PolyTrans enhanced
WinIrix A 3D scene, CAD, and animation translation/viewing tool, Okino's PolyTrans converts entire scene files, including meshes with holes, trimmed NURBS, hierarchy, animation, pivot points, vertex normals, U/V tangent vectors, vertex colors, texture coordinates, texture projection methods, texture mapping parameters, lights, and camera views. Among the updated features in PolyTrans Version 4 are new converters, photorealistic rendering with material editing, a rewritten OpenGL CPP exporter, a new bitmap editor, and a polygon reduction system. Price not available.
Okino Computer Graphics; www.okino.com
Production management
WinMac With Gorilla from Stolen Apple Productions, independent filmmakers can track all details involved in making a film, video, or commercial, from pre- to post-production. Features include complete cast and character management, budgeting, scheduling, location management, casting and rehearsal session management, a distribution of profits module, expense tracking, editor/scene notes, film festivals, and more. The Standard version sells for $299. A Pro version designed for productions with budgets more than $500,000 starts at $399.
Stolen Apple Productions; www.stolenapple.com
MODELING AND ANIMATION
3D hybrid renderer
WinLinux SiTex Graphics' AIR is a RenderMan-compatible renderer that combines scanline rendering, motion blur, depth of field, and raytracing techniques. Besides supporting a variety of geometric primitives, including polygon meshes, trimmed NURBS, subdivision meshes, curves, and particles, AIR also provides true displacement and High Dynamic Range input and output. The company also offers BakeAIR, a renderer that bakes shading and lighting results into texture maps that can be used to accelerate re-rendering with AIR and other software renderers or for real-time hardware-assisted rendering. A single-machine license sells for $375 for Windows and $300 for Linux.
SiTex Graphics; www.sitexgraphics.com
WEB DEVELOPMENT
Online communication tool
Win Muse-Lite is a 3D application that enables users to enhance how they interact with others online. For instance, according to the company, users can text-chat and interact in a 3D environment in real time, customize 3D media environments, share their home environment and media with others, and locate and interact with users who have the same interests. The application is free.
Muse Communications; www.musecorp.com