PowerAnimator
| Developer(s) | Alias Wavefront |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 1988[1] |
| Stable release | 9.0.2
/ July 22, 1999 |
| Operating system | IRIX, AIX |
| Type | Computer graphics |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www |
PowerAnimator and Animator, also referred to simply as "Alias", the precursor to what is now Maya and StudioTools, was a highly integrated industrial 3D modeling, animation, and visual effects suite. It had a relatively long track record, starting with Technological Threat in 1988 and ending in Pokémon: The Movie 2000 in 1999. PowerAnimator ran natively on MIPS-based SGI IRIX and IBM AIX systems.
History
Alias PowerAnimator was launched in 1988.[1]
Alias PowerAnimator was adopted by major visual effects studios like Industrial Light & Magic and Digital Domain for use in their production pipelines, which also typically included software from Silicon Graphics, Children's Television Workshop, Kroyer Films, Angel Studios, Capcom, Walt Disney Feature Animation Inc. and Pixar Animation Studios Inc. as well as a variety of custom tools.
Its character animation toolset expanded substantially with the addition of inverse kinematics in version 2, which was used to animate the dinosaurs in Jurassic Park. In 1995, Microsoft acquired Alias Research and Wavefront Technologies with the intention of introducing high-end 3D animation software to its Windows NT platform, and subsequently renamed it "Alias|Wavefront PowerAnimator." In 1996, Alias|Wavefront PowerAnimator was announced as the official 3D development tool for the Nintendo 64.
In 1997, John Gibson, Rob Krieger, Milan Novacek, Glen Ozymok, and Dave Springer were presented with the Scientific and Engineering Award for their contributions to the geometric modeling component of the PowerAnimator system. The citation was:
"The Alias PowerAnimator system is widely regarded in the computer animation field as one of the best commercially available software packages for digital geometric modeling. Used by many motion picture visual effects houses, it has been a benchmark for comparison of modeling tools and has had a major influence on visual effects and animation."[2]
Television and film
PowerAnimator was used to create the water creature in the 1989 film The Abyss, as well as the T-1000 character in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, at a cost of $460,000 per minute. It was also used heavily for the many visual effects of the 1996 film Independence Day. PowerAnimator also served as the solution used to produce South Park episodes digitally before production was moved to Maya.
Game development
PowerAnimator was also used in game development, in particular as a part of Nintendo 64's SGI-based developers kit. It saw some use for modeling, texturing, animation and realtime effects for other titles and platforms as well.
Notable titles:
References
- ^ a b "History of Alias". Archived from the original on October 1, 2012.
- ^ "HISTORY OF DIGITAL IMAGING/COMPUTER GRAPHICS SCI-TECH AWARDS". www.virtualcinematography.org. Archived from the original on 2003-04-23.
- ^ Gavin, Andy. "Making Crash Bandicoot – part 3".
- ^ "Interplay to "Spook" Platform Gamers". Electronic Gaming Monthly (71). Ziff Davis: 30. June 1995.
- ^ https://www.scribd.com/document/133225106/PowerAnimator-8-Games-Flyer
