Autodesk Ships 3D Props CD-ROM Titles; Render-Ready, Royalty-Free Collections are First in Multimedia Clip Library Series.

SAN RAFAEL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 1, 1995--Expanding its repertoire in content publishing, Autodesk, Inc., today announced the immediate availability of 3D Props(TM) Residential and 3D Props Commercial.

These CD-ROMs each contain more than 300 highly detailed, royalty-free, render-ready 3D objects for building models and animations. Users of Autodesk's 3D Studio(R) software, as well as other professional 3D applications, can incorporate a wide range of everyday objects -- from kitchen sinks to forklifts -- as 3D digital models in their designs. All of the 3D models included on the CD-ROMs contain default data, such as materials, smoothing, cameras, and lighting, and can be viewed and accessed via MS-DOS(R)- and Windows(R)-based browse utilities included with each product.

The first two installments from Autodesk Data Publishing's Multimedia Clip Libraries series, 3D Props Residential and 3D Props Commercial are also the latest efforts in Autodesk's ongoing drive to become the leading digital content publisher to the design and drafting, manufacturing, and multimedia industries. The 3D Props CD-ROMs build on Autodesk's initial forays into content publishing through its Data Publishing business unit and Multimedia Market Group. The Texture Universe(TM) CD-ROM, a collection of bitmapped textures and backgrounds for use in 2D and 3D graphic design and animation, began shipping in February, 1994. Other recently announced content products from Autodesk include the PartSpec(TM) and MaterialSpec(TM), interactive, easy-to-use, single-source databases of parts and materials for technical professionals. The company plans to offer other collections of graphical data in the future.

"Anyone designing a digital environment will benefit from the 3D Props CD-ROMs, whether that environment will eventually be constructed in the real world or not," said Patricia Peper, product manager for Autodesk's Multimedia Clip Libraries. "The ability to enhance the realism and/or detail of a 3D scene by simply dropping in a few high-quality objects lets professional 3D artists focus on important design issues like subtle lighting techniques, clever camera angles, and motion paths." -0-

Features

--"Smart" Models: Available in the industry-standard .3DS file format, all of the models in the 3D Props collections are render-ready, with adjustable defaults set for appropriate texture mapping, smoothing, and camera and lights positioning. Many models also have movable doors, drawers, and other parts, which can be easily animated. In addition, models can be viewed as both static and dynamic 3D images in the accompanying browsers, for quick visual searches and previews of model geometry in wireframe or rendered views.

--Browsers: A Windows 3.1-based browser lets users interactively view models from any angle and access data about assigned materials, textures and other settings. A second browser, developed as a 3D Studio plug-in utility, lets 3D Studio users search for, view, and gain information about 3D Props models without exiting 3D Studio. Both browsers can be used to manage other graphical data (in .3DS format) on a hard drive.

--Royalty-free Models: All models included with 3D Props Residential and 3D Props Commercial are royalty-free, so they can be used again and again as well as distributed as part of a rendered image or scene at no additional charge to the customer. -0-

"The 3D Props Residential collection in particular is proving very useful in helping us populate the various virtual worlds we're building for our clients in the architectural, broadcast and video game markets," said Richard Buday, president of Archimage, a digital design studio in Houston. "For a company like ours that has succeeded in part by repurposing 3D data across all of these markets, a collection of render-ready objects that helps enhance any 3D scene holds a lot of appeal."

Model Categories

The 3D Props CD-ROMs each contain more than 300 models, organized in the following directories:

                  Residential                Commercial
                  -----------                ----------
                   Accessory                  Assorted
                   Appliance                  Bar
                   Bathroom                   Fitness
                   Bedroom                    High Tech
                   Dining Room                Industry
                   Fixtures                   Office
                   Kitchen                    Outside
                   Living Room                Transporation
                   Outdoor                    Workshop

System Requirements

The browsers included with 3D Props CD-ROMs require Windows 3.1 or later, or MS-DOS 3.1 or later, running on IBM(R) 486-based computers or 100 percent compatibles equipped with 8MB of RAM. Also required are a VGA display and an ISO-9660-compatible, double-speed CD-ROM drive.

Pricing and Availability

Each volume of the 3D Props CD-ROMs has a suggested retail price (SRP) of US$199; until October 31, 1995, each volume is available at an introductory SRP price of US$149, and an introductory bundle price of US$249 for both volumes. Pricing and availablity may vary by country and territory. Please contact local Autodesk offices or dealers for detailed information. 3D Props CD-ROMs are available in the US and Canada through Authorized Autodesk Dealers as well as directly from Autodesk. For the location of the dealers in the US or Canada, or to place a direct order, call 800/225-6106.

Autodesk Inc., through its Data Publishing division, became the first major company to publish intelligent digital content for technical professionals in March, 1995, with the introduction of PartSpec and MaterialSpec.

Autodesk's Multimedia Market group develops and delivers affordable digital media products for professionals, such as film and video producers, video/computer game developers, architects, engineers, and designers. The leader in PC-based multimedia tools, Autodesk provides a full range of products for the application development process, from 2D and 3D creation to assembly and delivery.

Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of PC and UNIX-based design software and PC multimedia tools. The company's 2D and 3D products and data management tools are used in many industries for architectural design, mechanical design, film-making, videography and geograhic information systems. The fourth largest PC software company in the world, Autodesk has three million customers in 118 countries. Autodesk products are sold through Autodesk System Centers, Dealers and Distributors worldwide. For more information on Autodesk, please call 415/507-5000 or type GO ADESK on CompuServe(R), or login with a World Wide Web browser at http://www/autodesk.com. -0-

Note to Editors: Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, and 3D Studio are registered trademarks, and 3D Props, PartSpec, MaterialSpec, AutoVision and .3DS are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. Windows and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. CompuServe is a registered trademark of H & R Block. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

CONTACT: Autodesk, Inc., San Rafael

Garth Chouteau, 415/507-5885 or [e-mail]