Basically my entire art portfolio is in Softimage|3D.
When the torch was passed from Softimage|3D to Softimage|XSI, I made the
transition from animator to TD/programmer. I only did artwork in XSI until
v3.0. Majority of the work I've done since has been scripting/programming
and teaching. Once in a while I'll do some modeling or animating to
prototype a tool/workflow or troubleshoot a problem brought to my attention
by an artist, but that's about as far as that goes. Despite working in
strictly technical positions for the past 12 years, employers still insist I
provide a demo reel in job interviews. I need to keep that data around to
show I have artistic talent with solid grasp of color, composition, timing,
etc... and am not purely a technical nerd.
The data may be old, but it has held up quite well over the years. Most of
it is 3D made to look like 2D cel animation w toon ink/paint. As a result,
it doesn't suffer the problem of looking dated based on the technologies
available at the time.
The other side of the issue is many employers don't take me seriously as a
programmer candidate because I don't have my CS degree yet while ignoring my
many years of field experience. By writing an exporter/importer to do such
comprehensive work, it demonstrates I have a versatile skill set that
separates me from other technical artists/TDs who are the more cut n' paste
style hacky scripters, and also from some engineers who know bits n' bytes,
but lack an understanding of production.
It's not strictly about salvaging old data.
Matt
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 11:56:59 +0200
From: Dan Yargici <danyarg...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: How do you guys make sure XSI files and Softimage 7.5+ files
will open in 2016?
To: softimage@listproc.autodesk.com
Matt, I have to ask.
What could you possibly have from the Softimage 3D days that you'd want to
recover? No cynicism, just genuinely curious. :)
Even things that I created and thought were amazing back then, I could (and
would) re-make in days and to a far higher standard with modern tools.
It's like playing old computer games that you loved from the past. They're
invariably shit. :)
...OK, except maybe Command and Conquer: Red Alert... I'll always have time
for that (anyone who feels the same should head over to
http://www.openra.net btw... ;)
DAN
