BOSTON - Montreal,
Canada's Darwin Dimensions has introduced the Evolver family of software
products, designed to automate the creation of 3D character models. Evolver
introduces productivity increases to animation pipelines by saving time when
compared to building character models manually. The company is offering a free trial
version of the software online at: www.darwindimensions.com.
Using the tool allows animators to quickly create an
assortment of characters by combining and mixing physical attributes derived
from a "virtual gene pool" of pre-built characters. The user can tweak, morph
and customize facial features and body types from an easy-to-use desktop
interface. Resulting character models are made available in several
resolutions. The models are rigged for animation and ready for pipeline
integration into FBX-compatible 3D animation workflows.
All characters are humanoids, and final versions ship with
66 facial expressions, including 12 phonemes for realistic emotions
and lip sync, color bump and specular map textures with a UV unfold, and
balanced geometry for movement that is anatomically and kinetically accurate.
Models are unclothed, hairless, and ready for customization.
The Evolver family will include three releases. Basic
includes Evolver Character Builder, a standalone software tool that allows
users to create proxy character models on their PCs. Production-ready versions
of the users' customized models can be purchased online on an as-needed basis.
Pro includes the Character Builder and the Evolver Output
Generator, allowing users to create proxy characters and generate humanoid
models rigged for animation with blend shapes, expressions and textures. Output
Generator is the rendering engine that outputs final characters and works in
conjunction with Autodesk Maya Complete.
Complete will be the third release available and will allow
customers to integrate proprietary, Maya-built 3D character models into the
Evolver Character Builder ancestor library.
Basic is available as a free download. Pricing for Pro
starts at $4,995 with the capability to output three humanoid models complete
with skeletal rigging, blendshapes, expressions and textures. Geometry-only
versions of Darwin Dimensions' high-quality models start at $49.