Bentley adds radiosity and boosts realism in engineering visualization; MicroStation MasterPiece also gets photomatching and solid texturing, grows to strategic communication tool.

ANAHEIM, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 20, 1996--A/E/C SYSTEMS-- Bentley Systems, Inc. (Exton, PA) announced the newest version of its integrated engineering visualization product, MicroStation MasterPiece(TM).

The upgraded product is buoyed by a set of powerful new technologies, including radiosity, photomatching, and solid texturing. With these new capabilities and the remarkable realism that they bring, MicroStation MasterPiece now serves as a strategic decision and communication tool for architects and engineers.

Radiosity in MicroStation MasterPiece accurately models indirect lighting, often a major component of artificial and natural of light in buildings. Users can perform computer-based lighting studies and gain considerable realism in their presentations. For users who wish to present a design in the context of an existing site, photomatching superimposes a rendered image on an existing photograph. This new technology automatically synchronizes the orientation and perspective of the model to fit the picture.

Bentley senior vice president of marketing, Yoav Etiel, comments, "Engineering visualization is becoming a strategic tool for our users. Architects and engineers rely on it for improving designs and their ability to communicate." Etiel adds, "This new release of MicroStation MasterPiece underscores our commitment to providing the latest in visualization accuracy and performance in an integrated package."

Andy Amor, project architect of Cooper Carry & Associates, Architects, in Atlanta, comments, "Radiosity in MicroStation MasterPiece is a giant step forward for engineering visualization. The proper simulation of diffuse lighting is critical to effective rendering and animation." He adds, "Radiosity greatly enhances our use of visualization as a communication vehicle to sell concepts."

This new version of MicroStation MasterPiece contains several additional features for rendering. The new solid texturing capability properly models textures on 3D objects, sculpting them with materials such as marble and wood. It represents a major advance over 2D texture wrapping which often results in distortions, seams, and inaccuracies. A new parallel processing feature allows users to distribute complex tasks across a network of computers, thus speeding large renderings and animations.

The animation capabilities of MicroStation MasterPiece have been substantially expanded. For example, any video footage can now be superimposed in an animation. This feature allows for "blue-screening", whereby a moving guide leads a walk-thru and points to key aspects from inside the building. Users have complete control over design and environment parameters. Changeable parameters include pattern, color, transparency, lighting, intensity and background. An animation can therefore be used to clearly demonstrate a variety of building options and combinations to clients.

The complete capabilities of MicroStation MasterPiece are discussed and compared to those of 3D Studio and Intergraph's ModelView in a recent report, "A Design Visualization Performance Comparison," by ModelVision Inc. of Huntsville, Alabama. The study found MicroStation MasterPiece to be the "clear choice" for MicroStation users, identifying its integration with other MicroStation products as its most important advantage. The study is available at http://www.bentley.com/gallery/excellence/.

Amor strongly agrees with these conclusions: "The number one reason that we chose MicroStation MasterPiece was its integration with MicroStation(R). It offers us the fastest cycle time between designing and visualizing and allows for a free exchange of information."

All the new capabilities of MicroStation MasterPiece expand its already powerful rendering and animation tools. Like other MicroStation products, MicroStation MasterPiece offers users their choice of platforms including DOS, Windows(TM) 3.1, Windows 95, Windows NT(TM) for Intel-based and DEC Alpha AXP computers, the Power Macintosh, and SGI machines.

MicroStation MasterPiece supports MicroStation 95 and it is particularly well-suited for 3D designs created with MicroStation TriForma(TM) and MicroStation Modeler(TM). MicroStation MasterPiece is priced at $1495 U.S. Subscribers to Bentley SELECT(SM), the company's support and licensing program, receive upgrades at no charge.

For more information on MicroStation MasterPiece, the range of MicroStation products, or Bentley, please contact Bentley at 1-800-BENTLEY, [phone] (US), [phone] (Europe), [phone] (Asia), via e-mail at [e-mail], or through the World Wide Web at http://www.bentley.com/.

More on Increasing Value of Radiosity

Radiosity allows users to render, predict, and analyze indirect light. The growing importance of this lighting in engineering and architecture is the topic of two recent news reports. A Canadian study found that natural light in buildings produces significant health and performance benefits. Also, CNN reported that North Carolina educators are having architects design schools that give students more natural light. Officials want to lower utility costs and are convinced that sunnier classrooms lead to smarter, happier youngsters. Architects there have responded with a "breakthrough" sky-light device that properly diffuses sunlight in all seasons and provides fifty percent of room light.

More on Bentley

Bentley Systems, Inc. is a worldwide leader in engineering software products and user services. The company now serves over 220,000 professionals in building/plant engineering, GeoEngineering, and mechanical engineering. Its MicroStation products are proven at over 70% of the largest U.S. engineering firms and are the software foundation behind the engineering of well-known buildings, airports, hospitals, highways, machines, bridges and industrial plants throughout the world. With annual revenues of over $95 million in 1995, Bentley has risen to number three in the AEC software segment and become one of the world's fastest growing software companies.

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MicroStation is a registered trademark; Bentley, MicroStation MasterPiece, MicroStation TriForma, and MicroStation Modeler are trademarks; and Bentley SELECT is a service mark of Bentley Systems, Inc. Windows and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners.

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