Feature Summary
What makes Softimage 3D and Softimage 3D Extreme the world's most powerful modeling,
animation and rendering software?
Instead of providing a generic feature list, let's drill down and explain why so many
leading production studios use these tools.
Modeling in Softimage 3D is extremely interactive and intuitive.
Softimage supports a comprehensive range of surface types-from simple polygon meshes to
B-spline to NURBS patches. The system also includes a Meta-Clay modeling paradigm that can
be used to sculpt models like using clay or to generate polygon meshes.
NURBS (non-uniform rational B-spline)
NURBS are considered by many to be the most powerful parametric surface in the
industry. NURBS surfaces are a superset of all the other parametric surface types and
offer the best of everything. They can be trimmed and blended, or used to handle flexible
surfaces and smooth, complex surfaces with a minimum of controls.
Relational modeling
Relational modeling is a feature that maintains links to an object and the elements
that generated it. This means editing a point on a generator curve will also modify the
generated surface. Most modeling operations (revolution, skinning), etc. in Softimage 3D
support active relations. Relations can also be frozen at any point.
Instances
Instantiation is the ability to have multiple copies of an object in a scene, while
only requiring one 'real' version of the object to be stored with the scene. This is
extremely efficient when multiple copies of the same or similar objects are required in
scenes, such as in a crowd of people. Only one copy of the model need be saved-the rest
can be instances.
Polygon Modeling
Softimage 3D includes full featured and fast polygon mesh modeling tools. Meshes can be
edited at the vertex or polygon level. Named groups of vertices and polygons can be
created for localized editing of complex mesh objects.
Animation
Flexible animation capabilities are the hallmark of Softimage 3D. With intuitive and
precise keyframe and function curve editing and extensive motion capture support,
Softimage 3D has the low and high level tools create extremely realistic characters and to
meet the most demanding production deadlines. Inverse Kinematics While many 3D animation
companies talk about inverse kinematics, Softimage provides the most advanced capabilities
in the industry. Softimage 3D IK structures are included in the basic package. Creating
skeletons for legs and arms is simply a matter of drawing the bones. String together a
virtually unlimited number of chains and still get real time results.
Enveloping
What makes IK and skeletons really useful is enveloping. With Softimage 3D envelopes,
it is possible to use IK chains to stretch and deform an envelope or skin in a
controllable and elastic way. Different regions of the skin can have different weights
which is driven by different joints in the IK chains. Of course, if you want to use
envelopes, but do not want to use IK, then you can take virtually any hierarchy and make
it into a skeleton. Once defined it can have a skin wrapped around it just like an IK
chain.
Motion Capture
Softimage 3D supports nearly 30 motion capture devices-ranging from magnetic body-suits
through armatures to the keyboard and mouse of your workstation. Animation need not be
entered keyframe by keyframe-you can work like a puppeteer - recording motion directly
from your mouse (or any supported device-even a body-suit) right onto you character. You
can see it update interactively in the shaded view of your scene.
Custom Effects
Softimage 3D ships with an extensive array of preset custom effects - explosions,
jitters, rolls, walk cycles, and many others. For example, multiped allows you to create
realistic walk cycles for 2-, 4-, 6- and eight-legged characters. You can easily adjust
leg spacing, step height, bounce, lean and sway, etc. These custom effects are not just
previsualization quality, but can be used for production work. With the new Softimage SDK,
customers and independent software developers can create their own interactive custom
effects.
Quickstretch
Quickstretch is a built-in effect that automatically adds animation to characters based
on their movement. For example, add Q-Stretch to a sphere and as you pull it through the
air, it automatically deforms based on how fast you drag it. Drag it fast; it distorts a
lot. Drag slowly and the effect can be very subtle. Rotational and linear acceleration and
speed are computed to create the Q-Stretch deformation effects.
Dynamics/Simulation
Softimage 3D ships with a full-scale rigid dynamics system that includes forces such as
gravity, density and wind. These forces can be placed on objects to get extremely
realistic animations-animations that might not even be possible keyframing each object.
