Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

General discussion about 3D DCC and other topics
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thecook
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Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by thecook » 28 Nov 2014, 13:29

what happend to the Monophyl blog?
would love the have a read at this...

[rr] changed the title of thread because of FXDude's nice blog list

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FXDude
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by FXDude » 28 Nov 2014, 22:08

I guess it's still there..

http://web.archive.org/web/201405171631 ... ophyl.com/

I don't know what's the idea of taking down sites.

Also recently happened to Guillaume Laforge's "French Dog" site.

Like so many searches point to Ex-SI
http://xsisupport.com
Caffeine Abuse,
http://caffeineabuse.blogspot.ca/
and even the old Softimage blog
http://www.softimageblog.com/
and various places.


They are a valuable resource, as a mere example, great techniques are showcased such as "a simple way to deform ICE strands with collision objects and springs" from our very own Tekano's :D blog.

http://sites.google.com/site/tekanoice/ ... ers-part-i

Which itself reffers to other blogs
http://julianjohnsonsblog.blogspot.ca/
http://blog.ioxu.com/?p=301

when citing what helped in development.

So to all blogger out there, even if not necessarily frequently updated, please don't take them down (!) ;;)
Last edited by FXDude on 28 Nov 2014, 22:46, edited 1 time in total.

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FXDude
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by FXDude » 28 Nov 2014, 22:12

Also a great one from Andy
http://andy.moonbase.net

Keyvis Site
http://www.keyvis.at/cg-tools/tools-for-softimage/

Another Neat one
http://iceduous.blogspot.ca/

From Andy Nicholas (piointed to a neat 'How to build a car rig' page)
http://www.andynicholas.com/?p=1549

Conquering Code in Softimage
http://codingforxsi.wordpress.com/

Andrew Hazelden's Blog
http://www.andrewhazelden.com/blog/tag/softimage/

BlackRedKing
http://blog.blackredking.org/

Great Art by Phoenix Art
http://blog.phoenixart.com/category/softimage/

A pretty elabotrate modeling making-of
http://www.jmlinaresblog.com/2013/09/co ... orial.html


I know I'm missing a bunch..


EDIT: Despite continued use, the EOL cetainly affected blog updates.. :(

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dwigfor
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by dwigfor » 03 Dec 2014, 02:27

OMG. Isner's site is down as well! So much math info on that site; I gotta make a copy of it...


http://web.archive.org/web/201311230651 ... nip_04.htm
http://web.archive.org/web/201309240842 ... lls_14.htm

madsen
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by madsen » 09 Dec 2014, 12:08

Obviously I can’t speak for all the bloggers out there, but I have no intention of taking down caffeinabuse. However, new articles will most likely not cover Softimage, apart from the uncalled for rants and comparison about how easily this/that/anything could been done in Soft. :)
Senior 3D Artist | Softimage Certified Instructor | http://www.olamadsen.se

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thecook
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by thecook » 10 Dec 2014, 10:19

two legends from the old days, but yet still running strong :)

http://www.edharriss.com
http://www.sukio.de

Newcomer (<20 posts) alert: please use the URL tags - HB

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FXDude
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by FXDude » 11 Dec 2014, 23:30

Sure these are great classics.

But apart from these, what I would hate to see (how it seems to be going)
is most of the blogs and Vimeo pages around to become like "legacy" or abandoned.

Or I can't help to think how impressionable we can be.

Andy's site for instance has had regular updates well beyond the EOL up-til now (with great high-end stuff)
and only one or two per year is enough to make a blog (or SI related parts) like "not abandoned".


Autodesk is in control of Softimage source code, but it doesn't control what the community does or does with it.

"IT" being a very mature piece of software that **could** very well (continue to) kick ass well into the future
as long as there is but Maya around (which will always be Maya but with more things on top)
but you know.. also as long as people don't consider it 'gone' or 'hopeless' when the going gets tough(-er).

(or until a new DVD standard comes after the Beta/VHS nonsense.. Which I think we can stick to Beta until DVD comes along)


Yet I think there is like some sort of feedback loop effect concerning usage (or things like blog updates)
like the more people give in, the more people give in.

While I totally understand how disappointment and wanting to use something that's "officially" actively developed can be a factor,

I think we need to rethink what 'actively developed' can mean, as where-ever 'development' comes from, remains 'developpment'.
which depends on how much it's actually used, also acting like a cycle..

