I've been one of the Modo alpha/beta test team for a number of years now and can honestly say it's nowhere near being an XSI replacement. The good thing is that their new incremental development strategy has made Modo far less crashy but it has a long way to go in performance terms and the new procedural system has a weak UX, is even less performant than general Modo's other workflows and has procedural capabilities at approx 5% of ICE or Houdini. Working in Modo can often feel similar to stirring treacle.
On the other hand nothing beats Modo for good old fashioned direct modeling. Fantastic range of tools and an ever improving set of viewport options. ILM turned to Modo to create a kitbashing library for Star Wars Rogue One (and one that's being reused for all forthcoming content requirements in the Star Wars universe). It's all based of reacquiring the original 1977 models on eBay! I kind you not: http://www.indiewire.com/2017/01/ilm-john-knoll-star-wars-rogue-one-1201764052/ IMHO Modo can be classed as a fantastic direct modeller at a luxury price point, or an exceptionally weak DCC to replace the the higher priced options of Max, Maya, Houdini and XSI. Take your pick. :) On 25 January 2017 at 20:17, Pierre Schiller <activemotionpictu...@gmail.com > wrote: > Hey team, thanks to all for your honest review on this thread. > To answer some of the questions : Yes, I've walked with modo for 2 years > (701,901) it"just" got good because of 10.02 enhancements for game engines > (too bad I am not working on the same place as 2 years ago, I got limited > access to modo). > Recently I went to Blender, because of the huge library of addons. But > this too is a factor per se, because of the overflowing nightly builds, and > no one is able to keep up (much less studios) or demands work other than > modeling or rendering pack animation (which basically lowers your income so > much). > Blender is "growing" in the same way chimera's head. Too many task end up > hitting on the software perfomance a lot of times. Cycles is getting a new > faster algorithm, to vary news... > > atm Houdini is more than an option for maya. I've tried Maya for animation > only, it crashed so many times it was absurd. Service packs come out > constantly, give you a sense of how unestable is.. :( > > In addition, those first 2 points on the thread should be something maybe > we can focus, at the end of the day, client only wants things delivered. > Modo can't animate 2 characters on scene without crashing (timeline issues) > and Blender is so badly designed at bones and other *basic* stuff, that > riggers just gave up, entered into python to "pale" with that stuff...plain > truth... > > Really, on my side, I'm hoping for a Maya 2018 or Houdini that can bring > all the tools a generalist takes hand on without crashing hours before > deadline. > > Kraken looks good, FE is amazing but it is definetly a a more TD oriented > than Artist (friendly names on nodes / pre armed trees to do stufff out of > the box) > I like FE. > > > > On Jan 25, 2017 9:21 AM, "Rob Wuijster" <r...@casema.nl> wrote: > >> Cannot be Maya, he's loving his new choice of 3D app...... ;-P >> >> Rob >> >> \/-------------\/----------------\/ >> >> On 25-1-2017 15:11, Softimage wrote: >> >> Hi Perry, >> >> Out of interest what did you move to? >> >> Cheers >> >> Lawrence >> >> On 25 Jan 2017, at 14:05, Perry Harovas <perryharo...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> From my POV, I moved on years ago (right when the EOL was announced, for >> the most part) because the writing was on the wall. If I stuck with >> Softimage I would be delaying the inevitable, which is to say: having to >> learn a new app. It's going to happen that one day you will just not be >> able to do something you want to in Softimage, or it won't run in some OS >> you need to upgrade to for some other reason. >> >> Autodesk ensured that Softimage would have no future when it EOL'd it. >> >> Don't let the same thing happen to you. >> Ensure your own future and learn another app. >> The best way to learn? By doing. Trial by fire. >> Sink or swim. Watching tutorials for hours while something renders isn't >> the same. >> >> I implore you all to pick an application and just start using it. Look, I >> love(d) Softimage. It was my favorite application ever, in a career that >> was well over 20 years long at the point it was killed. By then, I had used >> it about 10 years! >> >> But I found joy in a new application and have been surprised how much I >> love it now. Honestly, it does get better after you make the leap to >> another app. >> >> Just ball up your fists, and jump. >> >> My 2 cents. >> >> Sent from my iPhone >> >> On Jan 25, 2017, at 8:17 AM, Jonathan Moore <jonathan.moo...