Collisions are also automatically calculated by adding collision relations to objects
participating in a dynamic simulation.
Expressions
Expressions in Softimage 3D are to artists what C++ is to programmers. Expressions are
an extremely powerful animation tool in which you can apply mathematical formulas to any
object. Why? There will always be something an animator wants to do that isn't already a
prepackaged effect. Expressions allow animators to create their own 'constraint'
relationships between objects in Softimage 3D scenes. In a simple example, you can specify
that object #1 move twice the distance as object #2. Or you could create a
"smart" function where an action is tied to a specific move or animation.
Expressions allow you to create virtually unlimited complex relationships between objects
without needing to keyframe a single animation.
Cluster Centers
One of the premier deformation tools in Softimage 3D, cluster centers allow you to
treat geometry subcomponents (clusters of points) as independent whole objects with their
own coordinate systems and transformations. Relationships between these cluster centers
can be used to create extremely realistic animations - such as when a character frowns,
the lips, checks and eyes move in unison.
 Rendering
Softimage Renderer
Softimage 3D ships with an extremely fast raytracer and scanline rendering engine
enabling a high level of photorealism, even for previewing scenes. You have full control
over anti-aliasing, motion blur, raytrace depth, illumination, shading models and
texturing.
Productivity/Softimage SDK
The Softimage SDK (software developer's kit) is a powerful next-generation API
(application programming interface) whose aim is to give users the power to move beyond
the already advanced capabilities of Softimage 3D. By programming your own custom effects
- or by choosing from an array of plug-in applications created by independent software
developers - digital artists can bring to light their highest creative visions. At the
heart of the Softimage SDK is a powerful, three component toolkit - SAAPHIRE, Softimage
mental ray, and Channels. Developers. Customers can get deeply into the Softimage 3D
modeling, animation and rendering engines, as well as motion capture/control drivers and
the Softimage mental ray rendering platform, to create virtually any kind of custom
effect. Game programmers can also use the Softimage SDK to easily extract geometry and
other data to create ultra-fast game performance. The Softimage SDK is cross-platform,
easily extending applications between the Windows NT and Silicon Graphics environments.
Applications created with today's SDK will also be upward compatible with Sumatra,
Softimage's next generation of Softimage 3D.
User Environment
The Softimage 3D has evolved into the most efficient user environment in the industry.
The graphics user interface is one of the most effective for getting work done fast.
Rather than bombard the user with hard-to-decipher icons and toolbars, the Softimage 3D
interface puts major tools within easy reach - often only two mouse-clicks away. Modeless
"supra" hot-keys allow animators to reach often-used functions simply by using
the keyboard. Rather than presenting the user with too much information, the Softimage 3D
interface provides cues on what is most important to the user. New features such as scene
manager, allow you to easily manage large scene files. Of course, virtually everything can
be customizable.
Softimage Libraries
Why reinvent the wheel? Not only does Softimage 3D provide powerful modeling, animation
and rendering tools, but we also provide libraries with hundreds of megabytes of
preformatted content: particle presets, mental ray shaders and motion capture information.
This includes many traditionally - challenging effects such as fire, smoke, soda bubbles,
tree leaves, hair, fog and many others. Also, these libraries are being continually
updated on the Softimage worldwide web page, as well as being distributed through
quarterly service packs. These libraries add incredible value to Softimage customers.
Games Features
In addition to all of the powerful modeling, animation and rendering tools and
extremely fast throughput, Softimage 3D includes an extensive set of features targeted
primarily at game developers. These features are useful for creating both highly-detailed
prerendered scenes and geometry, animation, and texture content for real-time 3D games. If
you are a SEGA or Sony registered developer, you may have access to the Saturn and
Playstation specific Export, Import and On-Target viewing tools. (Contact your regional
dealer for details.)
Polygon Reduction
Softimage 3D includes three sophisticated engines for polygon reduction: optimize,
rule-based and filter. From a highly configurable interface, precise reductions can be
made-as much as halving the complexity of a polygon mesh-while still retaining the form of
the original model. Projected texture maps and materials can be preserved though many of
the reduction processes.
