AUTODESK UNVEILS KINETIX TO DRIVE 3D MULTIMEDIA FOR PCS AND THE WORLD WIDE
WEB

New Business Unit Announces Delivery of 3D Content Creation Tools for
Fast-Growing Internet and Windows NT Workstation Markets

NEW YORK, NY (April 10, 1996) -- Autodesk, Inc. (NSDQ:ADSK) today
introduced Kinetix, an independent new business unit devoted to bringing
the most powerful 3D content creation tools to the computer industry's
fastest-growing markets. Already the leader in PC-based 3D modeling and
animation tools, Kinetix revealed a long-term strategy to focus on film,
video, interactive game and design visualization markets, and to deliver
new technology that leverages the organization's established software
products into the burgeoning World Wide Web and Microsoft" Windows NT"
Workstation marketplaces.

As part of its introduction, Kinetix announced it will be shipping 3D
Studio MAX, a new version of its award-winning 3D Studio" modeling and
animation application specially rearchitected for Windows NT. Kinetix also
introduced and demonstrated Hyperwire, a powerful visual and icon-based
World Wide Web authoring tool that creates 2D and 3D titles in Sun
Microsystems, Inc.'s Java environment.

"With today's unveiling of Kinetix, Autodesk has unleashed an aggressive
and entrepreneurial business unit to define new 3D content creation tools
for PCs and for the World Wide Web," said Carol Bartz, chairman, president
and CEO of Autodesk. "Kinetix will introduce leading Autodesk technology
to new customers around the world, while following its own independent
vision to elevate the standard of 3D computing on the PC platform."

"As more companies in all industries awaken to the power of 3D graphics and
multimedia, the need for visual, easy-to-use tools becomes critical," said
Larry Crume, Autodesk vice president and general manager of Kinetix.

"The Kinetix mission is to leverage our expertise in the animation, special
effects, video and interactive content arenas into immediately usable
applications and tools that result in tangible benefits for users
everywhere. By shipping 3D Studio MAX and making sneak preview copies of
Hyperwire available over the Web today, we're executing to that vision."

INDEPENDENT VISION

Kinetix, whose software products (as Autodesk's Multimedia Market Group)
generated revenues of nearly $28 million in fiscal 1996, will use
Autodesk's distribution channels worldwide for the design visualization
market, meanwhile defining a two-tiered dealer program to focus on the
professional video and animation, interactive multimedia and 3D Web
authoring markets. The new enterprise also plans in summer 1996 to move
its worldwide headquarters to San Francisco's SOMA (South of Market)
neighborhood, a Mecca for digital artists, production houses and
multimedia developers.

Already the installed base leader in professional animation software with
more than 200,000 animation customers and 70,000 3D Studio users, Kinetix
will continue to focus on the fastest-growing areas of the computer
industry. According to the 1995 Roncarelli Report, Kinetix leads the
industry with 30 percent of the professional 3D animation market (and 45
percent of the PC segment). Meanwhile, Roncarelli reports Kinetix's core
markets are growing rapidly: special effects, animation and professional
video is growing at 34 percent year-to- year, while interactive multimedia
authoring is expanding at 30 percent a year. Targeting the $6 billion CAD
business (according to Dataquest), another major Kinetix growth
opportunity is design visualization which integrates 3D multimedia tools
with CAD software to enhance and animate the work of architects, engineers
and designers.

"With desktop computer systems evolving from traditional PCs into
high-performance personal workstations, millions of users are calling for
a new generation of 3D multimedia software applications for Windows NT,"
said Philippe Ribeyre, Vice President of Digital Equipment Corp.'s
Workstation Business Unit. "By delivering leading-edge, extensible content
creation solutions that make the most of these new platforms, Kinetix has
defined a product strategy that powerfully and affordably answers those
needs."

