Autodesk retires Softimage

[SamHowell]

I recently came across the news, and having spent a good part of my life with Softimage, I decided to register here to bring some historical perspective on a key trigger in what will have led to the death of Softimage 3D/XSI.

In 1998 AVID bought Softimage from Microsoft to gain control over Softimage Digital Studio because it was becoming a dangerous competitor to AVID Media Composer. They had no interest in 3D and the first thing they did after acquiring the company was to eradicate all the Softimage Sales force worldwide. Without its sales force, and given the AVID sales force had no interest nor any incentive to care for 3D, the 3D products from Softimage lost the ability to maintain and develop its user base.

The result is that when AVID finally accepted to let go of it and sold it to Autodesk, Softimage 3D user base was already irremediably damaged. Autodesk surely bears some responsibility in deciding to acquire Softimage after having already acquired Maya, without any will to reenergize it. They were not an entertainment company at heart, and ended up with too many 3D products on their hands.

So yes Autodesk did not help, but the biggest destructive blow that ultimately lead to the death of Softimage was the work of AVID, and their aggressive takeover of Softimage that was dictated by the fear of its sales force for Softimage Digital Studio.

Softimage 3D/XSI was an amazing product because it had been the child of an amazing company (Credit to be given to founder Daniel Langlois and Richard Szalwinski for building the original company spirit, and to Daniel Langlois for making the user interaction paramount in Softimage products). The passion that was running in the company from day one and at every level was nothing short of exceptional, and, amazingly, it survived the growth of the company, the becoming public and even the acquisition by Microsoft (who was smart enough to realize it needed to be managed aside from the main corporation to preserve its value). That passion gave birth to some of the biggest technological revolutions of the 3D animation industry.

AVID with its corporate greed and politics was a poison strong enough to destroy Softimage’s 3D business. Some of the great people at Softimage like Mark Schoennagel hanged on and continued to sustain the original spirit of the company, but the damage to its business was irreparable without a company dedicated to the task which Autodesk was not.

I raise a glass in memory of the most amazing company and most exciting product I have ever seen and had the privilege to be part of.

Nothing wrong with some perspective. Thanks for the post, it's certainly made me re think a few of my assumptions.

[SamHowell]

sorry but I will not raise a glass in memory until it is actually dead. I am still using it. in production, on movies, this one was out yesterday , the next one finishes in production September

Nicely done guys. Keep on raising those glasses.

[Tekano]

for sure - am happy to raise glass to the living - and will declare it dead (and raise another glass) once I'm using something as good as ICE in Softimage is. right now there is no better.

here is a little write up from Jo - our lead on the Guardians project at MPC.

cheers!

http://joplaete.wordpress.com/2014/08/0 ... ce-battle/

[Caveman]

I have read somewhere that Avid is losing more and more money each year now. That serves them right. That's Karma I guess

[raphi_13]

hi all, here my 2.03.487 cents

what goes around comes around -karma's a bihoooootch... so to say. well let's hope it is!

to let a community down like softimage's is not very gentlemen like. I at least always thought softimage is THE platform to introduce innovative techniques meaningless button clicks). so for me (the naive user!) thought, a company like autodesk wouldn't let go of it because of the experimental nature of it. WRONG!!!

autodesk thought, so let's try to make the tools we have in maya look like they are in softimage but not have the performance behind it.... - corporation dummies

I at least learned i will not follow autodesk anymore and focus on more innovation instead of corporation. i'll take my chances ;)


anyways for myself I've spend an insane amount of time (18years!) with softimage and i gotta say I've never got into the deep core of softimage and I've never had to! i'm an artist (even did go to art school!) and i started using softimage when it still was in a unix environment. THAT was painful. anyways after it moved to microsoft windows all the pain seemed to go away. for a second. ha
WRONG - then avid got softimage and tried to finish it for sure, more then 2 years for anew update and complete overhaul of the software without keeping the users in the loop... they almost succeeded

... autodesk just pulled the trigger. they even lied to the user straight in the face by telling them not to kill softimage! 2 years before they actually kill it.


so now the ones who based they're pipeline on autodesk products are all stuck with this old thinking of a 3D application called something like maya or 3ds max mudbox and uuuhhhhhhhhmmmmm here the list: http://www.autodesk.com/products

they still can't get a fluid piece of software together, intuitive and fluid, unless you study buttons and workarounds!


anyways i will walk away from this kind of a company for sure as i am building my own shop these days. so probably the foundry, sidefx combined with fabric engine? maybe unity, touchDesigner, unreal engine and so on....
i gotta say nothing really mind blowing at autodesk, except they buy tools and then halfway integrate it. way to go big dogs. even if you wanna use them in production you need an RnD team to figure out workarounds.... it always works on a sphere doesn't it?


phew that felt good!


so now. please autodesk, bring it on, what you really offer to get some new and innovative ways of doing things? show us.now i really wanna see progress and not just another takeover and halfway integration





i'm

so long

Raphael



edit: i hope autodesk reads this.... do they?

