In fact, looking ahead, Autodesk believes a broader range of creative professionals will be able to adopt virtual moviemaking techniques as the technology becomes more scalable and accessible, thanks to the latest advancements in the 2012 versions of MotionBuilder, Maya, Softimage and Mudbox. Not surprisingly, there is particular emphasis in the latest releases on the two hottest trends: virtual moviemaking and stereoscopic production. Meanwhile, Autodesk/Mac synergy is on the rise: platform neutrality is on the horizon along with broad awareness among the Final Cut Pro user base. The Entertainment Creation Suites take advantage of the latest new features in Maya, Max, Softimage, Mudbox and MotionBuilder.

The new 2012 lineup naturally covers Maya ($3,495), 3ds Max ($3,495), Softimage ($2,995), Mudbox ($745), MotionBuilder ($3,995), Flame Premium (prices vary based on configuration) and Smoke for Mac ($14,995). Also, there's been a lot of development around suites to augment these improvements and greater support for trials and extended terms for free student licenses (36 months for members of the student community). The 2012 lineup of Media & Entertainment software (across creative finishing and DCC) focuses on iterative workflows, helping users manage complexity and providing a host of new creative tools (to keep up with the demands of the post- Avatar bar that has been raised). If it's GDC week in San Francisco, then it's time for Autodesk to roll out its latest suite of DEC products coinciding with the acquisition of Scaleform, provider of UI solutions for games.

Autodesk for mac 2012