The History of Carrara

245

Comments

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited December 1969

    Okay, in the spirit of Carrara History, I've just gone into CD2 of Carrara 6 Pro. Ringo is one of the supporting artists who's artwork came for inspirational value which, of course, is very good - as are all of those supporting artists images. Very cool. It also came with an assortment of demo HDRI products from other sources. I've never tried these and will have to go in and play!

    At the top of the ►►► Carrara Information Manual ◄◄◄, just under the User Manual links is the "Carrara 6 Quick Tour -" file that you can download, which also came from this disc. Is that you (Ringo) who has done the 'Caustics' example? Your caustics images are really cool! Either way, the moral of the story is this: "The difference between an image rendered using caustics and one without is obvious!" ;)
    I love that ending! :)

    By the way, that little download is really a fun little video app that came with Carrara 6 Pro. Some pretty cool silent tutorials.

  • Eric3dddEric3ddd Posts: 67
    edited December 1969

    Great summary Ringo.

    I wish you included some historical facts on Amapi and e-frontier. While not directly related to Carrara, it explains why Hexagon development has been stagnating for years. Maybe you could write a "History of Hexagon" for the Hexagon forum and cross-link the threads.

  • wscottartwscottart Posts: 420
    edited December 1969

    Wow, I've been at this a long time. That raydream 3d box with the duck really brings back some memories. I had been using Bryce and admiring all the things the Ray dreamers and Maxers where creating. I felt like I was really moving up when I got my hands on that. I most likely have that sitting around here somewhere too!

  • d-j-od-j-o Posts: 345
    edited December 1969

    I remember using infini D, still have it and the packaging, i loved using it for logos and the volumetrics where real cool back then, i have it with my old animation master stuff on a book shelf!

  • GarstorGarstor Posts: 1,411
    edited December 1969

    I'm obviously the one still in diapers around here...I've only known Carrara 8. :red:

  • IlenaIlena Posts: 280
    edited December 1969

    * Joins blushing Garstor and looks at the floor silent * Can't say much about it's history but I will say this: out of all covers that have graced Carrara the one used on version 6 is awesome. The render on newest version is great too, but there is something about that particular image that rubs me the right way.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2014

    I apologize if this has already been posted here.

    De3an has posted a link to a post which reposted a repost of a post that was made by Antoine Clappier former CEO of Eovia revealing a history of Carrara, and so I want to repost it here so that we may always have this post available to read:

    Thanks, De3an, for sending us to this post!!!!


    Hi all!

    I have seen a few posts lately about the Carrara history. As I have
    been involved since a little while with the Ray Dream / Carrara
    development, I can give a few dates about these products.

    The history of Carrara Studio starts in 1989! At that time a group of
    friends coming from France moved to California with the idea of
    creating a graphic software using the new Macs with color display (a
    pretty vague plan!). Two years later they released the first version
    of Ray Dream.

    After growing their company successfully, they sold Ray Dream Inc. to
    Fractal Design (developer of Painter) in 1996. About the same time, I
    founded RAYflect a company developing plug-ins for Ray Dream,
    Photoshop and MAX.

    A year later, Fractal Design was in turn acquired by MetaTools
    (Bryce, the KPTs). The combination of the two companies became
    MetaCreations. Meanwhile MetaTools acquired Specular, the maker of
    Infini-D.

    MetaCreations having two similar products (Ray Dream and Infini-D)
    decided to merge the two products and to create Carrara. In 1999,
    MetaCreations acquired my company and I became in charge of Ray
    Dream, Infini-D and Carrara (and moved from France to California)

    Follows the "MetaCreations disaster". To save Carrara, I founded
    Eovia in 2000 with Arnaud Berry, Charles Brissart and Alexandre
    Clappier. Since then Eovia has released three versions of Carrara
    Studio.

    Want even more details? Read below the one and only complete Carrara
    history (gathered during the last 10 years!):


    1989, Dec: Eric Hautemont et al. found Ray Dream, Inc (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1991: Ray Dream ships Ray Dream Designer 1 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1991: Adam Lavine founds Specular International (maker of Infini-D). (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1991-93: Ray Dream ships Ray Dream Designer 2 (unknown date!) (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1994, Jan.: Ray Dream ships Ray Dream Designer 3 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1995, Q4: Ray Dream releases Ray Dream Studio 4 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1996, May: Ray Dream, Inc merges with Fractal Design Corp. (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997: April: MetaTools, Inc acquires Specular International. (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, Feb: MetaTools, Inc merges with Fractal Design Corp. (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, May: MetaTools/Fractal Design becomes MetaCreations Corp. (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, June: Antoine Clappier et al. found RAYflect (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, June: MetaCreations ships Infini-D 4.0 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, July: MetaCreations ships Ray Dream Studio 5 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, September: MetaCreations ships Ray Dream 3D (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1998, May: MetaCreations ships Infini-D 4.5 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1999, June: MetaCreation acquires RAYflect, ships Ray Dream Studio 5.5 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1999, December: MetaCreation ships Carrara 1.0 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1999, 2000 : MetaCreation sells its graphic software:
    - Poser goes to Curious Labs
    - Painter, the KPTs, Bryce go to Corel
    - Canoma goes to Adobe (And everyone thought they were going to die)

    2000, Nov: Eovia Corp is founded. Eovia acquires Carrara (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2001, Jan: TGS announces the acquisition of Eovia Corp. (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2001,March: Eovia ships Amapi 3D V6. (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2001, June: Eovia ships Carrara Studio 1.1 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2002, June: Eovia ships Carrara Studio 2.0 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2002, Aug: Eovia ships VectorStyle (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2002, Nov: Eovia ships Carrara 3D Basics (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2003, March: Eovia ships Power Pack (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2003, March: Eovia ships Amapi Designer 7 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2003, Sept: Eovia ships Carrara Studio 3.0 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    UPDATE:

    2003, Dec: e-frontier acquires Curious Labs maker of Poser (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2004, April: TGS (owner of Eovia Corp.) is acquired by Mercury
    Computer Systems. I leave the company. Eovia Corp. is spun-off. (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2004, Sept: Eovia ships Carrara 4 and Carrara 4 Pro (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2005, May: Eovia ships Hexagon (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2005, Oct: Eovia ships Carrara 5 and Carrara 5 Pro (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2006, Apr: DAZ acquires Eovia Corp. Ships Hexagon 2 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2006, June: e-frontier acquires Amapi Pro / Eovia Europe (not official)? (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    Antoine Clappier
    President

    ...and we're still alive!!!

