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Product name Price Company and contact details Platform Reviewed <strong>Digit</strong> rating<br />
3D and animation software<br />
3DS Max 7 £2,695 Discreet, www.discreet.<strong>com</strong>, 01252 456 669 Windows Jan 05 4.5<br />
Version 7 incorporates Character Studio 4, and features Normal Bump Mapping, Subsurface Scattering, and enhanced modelling and viewing tools<br />
Animation:Master v 11.0 $299 Hash, www.hash.<strong>com</strong>, 001 360 750 0<strong>04</strong>2 M | W Aug <strong>04</strong> 4.0<br />
Oriented towards teaching people the basics of 3D animation, Animation:Master is nonetheless a decent, good-value character animation package<br />
Carrara 4 Pro £419 Eovia, www.eovia.<strong>com</strong> @ Computers Unlimited, 020 8200 8282 M | W Feb 05 4.5<br />
Offers a wide range of features. Bones and IK animation are easy to use, and the suite boasts real-time terrain-creation and network rendering<br />
CAT V1.2 £549 CAT, catoolkit.<strong>com</strong> @ Graphics Domain, 01869 255 815 M | W Aug <strong>04</strong> 4.5<br />
A <strong>com</strong>plete character-animation system for 3DS Max. It features a highly flexible and easy-to-create character rigging system called CATRig<br />
Character Studio 4.2 £695 Discreet, www.discreet.<strong>com</strong>, 01252 456 669 M | W Aug <strong>04</strong> 4.0<br />
Although Character Studio is often derided by ‘real’ animators, few solutions offer this level of productivity for bulk character animation work<br />
Cinema 4D 9 £424 Maxon, www.cinema4d.co.uk, 0500 224 660 M | W Jan 05 4.5<br />
Version 9 supports N-gons, Brush, Melt, and enhanced knife tools. One of the best 3D applications out there – perfect for learning the craft<br />
EIAS 5.5 $895 EI Technology Group, eitechnologygroup.<strong>com</strong>, 001 830 438 4955 M | W Sep <strong>04</strong> 3.5<br />
3D suite that offers fast, high-quality rendering, good HDRI support, and unlimited network rendering. The Silo <strong>com</strong>ponent is sadly Windows only<br />
Endorphin 1.5 £7,995 NaturalMotion, www.naturalmotion.<strong>com</strong>, 01865 250 575 Windows Aug <strong>04</strong> 4.0<br />
This character-animation system features customizable AI behaviours dynamic retargeting, and active posing. However, it’s expensive and buggy<br />
Life Forms 4.0 £$495 Credo Interactive, www.charactermotion.<strong>com</strong>, 001 6<strong>04</strong> 291 6717 M | W Aug <strong>04</strong> 3.0<br />
This tool imports third-party models and adds motion to them. It can be a bit of a mysterious process, and importing is often long-winded<br />
LightWave 3D 8 £945 NewTek, www.newtek.<strong>com</strong>, www.newtek-europe.<strong>com</strong>/uk M | W Oct <strong>04</strong> 4.0<br />
Version 8 of this 3D suite has new character animation tools including bone editing and rigging enhancements, plus an IK booster and loads more<br />
Messiah:animate 4.0 $595 pmG Worldwide, projectmessiah.<strong>com</strong> Windows Aug <strong>04</strong> 4.0<br />
A worthy update with a focus on workflow and rendering speed, but new features such as fur-&-hair creation and fake radiosity are impressive<br />
Maya 6 from £1,449 Alias, alias.<strong>com</strong>, 01494 441 273 M | W | L Oct <strong>04</strong> 4.5<br />
Maya is the industry-standard high-end 3D effects and character animation tool. Its workflow is creative and experimental, but hugely powerful<br />
MojoWorld 3.0 from $199 Pandromeda, www.pandromeda.<strong>com</strong>, 001 3<strong>04</strong> 788 7818 M | W Mar 05 4.0<br />
Powerful fractal scene generator that generates whole planets with local overrides. Pro version adds vegetation and animated textures<br />
MotionBuilder 6 from £645 Alias, www.alias.<strong>com</strong>, 01494 441 273 M | W Feb 05 4.0<br />
Imports 3D character-models for animating. There’s expanded keyframe features in version 6, along with enhanced character manipulation<br />
Nat FX v2 £750 Bionatics, www.bionatics.<strong>com</strong>, 0033 149 691 220 Windows Dec <strong>04</strong> 4.5<br />
A true high-end solution for creating and animating 3D foliage. A superb system, costly, but the animation is the best we’ve seen<br />
Realsoft 3D 5 €600 Realsoft, www.realsoft.<strong>com</strong>, 00358 3212 9913 Windows Mar 05 3.5<br />
This 3D package will attract new<strong>com</strong>ers to 3D with its educational pricing plan, but it’s Windows-only, and has a steep learning curve<br />
Shade 7 £552 Curious Labs, www.curiouslabs.<strong>com</strong> @ CU, 020 8200 8282 M | W Jan 05 3.0<br />
Full function 3D modeller and renderer for a reasonable price. Integrates with Poser, ArchiCAD, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Not as easy to use as it looks<br />
