The new software version announcements keep rolling in as Avid Technology pulls up the curtain on SOFTIMAGE|XSI version 5.0, the latest incarnation of its flagship 3D animation package. New features being trumpeted include Ultimapper, a map generation tool for quickly producing cinema-quality maps, and GATOR, a unique property transfer system for merging fully textured and animated 3D models.
According to Avid, the advanced character tools in SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 will allow users to easily create and customize unique character rigs, while streamlining the process for making modeling, texturing and rigging changes to characters without re-constructing bones, bone weights or shape animation.
Maya users will find a comprehensive set of migration tools, such as a customizable user interface with new menu, keyboard and mouse navigation properties, all designed to make it easy for Maya artists to use their current skill sets within the Softimage production environment.
In addition to running on standard 32-bit CPUs, SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 will also be available in a native 64-bit configuration. The package has been re-architected to take full advantage of dual-core 64-bit CPUs. It is tightly integrated with version 3.4 of the 64-bit mental ray rendering software.
Other new features of SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 include native XSI Hair, Syflex 3 advanced cloth simulation, high-performance rigid-body dynamics, dotXSI v.5.0 export/import with full source code, and support for shape morphing, subdivision approximation and blind user-data.
SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 is expected to be available in September 2005. Pricing is quoted at $6,995 SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 Advanced, $1,995 for SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 Essentials and $495 for SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 Foundation. More information can be found at www.softimage.com/store.
