3D World issue 81

New 3D movies: Cars and Pirates of the Caribbean 2
Discover the sophisticated raytracing techniques beneath the gleaming surface of Pixar's latest summer blockbuster. Plus: we trace the evolution of motion capture, from Total Recall to Industrial Light & Magic's revolutionary new on-set Imocap system from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Fluids without tears
Take the pain out of fluid simulation with these simple, processor-friendly techniques for 'faking' liquids in 3ds Max using particles and BlobMesh objects, and in LightWave 3D using animated textures

Shake 4.1: now just $499
Good news for home users. But what does Apple's decision to cease development on the software in favour of a next-generation compositor mean for the CG industry as a whole?

Tips and tutorials
Demystify the dark art of digital matte painting with our collection of expert tips from artists including Dylan Cole and Alp Altiner. Software covered in our Q&A section this month includes 3ds Max, Maya, LightWave, Cinema 4D, XSI, Poser, Realsoft 3D, boujou, Fusion and Shake.

On test this issue
Mid-price digital cameras of all shapes and sizes on test. Plus: modo 201 and Hexagon 2.1, games-oriented Maya renderer Turtle 3, plus lip-synching and facial animation tools LifeStudio:LipSync, Voice-O-Matic 2 and GenHead 3.1

Plus…
News from Annecy – hybrid 2D/3D animation is hot (again); SPI's work on Monster House; we kick off a new series of production diaries on Brit anime Dominator X; and the enduring appeal of stop-motion creature feature It Came from Beneath the Sea

ON THE CD

Exclusive: evolver Basic
Try out Darwin Dimensions' intriguing new 3D-character creation package before its official release! This entry-level edition of the software appears exclusively on the 3D World CD before being made available online on 24 July

Houdini 8.1 Apprentice Edition
Create an image embodying 'creative freedom without compromise' with this learning edition of Houdini, enter it in our competition, and you could win a full licence of Houdini Master worth $17,000!

Models and HDRIs worth $400
Assorted high-quality games models from 3DRT.com, as sold for over $400; three professional HDRI files from www.realtexture.com; plus one hour of video training on rigging a head in 3ds Max from www.duber.cz