Hello everyone. I had been subscribed to this email discussion list since when I graduated from the Softimage 3D program at Seneca College in Toronto in 1999. I had always been amazed by the excitement and dedication of everyone using Softimage 3D and XSI. I didn't participate as often as I would like to because I was looking for employment. I spent the time to enhance the skills I learned from 3D training. I always read the email threads and have found answers amongst you all concerning the "how-to's" in Softimage.
Then I found employment in various jobs around the Greater Toronto area before moving to Eastern Canada taking a position as a character modeler using Maya. I always considered the innovation of character rigging, FXTree, GATOR and ICE to be Softimage's strength. At the place where I work, supervisors received a copy of Maya 2014 from Autodesk to try out. They told me that there were features in Maya that have been working in the past that started to break. So the company stayed with Maya 2013 (don't get me started with my other complaints about that program!). 'Nuff said about myself. After reading the emails concerning Softimage's demise by Autodesk, I was wondering if there is more to this story than what is mentioned... I noticed the response emails from Maurice Patel (of Autodesk) - the discontinuation of Softimage is not necessarily the increasing costs of R&D and maintenance but freeing up resources to focus on other areas in Autodesk. Maurice's response led me to think that it wasn't just about Softimage/3DSMax/Maya because I was waiting for new improvements and features for Maya for a long time (besides Bifrost and other Max-like tools). Last year, I remembered Autodesk joined with MakerBot to develop in the emerging 3D Printing market. Here's the link to one article: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2013-03/autodesk-ceo-carl-bass-future-3-d-printing-home Wasn't there a convention held in 2013 that was a 3D Printing conference that Autodesk had a booth in it? Autodesk also released their app, 123D which incorporated some output to 3D printers. Also a few years ago, Autodesk bought a lonely freeware called, "Meshmixer" from Ryan Schmidt. Just recently, Autodesk released a update to Meshmixer with 3D printing capabilities. I believe that besides AutoCAD and the Media & Entertainment division, Autodesk has focussed its business plan to the emerging 3D Printing market. It sees 3D Printing as a big market to "exploit." Aren't we all witnessing that 3D Printing is going to be huge in the long run? I do not work for Autodesk. I'm just an artist like yourselves - constantly learning the skills and craft of CG Animation. I still consider Softimage to be far superior than Maya or 3DS Max (don't get me started on my disdain for 3DSMax!). But I need to look at the other CG software alternatives and concentrate on what employers (Animation studios in North America) require for me to continue in this industry because time is limited. What do you all think? Michael L. Sent from my iPhone
