Jump to content

Softimage (company)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 82.6.147.73 (talk) at 20:02, 4 December 2019 (→History: corrected minor grammatical error, from 'who' (referring to a corporation) to 'which'). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Softimage, Co. /ˌsɒftɪˈmɑːʒ/ was a company located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada that produced 3D animation software. A subsidiary of Microsoft in the 1990s, it was sold to Avid Technology, who would eventually sell the name and assets of Softimage's 3D-animation business to Autodesk.

Its first product, Softimage 3D, was used in the creation of special effects for movies such as Jurassic Park, Terminator 2, Titanic and The Fifth Element. Its successor, Softimage XSI, was used in the production of the Academy Award-winning feature film Happy Feet, 300 and Charlotte's Web (2006) and the production of games such as Konami's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.[1]

In 1997, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded Softimage a Scientific and Engineering Award for the development of the 'Actor' component of Softimage|3D.[2]

During the Microsoft years, Softimage also developed a non-linear video-editing and compositing suite named Softimage|DS, which was available from Avid Technology under the name Avid DS, until its EOL on September 30, 2013.

History

Softimage was founded in 1986 [3] by National Film Board of Canada filmmaker Daniel Langlois and with founding director, Char Davies.[4] At the time, there were only three employees.[5] Its first product was called the Softimage Creative Environment, later renamed to Softimage 3D. It was the first commercial package to feature Inverse kinematics for character animation. The software was eventually replaced by SoftimageXSI, originally codenamed "Sumatra".

The company became public in 1992[4] and was acquired by Microsoft in 1994.[6] In 1998, after helping to port the products to Windows and financing the development of Softimage|XSI and Softimage|DS, Microsoft sold the Softimage unit to Avid Technology, Inc. which was looking to expand its visual effect capabilities.[7]

Avid initially grouped many of its visual effects products, such as Elastic Reality and Avid Media Illusion, under the Softimage brand, but in 2001 discontinued most of these products. Until 2008, Avid's AlienBrain product was also branded with the name Softimage,[8] even though it was developed by a separate company.

On October 23, 2008, Autodesk signed an agreement with Avid Technology to acquire the brand and the 3D animation assets of Softimage for approximately $35 million, thereby ending Softimage Co. as a distinct entity.[9] The video-related assets of Softimage, including Softimage|DS (now Avid|DS) continue to be owned by Avid.

Product releases

1987

  • Softimage President Daniel Langlois and engineers Richard Mercille and Laurent Lauzon begin development of the company’s 3-D application software. The user interface begins to take shape and would remain largely unchanged for the next 16 years of the product's life.

1988

  • Virtual Reality artist Char Davies joins the company as Vice-President of Virtual Research.[10]
  • Introduction of Creative Environment 1.0 at SIGGRAPH. A first for the industry, the software would offer modeling, animation and rendering in a single integrated environment.
  • Release of Creative Environment v0.8, closely followed by the 1.0 release.

1989

  • Creative Environment 1.65 adds texture mapping.

1990

  • Creative Environment V2.0
    • new animation tools
    • introduction of the new concept of object constraints
    • new Dopesheet editor
    • adds spline modeling

1991 - Actor Module

  • Creative Environment 2.5 with Actor Module
    • The Actor Module introduces Inverse Kinematics, a concept coming from robotics, to the animation market
    • Bones
    • Inverse Kinematics
    • Flexible Skin (Envelopes)
    • Rigid-Articulated Body Dynamics
  • The Actor Module was awarded a Technological and Scientific Academy Award for its innovation
  • Films: Terminator 2- Judgment Day (Academy Award for Best Visual FX)
  • Director of sales Richard Szalwinski leaves to found Discreet [11] and re-distribute Animal Logic's image compositor Eddie

1992 - Eddie

  • Creative Environment 2.52
    • Motion Capture (Channels)
    • SDK (DKit)
  • Paint and Compositing package introduced with Softimage|Eddie
  • Films
  • Softimage goes public on NASDAQ [12]
  • Acquisition of the compositing product Softimage|Eddie product from Discreet,[11] co-owned and developed with Animal Logic
  • Acquisition of Painterly Effects image processing library from ImageWare Research

1993

  • Creative Environment 2.6
    • Metaclay ("Metaballs")
    • Motion Control
    • Clusters
    • Shape Animation
    • mental ray rendering
    • Wave Deforms
    • Flock Animation (macro particles)
    • Standalone Particle System
    • Rotoscopy
    • 3D Booleans
    • Ghost display/Onion skinning
  • mental ray introduced.
  • Softimage and mental images announce rendering technology agreement
  • Creative Toonz debuts. The 2-D animation package automates the more tedious tasks involved in 2-D cel animation, such as inking-&-painting, while still maintaining the look of hand-drawn images and characters
  • Beginning of Softimage Digital Studio on the Silicon Graphics IRIX operating system
  • Films
    • Jurassic Park (Academy Award for Best Visual FX)

