8monkey Labs, creator of the multi-platform Marmoset Engine and shooter game, Darkest of Days, announced a plethora of new features and upgrades to their Marmoset Toolbag...and has invited 3D game artists to try it for free.

Marmoset Toolbag is a real-time material editor and presentation tool that allows you see and adjust your project as you go; basically offering a "what you see is what you get" workstation. 8monkey hopes that their program will serve as a stand-alone toolkit to create AAA-presentation quality to 3 models, texture sets and animations.

Upgrades and New features include: - HDR image-based environment lighting - 10 environment sky lighting presets - Dynamic light creation and editing - Smart scene-matched shadow projections - Screen Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO) - Circle of confusion / Bokeh depth of field effect - Auto-turntable options for mesh, camera, and light rotation - Screenshot output resolution up to 4096 pixels - HDR screenshot output - 6 blending modes - 8 material channel modes - 13 viewport rendering modes - Tangent-space and World-Space normal map support - Normal map invert/swizzle options - Alpha-to-coverage transparency - Editable Cinematic post-effect system - Drag-and-drop GUI support for textures, meshes, materials, and more - Saveable scene files - Improved light and shadow accuracy and detail - Expanded material options, including gloss maps and translucency - Greatly improved and reorganized user interface

Sadly for me, this is a PC-only application. :@ My shiny Mac wants to make 3D renders, too!

PC users - If you like what you see, you can upgrade to a full license by July 28th to get 20% off. You can also win a full license by struttin' your skills and entering the CgTuts+ July competition . To learn more and download your free trial of Marmoset Toolbag v1.0, visit http://www.8monkeylabs.com .