The new features are available to users on active subscription contracts.

Autodesk says it will soon release new extensions for Autodesk Maya 2013 and Autodesk 3ds Max 2013 3D animation software that will help users create more sophisticated physical simulations, and move data more easily through complex pipelines.

The extension for 3ds Max included in the Entertainment Creation Suites 2013 augments the Particle Flow system, which is used to create custom sophisticated and realistic physical simulations. Artists can create particle simulations that replicate real-world effects with the new mParticles module for the MassFX system of simulation solvers. In addition, users can create customized Particle Flow tools with the new Advanced Data Manipulation toolset.

This extension also enables artists to work more efficiently with Cache Disk and Cache Selective, two new Cache operators for the Particle Flow toolset. This feature will also be available in the extension for 3ds Max 2013 software.

The extension for Maya 2013 addresses the workflow—commonly called the “pipeline”—run more smoothly through the ever-increasing complexity of digital 3D content projects. The new Maya DX11 Shader takes advantage of Microsoft DirectX 11 to create and edit high-quality assets and images in less time. Also, building on the Open Data platform Alembic, new File Referencing, Scene Assembly tools provide users with a mechanism for representing production assets in Maya as discrete elements, each with complete support for multiple representations.

The extension releases are expected to be available to current Autodesk Subscription customers sometime this month, with the 3ds Max extensions available first. Once available, current Subscription customers will be able to download their applicable extension for the licensed 2013 software product via the Autodesk Subscription Center .