Autodesk has just announced the newest version of the 3ds Max modeling and rendering package, 3ds Max 2011.  From the initial announcements, it sounds impressive:

“Our first priority with 3ds Max 2011 was to make artists more productive in common everyday workflows,” said Stig Gruman, Autodesk vice president of digital entertainment. “We have re-architected core parts of the software, introduced a much requested node based material editor streamlining workflows and added new features, like the painting tools and the Quicksilver hardware renderer, to help customers meet or beat their deadlines without compromising either creativity or quality.”

But that’s not all.  They also have just announced a new Maya 2011 to match:

“Maya continues to help artists set new standards in entertainment with credits such as ‘Avatar’ and ‘Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,'” said Stig Gruman, Autodesk vice president of digital entertainment. “The 2011 release is a key milestone for Maya. With a new customizable UI and a new graphics architecture, Maya strengthens its position as a foundation for modern film and game pipelines. The innovative 3D editorial timeline helps communicate and validate the creative vision behind a project and enables previs and virtual moviemaking workflows for users.”

Both products seem to share the always-present-and-frustrating UI redesign, as well as some other fantastic features like compositors, hardware renderers, and more.

Read the full releases for all the details.  Both products will be available in April.