Re: YOUR TOP 5
Hard not to to just add ICE, Passes, etc like everyone. But we all know how amazing Softimage features are. But there was another aspect to Soft that was almost as important as the software itself so... 1. This list 2. Mark Schoennagel Demos. Mark is already EOL'd at ADSK, but at least his demo videos will live on. 3. All the old timers who have helped me along the past 2 decades and still maintain a regular presence on this list and some of the other great sites. (Shout out to you Kim, if you ever get your eye out of your viewfinder these days) 4. The wicked plugin developers who somehow keep creating the coolest stuff that makes everyone on the other apps jealous. AND still manage to maintain a direct personal connection to the community. Too many of you to name names. It was the people who keep me coming back to this list regularly even though I have spent the last few years pretending to be a flame op. so thanks everyone, Alex Arce On Fri, Mar 14, 2014 at 10:42 AM, Jon Hunt wrote: > -Clean and intuitive UI > -Operator Stacks > -Gator > -Rigging tools/workflow - *Weight painting* tools/shape manager > - Render pass sytem > > J > > > On Fri, Mar 14, 2014 at 2:11 PM, Ed Harriss wrote: > >> 1. Render Workflow - Passes, Partitions, Overrides, Etc... >> >> 2. Render Region toolset. >> >> 3. "Text Buttons" option. Less Icons please. >> >> 4. Explorer, Explorer, Explorer, Explorer, Explorer, Explorer. >> >> 5. Selections. The way you select things in XSI is awesome. Object based, >> component based, whatever. It just works. Multiple Object select editing. >> You know what I mean, there is no need for an deep explanation of this one. >> >> >> >> ...so many more, but you did say only 5. >> >> >> >> Yes, I left ICE, workgroups, workflow, operator stack, Gator, overall UI, >> etc... off the list. But you know I wanted to put them on there. One thing I >> don't feel like I can put the list is community. There is nothing that >> anyone can do about this so why waste a spot. It is something that can only >> occur naturally. It cannot be created by force. I really, really hope it >> forms over time or just carries over from where we are today. >> >> >> >> Ed >> >> >> >> >> >> *From:* softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com [mailto: >> softimage-boun...@listproc.autodesk.com] *On Behalf Of *Morten Bartholdy >> *Sent:* Friday, March 14, 2014 9:33 AM >> >> *To:* softimage@listproc.autodesk.com >> *Subject:* Re: YOUR TOP 5 >> >> >> >> I guess this list is closely related with the type of tasks that land on >> the individual artists table, but here are my top 5: >> >> >> >> ICE - for its power and versatility >> >> Render Tree - flexibility for testing various shading setups >> >> Operator Stack - the ability to go back in modeling stack and fix stuff >> in the 11th hour before rendering >> >> Render Passes/Partitions/Overrides >> >> General ease of use and efficient workflow >> >> >> >> >> >> Morten Bartholdy >> >> gimmickvfx.com >> > >
Re: A way forward - We are kingmakers.
Wow Stephan, Thanks for sharing. I remember in some of my early days with Softimage CE (starting 21 years ago), Spans+Partners work on some of the early Softimage reels inspiring me to explore more. It makes me happy to be reminded of this so many years later, even at such a depressing moment it Softimage history. Thanks again, Alex On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 11:10 PM, Stephan Hempel wrote: > after laying around the whole night and couldn't sleep here are my 2 cents > on the whole situation. > > When you look at the history of Softimage it's quite obvious that > developing a software for this industry is quite a challenge. I think there > is reason why Daniel Langlois sold Softimage to Microsoft, because he > couldn't stand the developing costs for a complete rewrite anymore. And > when you see how long it took until XSI and later Moondust got on the > market you may have glimpse what it means to develop a piece Software with > this kind of sophistication. > > I can only hope that FabricEngine and all the others develop a better > business model then the traditional one with investors outside of the > industry who are not bound to the company they are invested in and can sell > their investment at anytime to anywhom. I think the only solution are > strong bounds into the 3D industry itself. > > I want to show you an example. In the Germany there is a company called > DATEV. They do a very unsexy thing: tax accounting software. But the > interesting part is that this company has been built by its customers and > is owned by its customers in form of a cooperative society. The company > exists since 1966 which gives you an idea about the stability and longevity > of such the business model. > More info about you find here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Datev > > As manufacturing 3D software is obviously not a highly profitable business > (or why else Softimage got sold from the founder via Microsoft throught > AVID to Autodesk, Maya from Wavefront through Alias to Autodesk, 3dsmax > from Kinetix through discreet* to Autodesk) > I can only strongly recommend to stay away from financal investors and the > stock market and try to finance the development through the 3D industry > itself. > > By the way if you look at Autodesk's latest business figures then you get > the impression that big troubles can arise. Last years revenue dropped > significantly especially when you compare it to the performance of the > competition in the engineering sector. Engineering is 93% of their business > by the way. M&E only contributes 7% to their revenue and is decreasing. > Related to that I don't think that cloud based services which is > supposedly the next big thing is wanted by such a conservative industry > like the engineering industry is. And believe me or not they are > conservative. I have some clients in this field. When this cloud based > thing goes down the drain it is likely that Autodesk gets in big trouble > and will therefore concentrate on its core business and will as consequence > sell its stepchild M&E to whomever may have an interest in it (hopefully > not a financial investor). > > Well I have no glass ball in front of me but I think the 3D industry > should be prepared for such a situation since Autodesk has a dominant > market position and apparently no one seems to care. > > It's a shame their will be no other software with a > middle-click-this-button-to-repeat-the-last-command