Ok, let's sum this up again.
ICE-like node graphs exist for a long time now. Houdini is built around
them. There's a plugin for 3ds Max, Blender, etc. There are many
examples in audio software, too, btw.
Actually, the old Hypergraph in Maya is a clumsy version of this as well.
The specifics and deep integration is what's unique with ICE. Because of
that, it cannot simply be ripped and plugged into Maya. It has to be
re-written from ground up, wrapped around the Maya architecture. If that
was so easy, they would be finished by now.
Of course, they eventually will be, but that does not mean Maya will
ever become a nice application... if it does, why not use it then? (I
doubt it, though)
Even if Softimage and Maya were in different companies, you couldn't
prevent good ideas from being copied (Apple/Samsung?).
It would maybe take longer, and there would be usual legal/financial
hassle, but it would happen anyway.
You cannot rest on your laurels forever if you had a good idea once.
Softimage has to continue to innovate, not worry about copycats.
The reasons the architects of ICE had to jump train does not matter. (If
I were a expert programmer for node-based 3d-frameworks, what would I do
if one project, Softimage, is finished, and I'm looking for a new
challenge?)
The new guys have every chance to be clever right now, too.
Btw., if you want to be of help, you could ask for getting into the
beta, give constructive feedback, log bugs and request features there.
Am 2012-12-22 09:32, schrieb Halim Negadi:
Sorry Matthieu but I don't see any beauty in watching Softimage diying
for the sake of Maya.
Autodesk is just slowly sucking our weapon of choice dry and this has
been a screwed situation ever since the avid / autodesk deal went down.
On Wed, Dec 19, 2012 at 6:43 PM, Mathieu Leclaire
<mlecl...@hybride.com <mailto:mlecl...@hybride.com>> wrote:
I'm sorry... but how exactly does it hurt the user? If what you
are hearing happens to be true... doesn't that just mean good news
for Maya? I don't see any bad news for Softimage here. Softimage
ain't loosing anything. It's Maya whose gaining.
Even if Softimage ends up loosing some user base because they are
moving to Maya or something else and Softimage stops evolving due
to lack of users... Well, that's the cycle of life. In the end,
ain't that the beauty of our industry? Things are evolving
rapidly. There are always new softwares, new technologies to learn
and adopt. Old non evolving technologies slowly die to make way to
new better technologies. I love Softimage like all of you and I
would be sad if it stopped evolving. But I'm a big boy. I'll adopt
a new one if it helps our work get better. Sure, there would be an
adaptation period if that happens, but in the end, softwares are
just tools. Our jobs aren't in jeopardy. Only your comfort zone
is. And that is only true IF your wort case scenario actually
happens (i.e. new ICE like interface in Maya forces Softimage
users to switch software and in doing so kills Softimage's future).
I think this process is completely natural and healthy. If
Softimage is to die, it's not going to happen in the blink of an
eye. It's going to be a slow natural transition towards that
state. I hope not. I too hope it will keep evolving and keep it's
place in the industry... but if it doesn't, then I'll be happy to
face a new challenge and learn a new software.
-Mathieu
