Pixels Digital Inc. has announced PiXELS 3D 4.0, the latest major release of its 3D modeling, animation and rendering program for the Mac.
The new version now integrates ShaderMaker Pro, which provides procedural shading capabilities. The software was formerly a stand-alone tool. Particle systems are also included, enabling animators to create more natural-looking fluid and smoke effects. PiXELS 3D 4.0 also incorporates more object types — new primitives, curves, polygons and metaballs. The new version also features relational modeling and stackable, non-destructive modifiers.
The new version of PiXELS 3D now sports a 100 percent OpenGL user interface, taking better advantage of available hardware acceleration, according to the developer. Using the AttributeManager, PiXELS 3D 4.0 users are able to organize and control every aspect of a scene from objects, lights and shaders to rendering options and keyboard shortcuts.
A new rendered called Tempest provides better quality images than before, with improved quality and speed. Tempest supports displacement shaders, subsurface scattering, ray marching, depth of field effects and motion blur, and can render in batch mode.
Alas, PiXELS 3D is not yet Mac OS X native. It requires Mac OS 9.1 or later, and does support Mac OS X’s Classic mode, however. PiXELS 3D costs US$599 for the full version (Pixels Digital Inc. notes that it will cost $799 eventually, however). Upgrades for previous releases cost $249. Academic and other pricing is available.