Buying Softimage updated

[Shredder565]

So, we're getting two different stories from two different reps.

One guy recommended we rent the autodesk creation suite 2016.

and the other lady is suggesting we migrate to max/maya 2017 because softimage is no longer listed for sale in those versions, even with the creation suite.

If Autodesk is truly trying to phase out selling even older versions of softimage, we really do need to find a way to fight back and get them to change their mind somehow.

IMHO they are being extremely short sighted.

On monday, we are going to call up CDW and ask about their maya/softimage 2016 combo for sale and see what they have to say.
If worse comes to worse, i can buy from CDW...and if Autodesk truly does stop doing support for it, there are probably other ways to get it to still work..

but I am to old to learn a whole new program, and i don't WANT to learn a whole new program at this point. Softimage does what i need it to do.

but we seem to be getting two different stories here on what is available. and the one lady trying to stear us toward max or maya (and who knows how long max will be around at this rate) sounds more like a senior official and may earn points for trying to migrate us.

[luceric]

Autodesk continues to support product licensing (transfers, reformat) support for old products that you purchased, it's not related general product support.

[Shredder565]

Autodesk continues to support product licensing (transfers, reformat) support for old products that you purchased, it's not related general product support.

That's what I thought.

But, the way you heard them word it, that will not be the case for older software like 2014 and won't be for future releases of other software.


This is why i think this is a case of 'sales points for getting people to migrate'. this sounded like a senior sales lady on the phone telling us something different that the lower tech clerk told us the other day.


I think i may just buy it on the CDW website so i have the 2016 version..and hopefully that safeguards me for a while...

[luceric]

Product license support has no set end date. It's not a 3-versions-back thing. But it's just to reactivate license: i.e. they won't help you getting the product installed and running.

Can a third party sell you an un-opened box they still got in a cupboard after all of these years, and will that license activate? Perhaps, I don't know.

From what you wrote here, it looks like the first guy tells you you could rent the 2016 Suite to get Softimage, but I think it's horrible advice.

In time (in calendar year 2018, I think) the 2016 suite should roll off the 3 version back previous rights, so you'd lose the right to run it. That advice only makes sense if you only need Softimage while migrating.

You say the lady tells you to migrate to another product, because Softimage isn't being sold anymore, and neither are the migration packages. That is all unquestionably true. She doesn't have anything to sell you, it's not in the books.

They only sell rentals of the current year's products, and nothing else.

There is nothing else she can do for you other than suggest maya or max rentals. You also can't go to Subway and ask for Big Mac. It's not a product for sale on the menu.

[Shredder565]

Product license support has no set end date. It's not a 3-versions-back thing. But it's just to reactivate license, they won't help you getting the product installed and running.

Can a third party sell you an un-opened box they still got in a cupboard after all of these years, and will that license activate? Perhaps, I don't know.

From what you wrote here, it looks like the first guy tells you you could rent the 2016 Suite to get Softimage, but I think it's horrible advice.

In time (in calendar year 2018, I think) the 2016 suite should roll off the 3 version back previous rights, so you'd lose the right to run it. That advice only makes sense if you only need Softimage while migrating.

You say the lady tells you to migrate to another product, because Softimage isn't being sold anymore, and neither are the migration packages. That is all unquestionably true. She doesn't have anything to sell you, it's not in the books.

They only sell rentals of the current year's products, and nothing else.

There is nothing else she can do for you other than suggest maya or max rentals. You also can't go to Subway and ask for Big Mac. It's not a product for sale on the menu.

I wouldn't mind renting it, so long as we could CONTINUE to rent it after the three years are up.

what it sounds like they are doing is phasing out having it be available completely.

but, just so long as i can get a single to own version and always have that optoin to re activate..that's all that i need.


sigh.

this is what i get for waiting so long.. should have done this last year..

[myara]

So you have SI 2014 and want to upgrade to 2015?
Well you most probably can't, so don't. You're not missing that much.
2015 had some ICE improvements and fixes, nothing huge in comparison to 2014 really.

[Shredder565]

I'd still like to anyway. all this licensing re activation talk has me confused.


Plus, if i can get a full maya out of it, it's probably time i learned that anyway.
we're calling CDW on monday just to see if they might offer a discount on it seeing as how it's a discontinued program anyway..

Probably not, but can't hurt to ask.

[Rez007]

As Myara mentioned, if you already have Softimage 2014 there is not too much in Softimage 2015 that you are missing (I think it is only like 9 fixes or something like that.) I would also definitely listen to what Luceric is saying, as he works for AD and he steered me right as well, when the transition period was nearing the end. I was thinking the same thing about going to the Suite, but that 3 version thing is tricky and I don't want to loose access to Softimage, not to mention very expensive. I went with the "Maya with Softimage" bundle which also has a separately generated SKU for its bundle, so that will allow me to run Maya and Softimage in perpetuity.

