Takes Character Animation to the Next Level
(WELLINGTON, New Zealand --September 7, 2005) Character Animation Technologies Ltd.™ a New Zealand-based developer of advanced 3D character animation tools, announced today the release of CAT™ Version 2.
A plug-in for Autodesk's 3ds Max®, CAT2 is the much-anticipated next generation of the industry-acclaimed character system CAT (Character Animation Toolkit). CAT2 is available now, offering a unique set of tools to help game development, film and television artists produce better animations more quickly in a completely flexible environment.
Says Phil Shenk, Art Director of Flagship Studios, creators of the PC game Hellgate:London: "The team at CAT is awesome. They are obviously dedicated to making software that animators actually like to use, and that meets the needs of today's cutting-edge production pipelines. It's so great that someone is stepping up to the plate to fill this important and necessary niche. We're very excited to be using CAT on Hellgate:London. It's made a huge difference in the work we've been able to do, and the time it takes to do it. We're especially excited with what we've seen coming up in CAT2, which promises to take everything to the next level of productivity and ease of use."
"Since the release of CAT, we have been delighted with the uptake of the software in the animation world -- from game developers through to film and television production houses, with key adopters including Relic Entertainment, Rainbow Studios, Relentless Software, Flagship Studios, and Digital Pictures Iloura," adds Scott Pearson, CEO of Character Animation Technologies. "For those still considering whether to move from other systems, CAT2 will seal the deal. CAT2 is not an evolution, it is a revolution into a whole new world of flexibility and power for the artist."
CAT provides animators the flexibility of a sophisticated custom rig without the slowdown and technical complexity. Artists can create any rig configuration in minutes and save it as a preset for reuse. With the software's procedural walkcycle system, walk sequences that once took days can now be achieved in less than an hour, and key framing is faster and more intuitive. CAT's superior non-linear animation system also greatly improves flexibility and efficiency, and artists can build entire libraries of animation clips to be loaded onto any other CATRig.
CAT2 introduces the most powerful character animation toolset commercially available to date for 3ds Max users. A huge jump forward from its predecessor and other existing systems, CAT2 combines all the powerful capabilities of the previous versions plus key enhancements, including:
- New Rig Manipulation system – With F/IK™, just push the character into the pose you want. No extra windows. No fuss.
- Foot Pivot System – Position and animate the foot pivot without complication or limitation.
- Stretchy Bones Mode – Drag the length of individual bones in the viewport with the mouse. Animate the scale of all rig bones, including spines, with no skewing – perfect for cartoon-style characters and facial rigs.
- Time Warp Curves – Control the velocity of a whole animation layer with a single spline curve. The Matrix-like bullet-time effects were never easier!
- Extra Bones – Create more bones to be used as facial bones, stomach bones, weapon bones, etc. Create and attach whole facial rigs to a character rig.
- Edit Rig Mesh – Create the perfect proxy mesh, and then save it as a rig preset for reuse.
- Motion Data Importing – Import motion data files in HTR, BVH, FBX and BIP formats.
To view a full-feature set description of CAT2, please go to: www.catoolkit.com/products/features_latest.asp.
Pricing and Availability
CAT2 is available now for users of Autodesk 3ds Max 6 and higher at a cost of USD $995. Existing CAT users can upgrade to CAT2 for USD $295. Student/Faculty and School/Institutional pricing is also offered. CAT2 can be purchased directly from the Character Animation Technologies website at www.catoolkit.com, and through select Autodesk Resellers at www.catoolkit.com/resellers/default.asp.
About Character Animation Technologies
Character Animation Technologies Ltd., founded in 2002 by two Emmy® Award-nominated animators, is a New Zealand-based developer of next-generation character animation software. Its flagship product, CAT2, is a fully integrated plug-in for Autodesk's 3ds Max. CAT2 empowers artists, film, video, broadcast and games development professionals at leading facilities worldwide with the industry's most comprehensive, intuitive toolset for the creation of fully customizable rigs and animation sequences. For more information on Character Animation Technologies and CAT, visit www.catoolkit.com.
# # #