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    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    I remember all of this history. I created the first Carrara only group 4 months before Carrara was even release. I went to all the online groups that I could find and promoted the soon to be release Carrara 1. The Carrara group had over 1000 members before the product was even release. I had the opportunity to be in the Alpha and beta groups of Carrara and was able to communicate with the developers and provided input on new features. It was lots of fun and lots of work. But our Carrara community has always been a fun, friendly and very talented group.
    The key to the early success of the Carrara was that Antoine and the other developers loved to listen to the community and they developed Carrara base on user requests and input. Sometimes they would provide even more.
    For example I remember how the community wanted to have radiosity rendering in Carrara but Antoine and Charles come with something even better. Photon rendering and Carrara was the first application to have such a render engine at its price range. Soon after I requested for them to have HDRI in the next release of Carrara and it almost didn't even make it but I kept on asking for it until they finally added it.
    It turn out to be one of the favorite features on that release of Carrara. The render images just became more realistic.
    It is always good to have software developers that have a passion for the application they develop. You can really see it in the results. This is what is missing with contract developers. They just don't have the vision.

    The one thing that I miss the most is the regular communication between the CEO Antoine and the other founders and developers with the Carrara Community. Whey were online in the Carrara forum/email group and they would community with the members. I would setup online chat events they would show up and just chat Carrara. They had lots of fans. the community loved them. Wish we had this type of communication with DAZ 3D.

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited August 2014

    I wish that, too. I pester them about that... but not to the point of angering them - I know they must be bust with all the new events going on with the company. I surely hope that they eventually adopt a full-blown Carrara development department, whom is totally interactive toward this community!

    Wow, Ringo!
    I love it when you speak about the earlier days in Carrara! I'll never tire of it! :)
    Thanks!

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    Post edited by Dartanbeck on
  • arcadyarcady Posts: 340
    edited August 2014

    Follows the "MetaCreations disaster". To save Carrara, ...

    Want even more details? Read below the one and only complete Carrara
    history (gathered during the last 10 years!):


    1989, Dec: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1991: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1991: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1991-93: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1994, Jan.: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1995, Q4: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1996, May: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997: April: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, Feb: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, May: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, June: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, June: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, July: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1997, September: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1998, (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1999, June: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1999, December: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    1999, 2000 : MetaCreations smokes crack
    (And everyone thought they were going to die)

    2000, Nov: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2001, Jan: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2001,March: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2001, June: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2002, June: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2002, Aug: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2002, Nov: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2003, March: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2003, March: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2003, Sept: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    UPDATE:

    2003, Dec: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2004, (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2004, Sept: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2005, May: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2005, Oct: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2006, Apr: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    2006, June: (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    Antoine Clappier
    President

    ...

    I wonder if its going to die?


    /ducks.

    I think the first time I ever made a comment to an online news story when when someone in a business journal, or maybe even the comments on the stock exchange, noted that now that Metacreations had shed all that useless 3D software they could become THE FUTURE of the internet by focusing on 3D banner ads...

    I more or less politely told them the company CEO was acting like someone on drugs...

    /Notes how today, Metacreations owns the entire internet, just as planned. Or... not exactly...

    I was one of those people who ordered and paid for my copy of Carrara 1 the week before the company went on an Acid Trip in Golden Gate Park with some hippies or something...

    Post edited by arcady on
  • DustRiderDustRider Posts: 2,691
    edited December 1969

    I wish that, too. I pester them about that... but not to the point of angering them - I know they must be bust with all the new events going on with the company. I surely hope that they eventually adopt a full-blown Carrara development department, whom is totally interactive toward this community!

    Wow, Ringo!
    I love it when you speak about the earlier days in Carrara! I'll never tire of it! :)
    Thanks!


    Thanks for the images Dart - brings back some great memories ....... I had/have them all!!!
  • TangoAlphaTangoAlpha Posts: 4,584
    edited December 1969

    All before my time, but fascinating stuff nonetheless.

    Only one thing missing:

    2013: Daz ships Carrara 8.5 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    BTW, hope not!

  • Eric3dddEric3ddd Posts: 67
    edited August 2014

    arcady said:
    I wonder if its going to die?
    Well, a few of those did die…
    - RayDream (technically "reincarnated")
    - Infini-D (technically "reincarnated")
    - KPT
    - Canoma
    - Amapi :-(
    - Hexagon (on its death bead)

    Carrara 1 was rushed out by MetaCreations and was very buggy. The best years for development were under Eovia/Antoine.

    /Notes how today, Metacreations owns the entire internet, just as planned. Or… not exactly…


    I was trying to find what happened to MetaCre(m)ations. It became Viewpoint Corporation, which was then acquired by Enliven, which apparently died too.
    Post edited by Eric3ddd on
  • That Other PersonaThat Other Persona Posts: 381
    edited December 1969

    It would be really nice to look back a year from now and see the list include

    2014 August Carrara 10

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited December 1969

    dustrider said:

    Thanks for the images Dart - brings back some great memories ....... I had/have them all!!!
    COOL!
    I'm still considering buying copies of them, just to create a nostalgia wall shelf with them.