That whole ordeal is very confusing and being able to try to find a "Maya with Softimage" bundle with Maintenance now, might be tricky. You might also want to try Motion Media. My previous reseller retired so I switched to them after checking out a few places.

Best of luck.

[Shredder565]

thanks,

So I guess the suite option is out.

so far, this is the only maya with softimage bundle i can find, and it has 2016 on it so it'll have that Xray issue fix the 2015 version had right out of the bat.

All I need is to garuntee what you said.. 'so that will allow me to run Maya and Softimage in perpetuity.'

At the very least, until i have time to properly learn maya. which might not be a bad idea anyway, no matter how confusing it looks.

so long as THIS version would get me that, i'd consider it a worthy last time purchase.
I'm searching motion media now, but if anyone finds anything else that fits the above, lmk.
I'll hold off on purchasing anything for a bit.

thanks

[Shredder565]

https://www.cdw.com/shop/products/Autodesk-Maya-with-Softimage-Maintenance-Plan-1-year/3355858.aspx?pfm=srh

and this site also has this. all this plan stuff is confusing

[Rez007]

Hi,

I think you should talk to a reseller directly before you make a purchase. I now use Brian at Motion Media. I think you should just call up directly and speak to someone first. You might also want to create a "Support Ticket" at Autodesk Support in the licensing area and ask there. They might be able to verify for you too. I do not know for sure what can come from this, but that is what I would do before making a big, and somewhat unsure, purchase.

If it does work, you should look into getting onto Maintenance so you can get the latest and newest versions of Maya, in Perpetuity.

Just some ideas, but best of luck.

[luceric]

you're the perfect user for Blender, and was a perfect XSI Foundation user. I don't get shelling out thousands of dollars at this point, or planning to learn another pro app. (that $628.99 yearly maintenance plan on CDW requires buying the $3,777.99 product license, so it's 4,406.98$ the first year)

[Rez007]

That is a good point too. I was thinking you needed to go onto something, but if you really are not pressed, then keeping your Softimage 2014 and trying Blender would save you a ton of cash, and who knows what may happen in the future.

[Shredder565]

The Only reason I'd spend all that on getting maya and piece of mind with SoftImage is simple. For now at least, Maya is the industry standard.



Now that I expect to get good enough to go pro,

But, side jobs maybe at an un professional level...

Who knows. i'm just musing on the future at this point.

but I'd like to stick with Softimage and if I'm going to learn anything, it'd be nice to be the industry standard.

[Rez007]

It is still a lot of money to spend. I really only took the "Maya with Softimage" route because I already bought Softimage when it was still owned by Avid, and I have been on Maintenance support ever since. So, the way I looked at it, is that I already had so much invested in Softimage (from the initial purchase and many years or maintenance) that I took the free offering of the "Maya with Softimage" bundle. And Maintenance now, is less expensive than renting. Now, if Autodesk ever stopped Maintenance and forced Rental only, then that is where I stop, as I like owning and having a perpetual license. I would use what I have at that point for as long as possible, while keeping my eye open on possible offerings, whatever that may be.

There are a lot of options out there, like Houdini Indie ($200 per year), Lightwave (I think it is on sale for about $695), Modo (I think they have a 20% off sale now too), Cinema 4D (this one is a bit more pricey - more inline with Maya), and Blender (which is free and has additional render engines now like Pixar's Renderman).

Not to confuse you, as this can all be a headache - I have been there last year thinking about all of this too - but I wanted to list options for you. Now, if you want to do Maya, you may also want to look at Maya LT (~$30 per month). With Maya LT you don't have a renderer, and other, more advanced options are missing, but you do also get Stingray, which is AD's game engine for free - commercial license with no royalties. If gaming is your goal, that is about the best option out there. You could also export your models from Maya LT to Unreal or Unity for rendering too, albeit a bit more tricky.

It is a tough situation, but I think you should look into with whatever makes you feel best, like "trust your gut" type of thing. You definitely don't want to regret your final choice, just be mindful of your options before making your final decision. If you try speaking with a reseller, you may also get a better deal than what is listed on a website.

Best of Luck!

[Mathaeus]

but I'd like to stick with Softimage and if I'm going to learn anything, it'd be nice to be the industry standard.

Regarding Maya LT, actually it should be possible to get a look of your TMNT series, only by real time shaders, and to Playblast that out to pics, together with alpha and VP2 anti aliasing. But, once you're learning the new software, perhaps you'll change your goals, who knows..
Imho main disadvantage of LT, when it comes to let's call it ease to use rigging and animation (especially rigging), it's lack of so many plugins, available for regular version. Sometimes there's really need to study things completely, from all aspects, which is good knowledge, but somehow completely different from practice of so many Maya or Max users these days, who will learn how to use plugins, first, maybe never even trying to live with out of the box solution.