Wish is scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of 2004. According to Blue, the development team knew from the project’s inception in 2000 that 3ds max would be their 3D tool of choice. We needed a fast and efficient pipeline to populate what may be the largest continuous landmass ever used in an MMORPG with interesting and engaging content, while enabling us to extend the landmass after launch," he says. "With 3ds max, we can move from concept art to fully animated, game-ready, real-time models very rapidly."

Blue cites the polygon mesh tools in 3ds max software as being particularly helpful thus far in the development process. When editing polymesh geometry, we can simply bevel, chamfer, or collapse vertices, without losing or augmenting the UV assignment," he says.

The UV tools in 3ds max, meanwhile, have enabled the artists to quickly map the plethora of objects in the game, while its IK controls allow for speedy animation and its skin modifier affords the ability to quickly bind the characters and creatures to their bones system.