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Softimage 3D
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| Softimage Creative Environment | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Screenshot of Softimage 3D 3.9.2 | |
| Developer | Softimage |
| Initial release | January 1989[a] |
| Stable release | 4.0
/ August 2001 |
| Operating system | Windows NT, IRIX |
| Successor | Softimage|XSI |
| Type | 3D computer graphics |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | softimage |
Softimage 3D, stylized as Softimage|3D, is a discontinued high-end 3D graphics application developed by Softimage, which was used predominantly in the film, broadcasting, gaming, and advertising industries for the production of 3D animation. It was superseded by Softimage XSI in 2000.
History
[edit]In 1986, National Film Board of Canada filmmaker Daniel Langlois, in partnership with software engineers Richard Mercille and Laurent Lauzon, began developing an integrated 3D modeling, animation, and rendering package with a graphical interface targeted at visual artists. The software was initially demonstrated at SIGGRAPH in 1988 and was released for Silicon Graphics workstations the following year as the Softimage Creative Environment.[1]
Softimage Creative Environment was adopted by major visual effects studios like Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Digital Domain for use in their production pipelines, which also typically included software from Alias Research, Big Idea Productions, Kroyer Films, Angel Studios, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and Pixar Animation Studios as well as a variety of custom tools. Its character animation toolset expanded substantially with the addition of inverse kinematics in version 2, which was used to animate the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.[2] In 1994, Microsoft acquired Softimage with the intention of introducing high-end 3D animation software to its Windows NT platform, and subsequently renamed it "Softimage 3D".[3] In January 1995, Softimage 3D was announced as the official 3D development tool for the Sega Saturn.[4]
The first Windows port of Softimage 3D, version 3.0, was released in early 1996.[5] Softimage 3D Extreme 3.5, released later that year, included particle effects and the mental ray renderer, which offered area lights, ray tracing, and other advanced features.[6] 3D paint functionality was added a year later in version 3.7.[7]
In the late 1990s, Softimage began developing a successor to Softimage 3D codenamed "Sumatra", which was designed with a more modern and extensible architecture to compete with other major packages like Alias|Wavefront's Maya.[8] Development was delayed during a 1998 acquisition by Avid Technology, and in August 2000 Softimage 3D's successor was finally released as Softimage XSI.[9][10] Because of Softimage 3D's entrenched user base, minor revisions continued until the final version of Softimage 3D, version 4.0, was released in 2002.[11]
Release history
[edit]| Version | Platform | Release date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Softimage Creative Environment 1.0 | IRIX | January 1989 | Beta debuted at SIGGRAPH '88, v1.0 commercial release in 1989[12] |
| Softimage Creative Environment 1.5 | 1989 | ||
| Softimage Creative Environment 1.65 | 1989 | Added texture mapping | |
| Softimage Creative Environment 2.0 | 1991 | Introduced Actor module, IK, constraints, deformation lattices | |
| Softimage Creative Environment 2.5 | 1991 | ||
| Softimage Creative Environment 2.6 | 1993 | Added clusters, weighted envelopes. Used in Jurassic Park[13] | |
| Softimage Creative Environment 2.65 | 1994 | ||
| Softimage 3D 3.0 |
|
January 1996 | First Windows release |
| Softimage 3D 3.5 | May 1996 | Introduced Extreme edition (metaballs, mental ray) | |
| Softimage 3D 3.7 | April 1997 | Added 3D paint, NURBS surface blending | |
| Softimage 3D 3.7 SP1 | August 1997 | New selection & viewing tools, RenderMap, Nintendo 64 support | |
| Softimage 3D 3.8 | July 1998 | Added animation sequencer, polygon/color reduction tools | |
| Softimage 3D 3.8 SP1 | January 1999 | First release by Avid Technology, Plus & Performance options | |
| Softimage 3D 3.8 SP2 | August 1999 | Mental Ray 2.1, Surface Continuity Manager, DropPoints & SlidePoints, GoWithTheFlow | |
| Softimage 3D 3.9 | March 2000 | Improved envelope weighting, updated GUI | |
| Softimage 3D 3.9.1 | May 2000 | ||
| Softimage 3D 3.9.2 | December 2000 | ||
| Softimage 3D 3.9.2.2 | May 2001 | ||
| Softimage 3D 4.0 | May 2002 | Added multi-UV texturing, vertex colors. Final release |
Features
[edit]The Softimage 3D feature set was divided between five menu sets: Model, Motion, Actor, Matter and Tools, each corresponding to a different part of the 3D production process:[14]
Model: Tools for creating spline, polygon, patch, and NURBS primitives (later releases also included Metaballs). Boolean operations, extrusions, revolves, and bevels, as well as lattice deformations and relational modeling tools. Subdivision surface modeling was available via a third-party plugin from Phoenix Tools called MetaMesh.
