The four scenes include an architectural visualization with multiple objects, light sources, and textures, incorporating glass walls for testing refraction and opacity; a closeup of sparks flying from wheels, consisting of two particle-system animations with multiple light sources; a character animation (a juggler) using NURBS, inverse kinematics, and a moving camera; and a landscape with multiple textures and texture blends.
The composite score consists of numbers earned for both graphics and CPU tests. The larger the number, the better the score. The $ per composite figure is arrived at by dividing the cost of each workstation by its composite score results.
To see how the same workstations fared in different benchmark tests, and to view results from additional workstations, visit SPEC/GPC's Web site at
www.spec.org/gpc. The 3ds max benchmarked can be downloaded from this address as well.
Companies listed are voluntary participants.
Source: SPEC/GPC benchmark results April 2001. Copyright Standard Performance Evaluation Corp.
Maxon Computer (Newbury Park, CA) has acquired the rights to
Smells Like Almonds (SLA), a set of procedural shaders for
Cinema 4D, Maxon's modeling and animation software, from
bhodiNUT (Sullivan, MO)....
UGS (formerly Unigraphics Solutions; Cypress, CA) has announced the creation of a new design collaboration portal for the
Solid Edge CAD community. The portal,
Solid Edge Exchange, will be available in the second quarter....The
Halliburton Company (Dallas, TX), parent company to Landmark Graphics, a developer of decision-making software and services for the oil and gas industry, has agreed to acquire
Magic Earth (Houston, TX), a developer of 3D visualization and data mining systems....
WamNet (Eagan, MN), a provider of digital media services, has announced a new version of its Render On Demand (ROD) service for 3D animation facilities. Version 1.8 of ROD will provide enhanced support for Alias|Wavefront's Maya and Pixar's RenderMan software packages, as well as for Alias|Wavefront's Studio Tools industrial design software.
News is written and compiled by Jenny Donelan.