3D Studio(R) Release 4 Feature Summary --------------------------------------- 3D Studio Release 4: The Open Standard for Professional-Quality 3D Graphics and Animation A true production studio for the desktop, Autodesk 3D Studio software is a comprehensive environment for creating professional-quality 3D animations and high-resolution still images. Compatible with Animator Pro(R), AutoCAD(R), AutoVision(TM) and The Cyberspace Developer Kit software, and based on a highly extensible plug-in architecture, 3D Studio is supported by a rapidly expanding community of independent developers and can be precisely exactly tailored to individual needs. 3D Modeling ----------- * 3D Studio software Program includes a full-featured 3D modeler with floating-point accuracy. * 3D objects can be precisely arrayed in linear and radial patterns. * Modeling tools include both spline lofting and polygon mesh creation with control down to the vertex level in multiple viewports. * 2D Bezier spline-creation tools include Lines, Curves, Arcs, Quads, Circles, Ellipses, Regular Polygons and Freehand. * 3D Studio reads and writes Adobe(R) Illustrator(TM) (.AI) Bezier spline files, which can then be saved and loaded into other drawing packages. PostScript(R) (Type 1) and URW fonts can also be manipulated and extruded as spline entities. * Powerful extrusion tools allow model construction from multiple spline cross sections interpolated along a 3D spline path. * 3D objects can be precisely arrayed in linear and radial patterns. * Objects can be modeled over raster bit map for reference; background images and/or video-safe frames are now observable in any viewport. * Directly loads 3D AutoCAD .DXF(TM) files by Layer, Color or Entity and exports .DXF files. ASCII file import and export are also supported. * Spline-based model deformation tools include Twist, Fit, Scale, Teeter, and Bevel. * Spline-mesh models can be automatically constructed from top, front and side profiles. * 3D Studio software supports 3D Boolean modeling for carving, drilling and sculpting; and 2D Boolean operations for union, intersection and subtraction of 2D profiles. * Fast screen redraw options allow interactive control of complex scenes. * 3D Studio provides texture map alignment tools for precise map placement and scaling. Automatic texture-coordinate assignment for extruded objects and particles. * Polygon meshes can be modified using editing commands like Bend, Skew and Taper. The Smoothing Groups feature provides additional control over how parts of object will be rendered. * An unlimited number of named cameras with real-time zoom, dolly and field-of-view control can be used. * Keyboard coordinate entry is supported. * Project size is limited only by amount of available hard-disk space and/or memory. Materials Editing ----------------- * 3D Studio software includes an extremely fast, 24-bit, interactive Materials Editor for creating and adjusting any surface material appearance (with alpha control and automatic NTSC color checking). * Flat, Gouraud, Phong and Metal-shading are supported on a material-by- material basis. Wireframe, a special shading attribute, allows the creation of texture-mapped wireframe materials. * An extensive materials library is supplied. Multiple libraries can be created and modified with the Materials Editor. * Face Mapping tool automatically fits bit maps to surface topology without assignment of mapping coordinates (for cube mapping, or icosahedron mapping, etc.). * Color values and material map tinting can be controlled with RGB or HLS sliders. * Multitexture, reflection, bump, opacity, specular, shininess and self- illumination mapping can be combined with individual percentage contributions for deeply layer surface effects for complex surfaces; all mapping types can be composited with associated masks for each type. * Individual maps and masks can have their own individual texture- filtering settings plus specific UV scaling, offset, and rotation parameters; individual maps and masks can be created from either the bit maps RGB or alpha component. * Animated mapping is supported for each type. * Procedural textures are supported. * Automatic environment mapping can be used to achieve realistic reflections. * Sophisticated transparency and reflection blurring controls are provided. Rendering --------- * Photorealistic rendering output is supported at 8, 16, 24 or 32 bits for still images or animations (including alpha channel for compositing). * Rendering to screen and/or to files at any resolution is possible in both frame and field modes. * Super Truecolor 64-bit computation provides superb color fidelity and gamma correction (for accurate colors on any output device). * Workstation-quality analytical antialiasing is supported. * 3D Studio software can render on a frame-by-frame basis across a network. Any supported, networked machine can either submit or process rendering jobs, and the network adapts to any change automatically. * Network assignment can be automatic (to any available machine) or specific PCs can be assigned to particular processes. * With only a single produce license, up to 9,999 networked machines can used for rendering. * Each network machine has a unique name and identification number and generates a log file that can be viewed from any other machine. * Network rendering can be output to local or server drives. * Motion-blur, supported for both objects and scenes, has assignable shutter speed and blur amount. * Layered fog, full-screen fog and distance shading can be used for atmospheric effects. * Fast color Preview renderer