Who is thinking of stopping there Autodesk subscriptions

[Bellsey]

2012 SP1 refers to a service pack, and was available to all users regardless on whether they were on Subs or not. I'm assuming you mean the SAPs, Subscription Advantage Packs?
Any SAPs that were released for a product were a benefit to Subs customers, so therefore you had to be on Subs to use it. You don't perhaps have to upgrade to a specific version, as Subs essentially keeps you current, and being on Subs as previous use entitlement, subject to Autodesks previous version support policy.

Also, if memory serves, I'm not sure it was massively better or worse with Softimage pre-Autodesk, just different because the sales/product/licensing model was slightly different. Users paid for a license, and then could buy 'maintenance' if they wanted too. You could renew your maintenance (or not), if you wanted too, or upgrade to a new version once it dropped. But yes, it did appear that the community appeared to kinda move 'en masse', but it did vary. Many skipped XSI 6.0 and stayed on 5.11, before then moving to 6.5 and then 7.0.

[lard]

I didn't mean to be confusing by stating a specific version and service pack. I was just using it as a reference to an older version (not current version) of Softimage.

If a studio is working on a project & pipeline using any version of Softimage prior to the current version, they can not add seats by buying additional licenses of Softimage. They must also add subscription costs.

And to continue to use new seats of Softimage (or any Autodesk product) with older version pipelines , they must maintain subscriptions.

In my 15 years in the game industry, it is very rare for a studio to take software updates once production has started. Yet productions can last 2-4 years. And additional staff is always added as the production progresses toward the gold release.

In this way, Autodesk has made a policy to force subscriptions.

[lard]

Under Avid, a current license of Softimage (a license without sub) would unlock any previous version.

[FXDude]

Damn Materialism

[t4d]

. t4D may well be ranting in this thread (which he's entitled to do), but even he admits that they don't write the cheques and that person could have a different view of the situation..

sorry you may have misread me I APPROVE the cheques, I sign once to request the procurement Department to get the check from the Finance Department I sign again to go head and pay Autodesk. I then have to Justify MY cost to my boss the CEO.

Now if i had a review of autodesk Costs .. I would have a hard meeting with a $14000 + bill for update that have only enough updates that fill i page and then I have to spend time fluffing the detail up and blow them up so I don't get in the SH*t.. so prefer to STOP with Autodesk and spend money on realflow or Arnold or modo then I will never have trouble with my upper management and Justifing my costs and hope I don't get a review of my approvals for 2013 and 2014 costs. (If 2015 or 2016 is good well the Value in that Update to get me excited Also Covers my butt to get management to be happy spending there money. )

( now Adobe I found Cloud to be VERY VERY good value And there a Subscription that is GREAT Value and have no trouble signing up every here for )

[Bellsey]

. t4D may well be ranting in this thread (which he's entitled to do), but even he admits that they don't write the cheques and that person could have a different view of the situation..

sorry you may have misread me I APPROVE the cheques, I sign once to request the procurement Department to get the check from the Finance Department I sign again to go head and pay Autodesk. I then have to Justify MY cost to my boss the CEO.

Ah, I see, I misunderstood from what you had said previously. My apologies, I hearby stand (well I'm sitting) corrected.


If you want to stop Subs, then fair enough, but make sure you contact your reseller and do the math around the costs of staying on or coming off for a year or more.

[Maximus]

There's alot of interesting views on this thread, so I agree with, others maybe not.

When it comes to Autodesk Subscription, is that it will mean different value for different people and people appraise the benefits in different ways. If people want to drop off Subs, then that's their choice, Autodesk are not forcing you, and I can understand the reasons. But what people have to do is really step back and review the situation objectively and not emotionally. The outcome might still be the same, but you have to weigh up both sides. t4D may well be ranting in this thread (which he's entitled to do), but even he admits that they don't write the cheques and that person could have a different view of the situation.

Being/Staying on Subs has various benefits, one of which is staying current and up to date with the software. New releases may or may not have the features you desire, but there will also hopefully be a substantial amount of enhancements and bug fixes, that will ultimately go towards making the software more efficient and perhaps importantly reliable when in production. And things like efficiency and reliability that people always want because he goes a big way in helping them remain competitive as well.
As Angus said in this thread (or another?), it's still tough out there for people, individuals, small, meduim or large studios. Budgets are tight and people are having to watch their costs. To some that might be a good reason to drop of Subs, to save money. However, the other side to that is that having a predictable cost each year to maintain your software can help people manage their costs. That also applies just as much to other vendors like SideFX, Adobe, Maxxon, Foundry, etc, as they all have similar 'maintenance' schemes.