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> I have two views here. >> >> For personal work, I will continue to use XSI as long as it functions >> with my operating system. But I could never advise a studio of 3 or more >> artists to base their business model on an XSI based pipeline for all the >> reasons that Jordi Bares mentioned in a similar thread just before Xmas. >> >> If there's anyone with the technical knowhow and willingness to pump some >> new blood into XSI, I'd say it's Eric Mootz. If people are serious about >> crowdfunding some enhancements, Eric would be a good man to sound out. The >> fact that he's now a part of the Fabric Engine team is a bonus as FE is >> just the sort of tool that could be leveraged to enhance XSI from its >> frozen state (2015 SP2). >> >> On 25 January 2017 at 12:09, Olivier Jeannel <facialdel...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Amen to that Marcus :) >>> Everything that will give me news that SI and its community is still >>> alive and doing "stuff" is GOOD. >>> >>> Le 25 janv. 2017 13:03, "Mirko Jankovic" <mirkoj.anima...@gmail.com> a >>> écrit : >>> >>>> Are you working directly for client creating animated and CG content? >>>> Do they care what are you using to create it as long as it is done at >>>> quality level and on time? >>>> >>>> A lot of people will find them self in this situation and moving to >>>> anything any time soon would be probably killing for their business. >>>> So each to his own POV and needs. >>>> >>>> >>>> ᐧ >>>> >>>> On Wed, Jan 25, 2017 at 12:52 PM, Markus Cermak <cer...@leiss.at> >>>> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Just to give a different POV >>>>> >>>>> I would be very happy to support and pay for features added to >>>>> Softimage. >>>>> >>>>> I know that a lot ppl say its time to move on Softimage is dead etc. >>>>> but not all of us are working in a big Studio or as Freelancers. >>>>> >>>>> So for us as a small studio Softimage is still and will be for a long >>>>> time the best tool for our Jobs. >>>>> >>>>> Which span from 1 day to a couple of days deadlines. >>>>> >>>>> There is nothing out there which can replace Softimage atm period. >>>>> >>>>> So all I´m saying is plz don´t only put your POV on the subject and >>>>> tell ppl to move on because, there is still enough life in Softimage for >>>>> me >>>>> and a few others. >>>>> >>>>> So I would be willing to pay for development for a few features or >>>>> even workflow improvements (scripts,etc) and that would add a lot more >>>>> value do my work then switching DCC. >>>>> >>>>> So even most of you thing the thoughts behind it are admirable, but >>>>> not worth it I think it is worth it. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> cheers >>>>> markus >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Am 25/01/2017 um 12:22 schrieb Rob Wuijster: >>>>> >>>>> Although I like what you're trying to do, it's not really a viable >>>>> option imho. >>>>> >>>>> I know we're all (still) reluctant to move on, but at some point we >>>>> have to admit Softimage is falling behind the curve. >>>>> Despite it's great workflow and ease of use. >>>>> Not to mention the rapid decline of Softimage related jobs that are >>>>> out there. Which is even more important a factor for a freelancer. >>>>> >>>>> Over here there's - afaik - only one post studio left using >>>>> Softimage, and that will probably change in the near future. >>>>> So to be able to pay the bills, clinging on to Softimage for >>>>> post-production related work isn't an option for a lot of people. >>>>> >>>>> With the above, there are basically two options, one is Maya, the >>>>> other Houdini. >>>>> Maya isn't that bad to switch to, it has become better