by David Nagel
Executive Producer
dnagel@digitalmedianet.com

Black Belt Systems has released WinImages R6, an upgrade to its special effects and image processing suite. This new release provides a number of capabilities never before available, including a revamped approach to layered image editing and a new set of tools to take advantage of the new approach.

New features include:

• Warp Layer Mode, which allows an image to incorporate distortions (water ripples, warps, scaling, rotation, etc.) in separate "warp layers" so that the actual pixel data in the layered image is never changed. Changes to image distortions may be made any time because the warp remains editable.
• Layer sizes may be mixed without limitation, and changing layer data does not clip the image in that layer so it can continue to be moved and adjusted at all times.
• A new particle system engine has been added that can create anything from tornadoes to rocket exhausts to fireworks to water fountains.
• 3D rendering of objects.

It also has many new Web-friendly features, incorporation of the MNG animated file format, video field rendering (both PAL and NTSC), new painting capabilities, the ability to place multiple objects (with individualized shadows and unique rotation, flipping and scaling) in a single brush stroke, and a total of more than 50 layer blending modes.

WinImage R6 is available now for Windows 95/98/NT for $399.95. An upgrade from R5 runs $49.95. FRor more information, visit http://www.blackbeltsystems.com.