functionality anymore > because Autodesk owns the patent on this and many other innovative concepts > which made Softimage unique and stand out. So I think I will stay with "my > second love" until I go the "Kim Aldis route". > > Just my 2 cents. Sorry for the rambling speech. > > I am still very thankful that I got in touch with Softimage at Spans und > Partner 8 years ago after messing around with 3dsmax and Maya. Thanks to > the developers and the community for supporting such a great product over > the last 28 years. > > Cheers, > Stephan. > > +1 > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Mar 5, 2014, at 5:11, Jeffrey Dates wrote: > > This. > Everything Andy said. > > > > On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 4:52 PM, Andy Jones wrote: > > Many studios having the same problems at the same time is a HUGE > opportunity if we leverage it properly. > > I completely agree about the collaboration that will be necessary from > users. However, for studios' part, I know a lot of places are interested > in Fabric already, even if they haven't actually bought licenses yet. So > if part of the incentive was some kind of agreement for the FE guys to help > nurture a scene assembly tool to life quickly, it might help tip the scale > for whatever cost/benefit analysis places are doing. The devs working on > Fabric are truly some of the best in the world (and from what I understand, > a big part of the reason AD bought Softimage to begin with). They are a > big part of the equation for what will happen in the future, even if they > don't end up wanting to bui
Re: Luxology Modo 50% off for this mailing list
I feel like you are somehow partially responsible regardless. I may have to purchase a copy just because AND of course thanks for the reach out Raff. Nice move. Alex On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 10:35 PM, Bradley Gabe wrote: > I'm just happy to see my name on this list again in a positive light, even > though it has nothing to do with me. > > > > > On Tue, Mar 4, 2014 at 9:30 PM, Tim Crowson < > tim.crow...@magneticdreams.com> wrote: > >> That's really generous of Brad, and frankly reflects the artist-centric >> and artist-friendly attitude I've experienced first-hand when dealing with >> them or the Foundry in general. Modo is not there yet as a full package, >> and primarily lacks in raw performance and reliability. But I think they >> know what they need to do. Mad props and more power to The Foundry. >> >> -Tim >> >> >> On 3/4/2014 9:15 PM, Raffaele Fragapane wrote: >> >> Hi all, >> If you can't be bothered to read some text, the important bit is in bold >> a few paragraphs down. >> >> Now that the worst kept secret EVER has seen the sunlight, while >> everybody is still shell shocked, I think it's worth posting this. >> >> I'd like to say I'm surprised, or emotionally drained, but I'm actually >> barely upset. Writing's been on the wall for entirely too long. >> >> Deciding to not use Maya just because it's an AD product, at least for >> me, is like cutting one's own nose to spite the face; then in my domain >> (character work) Maya is too significant a player to just outright ignore >> it out of principle, not to mention I've been using it professionally or >> personally since v1. >> That said maybe some of you work in a different domain, and for you Modo, >> or Houdini, or C4D are a viable option. >> Coming from there, and more on topic, I have little faith in all these >> petitions, rage posts and the such, so I thought I'd start a different line >> of efforts to help a community I've been part of for >> Idon'twanttothinkhowlongitsscary. >> >> More on topic, if I had to find issue with this announcement and all it >> entails it's how badly it was managed and conceived. >> Not only it's an incredibly ponderous decision with inevitable gravity, >> it was also announced with barely any time to spare between its intended >> date and some hard dates on its effects. >> Of everything I heard and read insofar it's not so much the killing of >> Soft I find unacceptable (I guess I was well resigned in those regards, not >> that it doesn't sadden me enormously), as much as what picture it paints of >> AD customer management when they do such a thing, and proceed to aggravate >> the issue with nebulous information and an unacceptably short window of >> time for the user base to make some rather consequential decisions. >> >> But are the competitors any better? Any more accessible and transparent >> in their communication and dealings? >> >> Well, I was having an exchange in private with Brad Peebler, founder of >> Luxology, and I put to him whether the Foundry/Luxology would have the >> flexibility and agility to do something about short term. >> Turns out they do. >> In a few hours they set up everything for a *50% discount on Modo*purchases. >> No strings attached, just because I jokingly challenged him to. >> *Go to the online store and use the coupon "raffofkahn" for half price >> check-out.* >> >> I'm not a Modo user, nor have the time or inclination right now to >> become one. I'm not going to suddenly wish AD any ill or stop using their >> products, though they sure did their damnest to make me even more guarded >> when dealing with their PR and promises. >> I did really enjoy dealing with the Foundry in the past though, and I >> have now to extend that respect to its Luxology arm. At the very least they >> are willing to act transparently and unconditionally on matters all the way >> from the top of the product chain. >> >> Cheers, >> Raff >> >> P.S. >> The actual coupon's text was Brad's idea, not mine! I imagine he read my >> signature and thought I was a Trekkie or something like that. >> >> P.P.S. >> I'm not getting anything out of this. I'm not a modo user, I'm not >> getting freebies, it has nothing to do with my employer, what the hell, it >> barely has anything to do with me outside the last few hours and this >> e-mail itself. I simply thought it was a nice and significant gesture on >> Brad's side and decided to help him reach out on account of his personality >> and display of good will. >> >> -- >> Our users will know fear and cower before our software! Ship it! Ship it >> and let them flee like the dogs they are! >> >> >> -- >> > >
Re: Softimage 2015 Last Release Announcement
2015 feature set... http://area.autodesk.com/userdata/products/What's_New_in_Autodesk_Softimage_2015_latest.pdf would have liked to see something a bit more exciting.