    Of course, knowing me... I would have to open each one and load the disc contents onto my TEMP hard drive, look at any printed material that came with, etc.,
    I'm just that way.

    Not much of a collector, as such, though I love to collect... things ;)

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited December 1969

    Tim_A said:
    All before my time, but fascinating stuff nonetheless.

    Only one thing missing:

    2013: Daz ships Carrara 8.5 (And everyone thought it was going to die)

    BTW, hope not!

    Me too!
    If it gets that bad, perhaps I can talk Project Dogwaffle into buying/developing it!?!

    Daniel Ritchie never stops working on Dogwaffle - Never!
    Right now I'm testing this really cool animated particle modeler... it's so incredibly cool!
    Dan never stop developing, Philip (used to work at Eovia) never stops testing and asking for MORE!

    ...and the two apps work SO well together, it would be an amazing addition to their line-up.

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    History of Carrara. The announcement of Carrara Studio 2.

    ============================================

    Eovia's Carrara Studio 2 coming, for OS X
    By Peter Cohen, PCWorldMay 15, 2002 12:00 AMe-mailprint
    Eovia Corp. has announced the pending release of Carrara Studio 2, a major upgrade to the original Carrara Studio, its 3D modeling software. The new version is expected to begin shipping on June 5, 2002, in both Mac and Windows flavors -- including Mac OS X support.

    Carrara Studio is billed as a comprehensive 3D package for Web, print and video. The software features five different rendering engines, seven different modelers, multiple animation tools, a shader editor, special effects, sky environments, and more than 1,000 3D models and textures.

    The US$399 package sports major new features, including Photon Maps, which Eovia bills as "the first algorithm capable of a truly global approach to image rendering." Eovia describes Photo Maps as a combination of ray tracing and radiosity in a single rendering engine.

    Bones and skinning have also been added to the new version. Bones provide the ability to modify, deform and animated objects or groups of objects in real-time in order to create more realistic characters.

    Subdivision modeling is new as well -- it allows users to create complex and highly detailed characters while using simplified polygonal objects that are automatically subdivided to add details.

    Eovia reported that Carrara Studio 2 has been "completely ported" to Mac OS X. It still works under 9, as well, and supports multiprocessor systems under Mac OS X.

    Various other enhancements, stability improvements, and interface changes have been made as well. There's also a new Free and Volumic particle system, a new physics engine, and improve anti-aliasing.

    Available in early June for US$399, Carrara Studio can be pre-ordered today. Upgrades from Carrara Studio 1 are $149; competitive upgrades from other 3D creation tools are also available. Visit the Web site for more details.

    The initial release is in English, but fully localized French and German versions are expected to be released shortly after Carrara Studio 2 debuts.

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    Eovia™ Launches VectorStyle™
    A Vector Rendering Plug-In For Carrara Studio™ 2 Utilizing
    RAViX® II Technology From Electric Rain®
    For Immediate Release New 3D vector plug-in will enable Carrara Studio 2 users to render 3D animations to the Macromedia® Flash™ (SWF) file format, as well as other popular vector file types

    Mountain View, California — August 19, 2002 - Today Eovia Corporation announced the release of VectorStyle, an advanced 3D vector rendering plug-in for Carrara Studio 2. VectorStyle uses Electric Rain's industry-leading RAViX II technology, enabling Carrara Studio 2 users to turn their 3D scenes into scalable vector-based animations that can be published seamlessly to the Web. VectorStyle provides the well-established user base of Carrara Studio 2 with an advanced solution for repurposing their 3D content to a Web friendly format.

    "Flash is not only a very efficient web-oriented media, it's also a completely new way to render and publish 3D graphics in a style that has proven to be exceptionally popular," said Antoine Clappier, CEO of Eovia. "Used in connection with Carrara Studio 2, VectorStyle also fills the gap between 3D imagery and vector graphics by exporting high-quality 3D renderings to EPS and Illustrator formats."

    Working as a plug-in for Carrara Studio 2, VectorStyle uses Electric Rain's proprietary RAViX II vector technology to render 3D scenes with complete accuracy, while staying true to colors, lighting, camera views and animations. VectorStyle provides Carrara Studio 2 users with an extensive array of vector output options including 3 levels of outlines, 5 levels of cartoon shading, 2 levels of gradient shading, shadows and specular highlights.

    "We're very excited to see our RAViX II technology adding functionality to an already powerful 3D application like Carrara Studio 2," said Mike Soucie, President of Electric Rain, Inc. "This union of Electric Rain's premier 3D-to-vector technology and Eovia's already popular 3D modeling and animating application will only strengthen Carrara Studio's position as a leading 3D authoring and publishing solution."

    Major Features

    Extensive vector and Flash outputs
    SWF - Macromedia® Flash™ 3, 4 and 5
    EPS - Encapsulated PostScript
    AI - Adobe® Illustrator®
    SVG - Scalable Vector Graphics

    Multiple rendering styles and effects
    5 Cartoon renderings - One, Two, Four, Full Color, and Average Fill
    3 Edge renderings - Outline, Mesh and Hidden Lines
    2 Gradient Levels - Area and Mesh Shading
    Shadowing - Self, Plane, and Object Casting
    Specular Highlights - Added realism for Cartoon and Gradient Shading

    Unmatched rendering speed and accuracy with RAViX II
    Fast - Renders 10x faster than competing products
    Powerful - Handles 250,000+ polygon models with ease
    Accurate - Industry renown as the most accurate vector rendering engine available

    Maximum file optimization
    Control over levels of detail and curve rendering
    Fully-optimized files ready for publishing without further editing

    Additional features
    Straight forward and uncluttered interface with full Preview
    Runs on Windows (Windows 98/2000/XP/ME/NT 4.0) and Macintosh (Mac OS 8, Mac OS 9, Mac OS X)
    Includes WebXport 2, the free VET™ (Viewpoint Experience Technology) plug-in from Eovia

    Pricing and Availability
    The English/International version of VectorStyle is available immediately for the Mac (OS 8.1, OS 9.1 and OS X) and Windows platforms, at a suggested retail price of US$129.

    SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY OFFER: until October 19, 2002, VectorStyle will be offered at US$99.

    For more information and direct purchase, visit the Eovia website at www.eovia.com or call Eovia at 1-800-544-4847 x118 (USA) or 1-858-457-5359 x118 (outside the USA)

    About Carrara Studio
    Carrara Studio™ 2 -- The Complete, Accessible and Productive 3D Solution for the creative user in the fields of Web, Print and Video. Available for Macintosh and Windows, Carrara Studio 2 is one of the most popular 3D graphics applications for modeling, animation, rendering, and special effects.

    About Eovia Corporation
    Eovia, a TGS company, was founded in November 2000 with headquarters in Mountain View, CA and offices in San Diego, CA. Eovia is a young company with strong assets which benefits from both the savoir-faire of its founders and the legacy of more than ten years of Research & Development and Marketing conducted by MetaCreations, Fractal Design, Ray Dream and TGS. Formerly the home of Amapi 3D, TGS has been in the graphics software business for over 15 years.


    About Electric Rain, Inc.
    Electric Rain, Inc. is a fast moving 3D and multimedia software company with a vision of bringing easy-to-use 3D and multimedia tools to the masses. Through the release of Swift 3D, the Swift 3D plug-ins for 3ds max, LightWave 3D and SOFTIMAGE|XSI, and the company's proprietary RAViX rendering technology, Electric Rain has quickly become the industry-leading developer and supplier of 3D-to-vector solutions. More information about Electric Rain, its products and technologies is available at www.erain.com or by calling 1-888-613-1500.


    EOVIA MEDIA CONTACTS

    North America and
    Rest of the World

    Emily Sorensen
    [email protected]
    (858) 457-5359 x 111
    France

    Laurent Billy
    [email protected]
    +33 (0) 5 56 13 37 77
    Germany & Austria

    Stefan Blomberg
    [email protected]
    +33 (0) 3 88 35 47 12

    #####

    © Copyright Eovia 2002. Amapi 3D is a trademark of TGS, Inc. Carrara, Carrara Studio, VectorStyle, Eovia and the Eovia logo are trademarks of Eovia Corporation. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners.

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    Eovia Ships Carrara Studio 3

    Posted onSeptember 19, 2003

    Mountain View, CA -- Eovia Corporation, developer and publisher of leading 3D software, has announced the immediate availability of Carrara Studio 3, the smart, affordable and turnkey 3D solution for the Web, print and video. The English/International version of Carrara Studio 3 starts shipping immediately for both the Mac (OS 8, OS 9 and OS X) and Windows platforms."Carrara Studio 3 defies the user-hostile interfaces and prices imposed by its competitors", said Antoine Clappier, CEO of Eovia. "Literally bursting with new features and contents, Carrara Studio 3 is the solution of choice for all artists seeking an easy-to-use, complete 3D package."

    Aggressively priced at $399 for new users, Carrara Studio 3 offers a full suite of professional-level tools for modeling, texturing, animation, rendering and special effects. Sporting an elegant and simple-to-use interface, Carrara Studio 3 combines the features and price that creative professionals, educators, students and serious hobbyists are looking for.

    "Our customers spoke and we listened. The end result is a rock-solid product with the features they want and need," said Charles Brissart, Director of Engineering at Eovia. "From its unique user interface to its powerful rendering engines, Carrara Studio 3 brings more than 400 new features and improvements."

    Carrara Studio 3 introduces Eovia ImpressionT, a revolutionary non-photorealistic rendering engine, and Eovia Photon RealityT 2.0, a global illumination renderer with HDRI support. Other new rendering features include Alpha Channel rendering, Raytraced Soft Shadows and more.

    In addition to the existing modelers, which have been dramatically improved, Carrara Studio 3 offers new advanced modeling tools such as Dynamic Extrusion, a full feature UV editor with Shading Domains, a bevel tool, Eovia Tree MakerT and more.

    And because productivity is a key to 3D design, Carrara Studio 3 includes a sleek interface, the Scene Wizard with over 150 pre-defined, ready-to-use 3D scenes, and over 400 new shaders and texture maps.

    "Eovia's Carrara Studio 3 is an amazing contribution to the world of 3D software and is consistent with Eovia's dedication to releasing products with truly cutting edge features and enhancements," said Mike de la Flor, author of the upcoming Carrara Studio 3 Handbook published by Charles River Media. "With version 3, Eovia delivers another phenomenal version of Carrara Studio."

    Carrara Studio 3's Major New Features & Improvements
    > RENDERING
    Non-Photorealistic Rendering - Revolutionary renderer that simulates classical art forms (painting, chalk, etc.).
    High Dynamic Range Image (HDRI) - Truly photorealistic renderings, with complex reflections & lighting.
    Eovia Photon Reality 2.0 - Multi-hybrid photorealistic rendering engine for faster results and ultimate flexibility.
    Photon Mapping / Global Illumination - Improved quality and faster rendering times.
    Sky Dome Illumination - Now included with the Raytracing engine, for faster rendering times and added realism.
    Raytraced Soft Shadows - Dramatically improved realistic shadows and interactions with raytraced light.
    Gaussian filtering - Improved anti-aliasing and better control over the sharpness of the final image.
    Alpha Channel Rendering - Export renderings with selection masks & some transparency to most 2D applications.
    Volumetric Light Cone & Sphere - Now implemented as true volumetric effects.
    Per Object Aura - Now usable on a per object basis, for even more freedom in creating intricate lighting effects.
    Depth of Field - Overall quality and usability have been improved, for highly realistic images.