1994 - Microsoft Softimage

  • Microsoft acquires Softimage [13]
  • Creative Environment 2.65
    • Complete new File and Database Management
    • New Topological scene graph update
    • Structure Keys
    • Extended Constraints
    • Expressions
    • Ghost display/Onion skinning
    • Animation par Shapes
    • Toon rendering
  • IDEAS: Interactive Developer's Entertainment Authoring Software with ProPlay and ProPlay Plus solutions, includes: Softimage Creative Environment, Eddie compositing, video-effects software, distributed ray tracer and 3-D particles kit.[14]
  • Films
    • Star trek: Generations / Industrial Light & Magic (1994)
    • The Flintstones/ Industrial Light & Magic (1994)
    • The Mask / Industrial Light & Magic (1994)

1995

  • Softimage|3D 3.0
  • NURBS Surfaces and Modeling
    • Trims
    • Instances
    • Relational modeling
  • Qstretch deform (squash and stretch)
  • Custom hotkey remapping (swift keys)
  • Spreadsheet
  • Polygon Reduction (1st generation)
  • Games Features
    • Advanced polygonal modeling tools
    • 2D/3D Paint + UV Texturing + Painterly Effects, Color Reduction
    • Game Export / filtering / on target viewing (SEGA Saturn)
  • SI Live Virtual Theater (NAB 95)
  • Introduction of Softimage|3D Extreme
    • includes Osmose, Virtual Theater (real time capture and virtual set compositing) and mental ray.
  • Softimage Toonz 3.5 and SOFTIMAGE|Eddie 3.2
  • Films
    • Casper
    • Babe (Academy Award for Best Visual FX)
    • Balto / Amblimation (1995)
    • Casper / Industrial Light & Magic (1995)
    • Judge Dredd / (1995)
    • Jumanji / Industrial Light & Magic (1995)
    • La cité des enfants perdus / BUF Compagnie (1995)

1996

  • Softimage|3D 3.5[15]
    • Windows NT platform support
    • User Data
    • Image Library
    • Saaphire SDK [16]
    • Ambulate, Stepmaler
  • First prototype of Softimage|DS on Windows NT [17]
  • "Sumatra"(code name), the product that would become Softimage|XSI, and RenderFarm unveiled (a Sumatra module never released).
  • Films and Games
    • Virtua Fighter(game), Dragonheart, Independence Day (Academy Award for Best Visual FX),101 Dalmatiens / Industrial light & Magic (1996),12 Monkeys / Peerless Camera (1996), Basket spatial / Industrial Light & Magic (1996), Star Trek - First Contact / Industrial Light & Magic (1996), Pinocchio / MediaLab (1996), Malgré Picasso / Peerless Camera (1996), Draco : la légende du dernier dragon/ Industrial Light & Magic (1996), Eraser / Mass Illusion (1996), Joe’s Apartment / Blue Sky (1996), Island of Docteur Moreau / Digital Domain (1996), Chasseurs de fantômes / Weta Ltd. (1996), Mission : Impossible / Industrial Light & Magic (1996), Mars Attack! / Industrial light & Magic (1996), T2-3D / Digital Domain (1996)

1997

  • Dominique Boisvert, Réjean Gagné, Daniel Langlois, and Richard Laperrière won a Scientific and Engineering Award for the development of the 'Actor' component of the Softimage computer animation system [2]
  • SOFTIMAGE|DS 1.0 [18]
  • SOFTIMAGE|3D 3.7[19]
    • Sony PlayStation Export / Import / Viewer + Attribute Editors
    • Colors at Vertices (painting, OpenGL, Softimage + mr rendering, Saaphire)
    • Direct3D Export / Import
    • RenderMap (baking light maps)
  • Films and Games [20][21][22]
    • Riven, Titanic (Academy Award for Best Visual FX), Alien : Resurrection / Blue Sky, Spawn / Industrial Light & Magic (1997), Anastasia / Fox Animation Studio (1997), Batman & Robin / BUF Compagnie (1997), Contact / Sony Pictures Imageworks / Weta Ltd. (1997), Men In Black / Industrial Light & Magic (1997), Jurassic Park / Industrial Light & Magic (1997), Fifth Element / Digital Domain (1997), Resident Evil 1.5 (2 Beta) (1997)
  • First mention of Twister, a rendering module of Sumatra that would never be released [23]