Motion: Animation of objects and parameters via keyframes, constraints, mathematical expressions, paths, and function curves. Animatable cluster and lattice deformations. Motion-capture through a variety of input devices.
Actor: Rigging and animation of digital characters using skeletons, as well as dynamics tools for physics simulations of object interactions. Included inverse kinematics and weighted/rigid skinning.
Matter: Creation of materials and rendering images for output. Standard features included 2D and 3D textures, field rendering, fog, motion blur, and raytracing.
Tools: Utilities for viewing, editing, and compositing-rendered image sequences, color reduction, and importing/exporting images and 3D geometry.
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Softimage: 16 Years of Leadership and Innovation, Softimage, archived from the original on 2002-10-15.
- ^ 3D Software Reviews: Softimage, Jeremy Birn, archived from the original on 2014-09-03, retrieved 2014-08-30.
- ^ "An Acquisition by Microsoft", The New York Times, Feb 15, 1994, archived from the original on March 26, 2014, retrieved February 18, 2017.
- ^ "Sega and Sony Announced their 32-Bit Systems for the U.S.". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 68. Ziff Davis. March 1995. p. 89.
- ^ Microsoft Delivers High-End 3-D Animation Software for Microsoft Windows NT (press release), Microsoft, Jan 16, 1996, archived from the original on 2011-12-29, retrieved 2009-10-10.
- ^ Microsoft Introduces Major Upgrade to Softimage 3D (press release), Microsoft, May 16, 1996, archived from the original on December 17, 2007, retrieved October 13, 2007.
- ^ Softimage 3D Version 3.7 for Windows NT and IRIX Platforms Now Shipping (press release), Microsoft, Apr 7, 1997, archived from the original on 2009-05-02, retrieved 2007-10-13
- ^ Softimage's Next-Generation 3D System, SUMATRA, Introduces Non-Linear Animation (press release), 1999, archived from the original on 2014-09-10, retrieved 2014-09-01
- ^ The Long and Lonely Death of Softimage, DigitalArts, archived from the original on 2021-11-11, retrieved 2014-08-30
- ^ "Softimage Co. Announces First Customer Shipment of SOFTIMAGE/XSI Version 1.0; Softimage Grants 17,000 Licenses of Next-Generation 3-D Animation Software", Business Wire, Find articles, May 30, 2000, archived from the original on January 8, 2016, retrieved July 30, 2009.
- ^ Softimage Slashes 3D price, Broadcast now, Jun 12, 2002
- ^ Helen Shortal (Apr 1992), Private Revolution: SOFTIMAGE Animation Software Breaks New Ground, archived from the original on 2016-03-04, retrieved 2014-09-01
- ^ Remembering Softimage, fxguide, Mar 4, 2014
- ^ On Powerful Wings, Imagination Soars (PDF) (brochure), Microsoft, 1996, archived (PDF) from the original on 2011-07-10, retrieved 2007-10-13.
