User Guide Softimage 2014 online

[Bullit]

With a company haphazardly managed like this...

I cant and refuse to believe that its an error... because its the second in the row... if its error then someone must be a not very bright to keep doing it.

I think this is the evidence Ice-isation of whole Autodesk. They started to play with randomize Ice nodes... release of docs -> randomize -> Icetree(non simulated) )

[luchifer]

Its a sad day, im feeling angry and frustrated at the same time. Lucky for me I stopped studying Softimage for Cinema 4d a while ago, although I was optimistic with this release so I can convince my boss to purchase a couple of seats for me and my coworker. I know, just two seats, its not much... but... sorry for ranting but... what the hell Autodesk?????

[sonictk]

I just wanted to say...

As soon as I found out that AD shifted XSI development to my country I was thinking it was probably going to go downhill from there, but I was kind of hoping that my fellow Singaporeans would be able to come out with something amazing

I guess not. But I'm sticking with XSI until AD decides to shut it down (and probably beyond anyway since I think out of everything I've tried I like XSI modeling tools the best, even modo/silo can't beat it), though I'm forced to use Maya at school -_-"

(Also, according to my friend who apparently knows one of the guys on the team...they are well aware of the issues that everyone is annoyed about...but he doesn't know why they don't talk to the community more either, although apparently that's all he ever talks about when going for lunch with him )

[t4d]

it's no issue with softimage, All here can keep using softimage for many years to come it's still the best 3D tool out there.
the only issue is Autodesk subscriptions and the slow down of softimage development.

I think of it this way

1/ stop subscription and BUY a full version every 2 years or more when there's worth in the update and save money.

2/ stop subscription and see if autodesk is killing softimage OR rejuvenating it and buy back in when it shows positive motion. again most likely you'll save money.

3/ keep giving autodesk your money every 12 months blindly and hope for the best.

I see nothing that autodesk can shut down the current version out here ( are 2014 should last until 2020)
BUT without reading the 2014 legal doc's that may have changed...

[Ahmidou]

As soon as I found out that AD shifted XSI development to my country I was thinking it was probably going to go downhill from there, but I was kind of hoping that my fellow Singaporeans would be able to come out with something amazing

I guess not.

Please stop bashing on the new team, the problem is more at the project management level, not the devs

[sonictk]

I wasn't bashing the team specifically... (I'd rather they succeed and then I ride on the success of my fellow countrymen and earn the accolades and admiration of the entire industry...or something like that >_>) but in my experience every time a company opens a division in my country it doesn't usually go very well...

And yea that's why I mentioned that at least they are probably aware of all the issues that everyone here has been voicing out just that they are probably not encouraged to come out on the boards and stuff to respond to the community...I just wanted to pipe in since the general sentiment seems to be that the new team isn't up to scratch or is too inexperienced.

...Back to lurking >_>

[Rork]

Not defending AD in any way here, but the new team has been great during the beta for 2014.

They really listened and tried to address as many requests and suggestions as possible.
Some people hammered hard on getting some SDK development bugs fixed, so they could perfect their plugins. Eugen, looking at you ;-)

There's a ton of bug fixes in several areas, we've got some smaller, but nice new features. I agree on the fact they're not for everybody to use right away.

Decide if you're going to pay for subscription or not, but stop these negative discussions. It's making it harder and harder to visit the few forums there are for Softimage.......

[t4d]

Decide if you're going to pay for subscription or not, but stop these negative discussions. It's making it harder and harder to visit the few forums there are for Softimage.......

Ok I'm interested what your asking for on this "unofficial softimage Community" forum ?

- no negative comment on the last 2 versions Autodesk has given users ?
- no negative comment towards Softimage at all ?
- no negative comment on the price of subscription ( currently is half the price of a full version = a full seat every 2 years )

any or all the above ?

[Hirazi Blue]

And yea that's why I mentioned that at least they are probably aware of all the issues that everyone here has been voicing out just that they are probably not encouraged to come out on the boards and stuff to respond to the community..

Let the record show, I've tried several times to get someone from the new team to join the fun at the si-community, even when we were still hopeful they would be able to achieve more. While it's true they won't be encouraged now, they could have easily joined back then, when we still (for the most part) believed in them.

...Back to lurking >_>

There's no reason to, as far as I am concerned, you've stated your opinion. Why stop now?

Please stop bashing on the new team, the problem is more at the project management level, not the devs

While I agree there are more factors involved, I seriously don't think sonictk was "bashing" the new team. But let's face it: this was the team that apparently was exempted from having to create a SAP to "focus" on this release only to come up with a release that really should have been a SAP at best.

Decide if you're going to pay for subscription or not, but stop these negative discussions. It's making it harder and harder to visit the few forums there are for Softimage......

Really? So basically we should pretend to be happy, when we are clearly not. If Softimage inspires a "negative discussion", maybe you should complain to them
(but that would be a "negative discussion" all over again ).
And sorry, the way the team acted during beta cannot really be a consideration for those who weren't "on" that beta. I'm sure the development team consists of hard-working, nice people. In the end we, however, do not deal with the team (as they do not even show themselves to the community at large, for one), but with the end product.

[t4d]

the way the team acted during beta cannot really be a consideration for those who weren't "on" that beta. I'm sure the development team consists of hard-working, nice people. In the end we, however, do not deal with the team (as they do not even show themselves to the community at large, for one), but with the end product.

totally agree NO one would (should) lay any negative anything toward the programming team like any human they do the best with what management has given them.

just like we have to deal with what autodesk has given us, But I'm a paying customer and NOT saying anything would do the more damage and be a wrong. Not only for Value received today but the Future Product AD will ask for me to pay for in the future.

