Showplace is a

3D computer graphics 3D computer graphics, or “3D graphics,” sometimes called CGI, 3D-CGI or three-dimensional computer graphics are graphics that use a three-dimensional representation of geometric data (often Cartesian) that is stored in the computer for th ...

program. It was released in the 1990s by

Pixar Pixar Animation Studios (commonly known as Pixar () and stylized as P I X A R) is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful computer animated feature films. It is based in Emeryville, Californi ...

with versions for

Apple Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and software en ...

and

Microsoft Windows Windows is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. For example, Windows NT for consumers, Windows Server for serv ...

. The Mac version was co-developed by Phil Beffrey and Dana Batali. Version 1.0 sold for US$995. It would create a basic primate model, from which the user could change model surfaces and set lighting and camera angles. Version 2.0, which cost $495–695, provided additional modeling tools for users call Clip Objects Library and require Pixar's

Renderman The name RenderMan can cause confusion because it has been used to refer to different things developed by Pixar Animation Studios: * RenderMan Interface Specification (RISpec), an open API (technical specification) developed by Pixar for a standard ...

for render images. Users can import model from other software by use file RIB format.

Features

Version 1.0: * 42 Clip Object library * Import objects using RIB format * Requires 32 bit QuickDraw, math coprocessor * LabelMaker utility for creating Looks * 4 kinds of lights (ambient, sun, point, spot light) * Unlimited number of lights * Background rendering * Export TIFF and PICT images Version 1.1 * Upgrade for Mac Quadra 700 and 900 * CD version ($695 US) Version 2.0 features * 18 plugins for basic geometry shapes * Import Adobe Illustrator 3.0+ files, DXF files * Create 3D type from outline fonts * Lathe curves while creating 3D objects * Glimpse * Professional Look browser * 3 node version of NetRenderMan * MacRenderMan standard render In 1992 Valis group create PrimeRIB object library and PickTure (345$ US) and 3 shader libraries (345$ US) for Showplace. It was discontinued when Pixar chose to concentrate on film production instead of application development.

Universal Scene Description

Pixar's Universal Scene Description (USD) software tool included many Showplace features, such as importing models, creating basic primate models and applying transformations. Transformations include organizing, rotating and scaling models, adding lights, adjusting and changing lighting and changing model materials. USD is designed to work with the modern 3D animation pipeline. Unlike Showplace, Pixar uses USD to create 3D animated movies. USD uses an internal

OpenGL OpenGL (Open Graphics Library) is a cross-language, cross-platform application programming interface (API) for rendering 2D and 3D vector graphics. The API is typically used to interact with a graphics processing unit (GPU), to achieve hardwa ...

renderer."Introduction to USD", http://graphics.pixar.com/usd/docs/index.html Pixar released an open source version of Universal Scene Description on 2016-07-26.

References

3D graphics software Pixar {{animation-stub