What if Softimage died?

[Bullit]

everywhere (I mean others forums) softimage is considered dead or near death.

Nah. I am seeing many people still arriving.
But this kind of threads reinforce any perception...


The most important thing, there is no hurry to do anything. Softimage will work for years whatever happens .
3dsmax is standing still, last Cinema4D upgrade was lame, Maya barely moves despite all hype, only Blender seems to be improving but still have many issues.

[Nizar]

Nah. I am seeing many people still arriving.
But this kind of threads reinforce any perception...

I refer about what I see, try to read some discussion about softimage (especially regardless 2014 release) on:
Polycount; CGtalk; Modo forum; Blender Forum and even AREA. I think this is the general perception people have about softimage under ADSK

Also, looks at the lack of exposure in magazines, I mean 3Dworld, 3d artist, 3d creative, CGarena. Nothing, sometime is mentioned, but only mentioned.

[Falam]

Also, looks at the lack of exposure in magazines, I mean 3Dworld, 3d artist, 3d creative, CGarena. Nothing, sometime is mentioned, but only mentioned.

Maybe some of the old Softimage users to blame for this ? They want to keep it a 'clubhouse club'.

[SreckoM]

I'd keep using it for another 2 years or so, then probably go Houdini+Modo or something.

I already switched to Houdini + Modo/Blender. If I had option back than, I would probably do it as Chris says, but as I do not have personal license I had to switch over night

[angus_davidson]

Softimage users are by far the most passionate group about their software that I have come across in all my years. A lot of the continued traction for Softimage has been because of its users rather then anything Autodesk has done. There is only so much as a community you can do without some form of view of the future. After all this affects most of the peoples on this forums livelihoods in one way or another.

So there are a couple of options.

1) Continue using up to the current version of Softimage, but working on the basis that the subscription is not really worth it.
2) Start implementing other software right away.
3) Start implementing other software gradually.

Bellsey and the community have been having this conversation off and on for the last few years or so and there still isnt any clarity that he (or anyone else at Autodesk) is in a position to give that would make me as a studio owner or freelancer decide to start or continue a Softimage subscription. Its a real pity as its pretty much the best out the box package Autodesk has, its the most expensive by subscription yet it gets the least exposure and development by a long way. Even the latest Softimage TV is a user initiative and not an Autodesk one.

While I do feel this topic is premature. The fact that its perceived as currently possible should be a massive warning signal to Autodesk. If it wasnt for the passion of the community Softimage would be dead by now, I have very few doubts about that. The problem is in these very trying times globally for the VFX industry how long is Autodesk willing to gamble on letting its users do its work for them. Human nature will only swim upriver for so long without the proper support before it will look at alternatives. 2-3 years ago the alternatives very few, lacking in features or were too complex to consider. Those days are over and Autodesk is fooling themselves very badly if the dont take that into consideration.

[Bullit]

That was long ago(XSI V4) when they despised Vray and the "renders at click of the button".
They were perfectly happy with a crap Mentalray that didn't even had a functional GI. And only later CTRL shaders and others could make it look good.

My answer was to Falam.

[luceric]

That was long ago(XSI V4) when they despised Vray and the "renders at click of the button".
They were perfectly happy with a crap Mentalray that didn't even had a functional GI. And only later CTRL shaders and others could make it look good.

My answer was to Falam.

"push-button renderer"! that was the expression Mr Aldis (who has since left the business) used. weird discussions gone in the mists of times with xsibase...

[Lord Futzi Voldemort]

Softimage users are by far the most passionate group about their software that I have come across in all my years. A lot of the continued traction for Softimage has been because of its users rather then anything Autodesk has done. There is only so much as a community you can do without some form of view of the future. After all this affects most of the peoples on this forums livelihoods in one way or another.

So there are a couple of options.

1) Continue using up to the current version of Softimage, but working on the basis that the subscription is not really worth it.
2) Start implementing other software right away.
3) Start implementing other software gradually.

Bellsey and the community have been having this conversation off and on for the last few years or so and there still isnt any clarity that he (or anyone else at Autodesk) is in a position to give that would make me as a studio owner or freelancer decide to start or continue a Softimage subscription. Its a real pity as its pretty much the best out the box package Autodesk has, its the most expensive by subscription yet it gets the least exposure and development by a long way. Even the latest Softimage TV is a user initiative and not an Autodesk one.

While I do feel this topic is premature. The fact that its perceived as currently possible should be a massive warning signal to Autodesk. If it wasnt for the passion of the community Softimage would be dead by now, I have very few doubts about that. The problem is in these very trying times globally for the VFX industry how long is Autodesk willing to gamble on letting its users do its work for them. Human nature will only swim upriver for so long without the proper support before it will look at alternatives. 2-3 years ago the alternatives very few, lacking in features or were too complex to consider. Those days are over and Autodesk is fooling themselves very badly if the dont take that into consideration.

I would like to repeat my proposal in this context:

My suggestion for the future of SI would be to maintain it: Keep it as it is and fix bugs and update libraries with a small team. Make at least as stable and reliable as possible. For that AD could charge a lower "maintenance" fee than a full subscription. Leave adding features to others. In the meantime concentrate on maya, make it attractive for even SI users. Overhaul of interface and usability. This way AD could end up with happy SI users who do not hate AD and may be open to make a smooth transition to maya or whatever comes.
That would be a diplomatic solution. It would calm the waves and who knows, one day people might even want to buy AD software instead of having to, making the cashflow a bit more predictable.

