SIGGRAPH: Specialty 3D Applications

Feature: Page (1) of 2 - 08/04/06

SIGGRAPH: Specialty 3D Applications Standalone programs give alternatives to the toolset of a 3D animation application By Frank Moldstad

Reallusion's SIGGRAPH booth
Sometimes you just have to call in a specialist. While the major 3D applications have sophisticated tools for just about everything these days, there's always room for a niche program that does a specific function faster, better or just differently. As the Boston SIGGRAPH showed, specialty 3D software is a growing category, with a number of new or upgraded specialty applications announced at the show.

These programs are not plugins, they are standalone applications designed for the animation pipeline. Their functionality goes far beyond the boundaries of most plugins. With dedicated environments for things like modeling, character building, and even ?epic? crowd creation, they provide specialized tools for creating content that can be imported into a main 3D animation application.

In this article, we take a look at six specialty 3D applications introduced at SIGGRAPH -- some new, some upgrades to existing programs. They are Massive 2.6, Darwin Dimensions evolver, SOFTIMAGE|FaceRobot 1.5, Luxology?s modo 202, E-on Vue 6 and Reallusion?s iClone Studio 1.5.

Company: Darwin Dimensions
Web Site: www.darwindimensions.com
Application: evolver
Function: Automated 3D models
Platform(s): Windows XP

evolver interface
A brand new product, evolver is a time-saving tool for automated 3D character building. Starting from the included library of pre-built humanoid characters, users can mix and match physical attributes from a "virtual gene pool" to give them unique characteristics.

The models are available in several resolutions and are rigged for animation. They can be integrated into a pipeline via the Autodesk FBX file format. Each character is capable of 66 facial expressions, which include 12 phonemes.

evolver comes in three versions: evolver BASIC, which includes Character Builder; evolver PRO, which includes Character Builder and the Maya-compatible Output Generator renderer; and evolver COMPLETE, shipping in the future, which will allow users to integrate proprietary Maya 3D character models into the evolver Character Builder library.

Pricing for evolver BASIC is $39 (US), and users purchase models as they are needed. Pricing for evolver PRO starts at $4,995 (US). Both are available for direct purchase through www.darwindimensions.com.

Company: Luxology
Web Site: www.modo3d.com
Application: modo 202
Function: 2D/3D modeling and mapping
Platform(s): Mac OSX, Windows

modo interface
Since its introduction two years ago, modo has gained popularity as a fast and intuitive standalone modeler. Version 202 is a significant upgrade of modo, and it includes revamped rendering that peaks at 42 percent faster than modo 201, plus new modeling and painting options, and a more streamlined workflow overall.

New modeling tools include a ?create SubDiv option? for the Pen tool, and a thicken tool for adding inner or outer thickness to geometry. An object-to-object baking capability has been added for capturing the surface detail of a complex object and automatically applying it to a simpler object for real-time applications. There?s a new bounding box display option for geometry to make it easier to work with large datasets. Game modelers now have the option of new ?game? and ?unitless? grids.

Enhancements to the painting tools include improved 3D painting behavior in areas such as folded UVs and UV borders. A new visible image ink display mode for 3D painting lets artists place an image over a model and brush the image onto an underlying model. In addition, a new image ink stamp mode makes it faster to place interactive logos, dirtmaps, scars or other images on model surfaces.

Modo 202 also features several workflow improvements, such as the ability to see scene lights in Advanced OpenGL, and to interactively adjust the F-Stop, focal length and focal distance of cameras. Extended support for Autodesk FBX and X3D formats provides greater interoperability with other 3D applications.

Company: Softimage
Web Site: www.softimage.com/products/face_robot
Application: SOFTIMAGE|Face Robot 1.5
Function: Lifelike facial animation
Platform(s): Windows 2000/XP, Linux

Capture for export to game in Face Robot
Celebrating its 20th anniversary at SIGGRAPH, Softimage released Face Robot v.1.5, the first major update to this dedicated facial animation software. Version 1.5 incorporates a game export pipeline for the creation of in-game acting while maintaining subtle facial nuances. It supports all major game platforms, and includes tools for directly importing data from mova?s new Contour Reality Capture System.

The game export pipeline adds several key features, including automatic enveloping for the preservation of facial nuances around the mouth. Special attention was given to the volumetric quality of the lips in order to maintain realism even with a minimal number of bones.

Another new feature is paint-based exporting, which enables level optimizations to be set for parameters such as the number of masks, bone locations and influence. Real-time data can be adjusted for aspects such as wrinkle intensity and shading parameters after export. Plus, v. 1.5 allows users to add layers of customized rigging, shape and simulation, and export them.

Face Robot v.1.5 will be available in September in two configurations, FACE ROBOT Designer ($94,995 USMSRP) and FACE ROBOT Animator ($14,995 USMSRP). Designer is a complete environment for preparing, solving and animating faces, and is typically used with several seats of Animator, which animates faces prepared using Designer.

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