1998 - Avid Softimage

  • Avid Technology acquires Softimage,[24] begins to re-brand many of its visual effects products under the name "Softimage"
  • SOFTIMAGE|DS 2.1 [25]
  • SOFTIMAGE|3D 3.8 [26]
    • GDK (Game Development Kit / high-level AP)
    • dotXSI file format, import/export pipeline (Direct 3D, VRML, 3D Studio)
    • GameFilter
    • Merge
    • Polygon Reduction
    • Neural Quantizer (color reduction)
    • Animation Sequencer (precursor to animation mixing)
    • Audio Track for lip synch
  • Announcement of an interactive rendering application called "Twister",[27] the first module of the future Sumatra product. The company later canceled this separate product to focus on Sumatra.

1999

  • "Animation R3defined" (TM) campaign : First presentation of "Sumatra" (code name) as the first "Non-Linear 3D animation" system The Animation Mixer, which allows manipulation of animation as clips on tracks, similar to video non-linear editing system like Avid Media Composer.
  • Softimage|3D v3.8 Service Pack 2 [28]
    • Advanced Rendering - Caustics support, Global Illumination
    • Nintendo NIFF toolkit
    • Sony PlayStation HMD toolkit
    • Bézier curves support
    • Surface Continuity Manager (SCM)
    • Drop & Slide Points
    • GoWithThe Flow qui contraint les objets aux particules
  • Films : Movie - The Mummy, The Matrix (Academy Award for Best Visual FX), Stuart Little / Centropolis FX, Fight Club / Pixel Liberation Front / BUF

2000 - Softimage|XSI 1.0

  • Softimage|XSI 1.0 is released [29]
    • New generation architecture, user interface, workflow, etc.…
    • ActiveScripting
    • Interactive Rendering (Render Region)
    • Rendering Passes
    • Render Tree
    • GAP (Generic Attribute Painting)
    • Surface meshes (Nurbs networks)
    • Non-linear animation - Animation Mixer
    • Integrated Particles
  • Acquisition of The Motion Factory, Inc
  • Softimage|3D v3.9 [30]
  • Softimage|XSI 1.5 [31]
    • Adds Polygonal modeling, Subdivision Surfaces, and texturing tools
    • Animation Clip Effects/Offsets, Equalizer, Bridge Transitions
    • Scripted Operators (scripted plugins)
    • Soft-Bodies
    • Cloth, Fluids (from Phoenix Tools)
    • SDK Object Model (COM)

2001

  • Softimage|XSI v1.5 begins shipping.
  • SOFTIMAGE|XSI v2.0 unveiled at Siggraph 2001 and later ships
  • XSI v2.0 [32]
    • Introduces fully integrated compositor, based on Avid Media Illusion
    • Introduces a Hair and Fur module, based on Joe Alter's Shave [33]
    • Support for Linux (previously, supported unix was SGI IRIX)
    • Electric Rain collaborate to bring Flash, EPS, AI and SVG exports to SOFTIMAGE|XSI customers.
  • SOFTIMAGE|3D v4.0 unveiled at Siggraph 2001

2002

  • Softimage releases the "SOFTIMAGE|XSI Experience" for version 2.0, a free educational software and training kit.[34] Alias had previously released a Personal Learning Edition of Maya [35]
  • Softimage|3D v4.0 released
  • Softimage|XSI v3.0 User Feature Review
    • An evolutionary update [36]
    • Introduces Softimage|Behavior, a procedural animation system, marketed as a new Crowd Simulation engine.[37] It is a re-branded version of The Motion Factory's product called Motivate[38]

2003

  • Softimage|XSI v3.5 [39] with Softimage|Behavior 1.1
    • Brings back the Schematic View from Softimage|3D [40]

2004

  • Softimage|XSI v4.0 [41] User Feature Review
    • New Rigid Body Dynamics [42] based on ODE [43]
    • Character SDK, Custom Display Host, XML-based UI definition, new XGS real time shader pipeline [44]
    • New Vector and Raster Paint tool in the compositing module [45]
    • Now ships with Syflex[42]
  • Softimage|XSI v4.2 [46]

2005

  • Softimage|XSI v5.0 [47] User Feature Overview Official Change List
    • First Windows 64-bit version
    • New user interface elements to appeal to Autodesk Maya users
    • Integrated Cloth with Syflex 3
    • Updated Rigid Body Dynamics with physX
    • New view: Shape Manager, for morph shape animation
    • dotXSI 5.0