[MauricioPC]

I've tried Maya and yesterday I got pissed and decided that I won't use it, I don't like it.

I could go back to 3ds Max, the first I've learned, but you know what? I really like XSI. So I've made a new student license, for 2015, that will work until 2017 (3years) and I'll continue studying on it, because it's far easier to understand and learn 3D with it.

But I'm also keeping my eye on Houdini ... I've downloaded the apprentice and started playing this week. Houdini Indie will be my tool of choice when I go freelance.

I'll go freelance and when that time comes, I'm sure that it won't be a Autodesk software. XSI was the only one.

[Dwindleflip]

I've already switched to maya and actually find it better in many ways. Its nice to use a program thats being actively developed. But fuck autodesk for stringing softimage users on forever.

[Draise]

I have not driven into maya land, but seeing developments of fabric, I think I could make the most of it.... I fear I may have to get into it to just stay professional... Unless I have my own pipelines and work..

But si is great for a quick flexible pipeline.

[Werner]

Tried Maya for a month and a half after which I uninstalled. There is no way I'm doing that to myself.

Moved to Houdini and I must say that I'm having a blast. Modeling will have to stay in Soft for now, but lets see what improvements they make in that, and UV's area.

[talent103]

Exactly!

[nDman]

Maya = headache, frustration, time wasting, depression, disease, stress...

Life is much more valuable than wasting it on using Maya.

[Unaided]

There is no software up today like Softi. Maya, Max... make your feel oldest.
Modo is a bit air renew from The Foundry, but have performance issues from his core (from LW -Luxology members was Lightwave team in Newtek) , as to manage big scenes.
Houdini is a huge software for TD's.

Softimage is really the best balance between artists and technicians. From ICE development, XSI is for many TD's near to Houdini capabilities, keep a artist-friendly tool for modeling, animation or surfacing skills, like no other.

For many things, today Softimage is no replaceable by other high-en 3D animation software.

In my opinion, Houdini and ClarisseFx, are future concept tools.

Maya, Max and Softimage* are past concept software in his area.

*Softimage is unmarked from Maya or Max, because his procedural methods implemented with ICE and the base tool without ICE is new in many functions from years old (render system with render region, render passes,... NLA, non-rigid FK/IK system, and lot of excellent features).
And the most important and only one for me. Workflow from the UI Softimage!

Autodicks represents the past in all faces. Acquiring the best product of his category and do it EOL.

I desire to Autodicks many bills of his loved Max, the piracy-icon software.

[nuverian]

Just to make my statement after EOL look of alternatives

Maya: A headache of irelevant, inconsistent tools, tech and workflow scattered all around. One word "INCONSISTENT". Feels like drawing a line using a string instead of a ruler.
Max: Certainly more consistent than maya, but smells so legacy that I feel painting with the mouse instead of a tablet.

Thanks autodesk. Lets continue...

Houdini: Fantastic tech and tools and very consistent workflow, but if you are not a TD or very technical savy, then you have a problem in taking it's advantage.
Cinema4D: In my opinion exactly the opposite than houdini. Again, fantastic software and workflow, but if you are technical savy you feel and in fact you are limited.

As I see it, either keep working on XSI, or move to Houdini/C4D depending on your situation

[Bullit]

Pretty much nuverian.

[whurst]

Hello,

i am sorry, but i didn't monitor all threads and posts. But i was surprised today found a video about differences XSI vs Maya. This video is really nice and made by a professional - i guess.

I didn't believe this video has just 260 views ... maybe unknown ...



After this video, i never ever go to Maya I stay on my lovely XSI until hell freezes

Moderator edit: embedded the video for you - HB
User edit: Thank You

[xsi_fanatic]

I'm surprised some people from Maya backgrounds are still coming to Softimage. That says a lot about the two apps.