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SOFTIMAGE|CAT is a character animation plug-in for Autodesk 3ds Max. CAT is designed by animators, for animators to take the tedious technicalities out of 3D character animation. Its complete toolset enables easy character rigging, non-linear animation, animation layering, motion capture import, muscle simulation, and more. CAT is fast, stable, simple, and packed with cutting-edge features that give artists an easier way to animate characters in 3ds Max.

Key CAT 2.52 Advantages

Simple character setup
You use Biped for your humans, and custom built rigs for your creatures. Your animators need to learn how to work with all the different setups, and this is costing time and money. Why not use one integrated solution for all the characters in your game? CAT’s flexible rigging system means that all your characters can be constructed using the same, consistent set of building blocks.

Easy rig components – Quickly assemble rigs using logical components; hubs, legs, arms, tails, spines and extras. Build any kind of character rig from a human to a centaur – even a centipede, all the while taking advantage of CAT’s unique Motion Layering system.

Polished Importers and Exporters – Complete your pipeline instantly with tools for getting your source data into Max, and all that beautiful motion out to your game. Batch Importers for managing the complexities of using motion capture, or other character animation packages with CAT, and Batch Exporters for ensuring that all your motion is exported the way you made it.

Animate faster
Fast, usable character rigs require a high level of technical skill and often take a long time to build. Using CAT, you can spend more time on the creative aspects of your project. CAT provides a solid framework letting character artists produce high-quality results in far less time.

Animation layers – CAT has a sophisticated NLA system that allows animators to apply different animation layers to different parts of the rig.Move, re-time, and offset animation non-destructively – all using the standard 3ds Max® animation toolset.

Unique procedural walkcycle system – CATMotion lets you create a custom walk (jump/run/hop/gallop…) cycle without key-framing. The walkcycle can then be applied to any rig. Individual foot placement is calculated automatically, with no skating feet. A walkcycle sequence that may have taken days with key-framing can be completed in less than an hour.

Production proven
Trusted by top character artists, CAT features streamlined workflows that let you get from concept to character predictably, and in less time. Designed by animators for animators, CAT features clear, well organized tools that create a natural character performance environment.

Copy Paste Poses and Animation – Right-click to get access to a selection of tools for speeding up your day to day tasks. Specify a time range or instance in time, and then paste your work directly onto any other similar body part on any character.

Pose mixer – Save and re-load weighted poses. Simply select the bones that you want to store the pose for, and hit save. Our Intelligent pose files can be mirrored on load, allowing reuse of poses on opposite sides of the body. Blend weighted hand or face poses together onto your rig to create a richer performance.