AUTODESK TO ACQUIRE KYNOGON SA, REDUCES MAYA PRICING
Autodesk expects the acquisition to be completed within the next three months.
"The future of videogames is about sophisticated game play, with more
believable characters and environments," says Marc Petit, senior VP of
Autodesk Media & Entertainment. "Our goal is to simplify videogame
development by providing cutting-edge tools to create, animate and
integrate 3D assets into game engines. The acquisition of Kynogon is a
key component in reaching this goal."
In related news, Autodesk has reduced pricing for its Maya Unlimited 3D
modeling, animation and rendering software, and introduced Maya 2008
Extension 2 software, which provides enhanced creative control over
polygon modeling and UV texturing, as well as adds improvements to the
Maya Muscle toolset.
Autodesk Maya Unlimited/standalone is now $4,995, while Maya
Unlimited/network has been reduced to $6,245. The reduced price makes
the toolset more accessible to new users and existing facilities that
want to expand their Maya-based pipelines, notes Petit.
Maya Unlimited contains everything offered in Maya Complete software,
along with tools such Fluid Effects, nCloth, Hair, Fur, and Live.
Pricing for Autodesk Maya Complete remains unchanged. Maya Complete
2008 customers can now cross-grade to Maya Unlimited 2008 at the
reduced price of $2,995.
Maya 2008 Extension 2 software is expected to be available for download
to Maya Complete 2008 and Maya Unlimited 2008 Autodesk Subscription
customers with Gold support in March 2008. The Extension 2 is not sold
separately. Key features for the release include new selection
management features that offer modelers a fast workflow for controlling
large amounts of complex geometry and new and enhanced UV workflow
tools that provide artists with more control over their texturing. New
features and enhanced workflows for Maya Muscle extend the ability to
precisely direct muscle and skin behavior.