For Release 6 a.m. PDT
July 29, 1997
OREM, Utah - July 29, 1997 - Continuing a growing commitment to make 3D content more useful and accessible to the entire 3D graphics community, Viewpoint DataLabs, the worldwide leader in 3D digital content creation and publishing, announced today that it has acquired Syndesis Corporation. This acquisition brings the popular 3D data translation technology, InterChange, to Viewpoint's growing family of products. The integration of InterChange technology with Viewpoint's expansive 3D model libraries addresses the need for simple and accurate conversion between multiple 3D file formats and enhances the quality, productivity and open nature of the 3D content creation process.
Since its release in 1987, InterChange has been used by thousands of 3D professionals as a 3D translation tool. The result is a robust technology that Viewpoint can rely on and build upon for its 3D translation needs. Developed by Syndesis founder and 3D technology leader John Foust, InterChange is the most extensive program for seamlessly translating 3D model data between more than forty popular software file formats. InterChange is also the first technology to support emerging formats, such as VRML 2.0 for defining 3D worlds on the Web and Microsoft® DIRECTX™ Media for powering multimedia applications.
Viewpoint will use InterChange to enhance the usability and quality of its library of 3D models across the formats that InterChange supports. Using this technology, Viewpoint will deliver models in virtually any format required by today's 3D artists and enable its publishing partners to analyze and refine their 3D data prior to submission for Viewpoint's quality certification.
"Today's announcement strengthens our ability to deliver high quality, flexible 3D content to the computer graphics community," said Martin Plaehn, president and CEO of Viewpoint. "InterChange will also allow the many Viewpoint customers using multiple 3D modeling and animation packages to better leverage their own internal assets, by providing an easy method for translating data between incompatible or proprietary file formats."
InterChange Available on DataShop®
The first product to come from this acquisition will be delivered next week at SIGGRAPH '97.
InterChange will be available on Viewpoint's new Autumn '97 DataShop Premier CD-ROM
featuring thousands of new 3D models and objects for creative professionals. DataShop Premier
will include unlockable versions of InterChange available for Microsoft Windows® and SGI
IRIX®. Viewpoint's popular Web commerce site will also allow users to license and download
either version of the product.
Viewpoint will soon make InterChange available with its other 3D model libraries and plans to license the InterChange technology to 3D software companies on an OEM basis.
"Viewpoint and Syndesis have always shared the goal of delivering 3D models in the diverse formats needed by animators," said John Foust, president of Syndesis, "and our vision of eliminating the barriers between 3D modeling and animation programs has been radically expanded by this announcement. With InterChange, Viewpoint's extensive 3D content libraries will be delivered with greater reliability and predictability across multiple file formats, providing significant time and resource savings to customers."
Foust, one of the industry's top experts in the field of geometry and texture file formats, translation and software tool interoperability, will become Dataflow Manager and Senior Developer for Viewpoint. Viewpoint will fully support existing InterChange customers. The Viewpoint development team will also continue to advance the technology to support more of the rich attributes that can be contained within 3D files.
Syndesis was founded in 1987. The company develops 3D file conversion software and technology that has enabled the growth of the computer graphics industry. Its customers include corporate video producers, professional designers and animators, and the creators of special effects for television and film - many of the same customers who use Viewpoint's 3D models and modeling services. Syndesis (http://www.threedee.com) is privately held and based in Jefferson, Wisconsin.
Founded in 1988, Viewpoint is the worldwide leader in 3D digital content creation and publishing. The company's unparalleled 3D digital library and modeling services are widely recognized as the industry standard for commercial and consumer "storytellers," who need a large and accessible source of quality 3D graphics to visually enhance communications, education and entertainment. Viewpoint's work - featured in hundreds of award-winning films, television programs, advertisements, games, multimedia titles and Web sites - is helping to accelerate and innovate the widespread use of 3D. Viewpoint (http://www.viewpoint.com) is privately held and based in Orem, Utah.
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DataShop is a registered trademark and InterChange is a trademark of Viewpoint DataLabs. Other product and company names herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.
For more information, press only:
Leslie Kesselring, MacKenzie Kesselring Inc., (801) 359-1005, lesliek@utah.mkinc.com
Images available upon request.
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