offical features for softimage 2014 & we have a NEW logo

[Lord Futzi Voldemort]

Somewhat sad that the cracked version of Si 2014 is available for download before we get it on subscription

Yeah, AD's licensing system does a hell of a job preventing that....

[Lord Futzi Voldemort]

disappoint.. still no point to update from 2012.
who needs a "high quality viewport"?

Maya actually got some pretty decent upgrades this year. This article gives a good overview of yesterdays unfold event.
http://lesterbanks.com/2013/03/maya-201 ... old-areas/

those modeling tools are nice

Yet another window for maya.....

[talent103]

Yes Dobby. I may not have to model in XSI to save time anymore. ( when I am working at a Maya house)

[Hirazi Blue]

@angus_davidson & @Lord Futzi Voldemort:
There's no harm done here, so I won't complain too loudly, but the parallel universe that is illegal software should remain completely parallel to our si-community universe. In other words: don't mention it, as we shouldn't/can't discuss it (there is even some legal issue involved with even discussing it). We know illegal software exists, we know some people use it, we can't and won't police this, so we do not mention it.

[angus_davidson]

Hi HB.

Apologies I will try and remember not mention it again. However I don't think sticking your head in that sand on a very real issue is the correct way to deal with it.

Particularly in the case of the Free and EDU version interop that is actually actively adding to the problem. People need to be aware of things like that.

Moderator edit: I have sent you a PM and implore you all not to take this discussion
about our way of handling illegal "stuff" any further. It's a rule: end of story!
If you really must discuss this further, send me a PM - HB

[adrencg]

When is 2014 available?

[angus_davidson]

Unfortunately its not available to subscribers yet. (just logged into autodesk to check)

[nixx]

Ice actually is very artist and user friendly. As long as you can express in words what is supposed to happen, you can easily (in most cases) transfer it into ice compounds. [...]

Very well said. Most of the time the problem is the difficulty to put one's thoughts in order, in a way that the process actually makes sense.
ICE only fails/complains when you ask it to do things that make no sense. It basically goes "huh ?"

[Bullit]

The abyss there is between C4d and Softimage in terms of motion graphic and artists is the ease of use. While c4d is built around an artist mindset, ICE is built for techincal developers and people that have high skills to control particles, datas and everything at a really deep level (when SDK allows you).
While in C4d for example you can dig deeper with the nodal system and achieve every effect you want, on first glance and at first impact you are presented with a complete package that works out of the box without you having any knowledge of the math behind a particular tool, or the math and mechanism you need to learn to make a motion graphic effects work.

in ICE is way more complicated to a point where its not even comparable. This is not Softimage is better than C4d. I'm just pointing out the Motion Graphic field only, so lets not start with the usual answers like "ICE is not only for TD" etc. If Softimage wants to go into motion graphics territory they only have one chance, make ICE easier accessible to everyone, with presets, compound, effects, built in mechanism, ease of use, fewer steps to setup, and on top of it give users a render engine fully updated, not an half finished crap like the current situation of Mental Ray. c4d proprietary render is insanely fast for those effects, its quite unbelievable.

In my opinion Soft is very distant yet from a motion graphic field, because ICE is way too complex for the majority of people who are artists and do motion graphics, and the other 50% is because we dont have a render engine.

Quoted for total agreement. Btw that is the path they should have taken with 2013. CrowdFX should have instead been MographFX. But Softimage people still suffers from Hollywood fetish so they wanted to take on Massive...a niche product.. "smart"...if that wasn't a suicide attempt i don't know what should be called instead...

And no ICE is not artist and user friendly , it has a language that many artists can't grasp. Just some aspects of it are. This reminds me of almost 10 years ago when Mentalray was vaunted and Vray was despised in Xsibase as a click render...now 10 years later we see who wins. And those who win are those that are easier to use with quality. We also see Softimagers greeting Arnold as the greater render engine because does not need much tweaking. A total inversion of thinking in 10 years...i bet will see that with ICE or what will came after it either in Softimage or other.

[ojo3D]

Quoted for total agreement. Btw that is the path they should have taken with 2013. CrowdFX should have instead been MographFX. But Softimage people still suffers from Hollywood fetish so they wanted to take on Massive...a niche product.. "smart"...if that wasn't a suicide attempt i don't know what should be called instead...

And no ICE is not artist and user friendly , it has a language that many artists can't grasp. Just some aspects of it are. This reminds me of almost 10 years ago when Mentalray was vaunted and Vray was despised in Xsibase as a click render...now 10 years later we see who wins. And those who win are those that are easier to use with quality. We also see Softimagers greeting Arnold as the greater render engine because does not need much tweaking. A total inversion of thinking in 10 years...i bet will see that with ICE or what will came after it either in Softimage or other.

