Issue: SIGGRAPH 2006 - DAY 1

DARWIN DIMENSIONS AUTOMATES CREATION OF 3D CHARACTER MODELS

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.