It has an excellent architecture, and some killer animation tools. Overall, this software holds great promise. I also expected to see the interface that Softimage demonstrated a few years ago as “Twister,” which was an interactive interface for Mental Ray. Softimage|3D never had the shader balls that are so common in other packages, and XSI doesn’t either, making it difficult to fine-tune shaders. Animators shouldn’t be doing this-the task should be automated. Users still will need to manually write expressions (or set up Linked Parameters) to create an interface for controlling the tools. By offering tools for positioning, cycling, scaling, warping, bouncing, and mixing multiple animation channels, the Animation Mixer enables animators to manage animation and motion-capture data quickly and efficiently, and therefore puts Softimage|XSI at the cutting edge of animation. XSI boasts an excellent nonlinear animation editor, the Animation Mixer. You also can create an IK chain from a curve, then use the curve to animate the chain. XSI ships with two solvers, but you can implement custom solvers as plug-ins. Improvements in inverse kinematics include a friendlier user interface for setting joint limits and behaviors, and support for different types of IK solvers. When you use the paint tool in conjunction with the push deformer, you get a modeling tool that enables you to sculpt surfaces. You assign these weights using a paint tool, which you also can use to paint almost any type of property-deformations, NURBS weights, etc. Sub-object editing in XSI is powerful because deformations can be weighted. One welcome addition to the toolkit are stock deformers, such as bend, bulge, shear, twist, and taper, which you can apply to all or part of an object. Modeling in Softimage|XSI is NURBS based. For example, having a character’s teeth drop as a slider when the jaw is lowered is accomplished simply by linking the motion of the teeth to the jaw. For custom script writing, Softimage|XSI supports several standard languages, including Perl, VBScript, and Java Script.įor animators who don’t like writing expressions, Softimage|XSI includes Linked Parameters, which enable you to create relations between objects. To create a custom button, for example, simply highlight the commands and drag them to a toolbar. Scripting is a new feature that enables you to write custom scripts and interfaces quickly and easily. You also can create and add custom toolbars at will. Other interface tweaks include the ability to float windows such as the Scene Explorer, Schematic window, and Animation Editor above the workspace. Most tools, including deformations, are non-destructive and are manipulated through Softimage’s Properties panel, enabling you to tweak object modifications at any time. Those familiar with object-oriented packages such as Maya, Max, and Houdini will be happy that Softimage is now part of the club. As in Softimage|3D, most functions are accessed through a series of buttons running vertically along the left side of the application. Seasoned Softimage users should take to the new interface-which includes features such as object orientation and floating windows-fairly quickly. A few are already slated for inclusion in Version 1.5, which was in beta at press time. Some of those waiting to be added are polygonal modeling with subdivision surfaces, a dope sheet, and advanced NURBS modeling tools such as trims and blends. Like a newly constructed building, Softimage|XSI’s architecture is there, but not all the features have moved in yet. Softimage’s new interface retains the feel of the original but adds a number of new features, including floating windows.įor any software company, a ground-up rewrite such as this is painful. The software comes in two versions: the Essentials package, reviewed here, and Soft image|XSI Advanced, which includes integrated particles, soft bodies, and an additional Mental Ray license. The software codenamed Sumatra now goes by the name of Softimage|XSI, and it includes many of the company’s high-end animation tools, plus a nice user interface and numerous new features including scripting, paintable deformations, and nonlinear animation. From Computer Graphics World, January 2001 (volume 24, issue 01) Softimage|XSIĪfter many years and two changes of ownership, Softimage finally released its long-awaited successor to Softimage|3D.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |