Autodesk Signs Agreement with Avid Technology to Acquire Softimage

#1201

I strongly disagree, and for the life of me I have no idea the reason for the bashing on ANY applicaton (And yes the Lightwaw coment felt like a really cheap shot).

Having said that

Can we get back ON TOPIC.

thanks

#1202

On the one hand Softimage must have had some say in the decision to be bought out by adesk, if not, then Avid just made the call for them, in any case we have no real idea of how the core people at Softimage really feel about this themselves, or de we?

I mean personally, the ideal situation would have been for Softimage to raise the capital itself ($35mil is peanuts) or seek independent partners or some other option. There’s plenty of money around in the industry if you look for it, even in this economic climate, the entertainment industry hasn’t seen any real fallout yet.

So it makes me think, as much as I feel uncomfortable with Softimage being put into a company that won’t necessarily encourage independent development, why would Softimage allow it if there wasn’t something in it for them?

The only thing I can think of is that Avid was quite eager to dump Softimage, so in response Softimage had to find an exit strategy that would keep them alive, at least for the short term. As someone rightly pointed out, Softimage has gone through a number of owners, including Micro$oft and survived it for the better. My sincere hope is that Softimage will survive this and become stronger for it!

Avid was an awesome partnership while it lasted as Softimage basically had free range and independence which I’m affraid will not be the case during its stint with adesk.

edit: just watched the “interview” with Marc Stevens and Marc Petit… it speaks volumes… seems Avid was trying to offload Softimage since the beginning of the year and it took this long for them to finally decide on adesk. Even the General Manager of Softimage said about adesk, “it wasn’t our first choice”… and that’s him talking to the company that bought them out…

#1203 
 I have to agree. Zbrush is in big trouble. I mean if I have to jump through all kinds of hoops to get displacements, normals, and painted maps to work from zbrush to my 3D software or just click a transfer button from Mudbox to Maya, Max, or Softimage......I think the choice is pretty simple. None of this bodes well, but who knows, maybe Autodesk will be their own worst critics and drive themselves for innovation. It will still have to be three separate teams, and I'm sure none of those people will want to let a software lag behind. Regardless, maybe a Modo or Software X comes out of nowhere to compete down the road.....
#1204

I guess it all come down to the experience you might had with AD… if you are Max user, you would be ok… but if your software was bought by AD some time ago, you might have a different story to tell.

remember EditDV? Cleaner? Combustion? Maya?

if you tell me that they have done any work to them since they bought these software… well… I guess you don’t use them much…

kinda like Adobe Freehand? haha !!

#1205

well i strongly disagree with the maya comment, maya looks incredibly strong thesedays and is the leader for film fx and character animation.

combustion got replaced by toxic…and combustion dev has really slowed to a crawl i’d agree on that point.

the worst cenario i can see for xsi would be a maintenence of xsi and not much dev except for bringing some stuff inline with max and maya such as better fbx and the small stuff lie the view cube, walk nav, steering wheel, units of measurment, ies lights.

i believe autodesk’s next move will be to aquire their own renderer and add that to all of their 3d apps> maya, max, moton builder, studio tools and xsi ALONGSIDE their continued aliance on 3rd party bundled renderers including mental ray.
could be a reyes renderer or something like final render or vray.

as for the competition i really think they need to come back swinging with incredibly strong releases for siggy 2009 or they’ll look like has beens…

houdini needs to get easier to use an cheaper for the top version
modo needs bones, particles and a node material editor
lightwave needs version 10 out
cinema needs to cut it’s pricing and make it cheaper to maintain the modules

currently the only contender for all round 3d appwould be the studio bundle version of maxon’s cinema.

as for mudox…i agree and disagree… the idea of a 1 click export to maya, xsi and max is quite compelling but that doen’t cut much mustard if you prefer to sculpt in zbrush and it’s wealth of tools it has over mudbox 2009…and note that 3.5 is due out…see how that handles mudbox2009…we already know it has a proper perspective view and a grid floor in zbrush 3.12 [mac osx] plus a 1 click normal mapping tool.
then there’s 3d coat which may just surpass ALL the sculpting apps…it’s devleopment seems incredibly fast compared to mudbox and Zbrush…i couln;t guess where it would be for siggy 2009.

i’d also guess that vue infinate would be on autodesk’s radar for aquisition at some point.

that’s about the size of it other than sketchup, carrara, messiah studio and other smaller apps…

it’s not a lock out yet…maybe it’s nr a lockout for the educational area training in colleges for 3d but the industry as a whole is much larger and more interested in specialist apps alongside the main top tier with apps like rhino and sketchup.

going to be an interesting 2009…

who’s next?

#1206 
 What does this has anything to do with Autodesk Acquiring XSI?
 
 And why are you spamming this thread with an advertisement about a software that isn't considered professional?
 
 Look at the examples you've given, it's not up to par with what XSI is capable of, how can you even think to consider it is a substitute for XSI? Is this the best it can do?
 
 XSI can still be purchased. It's not phased out. Why are you suggesting this POS $49.00 software? 
 