    > MODELING
    Dynamic Extrusion Tool - The entirely real-time, creative way to model both basic & complex objects.
    UV Editor - Full-fledged UV editing tool for total control over texture placement and complex shading.
    Shading Domains - Allows for even more freedom in texturing a complex model.
    Vertex Modeler - Dramatically improved with numerous optimizations for a better, faster modeling experience.
    Subdivision Tool - Enhanced with the addition of Edge Creasing.
    Spline Modeler - Improved for outstanding surface quality.
    Bevels (Spline Modeler) - Instantly add bevels to any shape or logo created in the Spline Modeler.
    Tree Maker - Complete modeling tool to create realistic trees in 3D.

    > SHADING
    New Shader Functions - Color Gradient Shader, Curve Shader, Fractal Noise Shader, Environment Shader.
    Overlay Operator - Combines 2 shaders.

    > PRODUCTIVITY & CONTENTS
    Scene Wizard - A collection of pre-defined 3D scenes ready to be edited. Never start from a blank, empty page again.
    User Interface - Improved to facilitate scene navigation, increase workspace & greatly enhance creative freedom.
    270 New Shading Presets - A collection of 270 custom-made and professional procedural shaders.
    Planet Texture Maps - A complete collection of high-quality texture maps featuring the Solar System.
    Texture Maps - A collection of high-quality texture maps created exclusively for Carrara Studio 3.
    General Usability - 400 separate improvements and optimizations.

    > EXPORT
    WebXport 2 - Viewpoint Experience TechnologyT (VET) extension, now integrated into Carrara Studio 3 (Windows & Mac OS 9 platforms).
    ShockXport 2 - Shockwave extension, now integrated into Carrara Studio 3(Windows & Mac OS X platforms).

    Pricing and Availability
    The English/International version of Carrara Studio 3 starts shipping immediately, for both the Mac (OS 8, OS 9 and OS X) and Windows platforms, at a suggested retail price of US$399.

    For more information and direct purchase, visit the Eovia website at www.eovia.com or call Eovia in the US at 1-866-856-3775 or 1-650-938-4178 (outside the US).

    Upgrades and Sidegrades
    Users of Carrara StudioT 2, Carrara StudioT 1.1, Carrara 3D BasicsT, Amapi 3DT, MetaCreationsR CarraraT, Ray DreamT and Infini-DT will be offered these extremely attractive upgrade and sidegrade offers:

    Upgrade from Carrara Studio 2 to Carrara Studio 3: US$169
    Upgrade from Carrara Studio 1.1 to Carrara Studio 3: US$249
    Upgrade from MetaCreations Carrara to Carrara Studio 3: US$249
    Upgrade from Infini-D or Ray Dream (any version) to Carrara Studio 3:US$249
    Sidegrade from Amapi (any version, except free versions) to Carrara Studio 3: US$249
    Sidegrade from Carrara 3D Basics to Carrara Studio 3: US$349

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    Subject:* Eovia is Now Shipping Carrara™ 4

    FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 25, 2004
    Eovia is Now Shipping Carrara™ 4
    Pro and Standard Versions give users more power, greater value
    Mountain View, Calif. – October 25, 2004 – Eovia Corp.,
    developer and publisher of leading 3D animation, modeling and
    rendering software, today shipped Carrara™ 4, the
    powerful, approachable, complete 3D solution. Available in two
    versions, Standard and Pro, Carrara 4 is a major upgrade to an already
    high-quality 3D animation and design tool.Carrara 4 Standard is the
    ideal solution for users looking for an affordable and
    approachableentry into 3D. Carrara 4 Pro offers the same intuitive
    interface yet with an even greater breadth of capabilities and power.

    "Carrara 4 helps us to satisfy the needs of our two very important
    audiences," said Bob Stockwell, Eovia Corp.'s Director of Sales and
    Marketing. "Carrara 4 Standard is very inviting software with a very
    inviting price, and Carrara 4 Pro delivers an advanced toolset to
    assist professionals in reaching the top of their game."

    In addition to the new Carrara 4 features already announced, the
    shipping version includes an updated Scene Wizard, faster OpenGL,
    raytraced depth of field, shader transforms, the ability to apply
    shaders to a group, and more accurate physics on the Mac®.

    Eovia Carrara 4 software supports design for motion media, print, and
    the web. Additionally, this release complements every designer's
    creative suite by providing improved interchange with industry-leading
    design applications, web tools, and video editing and effects
    software.

