I wish (really) I could support FabricEngine. But all I have see _yet_ is some python tutorial. I do love the Exocortex (Hi Helge, Hi Ben) guys behind all that. But don't ask me to learn python. It's out of my range...
I bet all this will evolve, but for now...

What I don't understand, on a "logical" POV, is why AD never copy all the C4D mograph goodies. Frankly with ice and a good iceman it should have be a breeze. But no, everything have been done toward big studios for big crews and big movies. That's a mistake (IMHO) there are several small companies working in the field of TV, Motion design, Tite sequence, and all the corporate film, that would be serious potential clients.


Le 03/09/2012 18:46, Andy Moorer a écrit :
I can imagine boutiques purchasing specific software "modules", perhaps from a 
wide choice made by various TDs similar to the Helge, Eric Mootz, Exocortex etc.

The modules are made with a tool like Fabric (or rather, Fabric's creation 
engine) to perform logical tasks, for instance modeling, one for texture/UV, an 
autorigger module, asset trackers, shot setup, a mocap module etc. Data formats 
like alembic bridge the gaps between the modules, and allow assets to travel 
through the 'pipeline' of modules.

The benefits to a boutique are clear, pipeline customization becomes like 
legos, just plug in the parts you need (and don't waste $ and time on stuff you 
don't.) The down side is the lack of a single turnkey solution, if someone 
hasn't yet made a module you need you're SOL unless you make it yourself.

I don't know if this concept will pan out, but I like the idea of awesome folks like 
Guillaume Being able to work for themselves making tools they're excited about in 
cooperation with their peers (who are also potential customers) rather than being 
"managed" aka screwed over by the likes of Autodesk droids.

If people want to protest what AD has done, and want to keep what makes 
softimage special alive, I can think of no better way than this:

Support Fabric. Join the beta and build stuff with it. If you're not at all 
technical, support the people like Exocortex, Eric Mootz, etc who go through he 
hardships of a small business in order to innovate and have control over what 
they choose to create. They are likely to be the kind of people who you're 
doing business with down the road, when Autodesk topples under its own weight. 
;)



On Sep 3, 2012, at 11:09 AM, Guy Rabiller <guy.rabil...@radfac.com> wrote:

I just wonder, with all those blocks, how do you propose to bring
them together into one usable package?
For bigger pipelines I see how it can work,(with plenty of TDs around)
but for smaller shops and Freelancers?
Is any group of people having a concept of congealing those blocks.
I'd be highly interested!

Well, I think no one should be 'entitled' or have 'authority' for packaging 
these blocks, it's a question of freedom. Yet different kind of 'packages' may 
be usefull or required depending on the needs, usages, gui tastes, etc..

Different 'packages' could be presented by companies, communities, individuals. 
The key is that any work done on those blocks would appear in all the packages. 
Different programming languages could be use, because using C++/Qt/Python may 
be not the wisest choice when you want to concentrate on features, 
experimenting, and move quickly.

Anyway, that's just an ideal (naive?) vision of what could be done.

As you pointed it, in reality this require resources and time of course. But 
sometimes it's also a question of where and when you put your resources when 
you have some. The choice is here.

On my side I'm working on something highly experimental albeit I obviously 
don't have the resources, the time, not even the skills to create a full blown 
3d application but I can do some 'packaging'.


Cheers,
Guy.
--
guy rabiller | raa.tel | radfac founder/ceo


Le 03/09/2012 16:12, Thomas Helzle a écrit :
That's what I do as well AFAP.
I'd like to add:
- Support the smaller developers, Thea Render, MoI, Modo, Lightwave, all
that stuff.
May not fit in your main movie pipeline - but maybe it does fill a gap.

And get rid of this old myth of how bad the Blender Interface is. ;-)

I just wonder, with all those blocks, how do you propose to bring them
together into one usable package?
For bigger pipelines I see how it can work,(with plenty of TDs around)
but for smaller shops and Freelancers?
Is any group of people having a concept of congealing those blocks.
I'd be highly interested!

Cheers,

Tom

On 31 August 2012 18:31, Guy Rabiller <guy.rabil...@radfac.com
<mailto:guy.rabil...@radfac.com>> wrote:


    When Autodesk bought Softimage, I said it was the end of XSI.

    Nobody wanted to believe me at that time, peoples were reassured
    with wonderfull statements saying on the contrary "with the dev and
    financial power of Autodesk" glorious days are ahead..

    Well.. I hope now these peoples realize XSI *is* indead dead.

    Autodesk bought Softimage for technologies and patents to be reused
    in other products, nothing more.

    I think it's now time for the 3d industry to boycott Autodesk. But
    who has really the balls to do that ?

    Lately, we saw more and more open source libraries developped and
    released by major companies. I think it's a sign.

    There is a non-said/secret wish more and more obvious for the rise
    of an alternative solution, an open source and free solution, a
    weapon against beeing held hostage by companies who don't give a
    f..k about their clients, only their wallet.

    There are some very interresting initiatives, openexr, ptex,
    opensubdiv, the applessed renderer, the fabric engine, etc.. among a
    lot of others.

    I believe in this approach: companies, freelancers, working on
    'blocks' of features that could be assembled together to produce the
    weapon in question.

    It's a non-sense now to start a company to create a new 'ultimate'
    3d software. What makes sense is if each company, individual,
    creates a 'block' of something, depending on their level of
    expertise. Then those blocks can be assembled together either by a
    community, a company, an individual. The result would suits each one
    of them.

    And these weapons must be open source and free.

    These would be the only weapon powerfull enough against softwares
    and jobs killer companies like Autodesk.

    So rather than to complain against Autodesk, who has actualy the
    guts to do something about it ?

    - Stop using Autodesk products ? (I did)
    - Work on alternative solutions ? (I do)
    - Contribute to existing projects ? (I'm trying)
    - Create your on 'block' ? (I'm trying)

    No ? Then stop complaining, you have no power to change the
    situation with words only. Companies like Autodesk do not care about
    your words.

    At all.

    Cheers,
    Guy.
    --
    guy rabiller | raa.tel <http://raa.tel> | radfac founder/ceo





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