SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.1 Unveiled

Softimage Co., a division of Avid Technology Inc., has announced the latest update to its flagship character production software at the Game Developer Conference (GDC) in San Jose, Calif. The release promises to a range of new features designed to simplify deployment and asset exchange for customers working on next-generation game titles and visual effects in mixed pipelines. Feature updates include native COLLADA 1.4 support, enhanced asset exchange with other applications and hundreds of other customer-driven enhancements.

‘The unique features in XSI like the popular GATOR attribute transfer tool and the Ultimapper data map generator were designed in collaboration with some of the world’s top games studios,’ says Softimage senior product manager Gareth Morgan. ‘XSI v.5.1 offers innovative character production tools for artists, backed up by the widest range of supported file-formats, standard scripting languages, and an extensive range of specialized C++ APIs for everything from plug-ins to pipeline deployment.’

Featuring a unique, non-destructive workflow, SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.1 enables artists to make changes to rigged and animated characters at any point in the production cycle. Other highlights include built-in COLLADA 1.4 import and export for next-gen asset production, additional support of real-time shading languages (.CgFX, COLLADA FX, HLSL, SAS v.1.0), SDK enhancements to enable mixed-pipeline deployment, SOFTIMAGE|FACE ROBOT v.1.0 scene support for lifelike face animation, and enhanced support for Autodesk 3ds Max and Maya assets.

SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.1 is expected to be available by the end of March. Customers who purchased any of the three packages of SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.0 software (Foundation, Essentials, Advanced) will be able to download the upgrade at www.softimage.com/download. New customers will be able to purchase SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.1 Foundation for $495, SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.1 Essentials for $1,995 and SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.5.1 Advanced for $6,995 from authorized resellers and the Softimage web site at www.softimage.com/store.