A first Release Candidate for Blender 2.61 has just been released. Two weeks ago we informed you about releasing Beta testing. If everything goes according to plan, the final release should be next week. But for this time, let us sumarize, what you can expect from 2.61RC1. In this version have been many new features  added and also 117 bugs have been fixed. New features in Blender 2.61 include integrated motion tracking for video footage, the new Cycles renderer, dynamic paint (turn objects into paintbrushes), Ocean Sim and export to Adobe After Effects and many more. 

R&D group has started VRayScatter for Maya beta test. VRayScatter for Maya - is a new product which brings VRayScatter and MultiScatter functionality into Maya environment.

VRayScatter enables V-Ray to generate huge amount of objects in array. With VRayScatter you can create huge forest areas or cities with uncountable amounts of buildings in several clicks. Quick render time, generation of objects with optimized RAM management makes process of scene creation as easy as ABC. Integrated special procedural map VRayScatterTexture allow to define random colour for every objects in the array for pure realistic effect. VRayScatterTexture can be used any object in the scene also.

Autodesk announced several new features to be added to the next release of AutoCAD WS, a free web and mobile application that enables users to view, edit and share AutoCAD projects across desktop, web and mobile devices. AutoCAD WS users will have access to 3D interactive features, including the ability to work with 3D drawings on mobile devices. In addition, AutoCAD WS will include GPS capabilities, allowing geographic location information to be shared and saved with design projects, as well as new Plot-to-Print capabilities for immediate remote printing to any HP ePrinter, including Designjets.

The Foundry announced the releasing of the digital painting tool MARI 1.4. Designed from the ground up to meet the needs of the most demanding VFX texture and matte painting artists, MARI out performs speed, flexibility and processing capabilities. MARI is capable of handling a huge amount of pixel and allows artists to concentrate on painting detailed, multi-layered textures directly onto 3D models in a fluid and natural way. The new version introduce Adobe® Photoshop® layered PSD import and export functionality, OpenColorIO, triplanar projection and masked filters.