And you know.. only but a few (current) peices from RRay.de and BOOM!
-- A more than just an equivalent to a new Softimage "version" is born!


When I see stuff like that (a few of *so* many):

This From Piotrek Marczak


and this from 2nd Reality.. (not at-all like 'smooth')

2nd Reality who also has continued to regularly post new clips on his Vimeo page. :)


But which begs the question, what (the heck) do we need Autodesk for (!)




What "Mature" means
(also said about photoshop (or Maya) for those arguing against "Buying into Rental")

If we look at new software "versions" for any of the decade old (or more) solutions,
(Maya, 3DS, Houdini, C4d, Blender, slightly less Modo but still..)

they are largely yet consistantly 95% the same as they were many versions before, ..
essentially (or mostly) adding not unlike internally made 'plugins' to already made systems.
(plus or minus sometimes a few core tweaks)

... or more importantly, they almost never really ultimately change beyond around ~80% of what they were originally(!)
at which point a complete rewrite becomes more realistic or economical.



But concerning "base systems", it's typically -exactly- what hardly even comes close to SI's base system,
which I think is at the very core (little pun) of the reason WHY the community shouldn't just give-in or give-up.
(other than also not "Buying into Rental" ;) )


While personally being more than just convinced that if Softimage users "hung in there" (more),
that the world of computer graphics would have a far different face ...

... than if we just followed predefined migration paths that have been (pre)set before us in the name of self-centered corporate hegemony,
or go for something that hasn't been simply labeled on a whim as "not a valid choice anymore" (which is utter BS)
while then compromising on either or both (sometimes really LOTS of) capability, simplicity or human friendliness in the very same stroke.


So the industry would have a far different face, and Soft would -still- be used as a reference on usability/ergonomics
while others would still *try* to come (slightly) closer to it, when making 'new' (sometimes plastering "SI Dev created") features.(baby steps)


nDman wrote:I think Houdini + Blender + Zbrush can be ultimate power and flexibility in 3D and VFX.
No need waiting for future.

Or what can arguably more closely "replace" SI would be Houdini + Maya + plugins + tons of scripts + ...
all widely variing from station to station... pipeline to pileline.. plus perhaps other standalone apps that need to be exported/imported to and from.


I guess it's just that I think it would be really silly if not completely unnecassary if Softimage (also as a "culture") -really- died,
and at that point, it would not be because of Autodesk, but because it would have been -allowed- to die.


If SublimeText2 (very open and powerful) was the standard and the only other solution for typing-up 3D descriptions (being an exaggeration but...),
I would find it not that much more-or-less silly/rediculous if large segments of users migrated to it.
(thus succumbing to market manipulations)


So I would have to agree with the recent post from nuverian, except not necessarily only concerning the community here,
but here and around..
Nuverian wrote:
Hello,

So I was just wondering where did the community disapeared.

There are so far less posts here regarding anything. The fact that AD announced XSI EOL, doesn't really mean that out of a sudden XSI is not production usable or still good.

It is and it will be for quite a few years ahead.

Software don't need to get a new version each year to be good. That is just a AD trap we all went in for and some people still do.

A good software doesn't need pointless updates each year, so I don't get why people suddently stop using it (judging from the number of posts made here versus JUST a while back)

Just my thought and point of view

Concerning "quite a few years" I would say;
a community-beefed-up "SI 2022" would still kick (a however humanized) Maya 2022's ass with it's eyes closed,

Not that "kicking ass" should be the main point,
but just not letting the fast/user-friendly side of "high-end VFX" kick the bucket (instead of ass) for lack of user-resiliance,
but that entirely depends on what we end up doing with it, which I guess is the main point I'd like to make.

Pooby wrote:I still check in every day, but haven't got much to post about. Maybe I'll do some new ICE tutorials.
I can quite confidently say that I'm -positively sure- that I'm -far- from the only one who would -love- to see new ones! (but only if you want to :) )

Also if I may say so, even if ICE is an extremely easy and visual way to program or script,
and *quite a bit* more advanced than basically all node based things out there (except maybe Houdini)
including probably what Bifrost 2018 would be..
and even if it can be quite a bit friendlier (and still way faster) than Houdini (despite some improvements),
... ICE can still be quite daunting and intimidating at first.

And so it could be said that Pooby has been, to say the least *instrumental*
at introducing the actual ease of use and the potential of ICE, (from a non- programmer point of view)
and thus really *shattering* the ICE layer that can initially cover ICE :)


Madsen wrote:
Obviously I can't speak for all the bloggers out there, but I have no intention of taking down caffeinabuse.

