Red Giant introduced Trapcode Tao, a new GPU-accelerated procedural 3D geometry creation tool, as part of Trapcode Suite 13.

"With Trapcode Tao, we're bringing the ability to generate amazing, procedurally generated 3D ribbons and geometric shapes to After Effects," said Red Giant marketing head Ahoron Rabinowitz in a prepared statement.

Trapcode Tao allows complex geometric animations to be created along paths. Textures and reflection/environment maps enable photorealistic motion graphics, and an offset and looping system allows artists to loop animations for motion graphics and backgrounds.

Updates to Trapcode Particular 2.5 include a new Effects Builder with drag-and-drop support for particle behaviors and styles as well as an instant preview window. Also new are more than 130 customizable effect presets for creating and customizing flames, explosions, smoke, and other effects. A library of more than 100 still and animated sprites can be loaded through the Effects Builder.

Trapcode Shine 2 gets 3D Light Rays by linking to 3D lights in After Effects. Fractal Noise tools, including masking and parallax, create volumetric library with simulated depth and behavior characteristics. New presets allow light to be generated from text, or define the properties of natural light effects.

Trapcode Mir 2 has new tools for working with dynamic 3D surfaces, including functions for "spiralizing" a mesh and looping fractal-based backgrounds, as well as Second-Pass Wireframes for creating grid overlays.

The full Trapcode Suite 13 is available through Red Giant for $999 ($199 for an upgrade or $499 for an academic license). The components are also available separately, with standard pricing ranging from $99 to $399.