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.

"The level of integration we were able to achieve with Biped and 3D Studio MAX sets a new precedent in plug-in technology," said Biped lead developer Michael Girard. "The way 3DS MAX is architected, we've been able to tap into much of its core functionality, saving us the time and expense of building separate real-time rendering, object transformation, and timeline and function curve editing mechanisms into Biped. Biped thus acts as a natural extension of 3D Studio MAX software, seamlessly integrating with the `core product' from the user's perspective."

Advanced Features

Biped combines three essential features for the production of high quality 3D character animation involving two-legged creatures:

Step-Driven Animation: Given a sequence of footprints, along with their timing, Biped generates an initial rough sketch of the keyframes for a movement. Changing the positions of these footprints results in a change in the associated creature's motion, as it precisely follows the footprint positions.

Free-Form Keyframing: The user may add or alter keyframes of Biped software's initial "rough sketch" in a free-form manner, changing any motion associated with the target creature. Keyframes and footprints can be modified independently. Biped's flexibility lets the animator adjust footprint locations and timing at any point during the animation development process by adapting the keyframed motions to match the changes made to the footprints.

Physics-Based Interpolation: Unlike spline-based schemes employed by other animation systems, Biped software's keyframe interpolation specifically takes into account the kinematics and dynamics of a two-legged creature under the influence of gravity (which is user definable).

Biped software also includes a skeletal/skin deformation module which lets animators create seamless joints and realistic (or stylized) muscles and body mass changes in a character as it moves over time. Targeted at very high-end character animation users and applications, and code-named "Skinemation," this feature can also be used on any 3D Studio MAX objects and creatures in addition to those generated by Biped.

"With its revolutionary product 3D Studio MAX, Autodesk has further refined and dramatically expanded its extensible architecture to make 3D media more accessible to both users and plug-in developers than ever before," said Tim Forcade, president of Forcade & Associates and author of the book The 3D Studio IPAS Plug-Ins Reference. "3D Studio MAX offers seamless interaction not only with its native processes but also with plug-ins created by 3rd party developers; in fact it will often be difficult to discern any difference -- one of the primary goals in plug-in development."

Autodesk's Multimedia Market Group develops and delivers affordable digital media products for professionals such as film and video producers, video/computer game developers, architects, engineers, and designers. The leader in PC-based multimedia tools, the Group provides a full range of products for the application development process, from 2D and 3D creation to assembly and delivery.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geographic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 118 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk System Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide. For more information on Autodesk, please call 415-507-5000 or type GO ADESK on CompuServe(R), or login with a World Wide Web browser at http://www/autodesk.com. -0-

Note to Editors: Autodesk, the Autodesk logo and AutoCAD are registered trademarks, and 3D Studio MAX and Biped are trademarks, of Autodesk, Inc. Windows NT is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. CompuServe is a registered trademark of H & R Block. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Autodesk, Inc.

Garth Chouteau, 415/507-5885

chouteg@autodesk.com