Softimage Good Times 2012 list

[Hirazi Blue]

As I am slowly but surely getting into my annual end of the year mode (yes I know, quite early), I started thinking about compiling a list of good and bad things that have happened to the Softimage user base in 2012. Well, some among the Softimage user base might rate the year 2012 as a true “annus horribilis”, but I don’t think the many bad things that happened this year really need reiterating. As an exercise in positive thinking, however, I would like you all to join me in compiling a list of the "good things" that happened in 2012 from the point of view of the Softimage user base. So this should turn out to become our own little “good times 2012” thread, hopefully devoid from blatant cynicism.
(Yes, I will try not to post too much in this thread myself... )

So to kick things off: this year finally saw the release of V-Ray for Softimage…

[forton]

For me this is the most important benchmark of "good things happening":

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=2739
Not all have happened in 2012 but anyway...

[gustavoeb]

Community-wise, there was SIC and the Uber-Tage going international!
Good stuff

[csaez]

emTopology and Exocortex Crate (alembic) came out this year too

[ActionArt]

I think the use of the new SI tools by users in developing was the highlight of 2012. These are some of my favorites but there were so many. Pretty great stuff!

Fluid Shader by Holger: http://www.binaryalchemy.de/ This is a very significant development IMO.

Meshpaint: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2365

Quickprimitive: viewtopic.php?f=13&t=2120

Physics Fluid: viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2056

Zybrand Grass: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2682

Scatter Tools: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=1037&hilit=scatter+tools

And Dan's topo pack: viewtopic.php?f=41&t=1942

but that's just a few. A quick look at rray.de and it's incredible what was developed is such a short time.

[rray]

What I find quite encouraging is the slowly but steadily increasing traffic for rray.de (taking growing page size into account).

[gustavoeb]

numbers or it didnt happend

[rray]

Sorry haven't got any nice graphics, my daily email report is all I get in my 10 cent/month plan...

Transfervolumen für den 20.11.2012: 221,37 MB
Geschätztes Transfervolumen im Monat 11/2012: 5.610,24 MB
(Hochrechnung ohne Gewähr)

In Ihrem Paket sind monatlich 10000 MB Transfervolumen inbegriffen.

So it's 5.6 GB/month (pure html, thumbnail images and backups are hosted externally). Difficult to tell exact traffic development over time, as parts of the page are dynamic loading, but I remember not too long ago (maybe 2 years) monthly traffic was around 2 GB/month while the site wasn't much smaller.

[gustavoeb]

good stuff, have you given thought to something like google analytics? seems to produce some valuable data...

[rray]

Could be interesting, maybe I'll add piwik with the next update, had it installed already at some point but removed it again for no conceivable reason xD

[Hirazi Blue]

The inclusion of Softimage on the Autodesk Report a Bug page was a "baby-step" for mankind, but a giant leap for Autodesk itself, it seemed, considering the time it took them to get around to this...
And in case we already forgot: we also got a similar mention on the Suggest a Feature page.

[luceric]

The inclusion of Softimage on the Autodesk Report a Bug page was a "baby-step" for mankind, but a giant leap for Autodesk itself, it seemed, considering the time it took them to get around to this...

I got that one done, it was easier after a few old timers were no longer there to oppose it.

Cory Mogk (and Chris Chia and a few other devs) interacting with the user base and a new product designer on board for Softimage, also a big plus IMHO.

[Letterbox]

The inclusion of Softimage on the Autodesk Report a Bug page was a "baby-step" for mankind, but a giant leap for Autodesk itself, it seemed, considering the time it took them to get around to this...

I got that one done, it was easier after a few old timers were no longer there to oppose it.

Cory Mogk (and Chris Chia and a few other devs) interacting with the user base and a new product designer on board for Softimage, also a big plus IMHO.

Seriously I cant understand why anyone would oppose it, but equally good for you for getting it done. and for that understated line above... "Cory...

[Bullit]

A corporation is like a mini country with everyone defending their turfs.

[Hirazi Blue]

Interesting how this thread, a rare attempt on my part to at least get some positive vibe going at the end of 2012, seems to have withered and died so easily. I guess a thread "what annoyed you most about Softimage in 2012?" would have spawned a livelier debate...
Well, I guess I can at least say: I tried... (for all that's worth)

[ActionArt]

I think that's true of anything, people are more animated about what they don't like. If everything works well, they're busy using it

One thing I like about this version is, for me, it's very stable and bug free. Some of the nasty bugs in previous versions such as the disconnecting nodes and MR render lag are gone. Nothing really sticks out like that this time around. I think that's really important.

A look at the "great work done with SI" thread and it's been a pretty good year for things accomplished with SI!