WOW has produced a special movie in conjunction with the announcement of the release of new versions of 3D animation software packages “Autodesk 3ds Max®” and “Autodesk Maya®.” WOW created a scene depicting Max Man and Maya Man, robotic personifications of the individual features of the Autodesk 3ds Max® and Autodesk Maya® software programs, working together to fight enemies. WOW was in charge of planning, character design, and movie creation. The movie is released on Autodesk’s CGI and video information site “AREA JAPAN.” On Tuesday, April 26th the 4K version is released on that site’s YouTube channel.

On the same special site, the 3D model data for the two characters in the film, “Max Man” and “Maya Man” are made available free of charge for use within the software applications. Also, by providing free trial versions of the software packages and an environment that makes it easily accessible, they hope to spark an interest in VFX among new users and the younger generation. They plan to release 3D print data for Max Man and Maya Man, so it will be easy to make 3D prints of the characters. While the number of CG creators and CG students has been decreasing in recent years, 3D printers are becoming more common, and the importance of 3D data in daily life is increasing. By making the 3D printing data available for the two robots, this project represents an attempt to broaden the road to entry into the world of CG by creating a bridge between the virtual worlds that can be constructed using CG and the real world in which products can be held in the hand. Also, because the final output is a 3D print, even within the movie the story touches on the lamination and texture of the robots. ▶Autodesk Special Website: AREA JAPAN *The 3D model data and trial software can be downloaded from the site shown above. *The 3D model data and free downloads are for personal use only and may not be used for profit.

3D modelling data for Max Man & Maya Man are released free-of-charge

Max Man This is a middle-end model created by a single researcher. He’s better at fighting alone than in a group, and with his own power he’s capable of taking on groups. He has a variety of plugins that are appropriate for various situations, so he’s capable of handling harsh conditions and a variety of tactical situations. Character design environment Features high versatility and is equipped with a variety of plugins, so is appropriate for freelancers and for use in small-scale projects.

Maya Man A high-end model made with the latest technologies. Stronger in a group than fighting individually, depending upon the composition it’s possible to create the strongest fighting group in the world. With high-level A.I. programming, it can be customized to deal with tactical situations appropriately. Character design environment This character is well-suited to large-scale projects such as videos or games and is appropriate for team development.