Autodesk Maya 8.5

Autodesk today announced Autodesk Maya 8.5, the latest version of its Maya 3D animation, modeling and rendering software. Maya is widely used for games development, as well as film and television visual effects production.

Maya Nucleus features technology developed by Autodesk’s Academy Award-winning* Principal Research Scientist Jos Stam. This unified simulation framework allows artists to create elements that interact, in a 3D animation, with other dynamic objects such as fluids, cloth and rigid bodies.

Maya 8.5 includes Maya nCloth, which is the first module of Maya Nucleus. With Maya nCloth, artists can quickly direct and control a range of simulations, including cloth, plastic, metal and other materials. Believable cloth-on-cloth simulations with complex cloth collisions, such as a cape over a jacket, can be created more easily. A unique air-pressure model enables artists to use any geometry — whether a closed, sealed volume such as an inner tube, or an open volume such as a balloon — to create an inflatable object with internal and external pressure.

Python scripting is also new in Maya 8.5. This popular open-source programming language helps accelerate facility-specific custom script development and plug-in prototyping, extending and automating Maya production pipelines. Python scripting offers a powerful alternative to Maya software’s native scripting language, MEL, while featuring the same deep level of integration with the Maya command engine. Python scripting further augments the creative control gained with Maya Nucleus, giving scriptwriters the ability to efficiently manipulate, customize and automate the software.

Maya 8.5 is available as a Universal application release for Intel- and PowerPC-based Macintosh computers (announced separately), as well as on the Microsoft Windows and Linux platforms. The software includes a number of new artist-driven features and performance optimizations. For a complete list of features in Maya 8.5, please visit www.autodesk.com/maya.