2006

2007

  • Softimage|XSI 6.5 Official Change List
    • Mostly a release to adjust price and re-shuffle features between XSI Essential and XSI Advanced.[54][55]

2008 - ICE, and sale of company assets to Autodesk

  • Softimage|XSI 7.0 [56] Official Change List
    • introduces ICE ("Interactive Creative Environment") [57]
  • October 23, 2008, Autodesk announces intent to acquire all of Softimage 3D business assets from Avid Technology [58]
  • November 18, 2008, Autodesk Completes Acquisition of Softimage[59]
  • Company ceases to exist as an entity
  • Autodesk Media and Entertainment continues to develop Softimage|XSI product, re-branded as "Softimage".[60] FaceRobot rebranded Autodesk FaceRobot [61]

Softimage products were made in Quebec.[62] Softimage is mentioned in the song "Fabriqué au Québec" written by the Québécois humorists Pat Groulx and Louis-José Houde.

See also

References

  1. ^ Watanabe, Yoshiyuki. "Case Study: Metal Gear Solid 4". SoftImage. Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 2008-10-31.
  2. ^ a b "CBC News Indepth: Oscars". CBC News. 26 January 2004.
  3. ^ "Corporate Profile on Softimage". Digitalmedianet.com. 1999-10-27. Archived from the original on 2012-02-18. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  4. ^ a b "Char Davies - Artist Biography". Immersence. 15 February 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2015.
  5. ^ Grau, Oliver (2003). Virtual Art, From Illusion to Immersion. Cambridge, Massachutsetts: MIT Press. ISBN 978-0262572231.
  6. ^ "Silicon Graphics Shops for Software". GamePro (70). IDG: 138. May 1995.
  7. ^ "Pr Newswire Uk: Avid Technology To Acquire Softimage Subsidiary Of Microsoft Corporation". Prnewswire.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  8. ^ "News - Softimage's AlienBrain 8.1 Expands OS Support". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  9. ^ "Autodesk - Softimage: Now Part of Autodesk". Usa.autodesk.com. Archived from the original on 2012-05-30. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  10. ^ "Char Davies (biography)". David Langlois Foundation. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  11. ^ a b "History of Discreet Logic Inc. – FundingUniverse". Fundinguniverse.com. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  12. ^ "News Releases". Phx.corporate-ir.net. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  13. ^ "COMPANY NEWS; An Acquisition By Microsoft". The New York Times. February 15, 1994. Retrieved May 23, 2010.
  14. ^ "Animation Software Companies and Individuals in CGI". Design.osu.edu. 1995-02-07. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  15. ^ "Softimage 3D Version 3.5 for Windows NT to Ship This Month". Microsoft.com. 1996-08-05. Archived from the original on 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  16. ^ "Strong Industry Momentum for New Softimage SDK". Microsoft.com. 1996-08-05. Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  17. ^ "Softimage Announces Breakthrough Integrated Video and Audio Editing, Compositing, Paint and Project Management Environment". Microsoft.com. 1996-04-15. Archived from the original on 2009-09-18. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  18. ^ "Softimage Launches Integrated Nonlinear Production System, SOFTIMAGE|DS". Microsoft.com. 1997-11-06. Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  19. ^ "Softimage 3D Version 3.7 for Windows NT and IRIX Platforms Now Shipping". Microsoft.com. 1997-04-07. Archived from the original on 2009-05-02. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  20. ^ "Psygnosis Uses Softimage to Create Hot New Games Lineup". Microsoft.com. 1997-06-19. Archived from the original on 2012-09-05. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  21. ^ "ILM Uses Softimage 3D to Create Summer Blockbuster Movies". Microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2010-10-07. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  22. ^ "Academy Award Nominees Use Softimage to Create Stunning Visual Effects". Microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2009-04-29. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  23. ^ "Softimage Announces Softimage 3D 3.7 Service Pack". Microsoft.com. 1997-08-05. Archived from the original on 2012-09-17. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  24. ^ "Microsoft Softimage to Be Acquired by Avid Technology". Microsoft.com. 1998-06-15. Archived from the original on 2010-05-01. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  25. ^ "Softimage Ships SOFTIMAGE-DS Version 2.0". Microsoft.com. 1998-07-20. Archived from the original on 2012-09-07. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  26. ^ "Softimage Ships SOFTIMAGE|3D Version 3.8". Microsoft.com. 1998-07-20. Archived from the original on 2012-09-08. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  27. ^ "Softimage "Twister" Enters Beta at SIGGRAPH". Microsoft.com. 1998-07-20. Archived from the original on 2009-03-27. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  28. ^ "Avid Announces New Release of SOFTIMAGE3D 3.8SP2; New Version Incorporates Mental Ray 2.1 Rendering Software". Business Wire. July 6, 1999.
