Speed Optimizations

• OpenGL performance
• Bone deformations
• Deformation plug-ins
• Subdivision surfaces
• Inverse Kinematics
  

Improved Visual Feedback

• X-ray mode shows bones through solid items
• Visible rotation limits on item handles.
• Frame ticks on motion paths in the Layout viewports
• OpenGL display of user comments on objects
• OpenGL motion blur and depth of field previews

Workflow / Usability Enhancements

• Per-light object exclusion list
• Larger viewing areas for master plug-ins and light exclusion lists
• Render progress window can now be displayed at 320x240 or 640x480
• Print Assistant sets the camera resolution from DPI (inches or picas)
• Select Layout items by object edge or lasso

New Animation Tools

• OpenGL sliders for quick access to any animated parameters
• Edit 3D motion path keyframes in all Layout viewports
• Dynamic parenting
• Simple Constraints
• Keyframer tool for numeric editing of multiple keyframes simultaneously
• Expression builder for easy creation of complex expressions
• Biovision Motion capture support

More Powerful Modeling

• Powergons embed commands into polygons which execute in Layout
• Luxigons attach oriented light to polygon normals
• Interactive BandSaw and BandGlue tools
• Magic Bevel tool for interactive bevels along splines
• UV Spider for BandSaw-like UV creation and selection
• Scriptable batch export of .obj, .dxf and .3ds
• Improved .obj I/O support
• Vertex Paint

New File Formats

• PSD saver will save selected buffers out to different image layers
• Aura DEEP format image saver with buffer support
• 64-bit SGI support
• .flx Flexible Format animation I/O in HDR and integer mode
• RPF support

Motion Mixer 2.0

• Time Warp curves
• Blending between motion mixer data and keyframe data
• Motion Weighting
• Can now utilize any channel in the system
• New, improved interface

Improved Rendering Flexibility

• Shadow Color option
• Camera Cutting Preview Tool
• Ability to exclude objects from a light's effect in the light properties panel
• Ability to set an entire object to 'Unseen by Alpha'
• Matte Object option will render an item in a pure, user-specified color
• Hypervoxels rendered to depth buffer
• Multiple bounce radiosity
• Sprite render filter for crisp antialiased game and web graphics over arbitrary colors
• Added filmstock presets to Virtual Darkroom plug-in