Just to draw a real world parallel about stretching the use of discontinued software.... I originally started 3D animation on a Cubicomp PictureMaker <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1FLlcAVy14> in 1987. It was not the easiest system to learn, but it was affordable and relied on an actual hardware frame-buffer to output the final render (frame by frame) using a videotape recorder driver card (single insert edits with incrementing time-code in-points) .... ok enough nostalgia...
When Cubicomp closed it's doors in sometime near 1990, I was involved with several clients that owned this software/hardware 3D animation system. I also was involved with a company that would take over support for the hardware (frame buffer / tape deck controller unit) that was essential to the software all running on a PC (DOS). I managed to keep working and supporting this system for over 5 years, while I learned another 3D animation program (ironically 3D Studio) to support my freelance and educational work. I ended up with version 1 of Softimage and never looked back. The point of this story?.... Use what works for you now, and always look to other tools that can improve your creative process for your clients. I don't look forward to learning new software, but it is a part of the world of the ever changing 3D animation / SFX freelance work. Heck... there are processes, in rotoscoping, motion tracking, etc. that didn't even exist when I started. I understand the nice comfortable feeling of a great software, with which you are totally comfortable, but it is an illusion. Things, in our business, never stay the same. On Thu, Mar 20, 2014 at 1:34 PM, Rob Chapman <[email protected]> wrote: > exactly what mr Lord said. until there is a viable alternative for > you then stick with Soft. I dropped subscription with Autodesk > *because* of a percieved lack of development (compared to the past) > but am now negotiating with the reseller so that I can catch up with > subscription so as I can gain access to the final version. > > am looking at houdini and Maya but am in no hurry. as a freelancer the > amount of work in softimage will gradually dry up - whilst am learning > Houdini and Maya to stay competative in the market > > On 20 March 2014 17:09, Emilio Hernandez <[email protected]> wrote: > > Not only I agree with you but I feel the same. But I am not > transitioning > > migrating at the moment nor I see a near future to do so. The kind of > work > > I do in advertising is not going anywhere away from Softimage. > > > > Autodesk can do whatever they want with their "innovative" tools. I have > > what I need to continue my work for years. > > > > I am about to start a new project and it is again with Softimage. I > > delivered yesterday another one again with Softimage. > > > > So Softimage forever until some Dcc captures my love again as it happened > > when I fell in love at first sight with Softimage 3D and then XSI but > until > > 3.0 > -- Best Regards, * Stephen P. Davidson* *(954) 552-7956* [email protected] *Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic* - Arthur C. Clarke <http://www.3danimationmagic.com>
