the "real" GDC thread

[luceric]

http://area.autodesk.com/gdc2011/

[mattmos]

http://area.autodesk.com/gdc2011/schedules

Nice! Will it be webcast anywhere?

[xsisupport]

There will be a "virtual GDC" on the AREA:

http://area.autodesk.com/gdc2011
Make sure to check back on this page on March 2-4 for Virtual GDC, to catch product demonstrations and customer presentations streamed live from the Autodesk booth, follow the blogs, attend an Autodesk® MasterClass online, and more.

Moderator edit: please use the URL tags - HB

[Bellsey]

all the main theater presentations will be broadcast live, as they happen.

Then, in the following days usually after the show has finished, they will be put back up on the AREA, so they can be viewed On Demand.

[mattmos]

Thanks for the info chaps, looking forward to it!

[Hirazi Blue]

It seems my doubts whether ICE Topology would be included in the next version might have been misplaced. oglu over at the German Softimage forum spotted an all-new "Topology" folder in the ICE Preset Manager in this video called "XBR Simulation and ICE".

Disclaimer: This obviously doesn't mean a thing,
as the video could easily have been made with an early alpha of Softimage 2016,
a folder is just a folder and we'll know soon enough anyway.
("You all know the drill...")

But it's funny how this shows up in a XBR sneak peek video...
;)

[Maximus]

omg something Leaked!!!!!!!

[Bellsey]

lol.....move along, nothing to see here, no sir.

The fact that I was in Montreal last week, with some Max guys, is just pure coincidence.
;)

[Nizar]

Reply with quote
It seems my doubts whether ICE Topology would be included in the next version might have been misplaced. oglu over at the German Softimage forum spotted an all-new "Topology" folder in the ICE Preset Manager in this video called "XBR Simulation and ICE".

Ok, the video intention is other and the little "spoiler" is interesting, but this video don't tranquillize me at all. I understood perfectly ICE is a selling point for SI, and ICE look really good (I start the Pooby video tutorials) and this persuade 3dsm/maya customers to use SI (buy it), and after the first sceptical idea about AD acquisition we saw the SI selling rise up. But video posted by Hirazi, sincerely, make me a bit unrequited: XSI, in this video, look like a big 3dsMax plugin...
I hope that not all SI improvements will be ICE centric (actually, like many other XSI user, I don't need ICE)

[Hirazi Blue]

While I agree that the video is hardly interesting from a mere Softimage POV, I obviously only posted it here because of the "Topology" folder, which is hardly, what the video is all about. In a setup like the one shown in this video one could wonder, if Softimage isn't relegated to a mere plugin status, but as that wasn't the point of the video I wouldn't worry about that too much. A better interoperability between applications is generally a good idea and it was obvious, that after Maya, Max would be next to get a easier way of accessing ICE also.
As to your last remark: I share your fears, although I must admit, that while it took me a long time to get used to ICE enough to see any real point to it, I never truly gave up on it and am now starting to enjoy (parts of) it. So I wouldn't give up on it either, if I were you.
And my take on things has always been, but this is merely wishful thinking, that the introduction of ICE Topology would complete Softimage's mission to basically turn everything to ICE, so after that maybe the practical non-ICE tools could get some more/renewed love and attention. But I stress once more: that's merely wishful thinking.
Even if all this focus on ICE doesn't necessarily turn Softimage into a plugin, as even ICE does seem too well rounded for that, I would imagine it becoming even more of a niche product than it already is, only attracting a certain specific crowd. And if that's a good thing or a bad thing only time (and sales figures) will tell...


So now all the ICE-lovers can flame me instead...

[Nizar]

As I wrote agree with this idea, but in sincerity if AD (like Avid) don't listen the many users request I will be (again) disappointed.

I become from Blender/silo/Modo, all this three have an hard userbase and developers listen community requests and needs. I understood AD don't care so much who brought a single commercial license or, much more insignificant, student license (like me) but his reference point are big studio with 10 or more license. They has interest in selling their many products and don't want one product stamp it feet to other. So must doing diversification. I perfectly understand this. Sometime I have a bit of melancholy about this affair/respect from developers and users... Autodesk distance (developers from users) make me think I'm on the wrong place.

As I read on this forum, many user don't use ICE, many are in archiviz, some others doing character illustration, and if SI don't born for doing specifically this works but for industrial films production, it not wrong say XSI is, in any case, a generalist software and many like me start studying, brought and work with it because it doing so many things. As many said (Rork, Max, ecc..)SI need only some little adjustment here and there and little simple tools for become fully proficient in others fields.
IMO It is not correct, from autodesk leave alone and neglect all the other SI aspect (and doing so, neglect all the costumers who don't need ICE and Max/Maya interpolation),

[Hirazi Blue]

Well, it seems, in an epic move, only Autodesk seems to understand, they replaced the original GDC schedules, as posted by Luc-Eric earlier, by a new version in which they removed all references to "2012". So now Mark Schoehnagel will hold his presentation on "Autodesk® Softimage®", not "Autodesk® Softimage® 2012" anymore...
Classic stuff... ("you had to be there...")

[Nizar]

Wow, this is a great news, they renounced the forced annual release at any cost? will have Softimage 10?
This is a wise decision, Maya 2012 is a inauspicious name

[ActionArt]

maybe the practical non-ICE tools could get some more/renewed love and attention

I think the point SI developers in the past have tried to make and has more or less been missed is this:

ICE can/is a development tool. It allows for faster development of tools (for example Lagoa). It was pointed out how much faster development went for this through ice rather than traditional coding which is probably the only reason we have it on Softimage.

When it's complete (with topology) it may be very quick and easy for all developers (including AD) to round out the modeling tools etc. which will work transparently (you won't know you're using ICE).

Let's say you want a revolve tool with a scale/rotate/transform option (I do). So a developer takes the revolve node, plugs in a few nodes related to above and bing, you have a new revolve tool with more features. Attach that to the button/menu and away you go, works just like any other modeling tool without wasting time coding.

That's just my take on it. The goal is partly to accelerate development in all areas by reducing coding and also letting users make their own with nodes as well.

[Nizar]

I see you point Actionart and agree (we will see soon)

[Hirazi Blue]

I've "dropped" the SI2012 announcement and the following posts into a new thread here
;)