Color Reduction
To further optimize real-time performance, Softimage 3D allows users to precisely
reduce the number of colors used in an image. A side-by-side view allows you to see both
the true-color and the palletized pictures. Customers can create, cut, copy, paste, load
and save optimized palettes with bit-depth and palette size control. These images can be
saved in a wide variety of file formats.
Texture Painting and UV Editing
Softimage 3D features a comprehensive texture editing tool. UV texture coordinates can
be edited graphically in the texture view, and texture coordinates can be copied and
pasted from polygon to polygon. There is full support for palletized texture editing.
Game Platform Support
SEGA Saturn
Softimage 3D provides direct support for the SEGA Saturn and the SEGA CartDev software
development environment. Geometry, textures, animation and other elements can be directly
imported and exported to and from standard SEGA file formats. Customers can also view
Saturn format files within Softimage 3D or view animations on the SEGA Saturn using the
On-Target viewer.
Sony Playstation
Softimage 3D provides direct support for the Sony Playstation DTL H2000 PC-based
development environment. Geometry and textures can be imported and exported. Sony's PS/X
file format can be viewed from within Softimage 3D. In Softimage 3D 3.51 Service Pack 1,
we will include support for animation, cameras, lights and hierarchies, as well as
on-target viewing and color at vertex support.
Direct3D
Softimage 3D provides the most advanced Direct3D tools in the industry, including
support for geometry, textures, animation and hierarchies.
Geometry and Bitmap Import/Export
Softimage 3D makes it easy to work with other systems to complete the production
process. In addition to SEGA Saturn, Sony Playstation and Direct3D, scenes and data can be
exported to and (in most cases) imported from a vast array of file formats, including,
Alias/Wavefront, DIB, DXF, IGES and 3DS. Images can be imported and exported in a
similarly wide variety of formats including: Artisan, Aurora, Everest, RGB, RGBA, SGI,
TGA, TIFF, PIC, Vertigo, YUV, GIF, IMA, JPG, AVI, MAP, PCX, PGM, PICT, PIX, PPM, PSD, and
RLA.
 Softimage 3D Extreme
For customers that want even more power than Softimage 3D, we offer Softimage 3D
Extreme. This version, available for both Windows NT and Silicon Graphics, offers
customers everything in the base package, plus these powerful features.
Particles
Softimage 3D includes a very robust particle system for creating snow, smoke, sparks
and other effects.
What makes Softimage 3D particles different than other particle systems is that its
optimized for productivity. Rather than using slower vector-based particles, Softimage 3D
incorporates pixel-based particles, which means that you can interact with the particle
system to get precisely the right effect rather than waiting minutes or hours to render
each keyframe. Softimage 3D also ships with an extensive particles library.
 Softimage mental ray
Softimage mental ray is the fastest and most powerfull commercially available rendering
system in the industry. With mental ray, you can create extremely high quality,
photorealistic, fully raytraced renderings. Softimage mental ray is also fully
programmable with flexible C-based shaders, so you can create any material, texture or
rendering effect you can imagine. Softimage mental ray is also fully multi-threaded, so it
can take full advantage of multiprocessor systems and cross-platform renderfarms. Special
multi-license pricing also means that it is easy to set up cost-effective renderfarms on
both Windows NT and Silicon Graphics systems.
Meta-Clay
Meta-Clay is an extremely unique way of creating models with digital clay. Sculpt a
blob; add material and sculpted some more. Meta-Clay is an extremely intuitive and
powerful way to create organic objects. (In fact, the T-Meg monster from Terminator 2 3-D
was created with Meta-Clay).
Softimage Live
Softimage Live provides a standalone motion capture environment and a run-time viewer
to playback animations and test game interactions. With this tool, you can quickly explore
3D environments to test the overall feel of scenery, test game play by setting up channels
drivers, or use expressions to add behaviors to objects as you test them. Softimage Live
also supports stereo display drivers under IRIX, using the CrystalEyes glasses.
|
Unlimited creative options