    Carrara 4 was announced in August 2004 at the Apple Expo in Paris.
    Through November 30, Eovia will continue to offer a no-charge upgrade
    to Carrara 4 Pro for anyone purchasing a full physical version of
    Carrara Studio 3. Carrara 4 Pro software is priced at US$599, with
    Carrara 4 Standard at US$299. Both versions can be purchased online at
    the Eovia e-store and through authorized resellers for both commercial
    and educational use. For more information, visit www.eovia.com.
    # # #
    About Eovia Corp.
    Eovia Corp. provides powerful 3D modeling, animation, and rendering
    tools for every level of user. Eovia's Amapi
    and Carrara software families offer superior versatility,
    affordability and unmatched ease-of-use, as well as
    improve productivity in professional design and manufacturing
    environments. Founded in November 2000, Eovia
    has offices in both the US and Europe.
    Eovia Media Contacts
    Worldwide (except Europe)
    Karen Smyth
    pr@e...
    +1 (650) 938-0515 x101
    Europe
    Stefan Blomberg
    press_europe@e...
    +33 (0) 5 56 13 71 53

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    RingoM
    10-25-2005, 01:59 PM
    PRESS RELEASE #50

    FOR IMMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Eovia Announces Carrara 5

    Extreme makeover of popular 3D software augments
    already impressive animation, modeling and rendering capabilities

    Mountain View, California, USA � October 25, 2005 � Eovia� Corporation, developer and publisher of leading 3D software tools, today introduced Carrara� 5, the powerful, approachable, complete 3D solution. Carrara 5 delivers a robust suite of modeling, animation and rendering tools in a freshly updated user interface. The highly-affordable Carrara 5 will enable users to create more freely and deliver high-caliber results under even the tightest deadlines.

    �The significant enhancements to Carrara 5 truly drive home our mission to provide professional 3D software solutions at a price that fits into most budgets,� said Eovia CEO Philippe Richard. �Carrara 5 will stimulate professional users toward greater creativity and help them to stay competitive, while those who are just beginning to venture into 3D will realize incredible ease-of-use and unbelievable results.�

    New features in Carrara 5 and Carrara 5 Pro include: a dramatically updated interface; a new graph editor that provides direct access to the motions curves of objects as well as parameters of animations; enhancements to the vertex modeler based upon Eovia�s wildly-popular Hexagon software; improvements to the already impressive rendering component including subsurface scattering, displacement mapping and ambient occlusion; addition of volumetric clouds that realistically scatter the light of the atmosphere; significant updates to the particle engine; extensive expansion of import/export format support to include After Effects and RPF export, match moving support for Syntheyes and MatchMover, and much more. For a more complete list of new features and enhancements in Carrara 5 and Carrara 5 Pro, please visit the Eovia website at www.eovia.com/products/carrara5 (http://www.eovia.com/products/carrara5).

    Eovia expects to ship the new release in December. Carrara 5 software will be priced competitively at US$249, with the advanced Carrara 5 Pro available for US$549. Upgrade pricing will start at US$99 for Carrara 5 and US$169 for Carrara 5 Pro. Customers who purchase the full version of Carrara 4 beginning October 25 will be eligible for a no-charge upgrade to Carrara 5 as soon as it is available. Eovia is also accepting pre-orders of the electronic version (ESD) of the Carrara 5 upgrades through the Eovia e-store. Those who pre-order this ESD upgrade will be able to immediately download the Beta version of the software. Complete details are available on the Eovia website.

    # # #

    About Eovia Corporation

    Eovia Corporation is dedicated to providing unique solutions for creative professionals as well as those just starting their journey into 3D. The company�s award-winning 3D modeling, animation, and rendering tools offer superior versatility, affordability and unmatched ease-of-use. Eovia�s Amapi, Carrara and Hexagon software families deliver improved productivity to design and manufacturing environments by providing exceptional interchange with industry-leading applications. Founded in November 2000, Eovia has offices in both the US and Europe.

    Eovia Media Contacts

    Worldwide (except Europe)

    Karen Smyth

    [email protected]

    +1 (650) 938-0515 x101

    Europe

    Stefan Blomberg

    [email protected]
    +33 (0) 5 56 13 71 53

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Eovia(TM) Corporation,
    developer and publisher of leading 3D software tools, today announced the
    immediate availability of the international English and French language
    editions of Carrara(TM) 5, the powerful, approachable, complete 3D solution.
    Responding to the need for mainstream accessibility while addressing the
    sophisticated requirements of professionals, Eovia Carrara 5 is made available
    in two versions. Both Carrara 5 and the more extensive Carrara 5 Pro present
    a potent and compelling suite of 3D modeling, animation and rendering tools
    wrapped within a more inspired and enjoyable user interface. Like its
    predecessors, Carrara 5 offers superior affordability without compromising the
    market-leading features that professional designers and animators demand.
    "With the release of Carrara 5, we affirm our goal to provide every artist
    the capacity to create phenomenal 3D imagery and animation at a price within
    reach," said Bob Stockwell, Eovia's Director of Sales and Marketing. "Carrara
    5 delivers features and capabilities that previously were only available in
    products with prices in the thousands of dollars, and is proof that 3D
    modeling and animation software can, and should be, powerful and affordable."
    In addition to the features previously announced for Carrara 5, this new
    Eovia release includes: Poser(R) 6 support in Eovia TransPoser(TM) 2;
    improved Poser 6 support with Carrara's new native importer; translucency for
    more realistic lighting effects; inclusion/exclusion list for lights;
    replication of volumetric objects (such as clouds); smoothing of multiple
    objects; and more. The extensive already-announced feature list for Carrara 5
    includes: object and surface replicators; realistic surface reflections by way
    of the Fresnel effect; faster rendering via fly-through optimizations; an
    improved vertex modeler borrowed from Eovia's highly-praised Hexagon software;
    additional rendering enhancements including subsurface scattering,
    displacement mapping and ambient occlusion; dramatically redesigned user
    interface and browser and preset wizards; expansion of import/export format
    support to include After Effects(R) and RPF export, matchmoving support for
    Syntheyes(TM) and MatchMover(TM), and much more. For a complete list of new
    features and enhancements in Carrara 5 and Carrara 5 Pro, visit the Eovia
    website at www.eovia.com/products/carrara5 .
    Carrara 5 is priced competitively at US$249, with the advanced Carrara 5
    Pro available now for US$549. Upgrade pricing starts at US$99 for Carrara 5
    and US$169 for Carrara 5 Pro. Electronic Software Download (ESD) versions of
    the software are available now on the Eovia webstore
    (www.eovia.com/purchase/webstore.asp ), with boxed versions expected to begin
    shipping in the US by December 31, 2005, and in early January 2006 worldwide.
    Carrara 5 screenshots for publication are available at:
    http://www.eovia.com/company/product_material/product_material.asp .

