Global

New Interactive Creative Environment (ICE) will transform SOFTIMAGE|XSI software from a 3D application to a highly extensible platform, allowing customers to code less and create more

MONTREAL, QuEbec, July 7, 2008 Softimage Co., a part of Avid Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVID), today announced SOFTIMAGE |XSI  7, the latest version of its professional 3D animation software for games, film and television. SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7 software will introduce a transformative open platform called ICE, designed to capture the infinitely creative vision of content producers. With a visual interface and an easy-to-use node-based programming model, users will be able to quickly create complex visual effects. ICE will allow artists to explore, learn and modify the robust library of particle-based visual effects and deformation tools that will ship in SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7 software, or simply build new ones from scratch.

High-quality 3D content plays an increasingly important role in todays films, games, and TV productionsand Softimage understands that content producers visions are larger than any 3D package can deliver out-of-the box, said Marc Stevens, general manager of Softimage and vice president of Avid Technology, Inc. Until today, trade-offs had to be made between fulfilling all creative intent and the cost of extending existing 3D packages via scripting and plug-in tools. The Softimage ICE platform will allow content producers to easily create, modify and deploy complex tools and effects more efficiently than ever before. Powered by our Gigacore II engine, ICE will utilize all the available processing power on todays multi-core workstations for ultimate scalabilitymaximizing the return on hardware investment.

Multi-Threaded GigaCore II

Powering the ICE platform in SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7 software will be the GigaCore II, a parallel processing engine that will deliver optimum performance on any modern workstation. Designed from the ground up to take advantage of multi-core workstations, the Softimage ICE platform will directly scale with the number and speed of processing cores available.   

The first time I built an ICE particle compound in SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7, I was amazed, said Fabio Leporelli, senior lighting and fur technical director at Peerless Camera Company, Ltd. (UK). What used to take hours, or days of tedious scripting, I was able to create in minutes with the Softimage ICE platform. I never imagined it would be possible to create such complex particle simulations so easilyand I was only using about 5% of the processor power available. Thank you Softimage.

SOFTIMAGE ICE Particles and Deformations

Softimage will offer numerous pre-built, production-ready ICE compounds for particle-based effects and deformations that will allow artists to jump right into production. Unlike tools in other 3D systems, these pre-built compounds are open, and will allow users to examine and learn how they workand even modify them. Customers who create their own ICE compounds can share them in their facility or with the global community on SOFTIMAGE|NET, in either an open XML format, or a locked binary file to protect their Intellectual Property (IP).

Other new features in SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7:

• Support for mental ray v.3.6 with new rendering stand-ins that will allow users to offload objects along with rigged and animated characters to the disk until render time, resulting in light-weight scene assembly for much larger rendered scenes, and optimized controls for final gathering and global illumination

* Delta IIa major update to the lightweight referencing system in SOFTIMAGE|XSI, with enhanced support for clusters and cluster properties, including materials, textures and UVs

* RTS III -- a new Real-Time Shading architecture that will allow fragment and vertex shaders to exist in one node, and will be programmable and controllable from any ICE attribute

* Streamlined licensing process  dongle-less, with a new temporary licensing fail-safe feature

Screenshots:

Additionally, Softimage will include new features and enhancements specifically influenced and requested by customers during their production cycles. SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7 will ship with a FREE Training DVD with Official Softimage Training Material provided exclusively for this newest version by Digital-Tutors. Softimage will also offer many ICE tutorials and demonstration videos that will be posted on the SOFTIIMAGE|NET community training page. For a full list of features and ICE compounds that are expected to ship in SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7software, visit: www.softimage.com.

Availability:

SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7 is expected to be available in Q3 2008. 

Pricing for SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7 Essentials will be USMSRP $2,995.

Pricing for SOFTIMAGE|XSI 7 Advanced will be USMSRP $4,995.

Softimage also offers a compelling maintenance program that provides extended customer support and upgrade advantages. For upgrade pricing and maintenance pricing, please contact a local Softimage reseller or Softimage sales representative at: http://www.softimage.com/buy/.

About Softimage

Softimage is a part of Avid Technology, Inc., and develops leading-edge 3D technology used in customer-centric solutions that enable professionals in the games, film and television industry to realize their creative vision. Award-winning feature films, television productions and top-selling video games are made using Softimage software. Its flagship product, SOFTIMAGE|XSI, is an extensible 3D animation software solution built on the most modern architecture in the industry and is used by leading media and entertainment companies such as Digital Domain, SEGA Corporation, CAPCOM, Animal Logic, and The Mill. Other solutions from Softimage include: SOFTIMAGE|FACE ROBOT^{, lifelike facial animation software; SOFTIMAGE|CAT, a complete character animation plug-in; and SOFTIMAGE Alienbrain, a digital asset management solution for artists;  For more information about Softimage, visit www.softimage.com.}

About Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid is a worldwide leader in tools for film, video, audio, 3D animation, gaming and broadcast professionals as well as for home audio and video enthusiasts. Avid professional and consumer brands include Avid^{, Digidesign, M-Audio, Pinnacle Systems, Sibelius, Softimage and Sundance Digital. The vast majority of primetime television shows, feature films, commercials and chart-topping music hits are made using one or more Avid products. Whether used by seasoned professionals or beginning students, Avids products and services enable customers to work more efficiently, productively and creatively. Avid received an Oscar statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design, and engineering of the Avid Film Composer system for motion picture editing. For more information about the companys Oscar, Grammy and Emmy award-winning products and services, visit www.avid.com.}