works in any camera viewport and allows interactive camera adjustments. * An unlimited number of named spotlights with control of color, cone shape, and shadow-casting parameters can be used. * Ray tracing provides crisp shadows in any size scene; omni lights and spotlights have controllable falloff over distance; individual objects can be excluded from any omni light or spotlight effect. * Spotlights can be assigned to still or animated colored bit maps to simulate slide or film projectors; rectangular spotlight “barndoor” feature can be used; spotlights can be rolled for animated rotating effects. * Images can be saved in .GIF, .JPG, .TGA, .TIF, .BMP and .EPS formats. * Precise palette control over rendered images is provided with optional dithering and compression controls. * Backgrounds for renderings can be solid colors, gradients, picture files, animations or external procedures. * Match Perspective to accurately render models over digitized photo backgrounds is supported. Animation --------- * 3D Studio provides professional keyframing control over objects, cameras and lights. * The program offers extensive spline-based motion-path creation and controls, including automatic banking. * True 3D inverse kinematics is supported with user-assignable joint parameters including limits, precedence, and damping. * Inverse kinematics can be interactively keyframed or made to follow the motion of other objects in the scene. * Surface materials can be morphed (e.g., transparent plastic morphs to solid metal). * Fast, colored motion tests can be created with locked, frame-per-second playback control. * Low- or high-resolution .FLC files for Animator Pro can be created or viewed. Numbered sequences of still images can also be rendered to disk. * Full object hierarchies with independent-object pivot points are supported. * Accurately imports .DXF motion paths from AutoCAD software. * Hierarchies can selectively inherit position, rotation, scale, squash, stretch in any combination. * Animation from libraries can be applied to any object. * True 3D object metamorphosis and object instancing are supported. * Ambient light, omni light, and spotlight characteristics can be animated. * Camera and lights can be slaved to each other or to objects; camera position, field-of-view and roll can be animated. * Acceleration and deceleration can be controlled for visual ease- in/ease-out. * BASIC-like keyframe scripting language offers a precise way to automate repetitive operations or to create algorithmic or data-driven animations. Postproduction -------------- * Video Post feature allows compositing of unlimited layers of images and animations with precise alpha control. * Full time-line control is supported with transition effects such-as fade-in, fade-out and user-customizable transitions. * Entire 3D "movies" can be edited inside the program for first- generation final presentations (to video or .FLC format). * Multiple image-processing effects can be invoked for each frame. 3D Studio Plug-In Support ------------------------- The open architecture of 3D Studio allows for the use of IPAS Plug-Ins, which support advanced modeling, animation, image-processing, procedural textures, and bit map functions. Particle systems, ripples, skeletal animation, image filters, and motion capture are but a few of the hundreds of 3D Studio Plug-Ins available from independent software vendors. A 3D Studio Plug-In Developer Kit is also available separately from Autodesk. Consult your Authorized Autodesk Multimedia Dealer or the Autodesk Multimedia Forum (GO ASOFT) on CompuServe(TM) for the latest development information on 3D Studio Plug-Ins. The World-Creating Toolkit(TM) on CD-ROM ---------------------------------------- 3D Studio ships with the World-Creating Toolkit containing more than 500MB of prebuilt objects, textures and backgrounds, royalty-free. Box Contents ------------ Contents include 1.44MB disks, Reference Manual, Tutorials Manual (including over 20 tutorials), Installation Guide, Advanced User Guide and the World-Creating Toolkit for 3D Studio on CD-ROM. System Requirements ------------------- * IBM(R) or COMPAQ(R) 386/486/Pentium-based computers or 100 percent compatibles * MS-DOS(R) 3.3 or later * 8MB RAM * Hard disk with 20MB of available free space * Intel(R) math coprocessor * Super VGA display device (at least 640 x 480 x 256 colors) * Pointing device (Microsoft(R)-compatible mouse, SummaSketch(R)- compatible digitizing tablet, or Autodesk Device Interface(TM) [ADI(R)] pointing device) Optional -------- * Targa(R)-compatible display (e.g., Truevision, Matrox) * ADI-compatible displays * ADI-compatible printing devices * ADI-compatible VTR controllers (e.g., Sony EVO 9650 or LVR 3000) * CD-ROM drive * LAN software For the location of the Authorized Autodesk Multimedia Dealer nearest you in the United States and Canada, please call 800-879-4233. Fax your request for information for Asia/Pacific to 415-491-8398, for Europe to 41-22-788-2144, and for Latin America to 415-491-8303. Autodesk, Inc. Multimedia Division 111 McInnis Parkway San Rafael, CA 94903 Other offices worldwide. Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, 3D Studio, AutoCAD, ADI, Animator Pro, and World- Creating Toolkit are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. AutoVision, DXF, and Autodesk Device Interface are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. CompuServe is a registered trademark of H&R Block. MS-DOS and Microsoft are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. (C)Copyright 1994 Autodesk, Inc. All rights reserved.