Autodesk Previews Biped "Super Plug-In" for 3D Studio MAX; First "Core Component" Enables...

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 8, 1995--At SIGGRAPH 95 (Booth No. 1631), Autodesk, Inc. today previewed Biped(TM), a revolutionary 3D character animation product which operates within 3D Studio MAX(TM), the next generation of 3D Studio for Windows NT(TM), also announced today (see separate release).

The Biped software combines several technology firsts with very advanced Inverse kinematics (IK) and skinning functions to make any two-legged character move at any pace, with corresponding gate, arm swings and center-of-gravity dynamics. Although Biped operates within 3D Studio MAX, it will be sold separately. Autodesk said that 3D Studio MAX and Biped would ship in Q1 1996, but did not disclose pricing information.

Biped software lets animators easily create subtle and sophisticated forms of motion by establishing and manipulating a set of footprints. By changing the position and time on the ground of one footprint from the next, a creature can be made to walk, run, stagger, dance, jump, flip, or an infinite variety of these and other movements. For example, by rotating a pair of footprints to face in the opposite direction from the last, a character can be made to spin in the air to land on the footprints correctly. Users can also emphasize or add new, idiosyncratic motions at any time after Biped generates its default keyframes.

"The power of Biped is in the artistic control it provides to the animator," said Robert Lurye, an animation specialist at Rhythm & Hues in Los Angeles, who is independently utilizing Biped. "While Biped is extremely capable at automating many parts of the character animation process, it's also flexible enough to incorporate new information from the user, and seamlessly integrate that data throughout the process. It's a generation beyond motion capture and IK in terms of flexibility and artistic control."

The Biped software is the first "core component" for 3D Studio MAX to be introduced. It illustrates the ease with which the next generation of 3D Studio for Windows NT can be extended by third-party developers, or in this case, a small development team contracted by Autodesk. Most importantly, Biped exemplifies the very deep layers of 3D Studio MAX that can be accessed by developers when building extensions to it. To facilitate creation of core components and plug-ins by third-party developers and sophisticated customers, Autodesk will ship 3D Studio MAX software's API (Applications Programming Interface) with each copy sold.