Mudbox, FBX also udpated

Autodesk on Tuesday announced Maya 2011, along with updates to its Mudbox and FDX utilities for Mac OS X. The latest version of Maya features a redesigned user-interface based on Nokia Qt, with simpler customization and dockable elements. The graphics core has been revamped to improve performance with complex scenes, while also enhancing the viewport feedback.

A new Camera Sequencer adds multi-camera editing capabilities for pre-visualization and moviemaking production using a Maya timeline. The utility supports AAF and Final Cut Pro edit decision lists (EDLs).

Version 2011 brings a dual quaternion option for smooth skinning, along with interactive volume binding, an enhanced Paint Skin Weights tool, deformer weight mirroring, and a surface falloff mode for the Wrap deformer. Paint and rotoscoping capabilities have also been improved with a new Vector Paint feature.

Mudbox 2011 offers several new tools for deforming and posing models. The latest version also integrates new adjustment brushes for images, along with additional blend modes for paint layers and Vector Displacement map extraction. Users will be able to create higher-quality turntables, or take advantage of improvements to file transfer capabilities with Photoshop.

The company's FBX asset exchange technology has also been updated to v2011, bringing support for additional third-party and proprietary applications. Game designers using Unreal Engine 3 will be able to import FBX files directly into the Unreal Editor, while the Python language now enables FBX integration without C++.

Autodesk Maya 2011 is expected to be available sometime in April, with standalone licenses carrying a price of $3,495. Upgrades from Maya 2010 will be available for $1,745.

by MacNN Staff