“Creative artists want to work at the speed of thought,” said Marc Petit, Autodesk senior vice president, media and entertainment. “They need software that enables them to explore new concepts, iterate and refine their ideas. The 2013 releases of our Entertainment Creation Suites provide rich visual feedback earlier in the creative process and allow artists to work in their favorite tools by making it easier to move between multiple applications. Autodesk is also removing technical barriers to the creation of believable characters by providing new simulation tools for realistic cloth, hair and crowds.”
“Entertainment companies are seeking out new ways to standardize and optimize their workflows, better manage increasing project complexity, and take full advantage of globally distributed production resources,” added Petit. “Autodesk is working closely with the leading studios in the film and games industries to develop and package workflows that address these challenges into our Entertainment Creation Suites.”
The company has extended its suites with the new Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suite Ultimate edition. This suite contains both Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 and Autodesk Maya 2013 animation software, together with Autodesk Softimage 2013 3D animation and visual effects software, Autodesk Mudbox 2013 3D sculpting and painting software and Autodesk MotionBuilder 2013 real-time virtual production and motion capture editing software.
All editions of the Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites now include Autodesk SketchBook Designer 2013 concept art software, which enables artists to explore and present new ideas for characters, props and environments using an intuitive hybrid paint and vector toolset.
Building on existing data exchange workflows, the Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites 2013 offer a variety of new features to enhance interoperability between products, including live character streaming between MotionBuilder and Maya; more consistent hotkeys, (which make it easier for Maya artists to navigate viewports in the 3D suite applications, and help artists familiar with 3ds Max to get up to speed with Softimage faster), and an enhanced, consistent F-Curve Editor within 3ds Max, Maya, Softimage and MotionBuilder.
Products within the software suites have also been updated to offer new creative toolsets, more interactive viewports and workflow enhancements that help artists collaborate, manage complexity and move data through their pipeline more efficiently.
Autodesk also announced the 2013 version of its Autodesk Flame Premium software, which combines high-end visual effects and finishing tools with real-time color grading in a single package. The 2013 version features:
· More creative and technical tools for advanced compositing and 3D relighting
· Interactivity enhancements in Action for a more fluid creative experience
· Improved 3D tracking workflow for greater flexibility and control when positioning compositing elements in a scene
· Enhanced grading capabilities including new color grading presets to get started on look development, new media export workflow and Tangent Element modular control panel support.
