New NVIDIA software supports for Alias Maya

NVIDIA, a leader in graphics and digital media processors, has announced that NVIDIA Gelato TM 1.1, the latest version of its hardware-accelerated, final-frame renderer, is now available for sale directly from NVIDIA and through its global network of resellers.
The Gelato 1.1 renderer features a new version of its Mango TM plug-in for Alias Maya and introduces an innovative new feature, Preview Mode, that allows for ultra-high speed rendering of an image with user-defined image quality and fidelity to preview the final render.
“The new features found in Gelato 1.1 are the first of many that address the needs of our customers and their digital production pipelines,” said Beth Loughney, General Manager of the Digital Film Group at NVIDIA. “We’re moving towards a truly interactive rendering pipeline which doesn’t require compromises in the quality of the images, tools, or experience of creating content.”
Mango, which is included free with the purchase of Gelato, now provides translations of most of the Maya Hypershade nodes that ship with Maya, seamlessly rendering images through Gelato shaded with these nodes. The packaged Hypershade nodes can also be layered with shaders written specifically for Gelato for the ultimate in flexibility and control over the effects. Preview Mode allows the artist to make decisions on lights, geometry, and shaders, selectively trading time for quality on features such as motion blur and anti-aliasing, enabling artists to see an approximation of the final image in seconds, instead of minutes or even hours. Best of all, since the image viewed in Preview Mode doesn’t require a different set of shaders or other assets, no additional prep work or changes to the production pipeline are necessary.
“NVIDIA’s drive to accelerate all aspects of film rendering with the combination of Gelato and NVIDIA Quadro FX is leading the way toward high-quality, interactive rendering,” said Joshua Kolden, CEO of Crack Creative. “Gelato incorporates the features and performance required in a demanding studio production environment and is a vital tool in our continued success.”
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