Softimage 3D
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History
Origins and initial development
Softimage was founded in 1986 by filmmaker Daniel Langlois, along with software engineers Richard Mercille and Laurent Lauzon, while working at the National Film Board of Canada in Montreal.[1][6] The trio's motivation stemmed from Langlois's frustration with the limitations of existing animation tools available for creating films, prompting them to develop a more artist-friendly 3D software solution.[1] In 1987, they began work on the Softimage Creative Environment, an integrated system designed to streamline 3D workflows for creative professionals in film and media.[1][6] Langlois was murdered in Dominica in December 2023, along with his partner Dominique Marchand.[6] The software made its public debut as a beta version at the SIGGRAPH 1988 conference in Atlanta, where it demonstrated early prototypes of spline-based modeling and animation tools within a unified environment that also included rendering capabilities.[1][7] This showcase highlighted the Creative Environment's potential to integrate modeling, animation, and rendering processes interactively, setting it apart from fragmented tools of the era and attracting attention from the high-end graphics community.[1] Version 1.0 of the Softimage Creative Environment achieved its initial commercial release in January 1989, exclusively for Silicon Graphics IRIX workstations, with a bundled hardware-software package priced around $65,000.[7][1] Targeted at professional users in the film and broadcasting industries, it emphasized production efficiency for complex visual effects and animations.[6] Early versions, including 1.0 and subsequent 1.2 updates, introduced foundational innovations such as basic keyframing for timeline-based animation control.[1] These features enabled more intuitive editing and animation workflows, laying the groundwork for the software's adoption in major visual effects pipelines.[1]Ownership changes and expansions
In 1994, Microsoft Corporation acquired Softimage Co. for approximately $130 million in a stock exchange deal, aiming to leverage the company's expertise in high-end 3D animation software to expand its multimedia offerings.[4] This acquisition led to the rebranding of the flagship product as Softimage|3D, emphasizing its role as a professional 3D modeling and animation tool, while Microsoft invested heavily in broadening platform compatibility to reach a wider user base beyond specialized Unix workstations.[8] Under Microsoft's ownership, a key development milestone was the porting of Softimage|3D to the Windows NT operating system, culminating in the release of version 3.0 in early 1996. This move significantly expanded accessibility, allowing the software to run on more affordable PC hardware and appealing to emerging markets like game development and independent studios, which previously relied on costly SGI workstations.[2] Microsoft's resources facilitated these enhancements, positioning Softimage|3D as a competitive alternative in the growing digital content creation sector. In 1998, Microsoft sold its Softimage division to Avid Technology Inc. for $285 million in a combination of cash and stock, as part of a strategic refocus on core operating system and productivity software.[9] The acquisition shifted Softimage|3D's development toward tighter integration with Avid's nonlinear editing and media management tools, enhancing its utility in post-production pipelines for film and television. This era saw key expansions, including the deeper integration of the Mental Ray renderer in version 3.8, which improved photorealistic rendering capabilities through advanced ray-tracing and shader support, and the bolstering of compositing tools to streamline workflows between 3D animation and video finishing.[10][11]Release timeline and discontinuation
Softimage 3D, originally released as the Softimage Creative Environment version 1.0 in January 1989 exclusively for IRIX on Silicon Graphics workstations, provided foundational spline modeling and animation tools for professional 3D graphics workflows.[12][13] By 1993, version 2.6 for IRIX introduced enhanced NURBS support, clusters, and weighted envelopes, gaining prominence through its use in visual effects for Jurassic Park.[14] Version 3.0 launched in January 1996, achieving full compatibility with Windows NT for the first time while retaining IRIX support, and featured a redesigned user interface for broader accessibility; this Windows port was enabled by Microsoft's acquisition of Softimage in 1994.[12][2] In 1998, version 3.8 became available for both IRIX and Windows platforms, incorporating Mental Ray rendering integration for advanced ray tracing and area lights, alongside compatibility with Avid Media Illusion for compositing tasks.[10][15] The software's final iteration, version 4.0, arrived in May 2002 with targeted bug fixes and minor enhancements like multi-UV texturing support.[12] Discontinuation was signaled in March 2000 with the announcement and launch of Softimage|XSI as its direct successor, reflecting Avid's strategic shift toward next-generation tools; full support for Softimage 3D concluded by 2002.[16][17]Technical specifications
Supported platforms and system requirements
