GDC 2011: Autodesk Reveals Full Tools, Middleware Line-Up For Year

Author: by Staff

Game tools firm Autodesk announced a slew of upcoming products, including its Entertainment Creation Suites and three updated games middleware: Autodesk Beast 2012, Autodesk HumanIK 2012, and Autodesk Kynapse 2012. Autodesk's global illumination middleware Beast 2012 features an updated application programming interface (API) allowing developers to "integrate the eRnsT interactive lighting preview tool into custom game level editors". HumanIK 2012, a character animation product, adds support for Sony's forthcoming NGP and Apple's iOS platform. Artificial intelligence middleware Kynapse 2012 is meant to focus on improving runtime performance and making advanced features easier to use. Autodesk's 2012 Entertainment Creation Suites, which release this April, include 3ds Max 2012, Maya 2012, Softimage 2012, Mudbox 2012, and MotionBuilder 2012 -- each promising "notable new features and enhancements." Modeling, animation, and rendering software 3ds Max 2012 features a "new accelerated graphics core, mRigids for dynamic rigid-body simulations in the viewport and new sculpting and painting enhancements like the Clone brush". 3D animation, visual effects, and compositing tool Maya 2012 adds "enhancements to the viewport offering full-screen effects, editable motion trails for animation editing in the viewport". Softimage 2012, which is used to create 3D character animation and visual effects, includes "new procedural ICE modeling, integrated Syflex cloth simulation, stereoscopic capabilities and multiple core software development kit (SDK) additions". 3D digital sculpting and texture painting software Mudbox 2012 delivers "enhancements to the painting toolset, innovative new UV and topology-independent workflows, practical posing tools and improved large dataset handling". And real-time 3D character animation tool MotionBuilder 2012 features "new in-viewport stereoscopic display and camera rig, a unified interface and solver for Autodesk HumanIK 4.5 or 2012 middleware, as well as new tools for virtual moviemaking". "Movie, video game and television audiences are demanding more sophisticated content, which is causing production complexity to outpace budgets," says Autodesk's Media & Entertainment SVP Marc Petit. "To remain competitive, studios must improve production efficiency and maximize their creative capabilities."