DELIVERING POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY

The new business unit already is delivering powerful tools for creating 3D
animation and multimedia content. Kinetix announced that it will be
shipping this month 3D Studio MAX, a completely rearchitected version of
3D Studio featuring an all-new, real-time interface, support for graphics
hardware acceleration and multiprocessor systems, and the first seamlessly
extensible architecture in its market.

In beta testing since September 1995, 3D Studio MAX delivers several
capabilities found only on expensive applications available for costly
UNIX" platforms. 3D Studio MAX also delivers several exclusive features,
including a unified Windows NT interface: an extensible "platform"
architecture that automatically installs third-party "plug- in"
applications seamlessly as part of the main application interface; the
TrackView timeline-based animation management environment; and Space
Warps, a class of components that facilitates the animation of scene-based
special effects, such as explosions or black holes. 3D Studio MAX is U.S.
list priced at $3,495.

"The shipping of 3D Studio MAX from Kinetix is exciting both for animators
and for Intel," said Ron Whittier, senior vice president and general
manager of Intel Corp.'s Content Group. "3D Studio MAX typifies the new
breed of multimedia applications that take full advantage of the power and
flexibility of Pentium" Pro by delivering workstation-class features and
performance at PC prices."

"Windows NT Workstation was designed to be the platform for a new class of
high-performance applications that redefine the notion of personal
computing," said Peter Knook, general manager, business customer marketing
at Microsoft. "3D Studio MAX from Kinetix is one of the impressive,
powerful applications using the advanced features offered by Windows NT
Workstation."

"The ability to access and customize every aspect of 3D Studio MAX coupled
with the program's rich procedures and features  gives artists and
animators the tools they need to create incredible imagery," said Dave
Thompson, lead animator at DreamWorks Interactive, a joint venture of
DreamWorks SKG and Microsoft Corp. "3D Studio MAX is an important addition
to the 3D suite in the DreamWorks digital studio."

Kinetix also unveiled its new Hyperwire 3D authoring tool for the World
Wide Web. Using simple visual objects rather than difficult programming
commands, Hyperwire users can easily create 3D titles in Java for the
World Wide Web. With Hyperwire, Web site developers and multimedia content
authors can build exciting interactive web titles accessible from any
Java-enabled web browser. Hyperwire is compliant with the VRML 1.0
(Virtual Reality Modeling Language) specification for 3D on the Internet.

A "sneak preview" version of Hyperwire is available immediately and free of
charge on Kinetix's new Web site, at http://www.ktx.com, and shipping
versions will be announced later.

ABOUT KINETIX

Kinetix develops and delivers affordable content creation tools for
professionals such as film and video producers, video/computer game
developers, Web content developers, architects, engineers, and designers.
The leader in PC-based 3D modeling and animation tools, Kinetix provides a
full range of products for the application development process, from 2D
and 3D creation to assembly and delivery.  With headquarters in San
Rafael, Calif., Kinetix is a division of Autodesk, the fourth largest PC
software company in the world with three million customers in 130
countries.

Kinetix products are sold through dealers and distributors worldwide. Visit
Kinetix on the World Wide Web at http://www.ktx.com, or contact the
company at 800-879-4233.

Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters
discussed in this news release are forward looking statements that involve
risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those projected. These include the timely development and
acceptance of new products, the impact of competitive products and
pricing, and the other risks detailed from time to time in Autodesk's SEC
reports, including the report on Form 10-Q filed in December 1995.
 
 =========================================================
 From the 'New Product News' Electronic News Service on...
 AOL (Keyword = New Products) and Delphi (GO COMP PROD)
 =========================================================
 This information was processed from data provided by the
 company/author mentioned. For additional details, please
 contact them directly at the address/phone# indicated.
 Trademarks are the property of their respective owners!
 =========================================================
 All submissions for this service should be addressed to:
 BAKER ENTERPRISES,  20 Ferro Dr,  Sewell, NJ  08080  USA
 Email:   rbakerpc@aol.com   --or--   rbakerpc@delphi.com
 =========================================================
