Reallusion's IClone 3.0 PRO Software Advances 3D Animation Creation

Unique Machinima Software Adds Features for Professional Productions

The iClone program has been around for awhile. Reallusion recently sent its iClone 3.0 PRO version for review. What this new software does is allow the sophistication of videogame creation combined with superb animation production.

A major new development in iClone technology is its dual-engine environment. What does that mean? It lets you be both an editor and director of your animated movie. In Editing Mode, you bring in and edit your 3D actors, record or import voices for automatic lip syncing and facial animation, and then you choose and edit props. Next add cool scenery, special effects, and customized actor-animation and camera movements.

When you click to access Director Mode, YOU are in control, as if playing a live videogame. You accomplish this with mouse movements or keyboard keys. As you decide the movements you want, you record them. What you are doing is giving a personality to your animated actors. You later switch to the Timeline where you can make precise changes.

One wonderful feature lets you to import 3D models and motion from 3DS Max, Character Studio, Maya, DAZ Studio, SketchUp, Poser, or Google 3D Warehouse. Supported file formats for importing include 3DS, OBJ, SKP and BVH. Pro animators (which I'm not) will know what these are.

Another new feature is CloneBone. What this does is let you create custom characters by attaching parts to "bones" of an existing stick figure. You can design actors for your animated movies, such as a robot, helmeted fighter or a cartoon character.

The Actor Clonebone has the usual iClone 3 head. The Custom Clonebone character is a "headless horseman" since it doesn't have a default head. However, you can apply any 3D mesh head to it, and then attach an additional jaw piece to the jaw bone. You then use CrazyTalk5 facial animation data to move the jaw bone.