WorldBuilder

1. Platform, Price, and Company

   • PC (Windows NT or 2000)
   • Standard Version: $399; Professional Version: $999
   • Digital Element:    http://www.digi-element.com/index.shtml; AnimaTek International: http://www.animatek.com/index_frame.htm

2. Applications

   • World Builder is a high-end comprehensive solution for modeling, animating and rendering ultra realistic, fully functional 3D landscapes for use in computer graphics, architecture, game development and movie production. World Builder is the standalone 3D landscape tool that can work as a plug-in for 3D Studio MAX, 3D Studio VIZ, LightWave 3D or Maya NT projects. It has been used to in a number of games such as Final Fantasy Tactics, Warzone 2100, and Age of Empires.

3. Examples/Sample

   • Renderosity Online Graphic Artist's Community - WorldBuilder Gallery: http://www.renderosity.com/gallery.ez?Sectionid=15
   • http://www.digi-element.com/Images/awb30/Igor/desert_sunset.jpg
   • http://www.digi-element.com/Images/awb20/Gallery/deepforest1.jpg
   • http://www.animatek.com/demos_awb20.htm#movies
   • http://www.animatek.com/images_awb20.htm
   • http://www.animatek.com/users_gallery.htm
   • http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Code/3467/awb.htm
   • http://www.voodoo-u.com/jpday.html
   • http://www.homepet.com/3d/wb3.html
   • http://www.umr.edu/~tcaton/images/forest.jpg
   • http://www.atomic-animation.com/barr.htm
   • http://www.3dlinks.com/landscape3d/g01.htm
   • http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Program/1794/movies_AWB.htm

4. Functions

   • Import existing landscape data or create your landscape precisely as you envision.
   • Hundreds of ready to use animatable 3D models of plants, skies, rivers and more.
   • 3D Plant editor with user-friendly interface.
   • 3D Plants, Sky and Rocks variators - the revolutionary way to create complex scenes!
   • Dynamic communication technology to work together with 3DS MAX, 3DS VIZ.
   • Import/export and compositing utilities for LightWave 5.x and 6.x.
   • Import/export and compositing utilities for Maya NT.
   • Wind wizards make animating 3D plants, clouds, and surf easy.
   • Rendering
     • rendering engine supports translucent objects (a-buffered rendering)
     • Translucent objects can be rendered in an arbitrary order and still give the correct results
     • Performs anti-aliasing of object edges (aa-buffered rendering)
     • Max Communicators supports use of a- and aa-buffer for composite rendering with Max. This allows usage of AWB for volumetric lighting and fog in Max scenes, rendering of Max objects under World Builder water and more.
     • Support for network rendering
   • File formats
     • Importing file formats: 3DS, DXF, LightWave (MOT, LWS, LWO), AliasWavefront OBJ, USGS, VistaPro DEM, and Archive.
     • Exporting file formats: 3DS, DXF, LightWave (MOT, LWS, LWO), VRML and Archive.
     • Additional file formats: are available through plug-ins

5. Web Resources

• WorldBuilder Resources provided by Digital Element http://www.digielement.com/resources.shtml
• 3DLinks List of WorldBuilder resources http://www.3dlinks.com/landscape3d/
• Eyerender - a new site dedicated completely to World Builder http://www.eyerender.com
• http://www.animatek.com/
• http://www.animatek.com/index_frame.htm
• http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Foothills/6734/incdes.htm
• AnimaTek's Resources Page: http://www.animatek.com/awb_news.htm
• Discussion Forum: http://www.animatek.com/board/
• Technical Demos: http://www.animatek.com/techdemos.htm
• Support: http://www.animatek.com/support.htm
• Tutorials: http://www.animatek.com/tutorials.htm
• Ordering Information: http://www.animatek.com/buy.htm