Story Filed: Monday, May 22, 2000 4:35 PM EST
MINNEAPOLIS, MN, May 22, 2000 (INTERNET WIRE via COMTEX) — LambSoft, Inc., introduces a Pipeline Productivity Pack for large game development projects requiring both motion capture and file translation between the top 3D animation packages; discreet 3d studio max, MAYA and SOFTIMAGE 3D.
Designed to streamline the production of large projects, the LambSoft Pipeline Productivity Pack is a bundle of ProMotion and all of the spokes of MoveTools at a specially priced bundle for 10 animation seats. Normally $58,000, the LambSoft Productivity Pack is priced at $19,995 for a limited time. A monthly rental option of $650 a seat is available for smaller or less time intensive projects. All rental fees can be applied to a purchase within 90 days.
ProMotion, a plug-in to discreet 3d studio max, is a full feature animators tool-kit for working with motion capture data. Designed in a real world production environment it provides the most artistic and effective tools available allowing the animator to clean, filter, and edit motion capture data, to apply the data to any character, blend the moves together and change the timing of sequences. The beauty of motion capture data is that it contains all the nuances of the performers motions. To maintain these subtleties the data must be dense making it difficult to edit with standard key frame editing tools, ProMotion also includes a special curve editor SWURVE specifically designed for filtering and drawing over dense motion capture data. Sometimes motion capture doesn’t always capture your complete vision so ProMotion allows you to key frame on top of the motion capture data. You can also use 3d studio max expression mapping or MaxScript commands to expand the functionality of ProMotion.
Matthew Wynn of EA Sports; “Thanks to ProMotion I was able to… (deep breath) organize and direct a shoot in about a week;…All in all it was the fastest turn around we’ve had from idea to shoot, to in-game. I think the marketing dept. here is planning on stressing that we have the coolest looking pit-crew ever. YEAH!!!”
MoveTools, a plug-in to discreet 3d studio max, MAYA, and SOFTIMAGE 3D, allows the animator to transfer and convert cameras, lights, motion, hierarchies, skeletons, geometry (polygons & NURBS), material names and texture coordinates between animation packages. This enables animators in time-pressured production environments to split the production pipeline among multiple animators working simultaneously on character modeling, scene building and animation and create workflow transparency between different hardware and software platforms.
“LambSoft MoveTools has rapidly become an integral element in the pre-visualization of the ‘Lord Of The Rings’ ” says Sean Mathieson of Weta Digital Ltd. “It gives us the opportunity to quickly experiment with many shot possibilities using cost effective software & hardware and then, once pinpointed, easily and efficiently transfer that animation into the Weta production pipelines. The process allows us to dramatically increase our overall shot quality while keeping production costs under control. MoveTools fits in like a jigsaw piece, connecting necessary extremes.”
LambSoft Inc. is a leader in motion compositing and motion integration products. LambSoft software products also include ProMotion and SMIRK. LambSoft customers include game development, animation production and special visual effects companies around the world including Electronic Arts, Weta Digital, MicroProse Software, Saffire Corp., Pyros Pictures, Digital Anvil, Rainbow Studios and others.
Thanks to Aiglios for the news!
