NaturalMotion Ltd. announced the forthcoming release of endorphin 2.5, the newest version of its award-winning character animation software based on Dynamic Motion Synthesis (DMS) technology. Now being previewed at SIGGRAPH in Los Angles, the release offers new transitioning, blending and behavior features, as well as enhancements to asset repurposing tools and improved FBX support.
"endorphin’s unique DMS and Adaptive Behavior technology allows animators to experience the sheer speed of simulation without giving up any control," says NaturalMotion CEO Torsten Reil. "In addition to synthesizing scenes from scratch, endorphin 2.5’s new features allow users to make their existing animations, like walk cycles, interactive."
According to the company, the new Transition Event enables seamless blending from simulation back into existing animations, such as run cycles, allowing users to create entire animation sequences within endorphin. Another enhanced feature is the new Active Animation Event, which allows animation data to drive the muscles of a character. Used together, these two features can be utilized to create more dynamic blends than traditional kinematic blending can provide.
The enhanced Rig Event is designed to provide more flexible character rigs for simultaneously mixing animation and simulation, and for advanced dynamic retargeting. Users can choose which degrees of freedom they wish to retarget, and endorphin’s dynamic solver will resolve the rest of the motion. Enhancements have also been made to the Collision Mode and Character Edit Mode.
NaturalMotion’s endorphin is the only character animation software to utilize DMS, a technology based on artificial intelligence controllers that imitate the human nervous system and essentially allow characters to animate themselves in real time. Version 2.5 will be available in October 2005 for $12,795. Customers can also rent endorphin on a monthly basis for $1,595. For more information, go to www.naturalmotion.com and visit them at SIGGRAPH at booth #1760.
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