That is well put, and I agree on what you said here but I have a question.
I speak personally for my job, being freelancer, I didnt receive any update in any tool i use for the last 3 releases. You say that bugfixes are something worth for users and I agree.
I like bugfixes, but here is the thing, why there is not more than one subscription? A choice? You see, the reason why Autodesk is forcing users is because it gives you only one solution and if you dont get this solution you are shafted out. Forced to pay insanely overpriced software to join back the year later or two year laters.

Now in my opinion you should have a lower subscription cost for bugfixes only (because developers work must be retribuited) even tho those bufixes should be free because its something that is supposed to work and we already payed for it. But i'm ok with paying for bugfixes. I am not ok with paying for something that i will never use. And thats why i dropped my subscription.
I didnt receive a single tool I would use in the past releases so why should i keep spend my money on something that is not improving my work? And here Autodesk is losing my money and the money other people might have given to AD if there was another alternative solution rather than a global subscription.
I am to a point where i should spend 1k€ for bugfixes. Is this normal? I dont think so.
You know what I can buy for 1k? Vray, Maxwell, 3delight, Zbrush, Modo, 3dCoat, Mudbox, Moi3d, Marmoset, Blender(lol), Lightwave and the list goes on. Are we serious?

Also i mostly use render, and it is an insult to users to have Mental Ray not updated since YEARS. Its really insulting. And i'm quite frankly tired of this bs.
If you hide behind a finger saying that noone uses MR Anymore in softimage, well, then strip it off, and make the price drop. If you keep it you need to update because it is to a point where the render lacks feature from 5 years ago. It is the LESS updated and integrated render engine of the whole Computer Graphic world. Ridicolous.

[Lord Futzi Voldemort]

If you want to stop Subs, then fair enough, but make sure you contact your reseller and do the math around the costs of staying on or coming off for a year or more.

And that´s the whole concept behind it.
"Fear will keep the local systems in line."

You pay and pay for almost nothing only because you are afraid you will have to pay even more one day - for almost nothing. That is completely irrational.

[t4d]

Ah, I see, I misunderstood from what you had said previously. My apologies, I hearby stand (well I'm sitting) corrected.

Hey dude no need to feel any issues, sit Comfortable dude ;)
Your doing your job the best you can, All joy to you and hope you all the Best Personally I really do

Just wanted to make the point I have to justify myself too,. With costs etc I doubt I will be asked the question,... But if I was,... I would have to spend alot of time "fluffing up" what Autodesk has given me in the last 2 years, Just to make out like i have gotten Value from the money I ask the company to spend. ( something I don't normally do,.. I'm an Aussie and I say what I feel as straight as i can. )

[McNistor]

.If you want to stop Subs, then fair enough, but make sure you contact your reseller and do the math around the costs of staying on or coming off for a year or more.

"Fear mongering (or scaremongering or scare tactics) is the use of fear to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end. The feared object or subject is sometimes exaggerated, and the pattern of fear mongering is usually one of repetition, in order to continuously reinforce the intended effects of this tactic, sometimes in the form of a vicious circle."

From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_mongering

[Bellsey]

.If you want to stop Subs, then fair enough, but make sure you contact your reseller and do the math around the costs of staying on or coming off for a year or more.

"Fear mongering (or scaremongering or scare tactics) is the use of fear to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end. The feared object or subject is sometimes exaggerated, and the pattern of fear mongering is usually one of repetition, in order to continuously reinforce the intended effects of this tactic, sometimes in the form of a vicious circle."

From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_mongering

I'm not fear mongering, merely stating a fact that people should acquire the correct data before making a decision.

[talent103]

I dont think he means you (he shouldn't). I think he means Autodesk.
"You pay and pay for almost nothing only because you are afraid you will have to pay even more one day - for almost nothing."
This is the best description of Autodesk biz policy (after recent price changes and upgrade price changes.)I have heard.

[McNistor]

.If you want to stop Subs, then fair enough, but make sure you contact your reseller and do the math around the costs of staying on or coming off for a year or more.

"Fear mongering (or scaremongering or scare tactics) is the use of fear to influence the opinions and actions of others towards some specific end. The feared object or subject is sometimes exaggerated, and the pattern of fear mongering is usually one of repetition, in order to continuously reinforce the intended effects of this tactic, sometimes in the form of a vicious circle."

From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_mongering

I'm not fear mongering, merely stating a fact that people should acquire the correct data before making a decision.

No, you're fear mongering. If you merely wanted to tell people that (acquire data), you could've done just that.

I didn't reply to this thread.
See how that works? Just because I'm stating I did or didn't do something, doesn't make it true or real.

Edit: I'll concede the fact that you perhaps didn't intend this, but I guarantee you that a 3rd party can only reach this conclusion by reading that piece of text.

[EricTRocks]

As a mod I'm going to ask at this time everyone stop stating that one person said or didn't say something as it's going to head into an unproductive direction.

[luceric]

this girl cancelled her mudbox sub last year

[Maximus]

this girl cancelled her mudbox sub last year