Turbo Squid to offer new 3D content packs for gmax users to customize their favorite games
http://www.turbosquid.com/Index.cfm/View/37V5LD
(Los Angeles, CA – May 12, 2004) - Turbo Squid, home of the world's largest collection of 3D products and worldwide publisher for the Discreet Certified 3ds max® Plug-in Program, has entered into an agreement with Discreet to propel development and distribution of Discreet's gmax®, a free games customization/modification toolset based on the world's best selling 3D animation platform, Discreet's 3ds max® software.:
Via gmax, game developers can extend the life of a new game by creating and distributing "game packs" that allow game players to create, customize, and trade game content online. Developers and publishers such as Microsoft, Electronic Arts, Blizzard Entertainment, Westwood Studios and others have created gmax-enabled games, putting the ability to "mod" a game by producing everything from in-game characters to props in the hands of games consumers.
Turbo Squid will become the official host of gmax downloads and will provide various services to game publishers to help them quickly and efficiently gmax-enable their games. Turbo Squid will also offer gmax users the TURBO TOYBOX, a set of 3D models in the gmax file format for game players to input into their gmax-enabled game. Each TURBO TOYBOX will sell for $9.95 US and contain between 30 and 100 category-specific gmax models.
Brian Gaffney, President of Turbo Squid Studios is overseeing the new initiative. "Imagine being able to totally customize your game experience," said Gaffney. "You can replace a game character, a landscape or a vehicle with one of your own choosing. These TOYBOXES include a vast array of content created by our more than 7,000 artist partners around the world and are customized to work with gmax-enabled games. With a price of just $9.95 per TOYBOX, we've made it easy for the game user to truly customize their game experience."
Michael Lee is the newly appointed Executive Producer for the TURBO TOYBOX initiative. Michael will also oversee the direction of future gaming initiatives for Turbo Squid Studios.
"This is an exciting time to be a game player wishing to modify their favorite games," noted Lee. "The TURBO TOYBOXES, along with gmax technology will offer a totally new experience for gamers that may not have the experience or the time to develop their own compelling 3D models from scratch. As an enthusiastic game player, and someone that enjoys modifying my games, I couldn't be happier!"
"With over 600,000 registered and active users of gmax and many gmax-enabled titles, Discreet is clearly the leader in providing tools for the modding community,” said Ken Pimentel, Director of Business Development for Discreet. "We see great potential in working with Turbo Squid to create an even more vibrant gmax-community where users can discover more compelling ways to customize their gaming experience and publishers can leverage Turbo Squid's extensive 3ds max experience to quickly gmax-enable their games."
Pricing and availability
Each TURBO TOYBOX will sell for just $9.95 US, and will be available in late May. Subscription programs are also being developed to incorporate new models, scripts, and gaming tools as they become available.
The first five TURBO TOYBOXES will be category-based as follows:
Weapons
Vehicles
Characters
Buildings
Animals
Starter Pack (contains models from each category)
All TURBO TOYBOXES will be available as either an electronic download or as a physical CD (shipping/handling charges apply) from
www.turbosquid.com.
Turbo Squid will be available to show the TURBO TOYBOX and answer questions at E3 in room 503 of the West Hall of the LACC.
The following game titles are currently gmax compatible or will be soon:
Trainz, from Auran®
Quake, from id software, Inc.
Command and Conquer Renegade, from EAGames
Dungeon Siege, from Gas Powered Games®
Flight Simulator 2002, from Microsoft Game Studios™
Train Simulator, from Microsoft Game Studios™
Impossible Creatures, from Relic Entertainment, Inc.
Combat Flight Simulator 3, from Microsoft Game Studios™
Unreal® Tournament, from Epic Games, Inc.
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