Mudbox

Mudbox
Autodesk Mudbox
= Mudbox32 sandbox model.jpg
A screenshot of the Mudbox interface
Developer(s) Autodesk (Skymatter Ltd, prior to acquisition by Autodesk)
Stable release 2012 / April 2011
Operating system Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Mac OS X, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Fedora Linux
Type 3D computer graphics
Website http://www.autodesk.com/mudbox

Mudbox is a computer-based 3D sculpting and painting tool. Currently developed by Autodesk, Mudbox was created by Skymatter, founded by former artists of Weta Digital, where it was first used to produce the 2005 Peter Jackson remake of King Kong. With a very simplified interface to allow for a more intuitive experience, Mudbox's primary application is high-res digital sculpting, texture painting, and displacement and normal map creation, though it's also used as a design tool. The current version is Mudbox 2012.

Contents

Features

  • The Mudbox user interface is a 3D environment that allows the creation of movable cameras that can be bookmarked. Models created within the program typically start as a simple polygon mesh that can be manipulated with a variety of different tools. A model can be subdivided to increase its resolution and the number of polygons available to sculpt with. 3D layers allow the user to store different detail passes, blending them with multiplier sliders and layer masks. Using layers the user is able to sculpt and mould their 3D model without making permanent changes.
  • As a detailing app, Mudbox can import and export .obj, .fbx, and .bio files, as well as its own .mud format. A standard workflow is to import a low-resolution mesh with good edge flow then subdivide and sculpt until finally exporting a displacement or normal map for use within a rendering package. Subdivision of models occurs using the Catmull-Clark subdivision algorithm.
  • The sculpting tool set contains an assortment of brushes with adjustable falloffs.
  • The use of 3D layers allows for rapid design visualization, non-destructive sculpting, and high polygon counts. Since the layers combine additively, their ordering is unimportant for the final model and may be created arbitrarily. Curves can be created and projected on a mesh for use as precise masking. All of the standard transform and selection tools are here as well. Paint layers were added in Mudbox 2009.
  • As stated above, design visualization plays an important role in Mudbox's production value. Simple poly primitives can be created from within Mudbox, facilitating the creation of busts, props, terrain, etc. The typical workflow is to create a relatively simple (low polygon count) model in a 3D modeling application and then import it to Mudbox for sculpting.
  • Other features include stamps and stencils. Stencils work by overlaying a grayscale, or "alpha channel" image, such as a bump map, over the mesh. The artist can then project part or all of the image's detail onto the mesh through brush strokes, providing a method to quickly sculpt surface detail.
  • The underlying architecture of Mudbox was updated in Mudbox 2009 to allow the sculpting of models with larger polygon counts compared to earlier versions. In Mudbox 2009 3D painting and texturing features were introduced to allow artists to paint directly on their models in 3D. In addition, features to display the model with depth of field, and ambient occlusion were added for the release.
  • In Mudbox 2010, an Application Programming Interface (API) was introduced via a Software Development Kit (SDK). In addition, functionality to improve file interoperability with other 3D applications (Autodesk Maya, 3ds Max etc.) was added via the FBX file format.

Interface

  • Mudbox's interface includes menus, tabbed windows, and tool trays
  • Mudbox's interface can be customized to a limited extent.
  • Mudbox provides keyboard shortcuts (hotkeys).
  • Navigation in the 3D View uses similar keys as sibling application Autodesk Maya.
  • Product documentation is provided online only.

Platforms

  • Currently, Mudbox operates on Windows XP (32 and 64 bit), Windows Vista (32 and 64 bit), Windows 7 Professional (32 and 64 bit), Linux 64 bit and Mac OS X.

"Q&A: Mudbox co-creator Dave Cardwell". 3D World. 2007-12-02. http://www.3dworldmag.com/page/3dworld?entry=mudbox_co_creator_dave_cardwell. Retrieved 2008-07-22.  Mudbox requires ATI or NVIDIA graphics.

"MudWalker: Wayne Robson Free Mudbox plug-in". MudboxHub. 2009-08-02. http://www.mudboxhub.com/MudWalker. Retrieved 2009-08-22. 

"Autodesk Collaborates With DreamWorks and Imageworks on Mudbox for Linux". Autodesk. 2009-11-18. http://news.autodesk.com/portal/site/autodesk/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091118005276&newsLang=en. Retrieved 2010-02-10.  - inactive link

Buyout

On August 6, 2007, Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) announced that it signed a definitive agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of Skymatter, Inc., the developer of Mudbox 3D modeling software.

Releases

  • October 2007, Autodesk released version 1.07 of Mudbox.
  • October 2008, Autodesk released Mudbox 2009 (v2) of Mudbox.
  • August 2009, Autodesk released Mudbox 2010 (v3) of Mudbox.
  • March 2010, Autodesk released Mudbox 2011 (v4) of Mudbox.
  • September 2010, Autodesk released Mudbox 2011 SAP (v4.5) of Mudbox.
  • April 2011, Autodesk released Mudbox 2012 (v5) of Mudbox.

External links

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Open source
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3D-Coat · Autodesk 3ds Max · Autodesk Maya · Autodesk Softimage · Autodesk Mudbox · Bryce · Cinema 4D · Electric Image Animation System · E-on Vue · Houdini · LightWave 3D · MASSIVE · Golaem Crowd · Messiah · Moment of Inspiration · modo · Poser · Sculptris · Shade · Strata 3D · Swift 3D  · Terragen  · VistaPro  · ZBrush
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