“Softimage Mod Tool gives the next generation of game artists access to professional tools, so they can learn while making their own games or game mods,” said Marc Stevens, Autodesk Media & Entertainment vice president, games. “Game developers can also use the software to extend the life of a game by building a community of modders. Game mods can go on to become commercial games in their own right, and they can be used by developers to identify talent for recruiting purposes.”

New Features in Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool 7.5
o New learning materials: Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 comes with training
materials from Noesis Interactive. These materials show users how to create a character and export it for use in Microsoft XNA Games Studio 3.0.

o New real-time shading API (application programming interface): Softimage
Mod Tool 7.5 supports the Realtime Shader API version 3.0, which helps make real-time shader development simpler and more flexible. The new version offers an architecture focused on programmable shaders (GLSL, HLSL) and file-based effects (CgFX and DxFX). With these capabilities, what game developers see in Softimage Mod Tool is what they get in the game.

o Interactive Creative Environment (ICE): ICE is an open, scalable platform
that enables artists to extend the capabilities of Softimage more quickly and intuitively using a node-based dataflow diagram. Artists can now quickly create complex 3D effects and tools without writing code.

o Support for Windows Vista operating system: Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool
7.5 now supports the Windows Vista Business operating system.

Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool (formerly XSI Mod Tool) software is a free 3D modeling and animation package for creating non‐commercial games and “modding” (modifying games). Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 is based on the same professional toolset found in Autodesk Softimage 7.5, used by game developers to create 3D characters, levels, props and animation. Game developers can use Softimage Mod Tool toextend the life of games and recruit talent with a modding community using. Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 exports to Microsoft XNA and add‐ons are available that enable export to Crytek CryENGINE 2, Valve Source and Epic Unreal Engine 3.

Realtime Shading API
Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 gives users unprecedented power in a free tool. A new realtime shading API
supports programmable shaders (GLSL, HLSL) and file‐based effects (CgFX and DxFX). This gives game
developers “what you see is what you get” (WYSIWYG) abilities when programming custom shader
effects, so that what you see in Softimage Mod Tool, is what you get in the game.

ICE – now in Mod Tool!
ICE (Interactive Creative Environment) is an open, scalable platform that enables you to extend the
capabilities of Softimage more quickly and intuitively using a node‐based dataflow diagram. This
paradigm means that 3D artists can create complex 3D effects and tools extremely quickly without
writing code.

Create Compelling 3D Content for Microsoft XNA and Major Game Engines Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 can export 3D models and animation for use with the Microsoft XNA Game Studio 3 framework. Fledgling or independent game developers now have access to a professional toolset for creating original games on the Microsoft Xbox console or Windows platform.

Users can also download add-ons for content export to Crytek CryENGINE 2, Epic Unreal Engine 3 and Valve Source game engines. With this professional 3D toolset modders can produce characters and props for their favorite game.

Commercial Version for Microsoft Xbox Live Community Games Available Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool Pro 7.5 software is functionally identical to the Mod Tool, but has an End User License Agreement that allows users to produce assets for games sold via Microsoft’s Xbox Live Community Games.
Autodesk Softimage Mod Tool Pro 7.5 is available only with Microsoft’s XNA Creator’s Club Premium membership. For more information visit http://creators.xna.com.

Availability
Autodesk anticipates that Softimage Mod Tool 7.5 software will be available in April 2009. For more information, visit www.softimage.com/products/modtool.

*Free products are subject to the terms and conditions of the end-user license agreement that accompanies the software.

Autodesk Softimage and XSI are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

Main Header Image Credit
Fable II – Angry Hobbes
Image courtesy of Lionhead Studios.

“Autodesk middleware products offer a solution to common runtime challenges, allowing development teams to concentrate on the creative work involved in authoring amazing new gameplay experiences,” said Marc Stevens, Autodesk vice president, games. “For example, HumanIK helps to alleviate the burden of large clip libraries by enabling procedural motion adaption, which reduces the number of clips animators need to produce and maintain. With Kynapse, programmers can avoid the development time and costs involved in writing custom runtime solutions for universal AI issues, like spatial awareness.”

Autodesk Kynapse 6: Put the Brain in Your Game Autodesk Kynapse middleware is a leading AI solution for game development and real-time simulations. With this middleware, developers can conveniently breathe life into games with characters that have spatial awareness, dynamic 3D pathfinding capabilities and team coordination.

Kynapse was recently adopted by Mythic Entertainment, an EA studio, for “Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning.” “The huge world of ‘Warhammer’ meant we needed a very robust pathfinding solution,” said Matt Shaw, CTO. “Our entire player movement system is built around enabling players to go wherever they are capable of reaching. Autodesk Kynapse gave us an algorithmic exploration solution that enabled our AI-driven actors to path with the same constraints and freedom as players.”

