Autodesk ships FBX Review
Autodesk has released FBX Review: a free tool for reviewing 3D assets, particularly for games work.
Despite the name, the software actually handles a wide range of standard 3D file formats, including FBX, 3DS, OBJ, Collada, and common mocap data formats.
When opened in the software, assets can be viewed in a DirectX 11-based viewport with an Autodesk Ubershader applied. The viewport display supports dynamic tessellation, image-based lighting and blurry reflections.
Animation playback is also supported, and the software provides the option to toggle between cameras, or between shading modes. Navigation follows similar control conventions to Maya.
As well as Windows 7 and 8 desktop machines, FBX Review is available for Windows 8 tablets. The UI has been specifically designed for use with touchscreen controls.
PRESS RELEASE (Excerpts)
Autodesk Inc. (NASDAQ: ADSK) announced the launch of Autodesk FBX Review at SIGGRAPH 2013 for Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows 8 enabled devices. The standalone app gives professional artists and animators a powerful, lightweight tool to conduct detailed reviews of a wide range of 3D assets, including detailed 3D models, environments and character animations.
Intuitive, Full-Featured Asset Review
Modern workflows include numerous internal and external clients and stakeholders, many in different locations. Autodesk FBX Review allows any user on a Windows device or platform to view 3D assets with a robust feature set, without using commercial 3D animation software. For example, an artist working in Autodesk Maya can send an animation file to anyone who has installed FBX Review, and the recipient will have a full menu of features with which to view the assets.
By supporting a wide range of open 3D file formats, from popular digital creation formats like .fbx, .3ds, and .obj to .dxf, an Autodesk AutoCAD format, FBX Review gives artists the freedom to use their favorite 3D tools. Reviewers can then choose to view assets with various shading options, animations, cameras or lighting options in the Microsoft DirectX 11enabled viewport. Supported viewing options include:
- •Static and Dynamic Tessellation
- Displacement and Vector Displacement Maps
- Skin Deformations and Animation
- Real-Time Shadow Maps
- Reflection Maps
- Light and Ambient Occlusion Maps
- Image Based Lighting
- •Ground and Sky Ambient Color
To evaluate animations and scenes, FBX Review offers easy-to-use controls to cycle through animation takes and different camera angles to quickly play, pause and scrub-through animations. Scenes can be viewed with the cameras and lights native to the file or with the in-app perspective and orthographic cameras.
Mobile-Friendly Design
Autodesk FBX Review’’s mobile support provides a near seamless way to continue the production cycle away from the workstation. Developed from the ground up for the Windows 8 platform, the mobile app incorporates the same full feature set as the desktop app, with a simple user interface that leverages the touch screen display, such as a multi-view camera that allows reviewers to pan, circle or zoom in on assets and touch sensitive animation playback and lighting controls. The mobile app simply requires Microsoft Windows 8 OS, 50 MB of disk space for installation and only 4GB of RAM. For optimal asset viewing, mobile devices should also include a graphics card that supports Microsoft DirectX 11.
Price and Availability
Autodesk FBX Review is available starting today for free on The Windows Store for Windows 8 enabled mobile devices and tablets and Windows 7 and 8 supported desktops. You can download the app via The Windows Store or directly from Autodesk Exchange in the Autodesk Maya or Autodesk 3ds Max store.
Read a full list of features in FBX Review
(Includes download links)