Architosh Staff ([email protected])

12 Jan 2001

MWSF: Artlantis 4 and other updates shown!

Abvent is on hand at Macworld Expo showing off their new (and quite stunning) Art-lantis 4 advanced renderer. Additionally the company is showing an update to Katabounga (version 3.5).

Abvent (French/Swiss) with headquarters in Paris and offices in the US has continued to advance 3D modeling on both Macintosh and Windows. The company, which started in 1985 with SpaceEdit, the first 3D modeler for the Macintosh, has grown to nine different companies, with Agence VU one of its most recent acquisitions.

Art-lantis 4

Artlantis 4 has new features that bring enhanced realism to the program. Global Illumination is a new feature that integrates the multiple effects of light re-bounced by the surrounding objects. Shadow blur also helps to soften shadows. A new feature is Depth of Field which enables you to produce a camera effect (excellent for ID work, product design, etc.). Check out the sample images!

Additionally, version 4 adds QuickTime VR Object creation to its existing QuickTime VR Panorama capabilities (another ID benefit!) The program is reportedly up to 7x times faster than version 3.5 due to a new rendering engine and has dynamic management of virtual memory improvements.

New lighting features include Heliodon lighting for better sun studies. A new function / command called 'Open With Reference' ensures 'roundtrip fidelity' between Artlantis 4 and other CAD/modeling software.

Katabounga 3.5

Abvent is also touting the new Katabounga. This new version has some new Web/QuickTime features which allow you to compile for the Web (all the media) the data folder which will store the media at a particular URL address. The program will automatically install QuickTime on machines which do not have it to enable presentations.

A very cool new feature is the ability to import Photoshop files, complete with all layers intact, to Katabounga, and then transform them into Katabounga media files for effects.

ZOOM 5.6

This new version of the powerful Macintosh-only 3D modeler has finally come to the Windows platform (for those that care...). The program works extremely well with Artlantis Renderer as well as with other CAD and modeling programs.

The strength of ZOOM is its powerful modeling precision abilities and interface design (a classic Macintosh application).

This newest version has grown up a bit and now requires Mac OS 8.1 or higher, 64 MB RAM (128 recommended) and 200 MB free disk space for a full program install. It also wants a 24-bit video card. QuickTime 3 or higher.

The program imports/exports combinations of the following: Autocad DWG/DXF v14, Electric Image file format, 3D Studio, Apple QuickDraw3D, and VRML. If you have been unhappy with your current modeler's limitations or awkwardness, check out ZOOM.

For more info go to Advent's home page.