Carbon Scatter for 3ds Max Released

Carbon Scatter is designed for creating complex and detailed populations using the native instancing technologies of 3ds Max. Versions of Carbon Scatter for Maya and Cinema4D will be available shortly (an Open Beta will be released in the coming weeks).

Carbon Scatter integrates e-on's patented EcoSystem algorithms directly inside the end user's favorite 3D application, allowing the population of native scenes with millions of instances and rendering them with the user's renderer of choice.

Some of the key features of Carbon Scatter include:

Automated Smart Scattering:

Carbon Scatter does not merely scatter the objects randomly across the underlying surface, but actually computes where to place them according to the relief of the underlying geometry. For example, as in nature, more trees will grow on flat terrains than on steep slopes, and no objects will be placed where they are likely to "fall down."

Paint Objects and Plants with the EcoPainter:

The EcoSystem painter tool (EcoPainter) lets the user interactively paint instances over any surface (or group of surfaces). Painted instances can be attached to the underlying surface so they move together with the surface, or they can be independent. Painting can be performed with a mouse or with a tablet, which gives you the ability to control additional parameters through pressure.

Advanced EcoSystem Control:

Multiple plants can be dragged from the plant browser into the EcoSystem population list, making the preparation of complex EcoSystems much quicker. When painting EcoSystems, users can paint with the underlying EcoSystem material rules applied, so that, for instance, the influence of slope and altitude or the sizing rules are taken into account.

Layered EcoSystem Materials and Function Graph:

EcoSystems behave just like regular materials. A single EcoSystem material can have any number of layers, each layer with its own population list and full set of controls.

Users can easily influence EcoSystem populations according to altitude, slope or orientation, or even take advantage of Carbon Scatter's powerful function graph to control almost every aspect of the population. For example, artists can use a fractal noise generator to control the distribution instances, or use a bitmap to limit distribution to specific areas. On top of this, the population density can also depend on time.

Carbon Scatter is available in English for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 for both 32 and 64 bit.

Carbon Scatter comes in 3 flavors: Carbon Scatter Single, Carbon Scatter Multi and Carbon Scatter Multi-CE (Content Edition).

Carbon Scatter Single (SRP: $195) can be used with one of the compatible applications installed on your system (choice of the host application is done upon order). It will work with all compatible renderers for the selected host application (e.g. mental ray and V-Ray for 3ds Max).

Carbon Scatter Multi (SRP: $295) can be used with all compatible applications and renderers installed on your system.

Carbon Scatter Multi-CE (SRP: $395) includes over 100 SolidGrowthCS plants and can be used with all compatible applications and renderers installed on your system.

Carbon Scatter Single and Carbon Scatter Multi ship with a small collection of 8 SolidGrowthCS plant species. Carbon Scatter Multi-CE ships with over 100+ SolidGrowthCS Plant Species (Carbon Scatter Multi-CE plant species cannot be read by Carbon Scatter Single or Multi).

Until April 11, 2011, e-on software is offering its Vue Infinite and xStream users a time limited $200 discount on Carbon Scatter Multi-CE (available for users of Vue from Version 6 to Version 9).

E-on software also will be introducing Product Suites. Product Suites are cost-effective bundles of e-on software products designed to work together. The first two Product Suites to be released will include:

Ozone 5 + Carbon Scatter Multi-CE Product Suite: $595 (instead of $690)

Vue 9 xStream + Carbon Scatter Multi-CE Product Suite: $1695 (a saving of $195)