What if Softimage died?

[Mathaeus]

I can tell you from a long time Softimage use. (3ds max user before that) that Houdini could be a worthy successor to softimage. It's much father along in 90 percent of its features than Maya, and in the other bits, a free or cheap modeling system is a good option. Organic modeling is not is strong suit but zbrush is always at my right hand.

So.. in that Houdini zBrush combo, which one you enjoy more when it comes to hard surface modeling. You know, cars and that stuff. Mast be a sweet dilemma, as both are, well how to say that, titans in this hard surface field. Must be some cool "BMW DOP" around. Sorry could not resist....
When it's about successor to Softimage, I'm afraid there's only one app which is very very close, and that's not Max, not Houdini, not Modo, not c4d.....

[MauricioPC]

I can tell you from a long time Softimage use. (3ds max user before that) that Houdini could be a worthy successor to softimage. It's much father along in 90 percent of its features than Maya, and in the other bits, a free or cheap modeling system is a good option. Organic modeling is not is strong suit but zbrush is always at my right hand.

So.. in that Houdini zBrush combo, which one you enjoy more when it comes to hard surface modeling. You know, cars and that stuff. Mast be a sweet dilemma, as both are, well how to say that, titans in this hard surface field. Must be some cool "BMW DOP" around. Sorry could not resist....
When it's about successor to Softimage, I'm afraid there's only one app which is very very close, and that's not Max, not Houdini, not Modo, not c4d.....

I knew you were thinking about LightWave!

[Nizar]

I can tell you from a long time Softimage use. (3ds max user before that) that Houdini could be a worthy successor to softimage. It's much father along in 90 percent of its features than Maya, and in the other bits, a free or cheap modeling system is a good option. Organic modeling is not is strong suit but zbrush is always at my right hand.

So.. in that Houdini zBrush combo, which one you enjoy more when it comes to hard surface modeling. You know, cars and that stuff. Mast be a sweet dilemma, as both are, well how to say that, titans in this hard surface field. Must be some cool "BMW DOP" around. Sorry could not resist....
When it's about successor to Softimage, I'm afraid there's only one app which is very very close, and that's not Max, not Houdini, not Modo, not c4d.....

Blender... too many artists underestimate blender power and capabilities.

[angus_davidson]

I can tell you from a long time Softimage use. (3ds max user before that) that Houdini could be a worthy successor to softimage. It's much father along in 90 percent of its features than Maya, and in the other bits, a free or cheap modeling system is a good option. Organic modeling is not is strong suit but zbrush is always at my right hand.

So.. in that Houdini zBrush combo, which one you enjoy more when it comes to hard surface modeling. You know, cars and that stuff. Mast be a sweet dilemma, as both are, well how to say that, titans in this hard surface field. Must be some cool "BMW DOP" around. Sorry could not resist....
When it's about successor to Softimage, I'm afraid there's only one app which is very very close, and that's not Max, not Houdini, not Modo, not c4d.....

Blender... too many artists underestimate blender power and capabilities.

If blender gets its UI design sorted out (lmb select as an option and consistency through the app) its a very good program. Its a lot like lightwave to me in that of you can just get past the 3d editor (which I detest in LW) , to where you put the scene together and render (which I love in LW) you can do great things. While its probably not big studio ready yet it will grab a much bigger chunk of the freelance market.

[ctedin]

I think the real power of softimage is the ice system since I rely on it for so much of its procedural workflow. Hard surface modeling isn't really its strength imho. It doesn't have open subdiv, which houdini has, but the way. It's still better at organic modeling than houdini, but I can use soft for years to come as a modeler and export out to houdini, or better yet, use zbrush and 3d coat, which retopos and makes uvmaps quickly and efficiently. All go right into houdini beautifully and rig up amazingly well, animate, and interact with the dop network, render, etc. If soft goes away, I'll have to use3 programs, but that's okay I guess. I get a lot more flexibility. With alembic especially, you aren't locked into a single dcc. I like that.

[Nizar]

If blender gets its UI design sorted out (lmb select as an option and consistency through the app) its a very good program. Its a lot like lightwave to me in that of you can just get past the 3d editor (which I detest in LW) , to where you put the scene together and render (which I love in LW) you can do great things. While its probably not big studio ready yet it will grab a much bigger chunk of the freelance market.

blender has just LMB select. What you need to do is going preference (file> user preference) and choice left mouse button on select in Input tab, and release to confirm on Edit Tab. for the rest the GUI is really good and improving in every release (actually they add some tabs for better organization). I also installed the pie menu addon and feel more comfortable. For the rest is only a matter of habit.
Blender has many interesting tools, like uv (better than XSI one) and the user friendly render setting (cycles is a joy to use), but the real "selling point" resides on his many tools: blender is a complete suite, you can sculpt, poly modelling, unwrap, paint texturing, rendering, animate, composite and add some FX without leave it, love this, Contrary to what is being said Blender has a big consistency and is very, very fast without too many frills (in particular modelling is very efficient and fast). Force yourself to use it for an entire month, you will not regret (only bear in mind is professional software and not a joke (free software stigmata is the worse blender curse), use the large community and make question for understood how and why blender doing something).

