OTOY updates OctaneRender™ software and introduces .ORBX, a powerful new interchange file format supported across more than a dozen 3D modeling applications

Designed in collaboration with Autodesk and Mozilla, new format houses comprehensive computer-generated scene data at the subatomic level for perfect rendering across mediums

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OTOY Inc.

Mar 20, 2014, 10:00 ET

SAN FRANCISCO, March 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- At the 2014 Game Developer Conference, cloud graphics pioneer, OTOY Inc., today released the newest update to its acclaimed OctaneRender™ software, introducing new features and flexibility for artists and animators, and a powerful new interchange file format called .ORBX. The .ORBX file format houses a comprehensive array of computer-generated scene data, enabling the most precise renderings possible across 15 of the top 3D modeling applications. Version 1.5 of OctaneRender™ is now available as a standalone client and via Octane Cloud Workstation with updated plugins for 3D applications rolling out shortly. The new version features:

.ORBX, the most powerful 3D interchange file format available today – The new .ORBX file format improves considerably on traditional 3D formats such as .OBJ, .CAD, or .STL, going beyond storing simple geometry to include all aspects of a 3D scene, such as materials, properties, textures, lighting, transform hierarchies and cameras, all in a self-contained file format. Unlike the Alembic file format, .ORBX was designed in close collaboration with Autodesk and Mozilla to be a flexible container for a wide range of uses beyond computer graphics, including video, 3D printing, holography, design and engineering. The .ORBX format allows for incredible granularity, supporting the modeling of physical properties of a scene or object down to two hundredths of a nanometer, or a quarter of the size of a hydrogen atom. OctaneRender™ 1.5 and related plugins allow artists and animators to perfectly import and export extraordinarily complex 3D scenes in .ORBX format across 15 modeling programs, appearing in the same final render quality as the program they were originally created in. The flexibility of the .ORBX format has implications for media and entertainment companies who can now effectively use their computer-generated assets and IP across a variety of mediums, from feature film and television development, to video games, web sites, and toy production for example. The format is expected to be open sourced in the second half of this year.
New node system for easier management of complex scenes – The node system, an essential part of OctaneRender™'s scene management and user interface, has been rebuilt to allow simpler management and navigation of all elements in a scene, particularly as more intricate elements such as Alembic or .ORBX files are used with greater frequency. Users can now seamlessly and intuitively group and ungroup nodes, edit nodes, and nest and copy nodes, while benefitting from a cleaner, more compact user interface in OctaneRender™ 1.5.
Alembic file support – Along with the .ORBX file format, OctaneRender™ 1.5 supports the importing of .ABC Alembic files.
Visibility groups – Users can now set visibility properties for objects, useful for creating fade-in and fade-out effects.
Time slider – In addition to being able to scrub through the camera animations of Alembic files, OctaneRender™ 1.5 now supports viewing animated geometry and camera data with camera motion blur.
Scriptable API – OctaneRender™ 1.5 gives users or third-party developers the ability to add functionality to the Standalone Edition, such as the creation of widgets, using a scriptable API based on Lua.

"The new version of OctaneRender introduces one of our most significant developments yet: the .ORBX file format," said Jules Urbach, Founder and CEO, OTOY. ".ORBX solves the longstanding challenge of asset interoperability, not just among 3D graphics applications, but with a view to expanded use across a wide range of mediums. It presents an incredible amount of scene detail and complexity in a simple, self-contained, and versatile format, one that we feel will come to play an increasingly important role in the modern 3D ecosystem."

OctaneRender™ 1.5 is available now for 199 Euros or at no charge to paying users of previous versions. It can be downloaded at http://render.otoy.com/shop/. For more information on OctaneRender™ 1.5, visit http://render.otoy.com/features.php. For developer information on how to support .ORBX files within your application, contact OTOY at [email protected].

About OTOY Inc.
OTOY Inc. is the definitive cloud graphics company, pioneering technology that is redefining content creation and delivery for media and entertainment organizations around the world. OTOY's Academy Award®-winning technology is used by leading visual effects studios, artists, animators, designers, architects, and engineers, providing unprecedented creative freedom, new levels of realism, and new economies in content creation and distribution powered by the cloud. For more information, visit www.otoy.com.

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