EIAS v9.1 (Electric Image Animation System)

Sunrise, FL – June 25, 2013
EIAS3D has just released version 9.1 of the Electric Image Animation System (EIAS v9.1). This new version of one of the worlds fastest animation and rendering systems is now available for immediate download.

EIAS v9.1 is a free update for customers of v9.0 and is a new step in making the Electric Image Animation System faster, more robust, and easier to use. Long-term EIAS customers will experience a remarkable performance improvement in their existing projects. New customers will find that v9.1 is as powerful as it is easy-to-learn.

The famous software that made numerous key moments possible in Hollywood movies is now in its 9th major version. Well-regarded for its rendering speed and render quality, EIAS v9 has important new features and key technologies that are summarized below:

Animator v9.1 Key Items
• Faster and better Animator Preview - Re-written OpenGL hardware preview engine.
   • Preview uses hardware/OpenGL cache that significantly speeds up most of the preview modes (typically by several times).
   • Preview is drawn with anti-aliasing.
   • Eliminates the obsolete “software” preview mode. Version 9.1 always uses OpenGL.
• New FACT files re-import - The “Import FACT files” option has been replaced with a new “Validated FACT” export option that validates existing geometry and automatically exports and reimports it.
• Updated Bullet Engine - EIAS 9.1 uses the latest Bullet 2.81 engine. Two new Bullet options have been added to the Link Info window: rolling friction and convex decomposition style.

Renderama v9.1 Key Items - Render Management System
• Eliminated several 2Gb file barriers
   • Files larger than 2GB can be sent to render slaves.
   • Renderama can stitch files larger than 2GB.
   • Camera can create QuickTime movies larger than 2GB.
   • Windows platform: Camera can render QuickTime images at resolutions larger than 4096x4096 pixels.

EIAS 9.1 Fixed Bugs
• Animator
   • #470 - Fixed bug in texture preview for Gouraud and Flat modes when 2 or more textures are displayed.
   • - Fixed missed window redraw when a plugin processed a large amount of data and displayed a status indicator.
   • #448, #449 - Fixed several bugs with IKHandle: it was not properly linked, undone, and stored in the project if it was not dragged after it was created.
   • #452 - Fixed crash when loading old projects that were saved before EIAS 9.0 with the “Store Display Data” option turned on.
   • - Added: options in Group Dialog, Display Tab are now saved in the FACT file.
   • #443 - Fixed a crash with spherical/cylinder maps when models have vertex colors.
   • #444 - Fixed invalid path drawing in Hardware mode.
   • #456 - “Shade Lines” and “Line Size” options (Group Dialog, Shading Tab) are now previewed in Animator’s windows.
   • #449(2) - Fixed error in bones preview drawing.
   • #479 - Fixed “Reverse Normals” crash for groups with missing geometry (no polygons).
   • #467 - Fixed missing textures and ignored “Use UV space” preference for FACT files written by other apps (FZ for example).
   • #471 - Fixed bug: FACT files were not recognized for the “All Files” choice in the Import dialog.
   • #475 - Fixed “Align To Surface” tool in the Texture Info window.
   • #460 - Added undo support for Bullet settings in the Link Info window.
• Camera
   • - Fixed crash in 64-bit Camera with projects containing bones deformations.
   • #482, #466 - Fixed miscellaneous GI render crashes and hangs.
   • #431 - Fixed crash when 2 or more lights are used with caustics.
   • #431(2) - Fixed crash when a group has active caustics and both: polygons and points or lines.
   • #446 - Fixed crash with rotoscopes + glows.
   • #433 - Fixed artifacts with RT Volume Transmission (when Amount = 1.0).
   • #451 - Fixed incorrect EIZ files stitching (Renderama).
   • - Fixed bug in AdaptiveDicer plugin (default settings were used always for the 64-bit Camera).
   • #461 - Changed: now if a group has “Cast Shadow” = off, then it does not produce GI reverse illumination.
   • #457 - Fixed crash if count of photon maps in the project > 16.
   • #455 - Fixed significant slowdown in 64-bit Camera for plugins that read/write temp files intensively.
   • #453 - Fixed crash when rendering in layers.
   • #453(2) - Fixed Renderama error when rendering in layers (appeared as “File System error”).

You can read the complete list of version 9 features here and watch our EIAS 9 video release here.

The Electric Image Animation System has new owners. Its development is now being managed by EIAS3D, which consists of an EIAS artist along with the previous EIAS programmers.

Together, this new team, with it’s inherent passion for EIAS, intends to modernize the package as quickly as possible. Development will continue apace and expand rapidly with new technologies added as old ones are rewritten to take advantage of contemporary hardware. The EIAS community is vital to this process and the EIAS3D team will discuss with, and listen to, the users more then ever before.

Central to this re-birth strategy of getting EIAS into more pipelines is the inclusion of an infinite number of render nodes with each EIAS license. EIAS3D means business.

EIAS v9 is now shipping for both Mac Universal Binary (Intel Macs) and for Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit versions).
Upgrade pricing starts at 395.USD. And the full new version is 895.USD.
For more information visit us on the web at: www.eias3d.com

EIAS, EIAS3D, PixologicTM ZBrush®, Bullet Physics Library, Smart IBL. All rights reserved.
All products or brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Movies made with EIAS:
Piranha 3D, Alien Trespass, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Daddy Day Care, K-19: The Widowmaker, Gangs of New York, Austin Powers: Goldmember, Men In Black II, The Bourne Identity, Behind Enemy Lines, Time Machine, Ticker, JAG - Pilot Episode, Spawn, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, Galaxy Quest, Mission to Mars, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Titan A.E., U-571, Dinosaur, Terminator 2: Judgement Day - DVD Intro, Jungle Book 2, American President, Sleepers, Star Wars Special Edition, Empire Strikes Back Special Edition, Return of Jedi Special Edition, Bicentennial Man, Vertical Limit, Elf, Blade Trinity, and Lost In Space...

TV Shows:
Revolution, Breaking Bad, Alcatraz, Pan AM, The whole Truth, Lost, Flash Forward, Fringe, Surface, Weeds, Pushing Daisies, The X-Files, Alias, Smallville, Star Trek:Next Generation, Babylon 5, Young Indiana Jones, Star Trek Voayager, Mists of Avalon, Star Trek Enterprise...