This information was released today, Monday, October 4th, 1993 at 9:31 am EST. For Immediate Release Contact: Garth Chouteau Autodesk, Inc. (415) 491-8853 Autodesk Announces AutoVision(TM) 1.0 New Tool for AutoCAD Customers Offers Photorealistic Rendering SAUSALITO, Calif., October 4, 1993 -- Autodesk, Inc. today announced AutoVision(TM) software, a still-rendering application with photorealistic image quality that operates within AutoCAD(R) Release 12 for DOS. An AutoCAD Development System(TM) (ADS) application from the Multimedia Division of Autodesk, AutoVision is designed to help AutoCAD users produce high- impact images and conceptual renderings. AutoVision combines exceptional rendering speed with high quality (including ray-tracing) and precise control of image details. AutoVision carries a suggested retail price of US$795 and ships in October, 1993. "The visualization needs of the typical AutoCAD customer continue to increase, and in any CAD-related field, photorealistic rendering is becoming a real competitive advantage," said Jack Strange, director of marketing for Autodesk Multimedia. "AutoVision delivers this capability in an intuitive way, through a familiar environment." In addition to photorealistic rendering, AutoVision enables easy migration from still rendering to broadcast-quality animation through 3D Studio(R) (.3DS) file compatibility. AutoVision software's compatibility with Autodesk 3D Studio Release 3, the premier PC software solution for 3D modeling, rendering and animation, ensures that as the needs of AutoCAD customers change, their investment in rendering software will be preserved. "AutoVision will enable AutoCAD customers to achieve very high image quality within AutoCAD, and then migrate to 3D Studio as their needs grow to include animation. It's another key piece of our commitment to deliver quality visualization products to our AutoCAD customers," Strange said. "With AutoVision AutoCAD owners can better communicate with clients by portraying designs as they would appear in the real world, facilitating the testing of product concepts prior to construction," said Teri Felix, AutoVision senior product manager. "Also, the tight integration of AutoVision with AutoCAD and 3D Studio means that AutoCAD files can be used from concept to drafting to manufacturing, and customers have the benefit of design visualization at every step of the process." AutoVision rendering occurs entirely within AutoCAD and rendering information is saved to the AutoCAD .DWG file. AutoVision software works with a broad range of video displays, from VGA to Truecolor and can output to screen or file at any resolution on 8-, 16-, 24- or 32-bit devices. AutoVision Features AutoVision software's powerful toolset allows the user to render multiple views of a drawing, each with different lighting effects, materials and surfaces. Features include: - Materials Editor -- Modify existing materials or create your own, to precisely model an object's appearance. Control color, reflection, transparency and ambient characteristics and surface texture. - Procedural Materials -- Algorithmically generated materials make it easy to create seamless wood, marble and granite surfaces, altering such characteristics as grain and color as desired. - Sun Locator -- Accurately portray the sun's intensity and angle at different times of the day and year using latitude and longitude coordinates and time of day or by selecting a location from one of the numerous regional maps included. - Lighting Control -- Create and adjust point, spot and distant lights using color, intensity, falloff and shadowing, to simulate real lighting conditions. - Compatibility with AutoCAD & 3D Studio Release 3 -- AutoVision reads and writes 3D Studio files, as well as 3D Studio material files (.MLI). AutoVision also reads information from Visual Link(TM) and AVE Render. - CD-ROM of Textures -- Hundreds of textures and materials can be applied 'as is' or modified within AutoVision's powerful Materials Editor. System Requirements AutoVision runs within AutoCAD Release 12 for DOS (386/486), and has the same system requirements: an IBM(R) or Compaq(R) 386/486-based computer or 100- percent compatible equipped with MS-DOS 3.3 or later, 8 MB of RAM, a VGA display, a math coprocessor, an AutoCAD-supported pointing device and one 1.2 MB, 5.25-inch floppy disk drive or one 1.44 MB, 3.5-inch floppy-disk drive. Pricing and Availability AutoVision ships in October 1993, at a suggested retail price of US$795 (US domestic only) through Authorized Autodesk and Multimedia Dealers. For a limited time, owners of previous versions of AutoCAD can upgrade to R12 and receive AutoVision for a total of US$1,000, a savings of US$300 - $500. For more information, please call Autodesk toll free at 800-879-4233 or enter GO ASOFT on CompuServe(R). Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of desktop computer-aided design automation software. Autodesk, Inc. develops, markets and supports a family of design automation software products, as well as professional scientific and multimedia software for personal computers and workstations. Autodesk shares are traded on NASDAQ under the symbol ACAD. For more information, please call 415-332-2344 or type GO ADESK on CompuServe. -30- Autodesk, AutoCAD and 3D Studio are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. AutoVision, the AutoCAD Development System and Visual Link are trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. CompuServe is a registered trademark of H&R Block. All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.