Integrate Tools — Discreet

3D animation software continues to get cheaper and more powerful,and Discreet proves it isn't looking to buck this trend with therelease of Character Studio 4. Besides lopping $500 off theprice tag, Discreet has brought some very esoteric-sounding (butfundamentally important) innovations to the software. Dynamics-basedmixing, for instance, provides propagation of dynamic balancing fromthe upper body of a character to the lower body. Essentially, it helpsmake body part mixes look more natural. Constraint-based mixdowns letanimators mix down nonlinear sequences into a single clip whilesatisfying feet IK and knee-joint motion constraints. This helpsmultiple files blend together smoothly and aids in the blending ofmotion capture with keyframed data.

Price: $995
Montreal; (800) 869-3504; www.discreet.com