Tuesday, March 15th, 2016 Posted by Jim Thacker

Autodesk ships Stingray 1.2

Autodesk has released Stingray 1.2, the latest update to its new game engine, adding support for the HTC Vive VR headset and multi-core compilation, and adding new object and shader-based animation workflows.

The update was released to coincide with GDC 2016.

New animation options and workflow changes
Stingray’s Story Editor now permits animation of what Autodesk terms ‘entities’ – that is, global shading or lighting changes such as fog, GI settings, depth of field effects, or screen-space reflections.

In addition, a new Unit Component Editing Tool enables users to move or translate sub-objects within a mesh to set up simple technical animations, as shown in the video above.

There are also a number of UI and workflow changes, including the option to drag editor windows – notably the Script Edior – outside of the application when working on multi-monitor set-ups.

Selected objects also now get a coloured outline within the viewport, making it easier to adjust object placement.

Faster compilation on multi-core machines, expanded VR support
In addition, Stingray 1.2 now has multi-core support during compilation, making new projects and assets import “much faster” – although Autodesk isn’t putting any figures on the speed boost.

The engine also now supports the HTC Vive VR headset, alongside the Oculus Rift.

Pricing and availability
Stingray 1.2 is available for Windows only. The update is free to registered users of the software, and will be available to download from Autodesk’s website later today.

New licences of Stingray are available on a rental-only basis, with prices starting at $30/month. The engine is also included free with Maya LT 2016, Extension 3 for which was also announced at GDC.

Read more about Stingray on Autodesk’s product website