Softimage 3D was initially developed exclusively for Silicon Graphics (SGI) workstations running the IRIX operating system, beginning with its first release in the late 1980s. Early releases (versions 1.x, 1989-1993) ran on IRIX 3.x and 4.x with modest hardware like 8-32 MB RAM and under 1 GB disk space, using integrated SGI graphics. By the mid-1990s (version 3.x), it targeted high-end hardware such as the SGI Indigo2 workstation, requiring a minimum of 64 MB RAM, 1.2 GB of disk space for installation, and 200 MB of swap space to handle complex 3D modeling and animation tasks.[18] These systems relied on SGI's integrated graphics hardware, such as the Impact series accelerators (introduced 1994), to provide the necessary OpenGL-compatible rendering performance for real-time viewport previews and scene manipulation.[19] In 1996, Softimage introduced support for Microsoft Windows NT with version 3.0, marking a significant expansion to Intel-based PCs and broadening accessibility beyond proprietary SGI hardware. This port required Intel Pentium Pro processors (or equivalent Digital Alpha or MIPS R4400), Windows NT 3.51 with Service Pack 4 or Windows NT 4.0, at least 64 MB RAM (with 128 MB recommended for smoother operation), 1 GB of disk space, 200 MB swap, and an OpenGL-certified graphics card for DirectX-compatible real-time previews.[2][18] The software's hardware dependencies emphasized accelerated graphics, with early Windows users often employing cards like those from NVIDIA's precursors to achieve optimal viewport and shading performance.[20] From 1998 onward, through its discontinuation in 2002, Softimage 3D operated in a dual-platform environment supporting both IRIX (version 5.2 or later on SGI workstations like the O2 or Octane) and Windows NT/2000, with version 4.0 adding certification for Linux distributions such as Red Hat Linux 6.2.[19][21] System requirements evolved to recommend 256 MB RAM, OpenGL acceleration via cards such as NVIDIA Quadro series for Windows or SGI's native graphics for IRIX, and substantial storage—up to 2 GB free disk space per project—to accommodate large scene files that could reach 1 GB in size for complex productions involving high-polygon models and textures.[22][21] The software never supported macOS, and its Linux compatibility was limited to later versions like 4.0 on specific distributions. Post-discontinuation in 2002, compatibility challenges arose with modern operating systems, as the application depended on outdated 32-bit architectures, legacy OpenGL drivers, and hardware without ongoing support, rendering it incompatible with contemporary Windows, IRIX successors, or updated Linux kernels without emulation.[23][24]| Version Era | Supported OS | Minimum Processor | Minimum RAM | Graphics Requirement | Disk Space |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early (1989-1993) | IRIX 3.x/4.x (SGI) | SGI IRIS 4D/Indigo (MIPS R3000) | 8-32 MB | Integrated SGI graphics | <1 GB install + swap as available |
| Mid-1990s (v3.x) | IRIX 5.2+ (SGI) | SGI Indigo2/equivalent | 64 MB | SGI Impact series (OpenGL) | 1.2 GB install + 200 MB swap |
| Windows NT Intro (1996) | Windows NT 3.51/4.0 | Intel Pentium Pro/Alpha/MIPS R4400 | 64 MB (128 MB rec.) | OpenGL-certified card | 1 GB install + 200 MB swap |
| Dual-Platform (1998-2002) | IRIX 5.2+, Windows NT/2000, Linux (v4.0) | Intel Pentium II+ or SGI MIPS R10000+ | 128-256 MB | NVIDIA Quadro or equivalent (OpenGL) | 2 GB per project |
Core software modules
Softimage 3D featured a modular architecture divided into five primary components: Model, Motion, Actor, Matter, and Tools, each dedicated to specific aspects of the 3D production pipeline.[25][26] This design allowed users to switch seamlessly between tasks via hotkeys or a server bar interface, promoting an integrated workflow without needing separate applications.[27] The Model module handled geometry creation and editing, supporting primitives, splines, polygons, patches, and NURBS surfaces for constructing scene elements.[25] Motion focused on keyframe animation, transformations, paths, and F-curve editing to animate objects and cameras.[25] Actor managed character rigging, inverse kinematics, skinning, and dynamics simulations for realistic motion.[25] Matter applied materials, textures, lighting, and rendering options, including integration with mental ray for high-quality outputs.[25] Tools provided utilities for file input/output, scene management, database access, and playback, such as FlipBook for reviewing sequences.[25][27] Data flowed sequentially across modules in a typical workflow: geometry built in Model passed to Motion for animation, then to Actor for rigging and simulation refinements, before Matter handled shading and final rendering.[25] This interconnection relied on a scene graph structure that organized objects hierarchically using nulls and clusters, enabling parametric links and non-destructive modifications where edits to source geometry propagated through the pipeline without altering base data.[25] Early versions (1.x) offered basic implementations of these modules centered on core modeling and animation tasks.[28] By version 3.0, enhancements included an advanced cross-platform programming environment for custom scripting and plug-ins, expanding extensibility via the Softimage SDK.[29]Key features
Modeling tools