[Bullit]

Meh. Don't let erroneous perception change the facts.

Softimage is better than ever, great work is being done with it now and i can say it even comparatively to others. What edge Softimage lost? the only thing i can think off is Viewport.
But ICE gave it an edge much superior to what was lost. Softimage has not been so good like today.

[Falam]

The results thus far show that most are loyal and sticking with Softimage, that is a good thing. What if you had to decide between Softimage and Maya as a new license, that many are faced with. Although to correct someone who posted, Softimage is more affordable then Maya. Maya with a one year subscription is almost $5K, compared to Softimage which is roughly $3.5K, if you don't need all the bells and whistles there is, as you all are aware Maya LT.

[Eugen]

I'd go for option 2, use Softimage for a couple of years, after that, maybe option 3, Blender, if it became mature enough in the meantime.
I doubt, though, that Blender will "feel" like Softimage that soon, but since it's open source, anything goes (which reminds me, they could need donations...)

Houdini: wrong party, because modeling is central for me.
Modo, Cinema: no construction history/modeling relations. I'm so much used to a non-linear workflow that this just doesn't feel right - like going back three steps.

But let's not forget - Softimage is not dead yet. 2015 beta opened already, and there's still a developer team around. Whatever they will do, it will mean progress, little or big we will see. Anything is better than nothing.


And what about this: who said that there couldn't grow a full-featured 3D-application on the fabric engine core? Maybe that's the golden path into the future...

[xsisupport]

The results thus far show that most are loyal and sticking with Softimage, that is a good thing. What if you had to decide between Softimage and Maya as a new license, that many are faced with. Although to correct someone who posted, Softimage is more affordable then Maya. Maya with a one year subscription is almost $5K, compared to Softimage which is roughly $3.5K, if you don't need all the bells and whistles there is, as you all are aware Maya LT.

At the Autodesk Store:
- A standalone Softimage license costs $3,145 US. With subscription, $3,995.
- A standalone Maya license costs $3,645 US. With subscription, $4,300.

At MotionMedia (the first reseller I found on Google), these are the MSRP prices:
- A network Softimage license costs $3,930 US. With subscription, $4,780.
- A standalone Maya license costs $4,595 US. With subscription, $5,535.

[Hirazi Blue]

I don't check up on this forum as often as I should but whenever I do there is always a thread like this going.

Let me add my usual two cents here. The statement that “there is always a thread like this going” plays in the hand of those who believe the si-community has got nothing better to do than monger fear all day. Which obviously isn’t so. I think this thread and most of the others about the future of Softimage are perfectly valid (I only tinkered with its title a bit to make people slightly more aware of the actual content/intent of the thread). And looking back there really aren't all that many. The fact that there is often fierce debate in them might make it seem as if they are way more prominent than they really are.
You can’t expect us to be passionate about the software we use, which we obviously are, and not fear its future. Autodesk gives out no useful public information about its future plans with Softimage and perhaps rightfully (legally) so. That said, the things that slipped through the cracks the last couple of years are worrisome. It seems, the future of Softimage might still be bright, but only in the headlights of the monster truck speeding towards it. If Autodesk were to change its tune and address the “global” future of Softimage more publicly for once, I’m sure threads like these would disappear rather quickly.

But hey: IMHO

[Falam]

The results thus far show that most are loyal and sticking with Softimage, that is a good thing. What if you had to decide between Softimage and Maya as a new license, that many are faced with. Although to correct someone who posted, Softimage is more affordable then Maya. Maya with a one year subscription is almost $5K, compared to Softimage which is roughly $3.5K, if you don't need all the bells and whistles there is, as you all are aware Maya LT.

At the Autodesk Store:
- A standalone Softimage license costs $3,145 US. With subscription, $3,995.
- A standalone Maya license costs $3,645 US. With subscription, $4,300.

At MotionMedia (the first reseller I found on Google), these are the MSRP prices:
- A network Softimage license costs $3,930 US. With subscription, $4,780.
- A standalone Maya license costs $4,595 US. With subscription, $5,535.

Yesterday when I was at the online Autodesk Store, Softimage 2014 with a year subscription and a boxed shipment was coming up $3,695. I should have saved the image, no one will believe me, now today it says $3,995. Unless someone changed it from Autodesk who read this thread, who knows.

[angus_davidson]

I suspect I managed to do the maya without subscription and the softimage with. Any hoo doesnt make the rest of my points less valid.

I am sorry but for those of us who dont use ICE (shock horror we actually exist). Theres far more lacking then just an outdated viewport. We are running on a system where flexibilty to add things is very much reduced by a huge amount of legacy constraints and very little access to the inner nuts and bolts. There are also many technologies that were put into soft and pretty much left to die. Face Robot and Illusion (fx tree) come quickly to mind.

Its far far easier to add the new tech to a system thats been designed to be cross platform, flexible, with deep access to the nuts and bolts. Which in this case is Maya.

Given their past history now that BiFrost has been announced and can do a lot of what you can in ICE, where do you think those Autodesk Development dollars are going to go. I will be very surprised if there is serious development on ICE by Autodesk going forward. Enough to maintain for sure, with a few new things possibly. But are you always going to be prepared to be sucking the hind tit.

I love Softimage, but seriously they have to up their game just to remain competitive in the longer term.

[Hirazi Blue]

@Falam - Promotional offer?