Autodesk Kynapse middleware is a world leading, artificial intelligence (AI) solution for game
development and real‐time simulations. The above scenario demonstrates three key functionalities of Kynapse: spatial reasoning (the bodyguards locate at run‐time, in 3D, threatening zones), team coordination (team members share information) and 3D pathfinding (bodyguards navigate in between the threat and the VIP).

Enhanced Dynamic 3D Pathfinding Kynapse 6 delivers best‐in‐class, dynamic 3D pathfinding that allow characters to find their way around 3D worlds that change. In the above image, planks are added and characters can find their way into the new areas automatically.

Flat Pathfinding Mode A new flat pathfinding mode significantly simplifies the implementation of 3D pathfinding using streamed navigation data.

Hierarchical 3D Pathfinding Kynapse 6 now includes a fully hierarchical 3D pathfinding solution that is capable of computing paths of limitless length on huge maps: maps that cannot possibly be loaded into memory in their entirety.Hierarchical 3D pathfinding computations use hierarchical data that describes large areas of differing resolutions. This data is automatically generated by the Kynapse Pathdata generation tool. Results are computed with different levels of detail, saving on CPU usage and memory consumption on the target platform.

The intelligent, high‐performance Autodesk Kynapse artificial intelligence (AI) engine was designed to handle large crowds in wide, complex, destructible environments. It supports automatic, hierarchical data generation, automatic data stitching and data streaming.

Kynapse 6 delivers new features that make it easier for game engineers to integrate the software and get results.
o Remote Debugger: The new remote debugging tool enables users to inspect
the state of the game variables, with an interactive 3D view of the debug information. Users can also record and replay sequences, while retaining access to the data in the recorded files
o New 3D Pathfinding Technology: The “flat” pathfinding technology
introduced in this release offers simplified data generation workflows, more flexible runtime data streaming, and the ability to add new paths on-the-fly at runtime.
o Improved MMO support: Data resources and runtime services can now be
shared across multiple Kynapse worlds, improving support for Massively Multiplayer On-line games
o Enhanced Dynamic 3D Pathfinding: With improved CPU performance and
granular control over memory consumption, characters can more easily avoid dynamic, movable obstacles
o Hierarchical 3D Pathfinding: Characters can now plan paths that span the
entire breadth of huge maps, even when those maps cannot be loaded in their entirety. The path is first computed at a low level of detail, and then refined opportunistically when more detailed data becomes available, keeping memory usage within set limits

For more information about Autodesk Kynapse 6, visit www.autodesk.com/kynapse.

AUTODESK HUMANIK 4
Autodesk HumanIK 4: Believable, Runtime Character Animation HumanIK animation middleware frees animators from having to produce every possible animation clip by procedurally adapting existing character animation to game environments at runtime. Also, the technology’s runtime retargeting enables developers to reuse banks of animation on characters of completely different scales and proportions. As a result, development teams can save time for more creative challenges.

Furthermore, HumanIK enhances animation systems by enabling characters to interact more realistically with the game environment. Characters place their feet correctly, climb walls and pick up objects, even when the game environment changes. With fewer gameplay constraints, HumanIK helps to bring games to life with more believable and immersive character animation experiences.

The latest release – Autodesk HumanIK 4 – delivers a User Guide and a new set of examples, integrated with the Trinigy Vision game engine. It also improves knee response to ankle rotations. For more information about HumanIK 4, visit www.autodesk.com/humanik.

Create high‐quality, believable character animation
HumanIK enhances animation systems by enabling characters to interact more realistically with the game environment. Characters place their feet correctly, climb walls, pick up weapons and objects, even when the game environment changes. With less gameplay constraints, HumanIK brings games to life with more believable and immersive character animation experiences.

Enhance animators’ productivity with procedural motion adaptation and retargeting.
By procedurally adapting existing character animation to game environments at run‐time, HumanIK frees animators from having to produce every combination of animation ‐‐ saving time for more creative challenges. Run‐time retargeting allows you to reuse banks of animation on characters of completely different scales and proportions.

New sample framework This version of HumanIK provides a new set of examples integrated with the Trinigy Vision™ game engine, showing how to carry out inverse kinematics and retargeting in a simple concrete implementation.

Platform Support and Availability
HumanIK 4 is now available. Autodesk anticipates that Kynapse 6 will be available during spring 2009. Both middleware products are optimized for PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii video game and entertainment consoles, as well as PCs running Windows or Linux. Kynapse is also optimized for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PSP game consoles.

About Autodesk

Autodesk, Inc., is a world leader in 2D and 3D design software for the manufacturing, building and construction, and media and entertainment markets. Since its introduction of AutoCAD software in 1982, Autodesk has developed the broadest portfolio of state-of-the-art Digital Prototyping solutions to help customers experience their ideas before they are real.

Fortune 1000 companies rely on Autodesk for the tools to visualize, simulate and analyze real-world performance early in the design process to save time and money, enhance quality and foster innovation. For additional information about Autodesk, visit www.autodesk.com.

