cebas Computer GmbH announces Service Pack 2A as FREE upgrade for finalRender Stage-1.

Third major free upgrade since release offers many new features

(Eppelheim, Germany – March 3, 2004) - cebas Computer GmbH, devloper of the Discreet Certified 3ds max® Plug-in renderer finalRender®, today announced the release of Service Pack 2A(SP2A) for finalRender Stage-1, a Discreet Certified 3ds max® Plug-in.

SP2A is a FREE download and provides the following to finalRender Stage-1 users:

Camera based Color Toning and Exposure Control

Additional motion blur algorithm “Tweening”

Motion blur for animated Texture Maps

Stability enhancements and fixes

DR enhancements for better network time out control

Motion Blur fixes and enhancements

GI algorithm enhancements

Enhanced Rectangular Lights with improved realism

Visual feedback for area shadow generators in standard 3ds max lights

Enhanced Skylight
"I am amazed at the added speed that SP2A brings to finalRender Stage-1," notes Michael Plдngsken, Manager and 3D Artist at GROUND STUDIOS OHG. "We are using it in our commercial work and are astonished at the level of quality that we are seeing in the raytracing. Stage-1 with SP2A is an outstanding value at just $795."

SP2A is the THIRD free upgrade for finalRender Stage-1 customers since the product’s release last year and continues cebas’ commitment to add new features and benefits, not just fixes, to product updates.

SP2A adds to the functionality of SP2, which gave users the following:

All new Anti-Aliasing core engine technologies. The latest advanced adaptive Anti-Aliasing sampling algorithms have been implemented within SP2 and provided as a new engine along with significant speed enhancements to the existing engines.

Powerful Dynamic Bitmaps technology - finalRender’s native, all-purpose bitmap pager has been incorporated and solves the memory limitations and problems that allows users to render 21K x 21K images and larger along with high resolution textures.

Substantial speed increases within complex scenes of up to 10 times compared to SP1

Inclusion of our special Adaptive Multiple Ray Sampler code to enhance rendering speed on scenes that use multiple “blurry” rendering effects like Blurry tracing, Area shadows or Quasi Monte Carlo Global Illumination!

Drastically Reduced Memory consumption by the renderer core

Superior Anti-Aliasing detection in nearly horizontal lines and other extremely thin edges

By popular demand, the Cylinder light, a true area light source is now included

Game Developer specific enhancements have been added to the output options for SP2

UI enhancements have been added for easier access and faster set up of render parameters

Fully compatible with Autodesk VIZ 4.x, 3ds max 4.2x, 3ds max 5.x and 3ds max 6

Better native 3ds max 6 renderer support

Ongoing service and support Enhancements for free for our loyal customers

All registered users of finalRender Stage-1 will receive an email instructing them how to obtain the service pack. Other users may contactdcpsupport@turbosquid.com for information.

finalRender Stage-1 also includes the following features:

True 3D Motion Blur: The development of a true 3D motion blur tool was driven by the passion of artists around the world. The solution to this is stage-1’s highly accurate motion blur tool that allows definition of moving elements while retaining foreground and background details.
Dispersion: The ability to refract light based on the material’s structure offers stage-1 users creative control over light in objects.
Multiple Cameras: Stage-1 offers nine cameras, including InsectEye, Architectural, Cylinder, Distortion, Fisheye, Panoramic, Spherical, UltraWide, and Window.
Distributed Rendering: True distributed rendering, including Global Illumination, is part of Stage-1. This is a unique approach to taking advantage of massive parallel rendering technology, giving you lightning fast results with the highest quality.
True 3D Micro Triangle Displacement: Stage-1 includes this advanced rendering method to give users the ability to create more surface detail for their models by generating and displacing extra triangles for geometry only at render.
Hyper-GI: This unique approach to global illumination is based on a sophisticated hybrid energy distribution model that can handle both animated objects and lights (or both of them together) while giving the user full control and speed.
Sub Surface Scattering: Stage-1 offers an enhanced volumetric light scattering algorithm that allows light to be scattered to create volume glow and halo effects like those from diffuse illumination.
finalToon: finalToon, the standalone product that is actually two products in one, is included in Stage-1 at no additional cost! Besides being a top selling 2D cartoon renderer, finalToon is also a feature rich technical illustrator.
Future Proof: Stage-1 is optimized for Intel? P4 HT code, and is 64 bit ready. FinalRender Stage-1 is also a Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-in-designed for seamless integration with 3ds max from Discreet and other Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-ins.
Comprehensive Package: finalRender Stage-1 was designed from the ground up based on the benefits that users requested most and includes features such as:

