SAN FRANCISCO--(January 24, 2001)-- Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc. announced it has begun shipping 3ds max 4, the latest version of its award-winning 3D modeling, animation, and rendering program. 3ds max 4 delivers the most efficient and creative workflow for character animation, next-generation game development and cutting edge visual effects production. 3ds max 4 is available now for a suggested retail price of US $3,495.

3ds max 4 delivers a new and extensible character animation architecture, advanced game development tools, and extensive rendering productivity with ActiveShade, Render Elements and unparalleled support for new Direct 3D technology. These advancements give animators a flexible and realistic working environment for rich media content creation-- whether for motion picture special effects, 3D Web production, or next-generation game development for PC game titles or gaming consoles such as Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation 2 or Nintendo GAMECUBE.

"In the production of MYST III: EXILE, shipping in spring 2001, the core team required a software package that provided top image quality, network rendering and the ability to animate other-worldly creatures. 3ds max delivered the breath-taking visuals and animation MYST fans have come to expect," said Mike Brown, lead 3D animator for Presto Studios. "Working with 3ds max 4 in BETA for the past several months, we also benefited from character animation and production tools that no other animation package has. This allowed our artists more flexibility to concentrate on the story in MYST III--and our programming team to create proprietary animation tools that sit directly in the 3ds max/Discreet pipeline better than ever, helping us meet our production deadline," said Brown.

The 3ds max SDK (software developers kit) and maxscript language greatly expand in version 4, building upon Discreet's commitments to extensibility and open-source compliance. Building upon the SDK, and included in 3ds max 4, is the web studio cd set-- an integrated set of Web developers tools from Cycore, Pulse, RichFX and Viewpoint -- companies that make putting 3D content on the web easier than ever before. In addition, Discreet continues to deliver the ultimate in Macromedia Flash content creation with the latest Vecta 3D-MAX vector animation renderer from Ideaworks 3D. This limited promotional offering gives 3ds max artists the ability to create top-notch 3D effects for their Flash movies, complete with multi-level cartoon shading.

"Discreet's continued leadership in 3D animation is exemplified by 3ds max 4 and its relevance to an extremely broad audience of animators," said Phillip Miller, senior director of Discreet software products. "As the industry's preferred animation package, 3ds max 4 is once again setting the standard for integrating 3D within the total workflow for effects, animation, postproduction and game development studios."

Discreet continues to pioneer the synergy of 2D and 3D with further integration between 3ds max and combustion-- Discreet's unified 3D compositing and resolution independent paint software for the Macintosh and Windows NT desktop. A full-function demo version of combustion is now included within 3ds max, allowing animators to experience using combustion for manipulating assets in their 3D scene and manipulating 3D-rich data within combustion.

For a complete listing of new features and enhanced capabilities in 3ds max 4, please visit Discreet's Animation Zone at: www.discreet.com/animation.

Pricing and Availability

The suggested retail price for 3ds max 4 is US$3,495. Upgrade price from 3ds max 3 is US$795. For upgrade information from all previous versions of 3ds max, consult Discreet's regional or international offices for information. The latest version of character studio is included in 3ds max 4 to update current character studio 3 customers' versions to operate within 3ds max 4.

About Discreet

Discreet, a division of Autodesk, Inc., is a leader in digital content creation, management, and distribution tools. Discreet develops systems and software for visual effects, 3D animation, editing, and production used in the creation of digital moving pictures for feature films, video, HDTV, broadcast graphics, interactive games and the Web. Discreet products are used extensively in film and video post-production, games and multimedia, broadcast graphics, programming, and on-air event coverage. For more information, contact any Authorized Discreet Reseller, call Discreet at 800/869-3504, or visit www.discreet.com.

About Autodesk

Autodesk is the world's leading design and digital content creation resource. The company provides software and Internet portal services to help customers drive business through the power of design. One of the largest software companies in the world, Autodesk helps designs become a reality for more than 4 million customers in over 150 countries. For more information, contact any authorized Autodesk reseller, call Autodesk at 800/964-6432, or visit www.autodesk.com.

Post a message in the Digital Post Production World Wide User Group!

[an error occurred while processing this directive]