Perpetual Licensing Changes Buyer's Guide - North America

[MauricioPC]

For those who missed it.

[Rez007]

Thank you for posting the video. I just hope that if you have a Maintenance (Perpetual) license that it never forcibly changes to rental down-the-road...

[MauricioPC]

At the very least you can stop paying and still own the license. On the other end, if you are a rental client, you are in trouble.

If they putted Softimage 2015 as a rental software for 1k a year, I bet it would out-perform Maya!

[NNois]

... and still own the license.

Until a day they change their mind and shut down the license server, then owning the liscense would serve you nothing

[MauricioPC]

... and still own the license.

Until a day they change their mind and shut down the license server, then owning the liscense would serve you nothing

I wonder if, in this specific scenario, on how illegal would it be to use a "cracked" license, given that you bought it and it should work on perpetuity.

[Rez007]

This rental business seems to be targeted at big business/studios only. Sure, they can ramp up when a big project comes along and then go down to barebones employees when a big project is not around = less full time jobs and more temporary positions = even more of a volatile economic situation for our industry, as the "knowns" will be less...

I am currently on a Maintenance Subscription plan, and when a project is not around, I can still fiddle with my software and learn new things and even do personal projects, to what I consider to be a decent price for the value of what I get per year. People solely on rental - whose going to pay to learn new features or software, and stay relevant while looking for a job, or even to do personal projects? I understand there is a fee to use the software, regardless of the route, but if you have to keep pressing the "pay" button each month, you start to rethink just how much more money you are spending and if your personal project/learning is really worth it for that month...

[MauricioPC]

What I liked about this video is how they say that having options is great for the customers, but they are removing one. lol.

Now ... next year you may be able to "rent" the Maya Entertainment Creation Suite. Does Softimage will come as a bundle? You wouldn't own it anymore, but you might be able to use it. Does anybody knows?

If that was already answered, I'm sorry. I know I cannot buy a license after 2016, but I never thought about renting it bundled with Maya or Max.

[Rez007]

I am a little curious as to why the Ultimate Creation Suite is still the price that it is? If anyone has information on that, it would be appreciated, as I am looking to upgrade to that perpetual license. Currently, the price is the same, or if not a touch more, when all the products were being actively developed, I believe. Softimage is EOL - has basically a $0.00 value, which seems to be evident as Autodesk gives it away for free with either Max or Maya. Mudbox is now $10 a month on subscription, and it appears that at least some (if not all in the future) of its capabilities are being integrated into Maya. And Motion Builder, I do not know as I have not used it, but is that seeing any updates?

I am unsure of why the price for the Ultimate Creation Suite would be the same now, or close to it, as when those 3 main packages were being actively developed...

[luceric]

Now ... next year you may be able to "rent" the Maya Entertainment Creation Suite. Does Softimage will come as a bundle? You wouldn't own it anymore, but you might be able to use it. Does anybody knows?

of course not, it's finished next January.

[jamination]

Sounds like the ultimate suite people will need a separate Softimage license next year, hope it is not pain to get from AutoDesk. And yeah the ultimate price should drop, kind of baloney to remove features and keep price the same.

[MauricioPC]

Now ... next year you may be able to "rent" the Maya Entertainment Creation Suite. Does Softimage will come as a bundle? You wouldn't own it anymore, but you might be able to use it. Does anybody knows?

of course not, it's finished next January.

Thanks. I was looking for an excuse to install Softimage again.

I wonder if the prices for next year will be the same. Adobe did a pretty good price reduction, but somehow I feel Autodesk won't do this.

[Rez007]

Sounds like the ultimate suite people will need a separate Softimage license next year, hope it is not pain to get from AutoDesk. And yeah the ultimate price should drop, kind of baloney to remove features and keep price the same.

I thought that if you had a Softimage license (regardless if it's standalone or in a bundle) that it stays perpetual forever. I sure hope it does. I was looking to upgrade to the Ultimate Suite, as it has Softimage in there, and I am looking to grab Max. (I am currently on the Maya/Softimage bundle). If I upgrade to that, I am thinking that I should still be able to use Softimage (forever) if I continue with the Ultimate Subscription, or even if I decide to stop subscriptions thereafter.

Perhaps Luc-Eric, if you could please clarify a couple of questions, if you do not mind it would be appreciated. Most of the Perpetual license talk is about standalone products at Autodesk and not really inregards to Suites. So,

1.) Will Softimage cease to exist in the Ultimate Suite come after January 2016, as well?
2.) If the above is true, if I upgrade to the Ultimate Suite before the end of January 2016, will all software (including Softimage from that direct bundle) remain in a perpetual state forever, even if I decide to stay on or off of Subs in the future?

Sorry if it seems like the same questions keep being asked, but with every little nuance on these policies, there seems to be different information. Any knowledge that you have on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thank You!

[ActionArt]

Hahaha...I can't stop laughing. That has to be the worst propaganda film ever.

I love how at the end they say "No matter what your needs are, there's an option for you"...until we take away the one that's right for you and keep the one that's right for us.

So what they are saying through the whole film is, we're going to screw you, that's a given. So while you have a chance, get what you can before we do.

Autodesk development was painful slow before. Now they have almost no incentive to develop at all since if you want to use, you have to pay, like it or not. Even if they haven't developed anything at all.

What a wonderful company.

[luceric]

Perhaps Luc-Eric, if you could please clarify a couple of questions, if you do not mind it would be appreciated. Most of the Perpetual license talk is about standalone products at Autodesk and not really inregards to Suites. So,

1.) Will Softimage cease to exist in the Ultimate Suite come after January 2016, as well?
2.) If the above is true, if I upgrade to the Ultimate Suite before the end of January 2016, will all software (including Softimage from that direct bundle) remain in a perpetual state forever, even if I decide to stay on or off of Subs in the future?

send your questions above by email to softimage.transition.plan "at" autodesk.com

[ActionArt]

Reply error sorry.

[Rez007]

Perhaps Luc-Eric, if you could please clarify a couple of questions, if you do not mind it would be appreciated. Most of the Perpetual license talk is about standalone products at Autodesk and not really inregards to Suites. So,

1.) Will Softimage cease to exist in the Ultimate Suite come after January 2016, as well?
2.) If the above is true, if I upgrade to the Ultimate Suite before the end of January 2016, will all software (including Softimage from that direct bundle) remain in a perpetual state forever, even if I decide to stay on or off of Subs in the future?

send your questions above by email to softimage.transition.plan "at" autodesk.com

Thank you. I will give the email a try. Hopefully they can provide as good of information as you usually do.