Autodesk, AutoCAD, HumanIK and Kynapse are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders. Autodesk reserves the right to alter product offerings and specifications at any time without notice, and is not responsible for typographical or graphical errors that may appear in this document.

Main Header & Thumbnail Image Credit:
Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning – courtesy of Mythic Entertainment, an EA Studio.

The Click team provided the 3D animation to help transport visitors through and across the base in an immersive, full motion journey, combining life-like graphics with MRM’s interactive hotspots linked to live action webisodes enhancing the realism and depth of the online experience.

Each hotspot identifies the on-base location of key members of the Army team, from Special Forces and field artillery to military police and astronauts, while the corresponding live action pieces provide the back story and support explaining their crucial roles in the Army. These transitions through the animated base and into the webisode locations are the key components to the site’s cutting-edge multi-sensory action and showcase the future of integrated online experiences.

Click’s team of designers and animators collaborated to enhance and enliven the interactive footage for seamless integration provided by MRM into the multimedia site. The dirt-ridden, rough look and feel of the visuals helps fully capture the exhilarating base experience, inspired by actual military locations in Kentucky and Colorado.

“This project is an excellent example of how tight integration with several contributors to a large site like goarmy.com can really be effective. Working on different ends of the creative process, we were all really challenged to develop distinct animated elements that complement each other and build a strong, exciting mood, but that also flow flawlessly into one cohesive, immersive experience. ” Creative Director Steve Tozzi.

About Click 3X:
New York-based Click 3X produces cutting-edge visual solutions for commercials, feature films, television, music videos, and broadcast clients around the globe. Founded in 1993, Click 3X has become one of the preeminent providers of innovative media content, housed in an environment led by artists, yet supported by one of the most technologically advanced digital studios in the industry.

With award-winning design, powerful visual effects, and a visionary animation team, Click 3X has worked on array of diverse highly-recognizable projects, including a series of films from academy-award winning directors like Jonathan Demme and Davis Guggenheim, a recent multimedia package for eight HD Time Warner spots, My Home 2.0, a five episode reality TV series for Verizon Fios, and a long line of recent commercials for major brands such as Sharp, Ford, and Goodyear.

In addition to Click 3X’s commercial and film expertise, their interactive design studio, ClickFire Media, specializes in multi-platform, media-rich interactive campaigns. CFM partners with agencies and entertainment industry clients in the conceptualization, design, and development of immersive branded experiences.

CREDITS
Client: U.S. Army
Agency: MRM/McCann Erickson Worldwide

Prod Company: Smuggler

Post/Effects: Click 3X
Creative Director: Steve Tozzi
Head of CG/Technical Director: Anthony Filipakis
CG Animator(s): Tom Hurlburt, Kristen Pederson, Susan Taffe,
Jongmoon Woo
CG Modeler(s): Jack Lai, Kevin Shen
CG Lighter(s): Sung Kim, Grace Hwang
Matte Painter: Paul Liaw
Flame Compositor(s): John Budion, Aaron Vasquez
Executive Producer: Jason Mayo
Producer: Jared Yeater

RELATED LINKS
www.goarmy.com

www.click3x.com

New Deal also produced the photography of the visuals for the commercial and interactive website, while Matthew Gratzner, Creative Director and Co-Founder, designed and directed the visuals for the interactive website.

Both the “Halo 3″ television commercial and the interactive web site allow viewers to explore a 1,200 square-foot (1:12 scale) diorama, created by New Deal Studios, of a historic “Halo” moment, the Battle of New Mombasa. The elements combine to make myth and hero of protagonist Master Chief and infuse historical depth to the “Halo” story, in an attempt to broaden the game’s demographic beyond loyal gamers.

McCann San Francisco & T.A.G. worked with Director Rupert Sanders of MJZ for the live-action production of the television commercial; New Deal Studios for the creation and photography of the 30′ x 40′ diorama; and Stan Winston for the creation of 650 realistic figurines. New Deal designed and built the diorama in an incredibly short, four-week timeframe under the creative direction of Matthew Gratzner. Photography for the commercial occurred over one week and the interactive website visuals, directed by Gratzner, was a 3-day shoot. The diorama was comprised of the vast landscapte, still–frame explosions, buildings, destruction debris, freeway sections, Banshee, Scorpion and Warthog Vehicles.

For Matthew Gratzner, Co-Founder and Creative Supervisor, of New Deal Studios, this “Believe” campaign was a rewarding opportunity to apply his team of artists’ talents from the feature film arena to the commercial, interactive and gaming worlds. “Being asked to build by hand a commemorative battle from this popular gaming experience was something that had never been done before,” comments Gratzner. “So it was a great honor to create what really is an art piece, and a frozen moment in time, all practically without the use of visual or digital effects.”

Gratzner notes that the best part is the overwhelming positive feedback from die-hard fans, as well as new followers of the ‘Halo’ saga, who are most excited by the diorama’s “authenticity.” So much so, that the diorama is scheduled to tour around the country at “Halo 3″ launch events, as well as several museums.