The above has a severe typo: Should read: With that, I don't think Autodesk will want to encourage new users to Softimage, so not selling new licenses directly makes sense for them, when they want to be selling/promoting Maya and presumably Max licenses.
sorry, my error On Sat, Mar 15, 2014 at 2:52 PM, skuby <[email protected]> wrote: > > *""""Martin [email protected] <[email protected]>* > > > > > *With SI retired you can't buy licenses for SI anymore, it doesn't come > with Max or Maya, you can only use the licenses you have right now. You > should add "keep selling SI licenses" to your idea. MartinSent from my > iPhone""""""""""""""* > > Thing is, Softimage IS now depreciated, like it or not, no petition will > likely change that, that should be clear, -it's not going to move forward > like it used to and it will eventually fully die. With that, I don't think > Autodesk will want to encourage new users to Softimage, so not selling new > licenses directly makes sense for them to continue selling Softimage > directly, when they want to be selling/promoting Maya and presumably Max > licenses, -(yes it makes sense to us but not for them and we aren't going > to win that one). But, to keep it updated with FBX/Crosswalk and Mental > Ray is a great transition boon for those interested in migrating to either > Maya or Max. > > This will allow people in the middle of a transition to easily return to > familiar territory and get work done fast and clean and go back and forth > with ease, at their own pace as they re-learn all of their skills as well > as totally new features in their new package of choice. > > Two years, now until 2016, may very well not be enough time for some > studios/freelancers if they are buried in much needed work and it may not > be so easy to get all of the functionality out of the interfaces they are > accustomed to integrated into Max/Maya in such a short time at a level that > would be acceptable to all users. This keeps Soft development in a > depreciated state, but gives a little bit more growing room than the 2016 > deadline which is rightfully ambitious. And none of this encourages new > Softimage users, which is I suspect a quality they are wisely after given > their total gameplan. > > > > On Sat, Mar 15, 2014 at 1:17 PM, skuby <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Ok you are very right on the SDK/Plug-in front, I really didn't think >> about it like that. However, I think that dominated your response and your >> accidentally throwing out the baby with the bathwater in effect. (without >> question, no matter what, Softimage is depreciated but I'm trying to get >> the best effect out of a transition here) >> >> Soft, as is, without plug-ins or new features, is STILL usable for games, >> movies, commercials and more. Removing it as a stand-alone product, and >> packing it SOLEY as a tie in bonus with Maya, Max or any Suite, ONLY >> further promotes the packages AD wants to keep alive while appeasing the >> small studios (Japan/Vancouver/etc.) and freelance users of Softimage quite >> a bit better than just a 2016 cutoff. By keeping alive Crosswalk/FBX >> functionality for some time longer, -modeling, animation, UV, rigging, etc. >> can all still be done as is in Soft and if needed, easily sent over to >> Maya, as that features work right now between those two packages quite well >> (a little trickier with max as you don't get all the automated 2-way >> crosswalk features last I checked but you still have FBX handy and a TD can >> easily work with that). Keeping up to date Mental Ray, allows existing >> pipe-lines that go in the other direction, or use Softimage entirely, able >> to keep up and extend the transition period beyond 2016. Now, remember, >> all the while anyone primarily using Softimage with these Crosswalk/Mental >> Ray add-ons, are also going to have full up to date copies of at least one >> of the 2 non-depreciated softwares that AD wants to continue and actively >> promote at this time, which is only going to increase AD's revenue by >> ensuring many Japanese/Vancouver studios and others stay in the Autodesk >> family, and that alone will likely provide more than enough revenue that >> would potentially be lost (even if only in small amounts) to the obvious >> hoard of disgruntled orphans. >> >> I don't want to make this too long, but I had hoped by now, AD would have >> already merged the 3 major userbases (I expect with a Maya base above all >> else because big studios have a lot invested in existing pipelines with it >> and that just makes financial sense) . I think the above will really help >> with that transition, and they can promote in the future a refined Maya >> with a well needed updated hypershade (Softimage's render tree kills the >> current, dated, hypershade without question usability wise) and with a much >> needed update to the interaction model/keyboard shortcut/user interface >> that Softimage has over every other package out there, out of the box as a >> default. When you tack on the upcoming ICE replacement, and the best is >> done not to alienate hurt Softimage users, I think many if not most will >> naturally migrate to a well refined Maya without much cajoling with the >> above mentioned treats and perhaps some love given to the >> animation/keying/rigging/weighting systems. >> >> Anyways, that's my peace, I put it out there with the best of intentions. >> Mudbox is one of my favorites, I started with Max, moved onto Maya and >> ended up with Softimage. And in the current forms I have to wait for the >> future to move on from Softimage, because nothing, inside or outside of the >> AD family is going to replace it today, and I want that extended for as >> long as possible as Maya is refined into the obvious front-runner than >> merges the 3 bases. >> >> >> On Sat, Mar 15, 2014 at 11:19 AM, Matt Lind <[email protected]>wrote: >> >>> Short version: >>> >>> >>> >>> 1) Softimage supports more than just film/video. There are people >>> working in many industries which won't be served by mental ray and FBX >>> updates. My studio is a prime example (games). >>> >>> >>> >>> 2) The SDK is not open enough for plugin developers to do what you >>> suggest. Many of the 3rd party efforts to date usually required some >>> amount of help from the Softimage developers to make possible. Softimage >>> tended to implement new features, then expand the SDK to support those new >>> features. For 3rd party development, you need the SDK expanded ahead of >>> the features. In other words, while the SDK is mature, it's also not >>> expanded too far outside of what you can already do out of the box. New >>> plugin efforts would largely amount to using existing levers and switches >>> instead of making new levers and switches like you and everybody else would >>> like. >>> >>> >>> >>> There's still plenty of tools that can be written, but probably not >>> anything earth shattering as the SDK is single threaded and some of the >>> components it leans on are getting long in the tooth too as Luc-Eric has >>> recently mentioned. Basically, Softimage is that car that still performs >>> really great, but has high mileage and about to enter that period where >>> major parts will need repairing/replacing making it a very expensive >>> upkeep. Since the driver hasn't seen that breakage firsthand yet, he's >>> under the impression there isn't a problem and the car can drive on >>> indefinitely into the sunset. >>> >>> >>> >>> Autodesk was at our site just as the press release was officially >>> hitting the wire. While no specifics were mentioned by Autodesk or our >>> reseller in our offices, my personal poking, prodding and reading between >>> the lines lead me to believe a lot of work (refactoring) has gone into Maya >>> the past few years to accommodate some of this burden in migration, but >>> some (much) work still has to come. I think we'll see parts of that work >>> in Maya 2015 and probably explains why the Softimage Montreal team has been >>> busy for the past 2 years on Maya instead of Softimage. I have no idea if >>> there's any truth to this, but it's what I've come to believe based on the >>> sparse bits and pieces I could put together, and witnessing how such >>> migrations were handled in the past. >>> >>> >>> >>> I'll share the rest of my thoughts from 21+ years of Softimage >>> experience in another thread at another time. Right now I'm neck deep in >>> getting the project out the door Ben Houston so kindly posted the other day. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Matt >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> *From:* [email protected] [mailto: >>> [email protected]] *On Behalf Of *skuby >>> *Sent:* Friday, March 14, 2014 8:38 PM >>> *To:* [email protected] >>> *Subject:* Idea- Just keep Mental Ray and FBX support - Softimage free >>> w/Maya or Max or any Suite. >>> >>> >>> >>> Softimage is ready out of the box now with no new features added. Why >>> not, leave it as is, but continue to support new Mental Ray and FBX updates >>> so that it still continues to fit nicely into any pipeline and leave >>> continued development past 2016 at those simple two things. Leave the rest >>> up to plug-in developers and forever-more include Softimage as a free >>> throw-in with any Maya or Max or Suite purchase or rental, so there will be >>> many ways to own it or rent it while exclusively promoting your other >>> packages. The other great thing, since it can only now come with Max/Maya >>> or a Suite, is that Soft users are never a financial burden to their >>> employers since it will always be a free seat with any existing Max/Maya >>> licence. >>> >>> >>> >>> This could be a very easy, welcomed add-on to the existing Softimage >>> retirement announcement. Please please, consider this as an option >>> Autodesk and please, everyone, support and promote this idea to Autodesk, I >>> think it's our best bet and we might actually be able to get this. >>> >>> >>> >>> -regards >>> >> >> >