  29. ^ "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. May 30, 2000.
  30. ^ "SOFTIMAGE Announces New Release of SOFTIMAGE/3D Optimized for Game Developers". Business Wire. March 2, 2000.
  31. ^ "SOFTIMAGE Announces Worldwide Beta Testing Cycle of SOFTIMAGE/XSI v1.5". Business Wire. 2000.
  32. ^ "Softimage Ships Its Much Anticipated SOFTIMAGE/XSI 2.0". Business Wire. December 13, 2001.
  33. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-04-14. Retrieved 2009-09-11.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  34. ^ "Softimage to Make SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.2.0 Available for Free". Digitalcontentproducer.com. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  35. ^ "Alias/Wavefront To Make 3D Graphics More Accessible Through Maya Personal Learning Edition; New Offering to Provide Free, Non-Commercial Access to Maya Complete. - Free Online Library". Thefreelibrary.com. 2002-01-07. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  36. ^ "SOFTIMAGE| XSI 3.0 feature review". Edharriss.com. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  37. ^ "Softimage Announces SOFTIMAGE/XSI V.3.0 At Siggraph 2002; Beta Testers Report Major Productivity and Performance Enhancements With New Version". Business Wire. July 23, 2002.
  38. ^ Raffael Dickreuter. "Softimage XSI Community". XSI Base. Archived from the original on 2012-05-13. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  39. ^ "Softimage Announces SOFTIMAGE/XSI V.3.0 At Siggraph 2002; Beta Testers Report Major Productivity and Performance Enhancements With New Version". Business Wire. July 23, 2002.
  40. ^ [1] Archived March 17, 2005, at the Wayback Machine
  41. ^ "SOFTIMAGE/XSI v.4.0 Now Available Worldwide". Business Wire. June 7, 2004.
  42. ^ a b https://web.archive.org/web/20070814031216/http://www.computerarts.co.uk/news/softimage_releases_softimage_xsi_4. Archived from the original on August 14, 2007. Retrieved September 11, 2009. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  43. ^ "[ODE] ODE used in XSI4?". Ode.org. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  44. ^ ">> 3D >> SOFTIMAGE|XSI v.4.0 Defines New Standards for 3-D Content Creation". Graphics.com. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  45. ^ Feature Review
  46. ^ "News - Avid Announces Softimage XSI 4.2". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  47. ^ "Avid Unveils SOFTIMAGE/XSI v.5.0". Business Wire. August 1, 2005.
  48. ^ "News - GDC: Softimage XSI v.5.1 Announced". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  49. ^ "Versions 5.1 and 5.11". Softimage.wiki.softimage.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  50. ^ "News - Avid Announces Softimage Face Robot". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  51. ^ "News - Product: Softimage XSI Version 6 Released". Gamasutra. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  52. ^ AWN – Animation World Network (2007-01-05). "XSI 6.0 Review: Focusing on Animation and Other Resources | AWN | Animation World Network". AWN. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  53. ^ "Softimage Announces Availability of Softimage XSI 6". Dexigner. 2007-01-10. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  54. ^ "Softimage Unveils SOFTIMAGE/XSI 6.5 and SOFTIMAGE/FACE ROBOT 1.8 Software at SIGGRAPH 2007". Business Wire. August 6, 2007.
  55. ^ "Version 6.5". Softimage.wiki.softimage.com. Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  56. ^ [2] Archived November 30, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  57. ^ Presenting the Interactive Creative Environment.zip (2008-08-27). "Download: Presenting the Interactive Creative Environment (ICE) in Softimage|XSI - Microsoft Download Center - Download Details". Microsoft.com. Archived from the original on 2009-12-23. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  58. ^ "Autodesk - Press Releases Archive - Autodesk Signs Agreement with Avid Technology to Acquire Softimage". Usa.autodesk.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-08. Retrieved 2012-07-07.
  59. ^ "Autodesk Signs Agreement with Avid Technology to Acquire Softimage". Usa.autodesk.com. Archived from the original on 2016-01-08. Retrieved 2015-10-23.
  60. ^ http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/item?siteID=123112&id=12606638&linkID=10235798. Retrieved June 2, 2009. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[dead link]
  61. ^ [3]
  62. ^ Softimage: "16 Years of Leadership and Innovation (2002)", softimage.com, 2002.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Softimage_(company)&oldid=929280119"