Alias Searches for Next Computer Graphics Star with the Maya Personal Learning Edition Contest

Toronto, Canada – Alias, a Silicon Graphics Inc. (NYSE: SGI)company, announced today that it has joined with HP and Gnomon 3D togive Maya Personal Learning Edition software users a chance to explorethe power of 3D with their creativity and imagination. By simplydownloading Maya Personal Learning Edition and a rigged character fromthe Alias community web site, entrants can create an animation, textureand pose of their choice to compete for a HP professional workstation,Maya software and a DVD training pack. The contest is open to computergraphics industry professionals, students and hobbyists from around theworld and runs from February 9, 2004 to April 28, 2004.

“The Maya Personal Learning Edition contest was inspired bythe thousands of Maya users who visit the Alias online community everyday,” says Daniel Siriste, online community producer, Alias.“We held a poll asking how many people would be interested inparticipating in a contest and the response was overwhelming –more than 80% said yes. So, we’ve brought together sponsors HPand Gnomon 3D who have provided awesome prizes along with someoutstanding judges from CG Channel, Tippett Studio and Alias to offer acontest that challenges Maya PLE users to discover the creative powerof 3D.”

Let Your Imagination Run Wild

To enter the contest, entrants simply join the Alias community at www.alias.com/community/contestand download the contest’s free rigged character - then let theirimaginations direct their creativity in three areas: animation,texturing and character pose.

In the animation component there will be three options to choosefrom - climbing a rope, shuffling against the wall and low-crawl. Forthe texturing component entrants will make any texture they can dreamup and apply it to their character. The last element of the entry is inthe character pose where entrants design their best character pose, asif it would be used on a movie poster or magazine cover. The pose canbe dramatic, comic, conservative or whatever unique pose entrants cancome up with.

A team of 3D industry experts will judge the contest: Jean-EricHenault, editor, CG Channel; John Harker, creature technical director,Tippett Studio; Cory Mogk, Maya product specialist, Alias; AlexAlvarez, director and founder of Gnomon School of Visual Effects and ajudge representing HP. The online community will also have a chance tovoice their opinion and vote for their favorite entry at www.cgchannel.com/contest/alias.

The entries will be judged on defined criteria that includeoriginality and creativity, technique, quality of texturing, quality ofanimation, innovation of the image and community rating.

Prizes

Winners of the Maya PLE contest will be able to take their talentsto new heights as they will take home one of a professional HP xw4100workstation (loaded with 3.2GHz/800fsb/512MB ram with a NVIDIA Quadro980XGL); one of two Maya Complete licenses; or a Gnomon 3D DVD learningpack.

Contest Regulations and Details

Full contest regulations and details can be found at www.alias.com/community/contest.No purchase is necessary to enter or win, and no obligation of any kindis implied. This contest is void where prohibited or restricted bylaw.