However, blender is a freelance or small studio tool, don't aim to compete for big pipeline production. Also, atm, IMO is not a good tool for a TD.

[MauricioPC]

I think the real power of softimage is the ice system since I rely on it for so much of its procedural workflow. Hard surface modeling isn't really its strength imho. It doesn't have open subdiv, which houdini has, but the way. It's still better at organic modeling than houdini, but I can use soft for years to come as a modeler and export out to houdini, or better yet, use zbrush and 3d coat, which retopos and makes uvmaps quickly and efficiently. All go right into houdini beautifully and rig up amazingly well, animate, and interact with the dop network, render, etc. If soft goes away, I'll have to use3 programs, but that's okay I guess. I get a lot more flexibility. With alembic especially, you aren't locked into a single dcc. I like that.

I always thought Softimage was great for hard surface modeling. What tools do you think it lacks for it?

[angus_davidson]

If blender gets its UI design sorted out (lmb select as an option and consistency through the app) its a very good program. Its a lot like lightwave to me in that of you can just get past the 3d editor (which I detest in LW) , to where you put the scene together and render (which I love in LW) you can do great things. While its probably not big studio ready yet it will grab a much bigger chunk of the freelance market.

blender has just LMB select. What you need to do is going preference (file> user preference) and choice left mouse button on select in Input tab, and release to confirm on Edit Tab. for the rest the GUI is really good and improving in every release (actually they add some tabs for better organization). I also installed the pie menu addon and feel more comfortable. For the rest is only a matter of habit.

However, blender is a freelance or small studio tool, don't aim to compete for big pipeline production. Also, atm, IMO is not a good tool for a TD.

The problem with the current LMB option is when you select it switches all of the current settings to the opposite one. Ie if a selection thing was RMB, it now becomes LMB (which is great) However it it was LMB before its now RMB (which is not so great) There many proposals on how to fix this, most have to do with consistency throughout the app.

They are getting better at it though. 2.7 looks like a very good release, 2.69 also squished 270+ bugs

http://wiki.blender.org/index.php/Dev:Ref/Release_Notes/2.69

[Nizar]

The only things remain RMB button, when you switch to LMB, is the moving keyfram bar directly into timeline, the rest is all LMB. I can live with this bug. What remain on RMB? I don't find nothing tbh

for the day by day use in modelling, uv mapping e common tasks blender is more enough. I use softimage lesser and lesser, and every month find something very interesting like new addons or new build where is anticipated new features.

[angus_davidson]

The only things remain RMB button, when you switch to LMB, is the moving keyfram bar directly into timeline, the rest is all LMB. I can live with this bug. What remain on RMB? I don't find nothing tbh

for the day by day use in modelling, uv mapping e common tasks blender is more enough. I use softimage lesser and lesser, and every month find something very interesting like new addons or new build where is anticipated new features.

I last peeked in at 2.6 so its possible they resolved most of that. I definitely need to jump back in and have a look around ;)

[Bullit]

I always thought Softimage was great for hard surface modeling. What tools do you think it lacks for it?

It is. See Vitaly Bulgarov video:

https://www.keyshot.com/vitaly-bulgarov ... ix-project

http://www.bulgarov.com/publications.html

[MauricioPC]

I always thought Softimage was great for hard surface modeling. What tools do you think it lacks for it?

It is. See Vitaly Bulgarov video:

https://www.keyshot.com/vitaly-bulgarov ... ix-project

http://www.bulgarov.com/publications.html

I've seen a 2h time-lapsed modeling video from him. I always thought it was amazing, that's why I was asking why he said Softimage isn't good for hard surface modeling.

Maybe it's something he experienced or saw better at another software.

[Mathaeus]

I always thought Softimage was great for hard surface modeling. What tools do you think it lacks for it?

Of course it is. I think it's more related to my "fanboy" comment about Houdini. Well... in good old times, we were free to spit on every another software on SI forums. Except on SI, obviously. Today, you never know, who is on which side .

[Hirazi Blue]

I think you were always allowed to spit on Softimage here as well,
it might however have resulted in some potential unpleasant replies...
(which is different from not being allowed to)

edit: and as long as you didn't start praising the "four-letter-software",
you could even get away with it, most of the time

[angus_davidson]

This is pretty much the ultimate necro thread ;)

[MauricioPC]

Since we were talking about Blender also, Chaos Group launched VRay for Blender.
The connection with Blender is free but you'll need VRay standalone. Given that VRay standalone is almost half the price of normal VRay, it could turn out a nice alternative for rendering stills. Send the work to Blender and render from there.

http://www.chaosgroup.com/en/2/vray_blender.html