October 12, 2009. Beaverton, Oregon: e-on software, the leader in Digital Nature solutions, announced the formal unveiling of its upcoming Vue 8 product line - scheduled for release the first week of November, 2009.
In addition to a number of important new features such as 3D terrain sculpting, a new directional displacement engine and the 3rd generation of e-on’s cutting-edge atmospheric technology, Vue 8 represents an important milestone for the company as it is the first full release of Vue developed under e-on’s new annual release schedule program.
"We are tremendously excited by the new advancements and increased pace of innovation offered in Vue 8," explained Nicholas Phelps, CEO of e-on Software. "Our customers are continually expanding the use of our Digital Nature solutions as a fundamental, mainstream component within their commercial programs and projects. Vue 8 will allow them to achieve even greater levels of realism, precision and performance."
Release Schedule and New Product Lineup
E-on software expects to release the entire Vue 8 product line the first week of November 2009*.
The Vue 8 product lineup is organized in 3 Product Families:
- Vue 8 for CG Professionals: Vue 8 Infinite and Vue 8 xStream (Ozone 5.0 will follow).
- Offers CG professionals the premiere solution for creating exceptionally rich and realistic Digital Nature environments with seamless integration into any production workflow.
- Vue 8 for 3D Artists: Vue 8 Esprit, Vue 8 Studio and Vue 8 Complete.
- Provides 3D artists and small studios with powerful modular applications to create richly natural 3D Digital Nature scenery and landscapes. Vue 8 Studio, e-on software’s new mid range application, offers a feature set similar to that of Vue 7 Pro Studio.
- Vue 8 for 3D Enthusiasts: Vue 8 Pioneer & T-Packs and Vue 8 Frontier.
- Features content-filled, easy-to-use scenic nature creation for home and family use, with the addition of the new, cost effective Vue 8 Frontier, specifically dedicated to Poser™ users.
*English versions only. Localized versions of Artist products are expected Q1 2010.
Next Generation Features
Vue 8 includes a number of important new features such as:
- 3D Terrain Sculpting: Allows users to freely sculpt terrain features such as overhangs and caves directly into Vue standard and procedural terrains.
- Localized Infinite and Procedural Terrain Sculpting: Combine the best of both worlds with the ability to locally sculpt features on the infinitely detailed procedural terrains. Now, users have the ability to fine tune or completely rework localized areas on procedural terrains providing even greater artistic control and creativity.
- Scene Context Sculpting: Allows users to sculpt terrain features in the context of scene elements. Sculpt rocks and reliefs around vegetation and architectural buildings.
- New Stratified Terrain Fractals which allow the creation of richly detailed stratified, terrain features.
- New Directional Displacement Engine for textures to create more detailed and life-like surface features with greatly increased performance.
- 3rd Generation Spectral Atmospheric Technology which dramatically improves the quality and realism of clouds, god rays, and atmospheric shadows.
- Direct Re-Posing of Rigged Meshes: Rigged and pre-animated mesh objects can now be re-posed directly inside Vue. Currently supported formats: 3DSMax, Collada, and Vue Pre-animated Meshes.
- New Shader-based OpenGL preview engine for improved real-time performance and previewing accuracy.
- Deeper xStream Immersive Integration offering more seamless operation and improved workflow with the leading CG applications, including support for Maya 2010, Cinema4D R11.5, Softimage 2010 and V-Ray for Maya.
- All the new features introduced in Vue 7.5: camera mapping, planetary rendering, cross-shadowing and cloud masks, spherical cloud maps, animated EcoSystem populations, and more.
More details on the new features as well as the complete description pages will be disclosed at the time of release.
Vue 8 Pre-Release Versions Immediately Available
Following the terms of e-on software’s maintenance contracts, users of Vue xStream or Vue Infinite under maintenance will receive the upgrade to the corresponding Vue 8 product at no charge. If they wish, such users can download a pre-release version of their Vue 8 upgrade immediately.
Starting today, e-on software is now including a complimentary 30 Day Maintenance plan with all new purchases of Vue 7.5. Benefits added by this maintenance include:
- Unlimited, priority web-based technical support,
- Access to EEF releases (Expedited Engineering Fix),
- Free upgrades during the maintenance period (access to pre-release versions not included).
All Vue 8 Infinite and xStream products will include the new 30 Day Maintenance.
E-on software will also be offering the option to purchase Vue 8 Infinite and xStream pre-bundled with a yearly maintenance plan, providing a saving of respectively $100 and $200 on the regular cost of maintenance (the yearly maintenance period is added to the complimentary 30 day maintenance, providing a total of 13 months coverage).
The final pricelist for all upgrade and sidegrade options will be disclosed at the time of release.
