Now I get it. Forget it, I misread those lines from your email. Martin Sent from my iPhone
> On 2014/03/15, at 16:56, skuby <[email protected]> wrote: > > 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] >> >> >> >> >> >> 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. >> >> Martin >> Sent 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 >>>> >