    About Eovia Corporation
    Eovia Corporation is dedicated to providing unique solutions for creative
    professionals as well as those just starting their journey into 3D. The
    company's award-winning 3D modeling, animation, and rendering tools offer
    superior versatility, affordability and unmatched ease-of-use. Eovia's Amapi,
    Carrara and Hexagon software families deliver improved productivity to design
    and manufacturing environments by providing exceptional interchange with
    industry-leading applications. Founded in November 2000, Eovia has offices in
    both the US and Europe.

  • Eric3dddEric3ddd Posts: 67
    edited December 1969

    Another one (note: I still have that T-shirt)

    October 21, 2004

    Just as we’ve been telling you, these special offers can’t last! The clock is ticking. You only have a couple days left to pre-order the upgrade to Carrara 4, the powerful, approachable, complete 3D solution.

    Not only will you be among the first of your peers to realize the advantages of Carrara 4, but you’ll also inspire intense jealousy when your friends see your free gifts or find out how much you saved!

    Order Carrara Studio 3, get Carrara 4 Pro Free!
    Purchase an electronic download full version of Carrara Studio 3 before October 24, 2004 to be eligible for the no-charge upgrade to Carrara 4 Pro. Or purchase a full physical version of Eovia Carrara Studio 3 (while supplies last) before November 30, 2004, to be eligible for the no-charge upgrade to Eovia Carrara 4 Pro.
    YOU SAVE $200!

    Pre Order Carrara 4 Upgrade and Get Great Gifts!
    While supplies last, get the upgrade to Carrara 4 Pro or Carrara 4 Standard and receive cool bonus gifts!
    - A limited edition Carrara 4 T-shirt
    - A copy of the all-new, limited edition Carrara 4 Tips & Tricks booklet, published exclusively by Eovia Corporation

    Pro Version Standard Version

    Upgrade to Carrara 4 Pro today and save 25% on Amapi 7 Pro Upgrade
    An Eovia E-store exclusive!
    Add the Carrara 4 Pro upgrade to your cart and get our fastest and most powerful 3D modeler for less than $250! (Wow!)
    For more information on Carrara 4, and to see a complete list of new features, visit our website

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited December 1969

    I remember the T-Shirt!!!

    It was soo cool.

    Man, Bob Stockwell was/is a marketing Genius and a great guy.


    Eric3ddd said:
    Another one (note: I still have that T-shirt)

    October 21, 2004

    Just as we’ve been telling you, these special offers can’t last! The clock is ticking. You only have a couple days left to pre-order the upgrade to Carrara 4, the powerful, approachable, complete 3D solution.

    Not only will you be among the first of your peers to realize the advantages of Carrara 4, but you’ll also inspire intense jealousy when your friends see your free gifts or find out how much you saved!

    Order Carrara Studio 3, get Carrara 4 Pro Free!
    Purchase an electronic download full version of Carrara Studio 3 before October 24, 2004 to be eligible for the no-charge upgrade to Carrara 4 Pro. Or purchase a full physical version of Eovia Carrara Studio 3 (while supplies last) before November 30, 2004, to be eligible for the no-charge upgrade to Eovia Carrara 4 Pro.
    YOU SAVE $200!

    Pre Order Carrara 4 Upgrade and Get Great Gifts!
    While supplies last, get the upgrade to Carrara 4 Pro or Carrara 4 Standard and receive cool bonus gifts!
    - A limited edition Carrara 4 T-shirt
    - A copy of the all-new, limited edition Carrara 4 Tips & Tricks booklet, published exclusively by Eovia Corporation

    Pro Version Standard Version

    Upgrade to Carrara 4 Pro today and save 25% on Amapi 7 Pro Upgrade
    An Eovia E-store exclusive!
    Add the Carrara 4 Pro upgrade to your cart and get our fastest and most powerful 3D modeler for less than $250! (Wow!)
    For more information on Carrara 4, and to see a complete list of new features, visit our website

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited December 1969

    Man, I cannot get enough of this!
    I may not have time to read through each one right now, but I'll be back! I love this stuff!
    You don't even know how much I appreciate these posts! Totally Kick Ankle!!!

    Reading through the improvements from 1 through 5 is incredible!
    Stuff like: "Light cone and sphere now truly volumetric"... just... well... BAM!!! Too Cool!

  • ringo monfortringo monfort Posts: 945
    edited August 2014

    Man, I cannot get enough of this!
    I may not have time to read through each one right now, but I'll be back! I love this stuff!
    You don't even know how much I appreciate these posts! Totally Kick Ankle!!!

    Reading through the improvements from 1 through 5 is incredible!
    Stuff like: "Light cone and sphere now truly volumetric"... just... well... BAM!!! Too Cool!

    The pattern that you will notice is that Eovia would release a new version of Carrara every 12 to 18 months apart. They would finish a version release an update and would start working on the next version.
    A major shift happened with a new CEO at Eovia and the Genius of Bob Stockwell to handle the Marketing. They came in right around the time of Carrara Studio 4. Bob was very influential in the features set for Carrara 5 and Carrara 5 Pro. I really think version 5 was the one with the most new features of any of the Carrara releases. Us in the Beta team would make request they would just add them.
    We wanted an improve user interface and we got it. wanted dynamic hair and we got it.
    improved Vertex Modeler and they took the Hexagon Engine/code and put lots of Hexagon into Carrara. It was just amazing to see the changes as it went. We wanted After Effects support and we got it. We wanted Match Moving support and we got that too. These guys would even work on weekends writing code.

