@Amir: Yeah, this ghost town metaphor fits quite well.
@Neil: The support here on the list is excellent, sure. Because you have so many people with great experience here that are glad to share it with you. Still a mailing list is a very slow and awkward way of communication, compared to a forum, especially for beginners that couldn´t possibly ask all the things here on the list that they still don´t know about. Regarding your usage of RS3D: What is it exactly that makes it the perfect tool for you? @Brandon & Juha: I think there are MANY things that should be improved in RS3D. So many perhaps, that it would be difficult to improve them all at once. I suppose it would be best to focus on the biggest problems first while improving that which is already good but not excellent. For me that would e.g. mean a solid rendering system with a node-based VSL-editor, subsurface scattering, diffraction, much better and easier GI, and on the other hand things like better SDS tools like edge-slide, inserting edges, a more powerful and more fully integrated selection-set system. Etc.. The biggest problems I see with RS3Ds capabilities is that it´s hard to use them in a pipeline, while they alone at the same time often don´t suffice, compared to other programs. As stated a few months ago, there even are freeware renderers that do better than RS3Ds own engine, and quite a bunch of them. So I would consider it crucial to make RS3D more compatible with other software (easy and reliable UV-Map editing and im- and export, COLLADA capability, etc.) while at the same time making it more attractive to stay within the program for e.g. rendering. When it comes to particle systems, the Bullet Physics Engine seems to get a tight hold on the 3D market. I get the impression that nearly every even vaguely notable 3D-package is updated to contain particle simulation. Now I am not educated enough to say which particle engine is better, but Carlo`s/Dynadream`s Chrono seems to be quite a thing. As was stated a few weeks ago here, Chrono could very well be integrated into RS3D, if Realsoft and Dynadream would come to an agreement. Realman could also be (re-)integrated (or is it already integrated again with v7?). However, it would be quite an effort to update the program extensively plus redesigning the web presence and improving the documentation. On the other hand I believe that it won´t be "many many years" till we see that wow effect again; I rather believe that we won´t see it at all if it´s not focused on in the nearest future. Cause, no disrespects for the developers, but I also considered to buy v7 but didn´t see the arguments for it. It rather seemed to me like a more extensive servicepack than a real new full version. At the same time others offer flawless GI, SSS... all the things that RS3D lacks, and are extending even more to encompass said GPGPU acceleration, sculpting, painting, or easy and powerful volume rendering. Given RS3Ds current development speed, other software, and not only the top five, will have long implemented and perfected those features when RS3D has gotten that what they already have today. At this pace RS3D isn´t going to make it. Of course there are people for who RS3D is the perfect tool (like Neil), but the overall image I´m getting is that more and more users turn away from RS3D and that even already established ressources disappear. Greetz Martin PS: I don´t know of Houdini on Linux, but Maya and Softimage seem to work natively, even if they seem to be a bit picky when it comes to the choice of the distribution. And Blender is at home on Linux, of course. -------- Original-Nachricht -------- > Datum: Fri, 5 Nov 2010 21:08:22 +0200 > Von: Juha Mukari <[email protected]> > An: [email protected] > Betreff: RE: SDK/ sites down/ frustration/Realsoft > > Yes it would be. But it seems very realistic right now :( > I thought tehre is lots of posibilities to use different softwares in > linux(atleast under wine emulator). > There is atleast Houdini, Maya and softimage. If i remember right. > > > > Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2010 19:32:54 +0000 > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: SDK/ sites down/ frustration/Realsoft > > > > I recently returned to RS3D after a couple of years, wishing I'd had > time to use it more frequently. > > > > I was shocked at the deterioration of the community. It was like > entering a ghost town; so many resources had vanished or been abandoned. Even > the mailing list was silent. > > > > Unfortunately, there's very little the community can do without > Realsoft's initiative. I'm not abandoning the software, and keep up with > upgrades. > Interestingly, there aren't any good alternatives for Linux (my preferred > platform). > > > > It would be a real shame for this venerable software to fade away... > -- Neu: GMX De-Mail - Einfach wie E-Mail, sicher wie ein Brief! Jetzt De-Mail-Adresse reservieren: http://portal.gmx.net/de/go/demail