Well, I would pay the $500 difference on an programming course just to master ICE.

[Bullit]

ICE needs a a way of thinking that is different, because the language is different. Many artists don't care - or even know - for arrays, matrixes, how to deal with context issues and like. Many artists don't care or even would want to care since it is their cpu brain power not being employed directly in what they value. It is also not a question of money spent on learning, it is a question of change in the person, the artist - for those that are not already into it.

[Matic]

ICE needs a a way of thinking that is different, because the language is different. Many artists don't care - or even know - for arrays, matrixes, how to deal with context issues and like. Many artists don't care or even would want to care since it is their cpu brain power not being employed directly in what they value. It is also not a question of money spent on learning, it is a question of change in the person, the artist - for those that are not already into it.

The best artists I've worked with are also quite able to handle ICE. Artistry has always gone hand in hand with technical skills, and the two aren't incompatible in the slightest.

Often the hardest part seems to be getting users past the intimidation of seeing a bunch of nodes wired together, because it looks complex. A nuke project looks complex, too. And figuring out Zbrush.

At the moment I am working at (arguably) one of the best studios in the world. The guy next to me uses maya, the people behind me are using Houdini, etc. And Softimage is alive and well here, in fact it's role is growing in part because of the value ICE can bring. The artists here can handle ICE, much of their work is far more challenging.

I'm ok with the 2014 release. Stability and bug fixing is important. But as people have noted, Autodesk as a whole seems to be slow in developing their products comparably. The Max and Maya-oriented people I talk to here are underwhelmed with 2014, while the Houdini users seem elated. But Softimage does quite well here in this unusual studio where you can see all the apps being used to their utmost, side by side. That sight alone is enough to keep me comfortable being a "Softimage guy" for another year.

The principle problem I keep running into at studios, over and over, is that there aren't enough Softimage artists, particularly in LA. The studios have seats and are interested in adopting Softimage, but they can't get people. More than anything that's what is holding Softimage back. The demand even so is high for freelancers... Softimage is being used more widely than I think people realize.

Students looking to get into an industry at a time where so many studios are closing their doors should take note of this. I've seen a number of students immediately on a fast track because in addition to their own promise they also knew Softimage and rapidly climbed the ranks as a result.

(Oh, and regarding massive... This same studio used massive for years, it now uses ICE instead. Flexibility counts for a lot. ;) )

I don't think anyone learning Softimage at the moment should be concerned that they are wasting their time. Now more than ever Softimage is being used to make some amazingly cool stuff, and it compares quite well to every other DCC out there.

[pimeto]

So what's new ? Nothing for 1000 bucks ?

Damn ill pirate this just to make sure. I wont give money to AD anymore, sorry! Thats a lot of money for nothing. Specially when i get that feeling that they are trying hard to get all the good stuff from XSI into Max and Maya and kill Softimage..... forever! This new release, and the two-three before it were just milking the cow for cash.

'nuff is enough!


p.s. well, i guess ill have to give another try at Modo. I gave up on it's retarded interface and shorcuts but....

[Bullit]

Softimage is still better. Also there is no need to react so emotionally.

Edit to add: Matic my point is that ICE in its current configuration can't get into Cinema Mograph, AfterFx Element3d widely used Motion graphics tools. The point about CrowdFX is its lack of broad appeal so you saying that your place uses it don't actually contradicts what i am saying.

[Superpositivo]

Matic, you post is fresh air in these weeks in this forum. Thanks!..

[YKChou]

Just finished reading all 11 pages of comments and wanted to join the discussion.

I started using Softimage since XSI 6 and thought it is was an amazing program for it's time.
XSI 6 had an intuitive and powerful modeling system, a minimalist and ease to use interface, and many other useful features.

After switching between 3ds and Maya I still enjoy using SI the most.
Seeing the current development direction for the software, however, I cannot help but to be wary about XSI's future.
Compare Maya 2014 and SI 2014's new features, one can definitely see the difference in the dev direction.
Maya has received several powerful modeling tools that helps reto and sculpt, and an enhanced paint effect that creates instant simulation for the object, both seem like very solid and promising updates.
This is something I would like to see in SI dev as well. CrowdFX is definitely a nice and powerful feature to have, but way too task-specific to be useful.

While the above the above Maya features are nothing you cannot do within ICE.
I am not really a fan of Softimage's ICE and particleFX oriented development.
I wish the new dev team can work on SI like an all-rounded 3d package. Modernized modeling and rigging tools would still be nice to have.

All this being said, I still like SI and I am still really looking forward to what the Singapore team has to offer to the si community.
----------
Oh, and on the side note, I was just looking at this:
http://area.autodesk.com/2014unfold/products/softimage.html#future