Autodesk, Inc. announced the release of Autodesk 3ds Max
2012 software, the latest version of the company’s 3D modeling,
animation, rendering and compositing application. Mapping to the
Excalibur (XBR) initiative — a phased plan for the restructuring of 3ds
Max — the new version provides fundamental improvements in workflow,
user interface and performance that will give artists enhanced creative
capabilities and help them to be more productive.
Achieving a key goal of the XBR initiative, 3ds Max 2012
introduces a rewritten, multi-threaded graphics core that provides
significant improvements to viewport performance and quality. In
addition, new creative toolsets and enhanced iterative workflows help
increase overall productivity. The 2012 version also features
single-step interoperability with products contained in Autodesk
Entertainment Creation Suite Premium 2012, offering artists easier
access to specialized tools for the task at hand.
“Artists are
facing shorter deadlines coupled with increasing expectations for
quality,” said Marc Petit, senior vice president, Autodesk Media &
Entertainment. “3ds Max 2012 delivers powerful tools that take advantage
of recent hardware advances, along with better interoperability with
the other products included in our Entertainment Creation Suites.
Together these enhancements help artists to make creative decisions
early, validate them and deliver better results faster.”
"The first time I
loaded a scene in 3ds Max 2012 I could see the soft lighting and
shadows right in the viewport. This had the biggest impact on me. I
suddenly felt more productive; like the barriers to my creativity were
falling away,” said Stephen Lebed, 3ds Max beta tester and visual
effects supervisor at MECHnology.
Key New Features in Autodesk 3ds Max 2012 Software
* Nitrous
Accelerated Graphics Core — Accelerated by modern GPUs and multicore
workstations, Nitrous enables artists to iterate faster and handle
larger data sets with limited impact on interactivity. Advanced scene
management techniques, along with multithreaded viewport scene traversal
and material evaluation, result in a smoother, more responsive
workflow.
* Substance Smart
Textures — Artists can achieve a vast range of look variations with a
new library of 80 Substance smart textures and filters — tiny,
multi-output, customizable and resolution-independent textures
* mRigids
Rigid-Body Dynamics — mRigids is the first module released in the new
MassFX unified system of simulation solvers. Artists can use the
multithreaded NVIDIA PhysX engine to create more compelling, dynamic
rigid-body simulations directly in the 3ds Max viewport.
* iray Renderer —
Using the newly integrated, NVIDIA GPU accelerated, iray rendering
technology from mental images, artists can set up their scene, press
“render” and get more predictable, photoreal results without worrying
about rendering settings — similar to a “point-and-shoot“ camera.
* Enhanced UVW
Unwrapping — Artists can create better UVW maps in less time, with a new
Least Squares Conformal Mapping (LSCM) method, enhancements to existing
tools, and more streamlined workflows
* Sculpting and
Painting Enhancements — Artists can enjoy greater control over
brushstrokes and their effects on geometry, thanks to new sculpting and
painting workflows
Pricing and Availability
Autodesk
anticipates that 3ds Max 2012 will be available in English in April
2011. Autodesk expects to announce Autodesk 3ds Max Design 2012 software
in late-March 2011. The Autodesk suggested retail price for an Autodesk
3ds Max 2012 stand-alone license is $3,495. The MSRP to upgrade from
3ds Max 2011 to 3ds Max 2012 is $1,745. Autodesk Subscription is
available for purchase simultaneously with the product or upgrade
purchase for $495 per year.
Autodesk 3ds Max
2012 is also expected to be available as part of the Autodesk
Entertainment Creation Suite Premium 2012. The Suite offers 3ds Max
together with Autodesk Softimage 2012, Autodesk Mudbox 2012 and Autodesk
MotionBuilder 2012 software for $6,495, representing a 42 percent cost
savings compared to purchasing the software separately.
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