Alias’s new Maya 7 software is a speed demon that also plays better
with other desktop software apps than ever before. With faster
character building and optimized workflows for rendering, renders can
be prepared for optimal output to Adobe Photoshop or Macromedia Flash.
The software also features streamlined workflows with Photoshop and
Illustrator. Thanks to a complete re-architecture of Maya render
layers, Maya 7 can also handle much more in one scene file. Multiple
versions of objects-including materials, lights and cameras, and post
processes such as Maya Fur and Maya Paint Effects-can now be managed in
a single file. You can also choose to render your layers with any
renderer integrated in Maya, namely with the latest version of mental
ray. On top of all this, Alias has integrated MotionBuilder’s full-body
IK solver into the package, making rigging and posing characters
simpler and more precise. $1,999 (Maya Complete 7); $6,999 (Maya
Unlimited 7).