SketchUp 4.0 £345 @Last Software, www.sketchup.<strong>com</strong> @ CU, 020 8200 8282 M | W Sep <strong>04</strong> 4.0<br />
@Last adds an intuitive push/pull tool to this easy-to-use design software. One of the easiest 3D graphics programs to master<br />
Softimage|XSI 4.0 from £299 Softimage, www.softimage.<strong>com</strong>, 01753 655 999 W | L Oct <strong>04</strong> 4.5<br />
Powerful 3D modelling and animation suite that boasts one of the best renderers available. Great workflow and interface makes this a top package<br />
Strata CX $695 Strata, www.strata.<strong>com</strong> @ Grey Matter, 0870 366 5577 M | W Feb 05 4.0<br />
This 3D modelling, animation and rendering suite is easy to use, and the familiar interface and high-quality rendering make Strata a good buy<br />
SpeedTree £215 IDV, www.idvinc.<strong>com</strong>, 001 803 233 0073 Windows Dec <strong>04</strong> 3.5<br />
This 3DS Max plug-in generates animatable, realistic trees, though not as realistic as the more expensive Nat FX<br />
Swift 3D 4 £149 Electric Rain, www.erain.<strong>com</strong>, 001 303 543 8233 Windows Sep <strong>04</strong> 4.5<br />
Rendering times are a bit slow, but this is a versatile and easy-to-use 3D-to-Web application. Good quality animation tools and Flash importer<br />
Vue 5 Esprit £171 E-on Software, www.e-onsoftware.<strong>com</strong>, 0033 143 553 671 M | W Feb 05 4.0<br />
This landscape-generation software is more expensive than its rivals, and requires OpenGL hardware for best results. Good output and features, though<br />
World Construction Set 6 £650 3D Nature, www.3dnature.<strong>com</strong> @ N Light, 0117 9<strong>04</strong> 9452 M | W Jun <strong>04</strong> 4.5<br />
Arguably the best 3D landscaping program, but not that intuitive. Fiercely detailed, you need the mind of a geographer to get the best from it<br />
Xfrog £220 Greenworks, www.greenworks.de, 0<strong>04</strong>9 3<strong>04</strong>6 7963 31 M | W Dec <strong>04</strong> 4.0<br />
A novel system for creating trees and plants and very logical and intuitive in use. Animation is on offer: you can simulate growth effects and wind<br />
ZBrush 2 £270 Pixologic, www.pixologic.<strong>com</strong> @ Freehand, 01483 200 111 M | W Feb 05 4.5<br />
A novel and innovative hybrid 2D/2.5D/3D modelling, painting, and rendering program with lightning fast, high-resolution polygon tools<br />
Desktop publishing software<br />
Acrobat 6 Professional £339 Adobe, www.adobe.co.uk, 020 8606 4001 M | W <strong>Digit</strong> 63 4.5<br />
Acrobat 6 is split into two versions, with Professional offering advanced features for print, which should make it a key part of your design workflow<br />
SPOTLIGHT: 3D MODELLING AND ANIMATION SOFTWARE<br />
SOLUTIONS FROM £1,000-£5,000<br />
DISCREET 3DS MAX 7<br />
Version 7 incorporates Normal Bump Mapping,<br />
Subsurface Scattering, and the <strong>com</strong>plete<br />
Character Studio 4 character-animation package<br />
ALIAS MAYA 6<br />
Maya 6 might not have added many headline<br />
additions, but the upgrade does deliver good<br />
workflow enhancements and refinements<br />
SOFTIMAGE|XSI 4.0<br />
A professional 3D tool with features tuned to<br />
match its price tag – revamped hair tools,<br />
particle dynamics, and nonlinear animation<br />
NEWTEK LIGHTWAVE 8<br />
Version 8 sees numerous hard and soft-body<br />
dynamics improvements, says NewTek, along<br />
with cloth and workflow enhancements<br />
BBC’s digital people<br />
Aardman projected 3D<br />
models onto real people in<br />
its ad for the BBC’s digital<br />
multichannel services. The<br />
technique involved using<br />
elements of real faces to<br />
create the characters<br />
SPOTLIGHT: 3D MODELLING AND ANIMATION SOFTWARE<br />
SOLUTIONS FROM UNDER £1,000<br />
MAXON CINEMA 4D 9<br />
One of the best 3D applications available, and<br />
ideal for learning the craft. Version 9 includes<br />
many improvements, including N-gon support<br />
EOVIA CARRARA 4 PRO<br />
A shallow learning curve and impressive feature<br />
set make Carrara 4 Pro a good addition to your<br />
creative toolbox<br />
BIONATICS NAT FX V2<br />
A true high-end solution for creating and<br />
animating 3D foliage. Offers just about every<br />
feature you can think of for animating vegetation<br />
ELECTRIC RAIN SWIFT 3D 4<br />
This 3D-to-Web software is versatile and easy<br />
to use. Version 4 sees a vastly improved polygon<br />
modelling environment and better gallery options<br />
KAYDARA MOTIONBUILDER 6<br />
A <strong>com</strong>prehensive tool that allows you import<br />
models from other applications and add<br />
real-time animation to them<br />
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