    Post edited by ringo monfort on
  • DUDUDUDU Posts: 1,945
    edited December 1969

    Man, I cannot get enough of this!
    I may not have time to read through each one right now, but I'll be back! I love this stuff!
    You don't even know how much I appreciate these posts! Totally Kick Ankle!!!

    Reading through the improvements from 1 through 5 is incredible!
    Stuff like: "Light cone and sphere now truly volumetric"... just... well... BAM!!! Too Cool!

    The pattern that you will notice is that Eovia would release a new version of Carrara every 12 to 18 months apart. They would finish a version release an update and would start working on the next version.
    A major shift happened with a new CEO at Eovia and the Genius of Bob Stockwell to handle the Marketing. They came in right around the time of Carrara Studio 4. Bob was very influential in the features set for Carrara 5 and Carrara 5 Pro. I really think version 5 was the one with the most new features of any of the Carrara releases. Us in the Beta team would make request they would just add them.
    We wanted an improve user interface and we got it. wanted dynamic hair and we got it.
    improved Vertex Modeler and they took the Hexagon Engine/code and put lots of Hexagon into Carrara. It was just amazing to see the changes as it went. We wanted After Effects support and we got it. We wanted Match Moving support and we got that too. These guys would even work on weekends writing code.

    Very interesting thread Ringo, and even very touching when one follows Carrara since the beginning.
    What do you think of the current situation, still we go towards an evolution of the program itself ?

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited December 1969

    Very cool stuff, Ringo.
    When I was beta testing for 8 and 8.5 Pro, Pierre behaved much the same way. If there was something that needed to be fixed or added, he tried his damnedest to get it fixed or added. A lot went on in those two upgrades - but there doesn't seem to be such an active development team striving upon it every day anymore. I have a feeling that DAZ 3D has a DAZ Studio development team that is dedicated to DS, and then the Carrara development team is drawn from a few of those people, while the rest stay on with DS... but that's just a guess.

    When I began the "EnvironKits" line of products, it was an attempt to show the 3D community how easily and quickly we can build stages and full scenes in Carrara - incredible compared to Poser and DS, as well as any other 3D software, in my honest opinion!

    So I'm trying to use Carrara-specific products to draw more interest towards Carrara to drive up Carrara sales. Not from a greedy aspect (as you can tell by the value/price ratio of E-Kits), but from a "Carrara needs to be seen and used!" aspect! I truly feel that most Poser users would find a much nicer home in Carrara. And for those true to Poser, Poser and Carrara work extremely well side-by-side. Now... the same applies to Carrara and DS almost as much!

    We Carrara PAs must continue to make really cool stuff for users to get the most out of Carrara with easy-to-use presets. Carrara purists already know how beautiful Carrara is. We need to up the sales of Carrara itself, and draw full-time development back into Carrara!

    The thing is, what Eovia and DAZ 3D have already done with Carrara is so wonderful that, even with its current lack of active development, Carrara is still the best darned software for Home Movie Makers/Web Developers. And it's still incredibly low priced!

    I hope that DAZ 3D decides to place full time attention to active Carrara development. I'd rather see that that to have it leave to another author, just because I like the attention to compatibility between Carrara and DS and Poser - which is truly what helps to set Carrara apart from anything else on the market. But even if one doesn't use "Content", Carrara is still packed to the hilt with the finest combination of imagination realization tools... Anywhere!

  • DartanbeckDartanbeck Posts: 21,103
    edited December 1969

    I do use my PA status to submit Carrara Advancement requests to the home office. They tell me that they are considering my pleads!

  • DustRiderDustRider Posts: 2,691
    edited August 2014

    Man, I cannot get enough of this!
    I may not have time to read through each one right now, but I'll be back! I love this stuff!
    You don't even know how much I appreciate these posts! Totally Kick Ankle!!!

    Reading through the improvements from 1 through 5 is incredible!
    Stuff like: "Light cone and sphere now truly volumetric"... just... well... BAM!!! Too Cool!

    The pattern that you will notice is that Eovia would release a new version of Carrara every 12 to 18 months apart. They would finish a version release an update and would start working on the next version.
    A major shift happened with a new CEO at Eovia and the Genius of Bob Stockwell to handle the Marketing. They came in right around the time of Carrara Studio 4. Bob was very influential in the features set for Carrara 5 and Carrara 5 Pro. I really think version 5 was the one with the most new features of any of the Carrara releases. Us in the Beta team would make request they would just add them.
    We wanted an improve user interface and we got it. wanted dynamic hair and we got it.
    improved Vertex Modeler and they took the Hexagon Engine/code and put lots of Hexagon into Carrara. It was just amazing to see the changes as it went. We wanted After Effects support and we got it. We wanted Match Moving support and we got that too. These guys would even work on weekends writing code.

    It was pretty amazing to see the rate that they were implementing the new stuff. I think you are right about 5. The memory is a bit fuzzy, and I was pretty swamped by real life then too, but I clearly remember just trying to keep up with doing some real basic learning/testing of a new feature before the next enhancement or new feature hit us was pretty difficult sometimes. They really moved Carrara forward at an amazing rate.

    Of course everyone (excluding me) on the beta team was pretty amazing too. I'd be really happy when I could actually report an issue before someone else did. I ended up focusing a lot on testing the Poser/DAZ figure integration stuff, because I could actually feel like I was contributing. Otherwise, the grand Carrara masters like Ringo found the bugs before I could even figure out how to use the feature.

    Post edited by DustRider on
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