| Autodesk Softimage | |
|---|---|
 | |
 User interface of Softimage 2011 | |
| Original author | Softimage, Co. |
| Developer | Autodesk |
| Initial release | August 2000; 25 years ago (2000-08) (as Softimage|XSI) |
| Stable release | 2015 / April 14, 2014; 11 years ago (2014-04-14) |
| Operating system | Linux,Microsoft Windows |
| Type | 3D computer graphics |
| License | Trialware |
| Website | www |
Autodesk Softimage is a discontinued3D computer graphics application, for producing3D computer graphics,3D modeling, andcomputer animation. Now owned byAutodesk and formerly titledSoftimage XSI (stylized asSoftimage|XSI), the software has been predominantly used in thefilm,video game, andadvertising industries for creating computer generated characters, objects, and environments.
Released in August 2000 as the successor toSoftimage 3D, Softimage XSI was developed by itseponymous company, then a subsidiary ofAvid Technology. On October 23, 2008, Autodesk acquired the Softimage brand and 3D animation assets from Avid for approximately $35 million, thereby ending Softimage Co. as a distinct entity.[2] In February 2009, Softimage XSI was rebranded Autodesk Softimage.
A free version of the software, called Softimage Mod Tool, was developed for thegame modding community to create games using theMicrosoft XNA toolset for PC andXbox 360, or to create mods for games usingValve'sSource engine,Epic Games'sUnreal Engine and others. It was discontinued with the release of Softimage 2015.
On March 4, 2014, it was announced that Autodesk Softimage would be discontinued after the release of the 2015 version, providing product support until April 30, 2016.[3]
Autodesk Softimage is a 3D animation application comprising a suite of computer graphics tools.
Modeling tools allow the generation ofpolygonal orNURBS models. Subdivision modeling requires no additional operators and works directly on the polygonal geometry. Each modeling operation is tracked by a construction history stack, which enables artists to work non-destructively. Operators in history stacks can be re-ordered, removed or changed at any time, and all adjustments propagate to the final model.
Control rigs are created using bones with automaticIK, constraints and specialized solvers like spine or tail. Optionally, the ICE system can be used to create light-weight rigs in a node-based environment. The rigging process can be sped up through the use of adaptable biped and quadruped rigs, FaceRobot for facial rigs and automatic lip syncing.
Animation features include layers and a mixer, which allows combining animation clips non-linearly. Animation operators are tracked in a construction history stack that is separate from the modeling stack, enabling users to change the underlying geometry of already animated characters and objects. MOTOR is a feature that transfers animation between characters, regardless of their size or proportions. GATOR can transfer attributes such as textures, UVs, weight maps or envelopes between different models. Softimage also contains tools to simulate particles, particle strands,rigid body dynamics,soft body dynamics, cloth, hair and fluids.
The default and tightly integratedrendering engine in Softimage ismental ray. Materials and shaders are built in a node-based fashion. When users activate a so-called render region in a camera view, it will render this section of the scene using the specified rendering engine and update completely interactively. A secondary rendering mode is available for rendering real-time GPU shaders written in either the Cg or HLSL languages.
Also included is the VFX Tree, which is a built-in node-basedcompositor that has direct access to image clips used in the scene. It can thus not only be used to finalize and composite rendered frames, but also as an integral part of scene creation. The VFX Tree can be used to apply compositing effects to image clips being used in the fully rendered scene, allowing Softimage to render scenes using textures authored or modified in various ways within the same scene.
In addition to the node-based ICE platform described below, Softimage has an extensive API andscripting environment that can be used to extend the software. The available scripting languages includeC#,Python,VBScript andJScript. AC++ SDK is also available for plug-in developers, with online documentation available to the public.[4]
Softimage used thedotXSIASCIIfile format for storing scene data. It is based onDirectX'sX file format.[5][6]
On July 7, 2008, theSoftimage, Co. announced Softimage XSI 7,[7] which introduced the ICE (Interactive Creative Environment) architecture. ICE is avisual programming platform that allows users to extend the capabilities of Softimage quickly and intuitively using a node-based dataflow diagram. This enables artists to create complex 3D effects and tools without scripting. Among the main uses for ICE areprocedural modeling, deformation, rigging and particle simulation. It can also be used to control scene attributes without the need to write expressions, for example to add camera wiggle or make a light pulsate. ICE is a parallel processing engine that takes advantage of multi-core CPUs, giving users highly scalable performance.
ICE represents Softimage functionality using a collection of nodes, each with its own specific capabilities. Users can connect nodes together, visually representing the data flow, to create powerful tools and effects. Softimage ships with several hundred nodes; among them are both low-level nodes, such asMultiply orBoolean, as well as a number of high-level nodes called compounds. Compounds serve as "wrapper nodes" to collapse ICE graphs into a single node. Softimage allows users to add custom compounds to its main menu system for easy reusability.
The screenshot on the right shows an example of a simple geometry deformation ICE graph. In a practical scenario, one would collapse the graph into a compound and expose important parameters, for instance the deformation intensity. After adding the tool to the user interface it can easily be applied to other objects. Compounds can also be shared between installations because their entire functionality is stored inXML files.
The graph-based approach of ICE allows for the creation of effects previously attainable only through the use of scripting and/or compiled code. Due to its visual nature and interactivity, it is very accessible for users with no programming experience. Many free and commercial ICE tools have been made available by users and 3rd party developers. Softimage contains an ICE-based fluid and physics simulator called Lagoa as well as an ICE-based version of theSyflex cloth simulator.
Softimage XSI (and its predecessor Softimage 3D) was primarily used in the film, video game and advertising industries as a tool to generate digital characters, environments and visual effects. Examples of films and other media made with the help of Softimage areJurassic Park,[8]Thor,[9]Predators,[10]District 9,[11]White House Down,[12]Yakuza,[13] andElysium.[14]
