4/10/08 - Genetica 3.0 Announced
Spiral Graphics unveils the best Genetica ever.

Spiral Graphics Inc. has announced Genetica 3.0, a powerful new version of its popular seamless texture and graphics application. A video showcasing the major features to be introduced in Genetica 3.0 is available here.

The new version will add powerful vector drawing tools, making it the first application to offer industry-strength drawing capability that has been tailored to the needs of texture artists. Drawings are automatically seamless, and will influence important effect maps such as height and normal maps. With Genetica 3.0 artists won't be limited to standard fills, but will be able to draw with sophisticated styles including glass, water, metal, cracks, and rust.

Genetica 3.0 will include a deep new editor for creating and manipulating High Dynamic Range Image (HDRI) environment maps. This editor will allow artists to use both photographic and procedural sources for the construction of realistic spherical lighting environments. The environment maps will not only be used to light texture surfaces within Genetica, but will also be exportable for use in 3D environments. Game artists will appreciate the processor-intensive surface effects that can be baked directly into the exported environment maps, including diffusion and other light-scattering filters.

A Studio Edition has also been announced that will bring powerful animation capabilities to the product line. Genetica 3.0 Studio will open new creative doors for animators, including animated seamless texture and effect maps, animated image filters, sophisticated transitions, and other special effects.

Genetica 3.0 is anticipated for release in the third quarter of 2008.

Spiral Graphics Inc. is a software development firm focused on creating innovative software tools for the computer graphics community.