Are current version will be stronger then anything else out there for many years to come. ( thanks to the old team )
but if something mistreats something I love, I dislike it and voice my opinion and act on it.

[Nizar]

Not defending AD in any way here, but the new team has been great during the beta for 2014.

They really listened and tried to address as many requests and suggestions as possible.
Some people hammered hard on getting some SDK development bugs fixed, so they could perfect their plugins. Eugen, looking at you ;-)

There's a ton of bug fixes in several areas, we've got some smaller, but nice new features. I agree on the fact they're not for everybody to use right away.

Decide if you're going to pay for subscription or not, but stop these negative discussions. It's making it harder and harder to visit the few forums there are for Softimage.......

I can agree with you, if this release is a mind release, where developers consolidate the actual main structure (the famous/infamous core) for future better developing, ok, agree, I'm with you. The issue is about future developing. If 2015 release will have ice hair, or implementing some nice new tools I will happy to wait, and I can ignore the disappointing for these release, but actually is the second release disappointing me, the bad taste of two time wasted subscription money... Do bet again another subscription?

[sonictk]

Let the record show, I've tried several times to get someone from the new team to join the fun at the si-community, even when we were still hopeful they would be able to achieve more. While it's true they won't be encouraged now, they could have easily joined back then, when we still (for the most part) believed in them.

/pokes head out from behind wall

We're not really well-known for going on forums and mingling with the community in general, so don't take it as a snub or anything like that hopefully ...I mean everyone's different but in general even when it was first announced about the new team I wasn't expecting them to post here and introduce themselves or anything like that...in fact I would have been pretty surprised if they had.

I would be chuffed if they did though, it would be the most awesomest thing ever to be able to meet the actual team when I go back home that way (And get instant tech support >_>)

[Maximus]

Not defending AD in any way here, but the new team has been great during the beta for 2014.

They really listened and tried to address as many requests and suggestions as possible.
Some people hammered hard on getting some SDK development bugs fixed, so they could perfect their plugins. Eugen, looking at you ;-)

There's a ton of bug fixes in several areas, we've got some smaller, but nice new features. I agree on the fact they're not for everybody to use right away.

Decide if you're going to pay for subscription or not, but stop these negative discussions. It's making it harder and harder to visit the few forums there are for Softimage.......

I can agree with you, if this release is a mind release, where developers consolidate the actual main structure (the famous/infamous core) for future better developing, ok, agree, I'm with you. The issue is about future developing. If 2015 release will have ice hair, or implementing some nice new tools I will happy to wait, and I can ignore the disappointing for these release, but actually is the second release disappointing me, the bad taste of two time wasted subscription money... Do bet again another subscription?

The second? i count 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.

It is probably the fact that people got used to few new updates and good releases. We are at a point that we hope to see a bug fixed..
The main important page people are looking at is the "bugfix" list. Isnt this a bit ridicolous? Beside the fact those are tools we already payed, so bugfixes is something not working that shouldnt be taken into consideration for a new release, but since it became a "Standard" people feel it like a new addition while its just fixing what they broke.

I dont know you guys but this isnt about bashing or being negative, its more like getting back to track to what is realistic, what is worth in terms of money compared to development. And after i was asleep for quite some years i woke up, watching other softwares releases and software houses actually caring about their products which is normal. AD is a "make-money-oriented-company" no more than that. Respect to people that work there, developers and the ones who are passionate, but the final result is quite poor.

[t4d]

it's pretty straight that Autodesk don't care any more
this update should have been a Subscription advantage pack for 2013. but a paid update ?

what happened to the Big feature of 2013 the hyper Viewport thing,.
the introduction of something "ämazing" (it's currently useless) and it didn't get touched in 2014 ?

Not even the Autodesk's Lazy Update trick of just buying a third party plugin and giving that to us was done ?
- Momentum
- ImplosiaFX
- Species
- mbFeatherTools
- Alembic file format
- Etc etc...

Nothing..

[McNistor]

[...] when we still (for the most part) believed in them.

Not my intention to put words into your mouth (or rather pull from) but I think you wanted to say something else.

With a few exceptions, people still believe in them and all the negativity and critique is aimed at Adsk, because as luceric said, it's not like in the Avid times when the devs where deciding on what features to work, how and when.

[EricTRocks]

- Momentum
- ImplosiaFX
- Species
- mbFeatherTools
- Alembic file format
- Etc etc...

As far as I know, we're not going to sell Species to AD. What we ARE going to do is continue to develop new features and take advantage of improvements and bug fixes in the newer releases. So, while you stick to 2013 or older and may also wish to use some of those plug-ins, you may be stuck using older versions of the plug-ins as well as missing out on new features.

While people see the bug fix list as something that people shouldn't look at and dev time shouldn't be put into those of us building you nice 3rd party plug-ins see them as amazingly helpful. I'd prefer a release like this covering so many bug fixes rather than one with 5 new great tools with only a few bug fixes. We all know new features do come with bugs themselves.

Paying for subscription is a no brainer for me. I get support and access to the new releases throughout the year. Which may include new features or just bug fixes. I have no expectations that I'm going to get a huge new feature with each version. I do expect changes and improvements but just because I have a subscription that doesn't mean I get to expect anything other than access to the new version and support. I suspect we've just gotten used to that but maybe we shouldn't have.

Is it a good business decision to let subscription lapse just to have to pick it up again down there road? What is the cost if you let it lapse for a year then pick it up again?