Source: creativetools.se
Last week we talked the release of Cinema 4D R15, Maxon’s entry in the 3D software design market. It’s only fair that now we talk about their main competitor, Autodesk Maya. I’m nothing if not fair, and it was either this or cut the blog in half like King Solomon. I’m no blog killer.
Autodesk released a new version of Maya last month, and apparently it’s a good one:
Autodesk Maya 2014 is a genuine milestone upgrade. This release plugs the gaping hole that has existed in Maya’s polygonal modeling toolset and continues the refinement of its character animation tools with a Grease Pencil and new Joint Tool options. But there are many more great updates, such as better viewport performance with enhanced DX11 support and improved asset management with Scene Assembly tools.
Source: venturebeat.com
That’s great news for designers who have been long been frustrated with Maya’s slow development. But it’s not really what I want to talk about. Instead, I want to focus on a less-heralded announcement Autodesk made at the same time.
Autodesk is cutting the cost of developing 3D animated models for games dramatically by launching a light version of its Maya 3D tool for indie and mobile game developers. It now costs just $50 a month to rent it.
[...]
The company is introducing Autodesk Maya LT 2014, a lighter version of the Autodesk Maya tool. Developers can use most of the full version of the tool to make any kind of 3D animation, with all of the features of the full Maya. But they can only export a model with a limited number of polygons, the shapes that make up a 3D image. Developers can export models up to 25,000 polygons, which is a level of animated sophistication that matches that found in many mobile games.
In additon to the $50/month option, designers can purchase Maya LT for $795 – one billion times cheaper than the $3,495 price for the full version (note: the one billion figure is an estimate and has not been checked for accuracy). This is a pretty exciting development for indie mobile developers, as high-definition output isn’t something they need just yet, and mobile game pricing is so low that they have to increase profitability any way they can.
Source: cgmeetup.net
Maya LT is another step in the democratization of video game design. There are more devices out there than ever, which means more avenues for developers to express themselves. The fact that major software companies are now catering to independent designers is a sign that indie games are moving toward the mainstream. That’s good news for gamers and creators alike.
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