• True Caustic Light Rendering with extended Energy Control
• Fast Area Shadows
• Realtime Volume Light Rendering
• True Geometry Based Direct and Indirect Light Sources
• Energy Based "Light Particle" Rendering System
• First Renderer with fully Licensed "Zauner Shader" Technology
• Energy Based "Light Particle" Rendering System
• AI based "On Demand" Loading/Unloading of Geometry
• Intelligent and Automatic Raytracing Acceleration through AI-3D Space Segmentation
• True 3D UltraBlur™ Algorithm for fast Blurry Renderings

Pricing and availability

finalRender Stage-1 has a suggested retail price (SRP) US $795. Stage-1 is available from Turbo Squid at www.turbosquid.com/dcpstore, from Discreet at www.discreet.com/products/3dsmax/dcp or from authorized Resellers around the world. For a Reseller near you, contact sales@turbosquid.com.

Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-in Program

Working together, Discreet and Turbo Squid are carefully selecting third party solutions that bring compelling value to 3ds max artists. These plug-ins are subjected to stringent testing procedures defined by Discreet to ensure each plug-in works well with 3ds max software and other Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-ins.

Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-ins are backed up by an online support system implemented by Turbo Squid including developer-moderated forums, FAQs, tutorials, demos, and the latest product information for Discreet 3ds max artists.

For more information on Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-ins visit: http://www.turbosquid.com/

About Turbo Squid

Founded in January 2000, Turbo Squid is dedicated to the management and distribution of digital assets and other relevant content for 3D and 2D designers and creative professionals. Turbo Squid provides a global market for digital assets by enabling individual and corporate users to list, promote and sell their content to users around the world. In 2003 Turbo Squid was named as the exclusive publisher and worldwide distributor for the Discreet Certified 3ds max Plug-in Program. Turbo Squid is a privately held company with financial backing from Advantage Capital Partners, The Eastman Kodak Company and Intel Capital. More information can be found at the company's web site http://www.turbosquid.com/

About Discreet

Discreet empowers moving media professionals to realize the visual experience, transforming their most evocative and ambitious visions into reality. Its range of award-winning systems and software is developed for digital media creation, management and delivery—across all disciplines from visual effects and editing to animation, game development, web/interactive design, and design visualization. Discreet is based in Montreal, Quebec and is a division of Autodesk, Inc., the world's leading design and digital media creation, management, and Distribution Company. Product and corporate information is located on the Internet at http://www.discreet.com/

About cebas Computer GmbH

cebas Computer GmbH is a German developer of advanced 3D software for 3ds max and other 3D applications, based near Heidelberg. With 14 years of experience in software development for the 3D market, cebas has become renowned for its quality and unique software products serving graphics and animation studios around the world. More info is available at http://www.cebas.com/

Contact: Turbo Squid
Dan Lion, VP Sales and Marketing
Tel: (504) 680-4402
contact dlion@turbosquid.com

Discreet Public Relations
Kevin G Clark, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications
Tel: (415) 547-2457
kevin.g.clark@autodesk.com

cebas Computer GmbH
Edwin Braun
info@cebas.com

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Discreet is a division of Autodesk, Inc. Autodesk, Discreet and 3ds max are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk Inc./Autodesk Canada Inc., in the USA and/or other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective holders. ©Copyright 2004 cebas Computer GmbH. PyroCluster, finalRender are registered trademarks of cebas Computer in Germany. All rights reserved.