Softimage 3D's modeling tools, housed within the dedicated Model module, provided artists with a versatile suite for constructing and refining 3D geometry, emphasizing precision and efficiency for both organic and technical forms. These tools supported a workflow centered on parametric operations, allowing non-destructive modifications through relational hierarchies that linked edits across object components. The module integrated spline, surface, polygon, and deformation techniques to facilitate complex shape creation without permanent alterations to base geometry. Spline-based modeling in Softimage 3D relied on Bézier curves and surfaces to generate smooth, organic shapes, leveraging their control point manipulation for intuitive design. Artists could draw Bézier curves using knot points for precise curvature control, enabling the creation of profiles suitable for organic forms like character limbs or environmental elements. Extrusion operations allowed these curves to sweep along paths, generating tubular or planar surfaces, while lofting connected multiple cross-section curves to form blended surfaces, such as aircraft fuselages or vehicle bodies. These methods supported five curve types, including Bézier, ensuring flexibility in initial geometry sketching. NURBS support, introduced in version 3.5, elevated surface modeling by incorporating non-uniform rational B-splines for mathematically precise definitions of complex curves and surfaces. This addition enabled the creation of high-fidelity patches with variable knot spacing for localized detail, ideal for industrial design or cinematic assets requiring exact tolerances. Key operations included trimming to define boundaries on surfaces and stitching multiple NURBS patches into seamless wholes, maintaining continuity across edges for watertight models. The system's approximation controls allowed balancing display speed with accuracy during interactive editing. Polygon tools complemented parametric surfaces by facilitating mesh-based workflows, starting with conversion from NURBS to polygonal meshes to enable vertex-level edits. This process tessellated surfaces into triangles or quads, preserving underlying topology for downstream applications like texturing. Reduction algorithms, such as polygon reduction, optimized dense meshes by decimating faces while retaining shape fidelity and edge flow, crucial for performance in real-time rendering or animation pipelines. For instance, the tool could halve polygon counts on high-detail scans without introducing artifacts, supporting iterative refinement in production environments. Deformation tools like lattice and envelope deformers offered non-destructive ways to sculpt geometry, integrating seamlessly with relational modeling for hierarchical edits. Lattice deformers enclosed objects in a deformable grid, allowing global warping through point manipulation, such as bending or twisting large assemblies without altering source data. Envelope deformers bound meshes to skeletal hierarchies, enabling localized influences via weight painting for organic distortions, like muscle flexing on characters. These operators stacked parametrically, permitting reversible adjustments that propagated through the model tree, enhancing workflow efficiency in iterative design.Animation and simulation capabilities
Softimage 3D's animation system, primarily handled through the Motion module, enabled keyframe-based animation for object parameters such as position, rotation, and scale. Users could set keyframes at specific frames using the SaveKey function, allowing for precise control over motion paths and transformations.[25] The software's curve editor, utilizing function curves (F-curves), provided advanced interpolation tools for refining animations. These curves supported spline-based interpolation by default, with tangent controls that allowed animators to adjust easing effects, such as ease-in and ease-out, to create smooth or exaggerated motions. This feature offered infinite resolution for timing and velocity adjustments, making it essential for polished character and object animations.[25][12] Inverse kinematics (IK) was a cornerstone of Softimage 3D's character animation, introduced in version 2.5 via the Actor module. This system included multi-joint chain solvers for limbs and appendages, where users defined end effectors to automatically compute joint rotations for goal-oriented poses. Constraints, such as aim and orientation limits, prevented unnatural deformations, while blending options allowed seamless transitions between IK and forward kinematics (FK) for hybrid rigging setups.[25][12] The Actor module also facilitated dynamics simulations, supporting both rigid body and soft body physics to model realistic interactions. Rigid body simulations applied properties like density, elasticity, and friction to objects, enabling collision detection and response for scenarios such as falling debris or mechanical assemblies. Soft body dynamics, enhanced by tools like QuickStretch, simulated deformable materials with volume preservation, ideal for effects like cloth or muscle squash-and-stretch. Particle systems integrated with these dynamics allowed for environmental simulations, such as smoke or debris, using real-world physics principles.[25][12] Rigging in Softimage 3D relied on the Actor module for creating skeletal hierarchies, either through parenting null objects or grouping components as skeletons. Skinning was achieved via envelope deformations, where weights were painted or adjusted to bind geometry to bones, ensuring smooth deformations across joints. Expressions and constraints further enabled procedural animation, linking parameters dynamically for automated behaviors like secondary motion or reactive rigging without manual keyframing.[25][12]Rendering and compositing