However, new articles will most likely not cover Softimage, apart from the uncalled for rants and comparison about how easily this/that/anything could been done in Soft.

Thanks for maintaining it, and mostly for having made one of the most informative if not inspiring SI blogs out there!

Otherwise I don't know, but I personally would rather (or in supplement) see even simple new SI related posts,
than (or in addition to) "SoftwareX" posts with SI related rants ;)


As for me, I still very-much plan to (can't wait to) make an SI Customer reel,
I just need to take care of a few things first, (my comp reel)
but you can consider it a promise.

Essentially, I think making SI not 'look' dead, is the first step at making that remain true-er well into the future, if not make that become well to the contrary.

Anyhow, thanks for considering my non-autodesk related rant, and sorry for the long-ish post :)

And Happy Holidays!! ~o)

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AceMastermind
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by AceMastermind » 07 May 2015, 06:00

Letterbox Animation Studios and Redi-vivus is down. Have they gone out of business?

The T-gen plugin site simartom.com has gone down also.
http://web.archive.org/web/201304071001 ... artom.com/

madsen
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by madsen » 25 Jun 2015, 11:51

A couple of months ago I said that caffeineabuse.blogspot.com wasn’t going anywhere. It turns out that might not have been completely true. The day have finally come when this blog will no longer get any updates. I want to thank everyone for all the emails, questions and comments I’ve received throughout the years. It’s been great to see so many of you enjoying the material on the blog and finding it useful.

And now for the good news. I’m in the process of setting up my new site and have migrated all the material from the blog to its new home. The site is still very much in progress but please head to www.olamadsen.se to continue the caffeine abusing journey.

kind regards,
ola
Senior 3D Artist | Softimage Certified Instructor | http://www.olamadsen.se

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SamHowell
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by SamHowell » 25 Jun 2015, 12:08

madsen wrote:A couple of months ago I said that caffeineabuse.blogspot.com wasn’t going anywhere. It turns out that might not have been completely true. The day have finally come when this blog will no longer get any updates. I want to thank everyone for all the emails, questions and comments I’ve received throughout the years. It’s been great to see so many of you enjoying the material on the blog and finding it useful.

And now for the good news. I’m in the process of setting up my new site and have migrated all the material from the blog to its new home. The site is still very much in progress but please head to www.olamadsen.se to continue the caffeine abusing journey.

kind regards,
ola
I've learnt a lot from your blog over the years. Don't stop now. :-bd

madsen
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Joined: 12 Jul 2010, 14:12

Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by madsen » 25 Jun 2015, 12:50

I already taught you everything I know Sam. There’s no more knowledge to pass on :)
Don’t worry, I won’t stop any time soon. On the contrary, I plan on adding stuff…. Starting with the letter H….
Senior 3D Artist | Softimage Certified Instructor | http://www.olamadsen.se

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dwigfor
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by dwigfor » 25 Jun 2015, 17:39

madsen wrote:I already taught you everything I know Sam. There’s no more knowledge to pass on :)
Don’t worry, I won’t stop any time soon. On the contrary, I plan on adding stuff…. Starting with the letter H….
:) :D :ymhug: :x

Awesome! Thank you for all of the tutorials over the years. Agreeing with Sam, I've learned so much from you! Looking forward to that H stuff! Bookmarking now.

-Dave

PS. You should update your sig with the new website.

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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by Bullit » 26 Jun 2015, 11:54

Thanks Ola . Hope caffeineabuse tutorials find place in your new home. Some of us remain in Softimage for a couple years more. Until we see something better for us.

madsen
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by madsen » 26 Jun 2015, 14:51

I think you have a valid point Dave :) I’ve updated the signature… Thanks for spotting it.

Just to clarify. I won’t remove any of the stuff on the old blog (at least not in an foreseeable future) but there’s really no reason to go there anymore. All the stuff has been copied and added to olamadsen.se

So don’t worry caffeineabuse will live on :)
Senior 3D Artist | Softimage Certified Instructor | http://www.olamadsen.se

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talent103
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Re: Status of monophyl and other Softimage blogs

Post by talent103 » 27 Jun 2015, 18:37

I think you were the reason I kept my sub to 3D world. After they said there would be no more Softimage coverage I dropped my sub. Glad to know there will still be more to learn. Have you thought of having a newsletter to let peeps know when a new blog has been added?


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