What Happened to This 3D Animation Tool?

[@jimmwagner]

I really wish CAT was continually getting updates and improvements. It's pretty easy to use but also can be difficult because of the lack of some features.

[@mr.sandman1217]

Fallout 3, fallout 4, and Skyrim used CAT for anims

[@marc3dartist601]

C.A.T. comes from Softimage technology. Autodesk are champion at releasing/buying cool stuff and let it die slowly... C.A.T. Mudbox Formit (they had a chance to beat Sketchup at their own game, but no...)

[@someone_who_looks_like_me]

In my opinion, CAT is the best tool for creating the most routine and boring animations, like walking or running. in general, the rest can also be done in it, but you can use other software. For walking or running, I have not found any other tool similar in function, which could take into count even the number of arms or legs.

[@LHK-art]

I wish blender has similar feature, once you get used to animate IK/FK together with no switching, it's very convenient.

[@srStinnky]

I loved to work with the C.A.T. in 3DSMax!

[@mantas3d]

building custom bones was so easy and fast with cat!

[@Protofabrice]

Yes CAT hasn't evolved since 10 years. But it still has a major feature no other software has : the parametric walk/run cycle. I still use it constantly!

[@DocWolph]

It may be a "fall from grace" but C.A.T. could find a home in programs like Lightwave and Blender.

[@geoffkornfeld7013]

I think you should have mentioned that CAT is a HUGE leap over Biped. I still see lots of Biped content popping up, and I don't understand why.

[@F10F11hm]

Biped's historically much more production proven, less buggy and features a powerful overall toolset. With CAT's problems getting fixed of late, we'll see if it gets more attention.

[@moustachecat1658]

no I died 😭

[@nourghafarji]

Just like Mudbox with its Ptex setup.

[@ElRixSape]

it's sad that they didn't add it to maya.

[@shalabology]

Have been loyal user for 3dsMax for long years .Both Biped and CAT were leading ahead of their times once they released ,but no steps further since then. Aniamtion as a whole is not the core interest in 3dsMax development any more like before .

[@zijun490]

Do you know CAT foot ik FK how to Seamless switching

[@phoenix2gaming346]

best tool

[@gameofprawns3967]

Just in 10 years Ai will take over the entire animation industry single handed. So all these tools and software are living the last decade of their existence tbh.

[@tufab3494]

No, it won't. A machine isn't capable of achieving the same spontaneity as a human. The hardware discrepancy between our brains and the most powerful PCs of today is huge. Humans have way more logical power than even the fastest supercomputer in the world

[@leucome]

@@tufab3494 Your thing is also speculation. Nobody know for sure how computer compare to human brain. Using the worse speculation does not make your statement more valid. The optimistic speculation place place first super computer with human like capability about in 2018. It just depend what formula you use to to convert biological neuron work to computer instruction. The fact that only 6 years later I can already hold philosophical conversion with my GPU on a personal computer tend to suggest that the optimistic speculation was probably closer to the truth. If my gaming computer can do that then what do you think a supercomputer can do?

[@tufab3494]

@@leucome you can hold a conversation against codes, which will never replace humans. At most AI can help us, but replace? Impossible. Unless someone gives serotonin, dopamine, etc. to the machines

[@LHK-art]

@@tufab3494 It's not about replacing. AI won't replace human, but will definitely reduce the need of human input, massive human workers will be out of work, only few lucky ones can keep their jobs.

[@tufab3494]

@@LHK-art funny thing that millions of people will end jobless just so a minority can spend less and get richer. Humans are truly fascinating, we do some majestic stuff for such dumb causes Tbh this is sad

[@Animotions01]

No software lives forever people need to stop all of this crying about Autodesk “killing “ softwares Many apps might have died anyway from loss of marketshare mismanagement or even lack of adaption to new hardware & GPU ’s etc.

[@coinopanimator]

It's a shame that after boxing their products these companies don't open source the software to keep it alive.

[@Animotions01]

@@coinopanimator Many times the software ,you use, contains code that is not fully owned by the company that sold you the completed package so they cannot legally open source the software without permission from the other parties who sold them the license for one feature in the program( like a cloth engine etc). This became very apparent when we went from 32 to 64 bit operating systems and suddenly some programs had trouble even recompiling a 64 bit version or had to have some older feature still running 32 bit or removed entirely because some old third party license agreement prohibited a recompile.

[@coinopanimator]

@@Animotions01 I understand. Still it would be nice for them to open source what they could. We've lost far too many programs to the winds of time.

[@Horolden]

first!