IRIX operating system.

The RenderMan Artist Tools 4.1 software suite for Windows NT includes all of the features found in the SGI IRIX release.

The suite consists of the following applications:
-- Slim 1.1, the artist-friendly shader development system, enables artists to create stunning RenderMan shaders. Slim's extensive built-in function set can be extended by users or third-party shader developers;

-- MTOR 2.1, the RenderMan Plugin to Maya 2.5, associates RenderMan shaders, lights and cameras with a Maya scene as well as supporting all Maya geometry types and RenderMan 3.9's breakthrough subdivision surface and implicit surface features. MTOR can be operated as a plugin to Maya or as a stand-alone program for deferred or remote RIB generation;

-- Alfred 4.1, a scriptable network job distribution system, is fully integrated into MTOR 2.1 and available for custom applications. The new Alfred can selectively interrupt long-running low-priority jobs in favor of high priority interactive jobs, and can make server assignment decisions based on live network health data;

-- PhotoRealistic RenderMan 3.9.1. The same Academy Award(R)-winning software is now available for Windows NT, Linux for Intel Processors, and many other Unix platforms.

PhotoRealistic RenderMan for Windows NT boasts several new enhancements including a 40% speed improvement over version 3.9. PhotoRealistic RenderMan for NT is also supported by other third party modeling/animation packages including Houdini from Side Effects Software and MaxMan from Animal Logic.

Additional Summer Software Releases Later this summer, Pixar will release a Linux for Intel Processors batch version of MTOR 2.1. This release will allow RenderMan Artist Tools users to distribute both RIB generation and rendering to workstations running the Linux operating system. It will be available to all maintenance customers free as a benefit of their maintenance service. Alfserver, which is currently available for SGI and NT, will be released for Linux and other supported platforms later this summer. Alfserver allows Alfred jobs to remotely launch renderers and other applications with no additional software required. It also monitors site-defined performance and server health metrics. Pricing and Availability PhotoRealistic RenderMan 3.9 and the RenderMan Artist Tools can be ordered from Pixar by calling Lola Gill at 800-888-9856 or via email to renderwoman@pixar.com.

About: Pixar Animation Studios
Pixar Animation Studios combines creative and technical artistry to create original characters and stories in the medium of computer animation. Pixar created and produced the first computer-animated feature film, the Academy Award winning Toy Story, released in 1995. Pixar has since released two more animated features: A Bug's Life, the highest grossing animated film released in 1998; and Toy Story 2, the highest grossing animated film released in 1999. The studio is currently in production on its fourth animated feature, Monsters, Inc., targeted for a Holiday 2001 release.

Source: Pixar Animation Studios
Web Site: http://www.pixar.com/