Konkeptoine has released WoodLab for Electric Image’s Universe, a suite of high-end applications for creating 3D objects. WoodLab is a shader built for creating wood effects in Animator, the character animation component of Universe.
WoodLab simulates a 3D tree trunk internally (not the bark), allowing you to create the effect of an object cut from wood. It includes controls for vein types, roots influence and force, knots, grains (two layers), moisture (one layer), accidental noise in trunk curvature, weathering conditions and reactive options. Woodlab comes with more than 50MB of documents and over 200 preset materials for Animator containing woods from all over the world.
WoodLab is available for Animator 5.x running on Mac OS X, Mac OS 9.x and Windows. The price through Oct. 1 is US$89; afterward, it will be $99.