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Autodesk Introduces Mudbox 2009 Digital Sculpting and Texture Painting Software Includes Tools for Extreme Detailing of Digital Characters and Objects

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., Aug. 6, 2008 - Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) today launched Autodesk Mudbox 2009 software for 3D modelers and texture artists working on entertainment and design projects. Mudbox combines an intuitive user interface with a powerful toolset for creating highly-detailed 3D models. The software gives artists the freedom to create without worrying about technical details. Mudbox has shaped characters in blockbuster movies and games, including Journey to the Center of the Earth, The Mist and Mass Effect.

Dave Cardwell, Mudbox product designer at Autodesk Media & Entertainment, said, "Our goal is to make early stage digital assets resemble their final 'on-screen' forms as closely as possible. Starting with accurate models makes the production process more efficient and provides a higher-quality end result. For example, you'd want to know early on whether a prominent brow will shadow a character's eyes. That's why Autodesk Mudbox 2009 has texture painting tools and on-target display features; these will help artists build and refine better 3D models."

"The introduction of Autodesk Mudbox 2009 sparks a revolution in computer graphics tools, bringing about a paradigm shift in how designers and artists do their work," said Habib Zargarpour, senior art director at
Electronic Arts.

Dan Platt, modeler at Disney Animation Studios, said, "Time is money. An Autodesk Mudbox session begins with its artist-friendly, intuitive interface. This is sculpting at the speed of thought with the greatest of fidelity. In a business where new ideas with impossible deadlines are commonplace, Mudbox never lets me down."

Whats New

Designed by professional artists in the film, games, and design industries, Autodesk Mudbox 2009 software gives 3D modelers and texture artists the freedom to create without worrying about the technical details. A premier digital sculpting and texture painting solution, Mudbox 2009 combines a highly intuitive user interface with a powerful creative toolset for creating ultra-detailed high-poly 3D models. Breaking the mold of traditional 3D modeling applications, Mudbox 2009 provides an organic brush-based 3D modeling experience that ignites the creative process.

Texture Painting
A new, production-focused texture paint workflow in Autodesk Mudbox digital sculpting and texture painting solution vastly simplifies the process of painting multiple diffuse, bump, specular, and reflection textures across multiple high-resolution maps. Paint directly on 3D models to add detail precisely where its required, regardless of UV distortion or surface complexity. Paint reference images onto the model from screen space using the new Projection brush. Mudbox 2009 also lets you paint multiple maps on multiple meshes simultaneously and assign multiple UV tiles on a single mesh for maximum productivity.

Performance Enhancements
Mudbox 2009 brings 3D modeling to a new height with significantly improved camera manipulation and brush speed, enabling you to work interactively with 3D models that are fully subdivided into tens of millions of polygons.

On-Target Display
Mudbox 2009 brings a host of new display technologies that leverage the power of the OpenGL API and todays powerful graphics cards to offer an accurate, on-target environment for real-time evaluation as the asset is manipulated, and for enhanced interactive presentations to clients and art directors.

Multiple Maps, Textures, and Materials
The Mudbox advanced real-time GPU rendering technology has the power to display multiple maps and texture channels (including bump and reflection) per mesh, and multiple materials in the scene, while still delivering interactive sculpting and painting performance on complex, high-resolution models.

Multiple Fast and Accurate Shadows
The ability to accurately cast shadows from multiple light sources means that artists can validate the effectiveness of their models formfor example, making sure that a characters eyes are not perpetually shadowed by an overly prominent brow or that an environment is convincing from all viewpoints.

High Dynamic Range Image Lighting
HDR (high dynamic range) images can be used as light sources, enabling users to evaluate both the form and the color of their models in the context of the target environments lighting conditions.

Viewport Filters
More realistic interactive presentations are now possible, thanks to the inclusion of a number of viewport filters, including those for ambient occlusion, depth of field, and tone mapping.

Maximized Work Area
Mudbox 2009 provides the option to hide user interface elements while working, and by employing standard hotkeys to control the camera, enables artists to maximize their workspace to fill virtually the entire screen.

Improved Interoperability with Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max
Mudbox 2009 provides enhanced interoperability with Autodesk Maya and Autodesk 3ds Max software through improved matching of Maya and 3ds Max normal maps. Additionally, Mudbox employs by default the same keyboard shortcuts as Autodesk Maya for camera manipulation.

Artist-Friendly User Interface
Mudbox 2009 continues to deliver a highly intuitive user interface that gives you complete creative freedom. Whether youre looking to explore forms for product design or create highly detailed characters for film and game projects, Mudbox allows you to forget about technical details and focus purely on the art of 3D modeling.

For full product details, see Autodesk Mudbox Features.