Softimage 3D's built-in rendering engine utilized ray tracing to simulate global illumination, reflections, shadows, and refractions, enabling realistic light interactions within scenes through the Matter module. This renderer supported high-speed scanline rendering alongside ray tracing for efficient production workflows, allowing artists to preview photorealistic results quickly.[30][18] Starting with version 3.5, Softimage 3D integrated the mental ray renderer as an option, providing advanced photorealistic capabilities such as final gathering for diffuse indirect lighting and photon mapping for caustics and accurate global illumination effects. This integration allowed for distributed rendering across networks, enhancing efficiency for complex scenes, and was fully embedded into the software's interface for seamless use in the Matter module.[28][31][32] The shading system in the Matter module facilitated the creation of materials using a library of predefined shaders, including support for 2D and 3D textures, bump mapping for surface detail, and procedural shaders for dynamic patterns without image files. Materials could be layered and adjusted for properties like transparency, specularity, and emissivity, contributing to versatile surface appearances in rendered outputs.[32][30] In the Tools module, basic 2D and 3D compositing tools enabled post-rendering adjustments, such as layer blending for combining elements and simple chroma keying for isolating footage, streamlining integration of rendered frames into broader production pipelines. Rendered sequences could be exported directly to formats including AVI for video and Targa for high-quality image sequences, ensuring compatibility with external compositing applications.[33][18]Legacy and impact
Notable productions
Softimage 3D played a pivotal role in several landmark film productions during the 1990s, particularly in creating groundbreaking visual effects for major Hollywood blockbusters. Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) utilized the software for animating the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park (1993), where it facilitated the rigging and movement of digital creatures, bridging traditional stop-motion techniques with emerging CGI workflows. This marked one of the earliest high-profile applications of Softimage 3D in feature films, contributing to the film's six Academy Award wins, including Best Visual Effects.[34][35] In Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), ILM employed Softimage 3D in its workflows for character animation, contributing to the film's innovative visual effects that blended CGI with practical elements and helped secure four Oscars, including Best Visual Effects. The software's Actor module, which advanced animation techniques, earned Softimage a Scientific and Technical Academy Award.[1] For Titanic (1997), Digital Domain leveraged Softimage 3D to generate visual effects, including simulations of passengers and detailed sequences of the ship's sinking, animating hundreds of digital extras to depict the chaos with unprecedented scale. This work was instrumental in the film's 11 Academy Award nominations, including for Visual Effects.[36] The software also contributed to The Fifth Element (1997), where it was used for character animation and fantastic effects, including alien designs and dynamic sequences that enhanced the film's vibrant sci-fi aesthetic.[36][37] Beyond film, Softimage 3D was instrumental in video game development, such as character modeling and animation in titles like Resident Evil (1996) and Super Mario 64 (1996), which helped pioneer 3D gameplay mechanics.[38] In broadcasting, the software's flexibility made it popular for episodic CGI in shows requiring complex modeling, though specific examples varied by production.Industry influence and successors
Softimage 3D pioneered the integration of modeling, animation, and rendering within a single artist-focused environment, establishing an early standard for streamlined 3D pipelines in film visual effects production.[1] This approach, first demonstrated with the Creative Environment at SIGGRAPH 1988, influenced subsequent tools in competitors like Maya and 3ds Max by emphasizing intuitive workflows over fragmented software stacks.[1] Its adoption of NURBS modeling in version 3.0 (1995) advanced precision surface creation in Hollywood, enabling complex organic and mechanical designs for productions such as Jurassic Park and Terminator 2, where NURBS facilitated smooth, mathematically accurate surfaces critical for photorealistic VFX.[1][5] The software's legacy extended to gaming and television, where its dynamic simulation tools and performance capture capabilities supported early CGI integration in broadcasts and interactive media.[1] For instance, it was employed in the development of Super Mario 64 and Tekken, contributing to real-time preview features that enhanced artist efficiency and foreshadowed advancements in game engines.[1] In TV production, Softimage 3D's particle effects and inverse kinematics streamlined CGI for commercials and shows, helping define early standards for broadcast-quality 3D content.[1] Softimage 3D evolved directly into Softimage|XSI, released in 2000 as a complete rewrite that unified 3D animation, editing, and compositing tasks.[1] Subsequent versions, such as XSI 2.0 in 2002, introduced a full subdivision surface system for higher-resolution polygonal meshes and integrated Mental Ray 3.0 for faster, more efficient rendering with support for area lights and global illumination.[39] In 2008, Autodesk acquired Softimage Co. from Avid for approximately $35 million, incorporating XSI into its portfolio alongside Maya and 3ds Max, with users offered migration paths to those platforms.[1][40] Following XSI's discontinuation in 2014 and end of support in 2016, Softimage software persists through community-driven archives and modifications, such as those hosted on dedicated support sites, enabling archival use in education and legacy projects.[41] Its innovations in integrated 3D processes received formal recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including a Scientific and Technical Achievement Award for the Actor module's contributions to animation technology. Founder Daniel Langlois, who passed away in 2023, was instrumental in these developments.[1]References
- https://handwiki.org/wiki/Software:Softimage_3D