Boris FX said the dormant motion-graphics and particle-animation system Particle Illusion is getting an overhaul, with UI updates, new emitter libraries, and increased GPU acceleration.

It’s all part of a re-engineered version of the software that will debut as a tech demo at NAB 2018 before an official release later this year, when it will become part of Boris Continuum 12 and the Continuum Particles Unit.

Particle Illusion was acquired by Boris FX in 2016 as part of the company’s purchase of Gen Arts; Boris FX said original Particle Illusion developer Alan Lorence has been hired as product manager.

Also getting updates at NAB will be Continuum, Sapphire and Mocha, which will be exhibited alongside the new 2018 Boris FX App Manager, a utility for managing and licensing Boris FX products. A new Bundle, the Boris FX Suite, will combine Sapphire, Continuum and Mocha Pro on a single license with a variety of purchase and subscription options, Boris said.

“We have listened to our customer base and have taken on multiple initiatives that will greatly enhance the workflow for editors, motion graphics, and effects artists,” commented Boris FX President Boris Yamnitsky in a prepared statement. “Mocha will have a streamlined user interface to improve the tracking and masking found in all our products, and the new Boris App Manager provides our customers with a welcome centralized utility for quick and easy installation and licensing management. Another highly-requested feature was to bring back Particle Illusion. We have responded by re-engineering and designing this application from the ground up.”

Mocha Pro and Mocha VR will be updated this year with new roto and masking tools as well as speedier object-removal and clean-plating processes, while Sapphie and Continuum are set to enjoy improved GPU rendering and playback on Avid and Da Vinci Resolve, as well as an improved titling system and the ability to preview on broadcast monitors via interfaces from AJA and Blackmagic Design.

Finally, Boris FX just introduced new annual subscription options for Sapphire, Continuum and/or Mocha at both individual host and multi-host levels.

Boris FX: borisfx.com