GDC 2011 placeholder thread

[Hirazi Blue]

Less than two weeks until the start of this years GDC, there seems to be hardly any buzz concerning the probable new Autodesk releases. Well, if Softimage 2012 does get released, it's main feature probably will be the ultimate release into the wild of Lagoa, but personally I am obviously hoping for one or two new features that weren't already included in the Subscription Advantage Pack. Probably too soon for the "ICE topology" (or whatever they are calling it these days) stuff, but "Syflex on ICE" could be fun too. (Gerard Banel , Syflex LLC: "In the next release of XSI we will add Syflex in ICE." - quoted from here. Then again, the next release of "XSI" might be a long time away ). And I know: "we'll just have to wait and see..."

But now is your last chance to speculate...

So maybe: CUDA acceleration for PhysX?

(and if all else fails, there's always the new and improved SDK docs, that will have underwent "significant design changes" by now...)

[ActionArt]

Maybe Iray?! They've had it for a while now....

[Jesse]

Then again, the next release of "XSI" might be a long time away ). And I know: "we'll just have to wait and see..."
[/size]

Autodesk has switched to a global release of all of their major 3d apps to march of every year I believe so we aren't far away regardless.

[Hirazi Blue]

I think you misunderstood me: that specific remark was directed at the well-known fact (one would assume) that the product name has been "Softimage" for quite a while now, so having to wait for the next release of "XSI" might take longer than expected.
Basically, just a bad joke... ;)

@ActionArt - I've been wondering about that. From what I hear about this new technology I highly doubt if "we" really need it. This is just based on hearsay, I hasten to add. But all that said, the fact that "we" quite probably do not need it, makes it a great candidate for inclusion in Softimage 2012.
See, that's a bad joke again...

[Maximus]

You dont want me to start again with iRay!

It would be a shame to not have it..considering to make it work is really easy you just need like one .dll file and gpu Cuda working...since it already works..(but only in cpu mode).
So the only justification for AD to not implement it is they want it only on 3ds Max.

I kinda dont expect anything that touches Mental Ray world in this upcoming release (as usual tho).

[Hirazi Blue]

Well, in my defense:
I said all I know about IRay is based on hearsay (and circumstantial evidence),
so I fully admit to the possibility that my earlier qualification of IRay as something "we" don't need,
might turn out to be wrong.
;)

[Hirazi Blue]

While it's hardly surprising this thread didn't take off like I originally hoped , it is interesting to note that there hardly seems any buzz concerning the next version of Softimage anywhere on the net (at least: anywhere I looked), except maybe for Stephen Blair's most recent Friday Flashback, which shows a 2012 Beta in action .
As this means all the beta testers and developers are keeping their end of the NDA agreement, this is obviously a good thing. But it seems remarkable, nonetheless.
;)

[Rez007]

When I attended the Softimage-Maya interop online demo, I asked Mark when we will be hearing any news about the 2012 lineup, his response was "very soooon " (I don't really remember the exact amount of "o"s he used, but it is close). Given, that I believe Autodesk's fiscal quarter just started, we should be hearing something shortly - hopefully. That is my best guess. At least we know that they cannot announce anything unless they are sure that it can be released in that same quarter of that announcement.

What I would love to see in the 2012 release would be a rendering enhancement - like iRay or better workings/implementation of Mental Ray, or some thing like an ICE CAT - that would be cool!

[ace63]

Oh look....tons of maya and max stuff on the agenda... and not a single mention of soft.
God AD when will you guys learn?

http://blog.digitalcontentproducer.com/ ... ence-2011/

[Rez007]

I was just thinking about this and something that I saw posted on the mailing list a while ago by I believe a higher-up in AD. That person mentioned that Softimage users are the best at keeping up-to-date with the latest software, where Maya and Max users are still using older versions. Maybe AD is focusing their marketing power on trying to get those people to sign up to subscription and keep current. Nonetheless, it would still be nice to see more push directed towards Softimage - it is kind of getting "old hat" with these press releases...

[Bellsey]

easy people, easy. Be patient, there's news coming, but like Mark I can't give a date.

The mailing list posting referred to was by Maurice Patel. As for the link above, don't read too much into that, its just giving an overview of what we have planned at GDC this year, and specifically things like customer presentations, and masterclasses.

[Hirazi Blue]

Yes, I know there's news coming... (we need a "Sarbanes–Oxley Act" smilie )
My own remark was more about the unofficial buzz (the not-so-confirmed pre-release rumors, that were often exciting and from a forum POV at least real "thread-fillers", even if they weren't all that accurate).
;)

In an unrelated thread about Autodesks bid for Scaleform, KevBoy (Kevin De Smet) posted the following image

(CGtalk source), which I thought to be quite funny... (if slightly off-topic, I admit)

[ActionArt]

That Beta project sounds very promising, are there any reports from the testers?

[Rez007]

Yes, I know there's news coming... (we need a "Sarbanes–Oxley Act" smilie )
My own remark was more about the unofficial buzz (the not-so-confirmed pre-release rumors, that were often exciting and from a forum POV at least real "thread-fillers", even if they weren't all that accurate).
;)

In an unrelated thread about Autodesks bid for Scaleform, KevBoy (Kevin De Smet) posted the following image

(CGtalk source), which I thought to be quite funny... (if slightly off-topic, I admit)

Yeah, that image is funny! and somewhat true.

[Nizar]

I hope will be some enhancement here and there, but most of all: a more friendly and fast mental ray

Hey, now understood two little things I missed from switch to XSI from Blender! In SI world there is no news (only one time for year)! In Blender world everyday I opened forums found news, projects, beta release and features propose or request. The other thing I lost is the enormous community/lab in continuous fermentation (oh, another is the "blender is the best" religious vibrating background present in every post

[ActionArt]

I still think that the beta program mentioned on this package should take priority over any mental...what wast it...mental ray whatever.....

Or it should have when I was younger and single...