with the latest >>>>> releases workflow wise. And it more or less behaves the same as Softimage >>>>> in many ways. >>>>> Houdini is a different beast, and will take some serious getting used >>>>> to due to the node based and procedural innards, but will give you tons of >>>>> freedom to play with. >>>>> >>>>> So, like I said, the thoughts behind it are admirable, but it might be >>>>> time to start looking at something else for future developments. >>>>> >>>>> Rob >>>>> \/-------------\/----------------\/ >>>>> >>>>> On 24-1-2017 21:11, Pierre Schiller wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Gum"road" to: >>>>> * Someone developing PBR viewport (an addon using Py, maybe with new >>>>> Nvidia cuda .dlls?) >>>>> * Someone developing custom libraries (so every time something Open >>>>> Source comes up >>>>> it can be implemented through). >>>>> I know I would join a patreon or gumroad for that. >>>>> Because, and excuse me, Open source blender -addon maddness- it´s a >>>>> chimera (everyone developing at the same time, so many new things because >>>>> no one holds the "fryer by the handles"! (no one filters what´s really >>>>> necessary for the application to grow healthy)... >>>>> If that´s what´s going on on an Open source environment (and yes, >>>>> organization leads to neatness and efficiency), I´d much rather join >>>>> Gumroad or Patreon for anyone who´s willingly able to code what´s >>>>> mentioned >>>>> on this thread. >>>>> Just and idea....just...an idea.. >>>>> Best regards. >>>>> -- >>>>> Portfolio 2013 <http://be.net/3dcinetv> >>>>> Cinema & TV production >>>>> Video Reel <https://vimeo.com/3dcinetv/reel2012> >>>>> >>>>> ------ >>>>> Softimage Mailing List. >>>>> To unsubscribe, send a mail to softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com >>>>> with "unsubscribe" in the subject, and reply to confirm. >>>>> >>>>> ------ >>>>> Softimage Mailing List. >>>>> To unsubscribe, send a mail to softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com >>>>> with "unsubscribe" in the subject, and reply to confirm. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> mfg >>>>> >>>>> Markus Cermak >>>>> 3D-Animation Compositing >>>>> >>>>> Leiss Postproduction GmbH >>>>> Adresse: Zirkusgasse 13/4 A-1020 Wien >>>>> Tel: +43/1/218 96 48 >>>>> Fax: +43/1/218 96 48/10 >>>>> Mail: off...@leiss.at >>>>> >>>>> ------ Softimage Mailing List. To unsubscribe, send a mail to >>>>> softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com with "unsubscribe" in the >>>>> subject, and reply to confirm. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Mirko Jankovic >>>> *http://www.cgfolio.com/mirko-jankovic >>>> <http://www.cgfolio.com/mirko-jankovic>* >>>> Need to find freelancers fast? >>>> www.cgfolio.com >>>> Need some help with rendering an Redshift project? >>>> http://www.gpuoven.com/ >>>> ------ Softimage Mailing List. To unsubscribe, send a mail to >>>> softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com with "unsubscribe" in the >>>> subject, and reply to confirm. >>> >>> ------ Softimage Mailing List. To unsubscribe, send a mail to >>> softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com with "unsubscribe" in the >>> subject, and reply to confirm. >> >> ------ Softimage Mailing List. To unsubscribe, send a mail to >> softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com with "unsubscribe" in the >> subject, and reply to confirm. >> >> ------ Softimage Mailing List. To unsubscribe, send a mail to >> softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com with "unsubscribe" in the >> subject, and reply to confirm. >> >> ------ >> Softimage Mailing List. >> To unsubscribe, send a mail to softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com with >> "unsubscribe" in the subject, and reply to confirm. >> >> >> ------ >> Softimage Mailing List. >> To unsubscribe, send a mail to softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com >> with "unsubscribe" in the subject, and reply to confirm. >> > > ------ > Softimage Mailing List. > To unsubscribe, send a mail to softimage-requ...@listproc.autodesk.com > with "unsubscribe" in the subject, and reply to confirm. >
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