 ALL the images shown has the plasticky 90's look to it. I wouldn't want that even if the software is free. Jeez is your measuring stick for CG quality was taken directly from the 90s?
 
 Oh and I've bought the $49.00 yearly subscription just to see what's the fuss is all about and I tell you I'd rather use the $49.00 as toilet paper than buying this software. All I can say is : Jeez! This software isn't even worth $49.00. Slooooooooow rendering speed (an inherent problem with patches), Jesus, you ca't even model in shaded mode without the software going "Finding patches calculating normals" for 5 FRIKKIN MINUTES EVERY time I have to attach splines!
 
 The SSS don't work - rendered black (in fact I have read this been brought up in A:M forums and then the thread was conveniently deleted by Martin) the program crashes every minute -despite the cheerleaders saying it doesn't crash - they're lying - they just want ou to join their cult! - try and buy it yourself and go through the basic tutorials by THEMSELVES (that's right)- it can't even go pass the first one without crashing every minute!

And there are various issues that plague A:M users : video card problem, HDR render problems, performance problems etc etc. To bad no one is ever to prove it othr than giving them $49.00 for a year because all the post in A:M forum concerning these problems has been tyrannically deleted by Martin!

 Talking about backassward technology! 
 
 On topic : To the people who says: "I'm not going to use XSI anymore I'm going to use Blender, Lightwave, Houdinin etc it is obvious you haven't used XSI and are not serious about using it AT ALL  and  most likely haven't build anything at all with XSI, and didn't even aquire the software LEGALLY because logical judgement dictates that if someone use the software, bought the software with his/her own money/sweat and blood, learned to use the software for hours on end and has made some decent work with the software, it would be totally idiotic to abandon it at the sight of another company (which is a bigger financial backer) buying the assets of the company who owned the software.
 
 The people behind Softimage XSI is still building it and making the software better and better everyday (unlike some unstable POS crapola software that crashes every minute who claims it "democratises 3D" but all it support is 1 pathetic native geometry format and the people behind it are as stubborn as a bunch of pot smoking mules.

Oh and to the quoted OP keep reading those Martin’s minutes.

#1207

:argh: dude, all softwares have problems, and you pay nothing more than 2000% more than AM. I bet AM is useful for some people. But yeah I agree spamming this legendary thread with other software that has nothing to do with it, is quite repelling.

#1208

Amen

And this is why WE DONT DO THIS KIND OF THREADS IN THIS FORUM.

We have a ton of some new people posting for the first time on this thread.
Please read the stickies on the top of this forum…

LETS GET BACK ON TOPIC

#1209

Just a question, not meant to infuriate anyone, but, what is the topic by the way?

There seems to not be any room for any discussion because, simply, the topic is just an announcement. Any kind of reply in a form of a “personal opinion” is technically off-topic. So, what is allowed and what not, when everything in the end leads to a huge flame war. :shrug:

#1210

Here is the thing guys…
The reason this forum has, modesty aside, some of the
best artwork in the world on our galleries, is simple.

Talent talks.

And if this STUPID application bickering continues I will close the thread.

We dont care what you use to do your artwork, (hell you could use electronic crayons) we only care that
[ul]
[li]It looks GREAT[/li][li]It is DONE FROM SCRATCH[/li][li]It is original[/li][li]It looks profesional (This means that And it can stand up to ANY professional piece out there.)[/li][li]And it is a great piece of ART.[/li][/ul]We dont like threads that state
[ul]
[li]Users of X app are using a toy…[/li][li]X app is more professional that Y app…[/li][/ul]And my favorite
[ul]
[li]most people should be using X[/li][/ul]This only lead to flame wars…

So lets talk about topics like
[ul]
[li]What are the consequences to the industry?[/li][li]Why this is a great thing?[/li][li]Why this is a disaster?[/li][li]What Autodesk gains from this?[/li][li]Whar are the competitors saying?[/li][li]Why this will cause more innovation?[/li][li]Why this will cause LESS innovation?[/li][li]How the industry will be one year from now?[/li][li]What are our plans after this?[/li][li]Who knew?[/li][li]Why was the price so low?[/li][li]How are the studios reacting?[/li][li]How about the Small vendors ?[/li][/ul]

#1211

My last post covered almost every single one of those items and you bitched that I was off topic. If youre going to whine every time someone says something less than golden about lightwave, maybe you should consider letting someone else moderate this discussion?

The underlying question is what non-autodesk products still exist as competition? The realistic answer is pretty much c4d and lightwave; however put your personal feelings and preferences aside for a moment: which of these is really likely to pose much threat to autodesk?

maxon is pulling in new customers left right and centre, the company is growing with more programmers, opening new offices worldwide and above all, theyre very profitable for their parent company.

lightwave is making new updates and improving the software, this makes the existing customers generally happy and I imagine it could continue indefinitely, but now honestly tell me, how many new customers are being pulled in? is the company expanding? Without a new customer base, a company/product can only coast along or start shrinking.

This isnt a lightwave bash Its a realistic assessment of the situation

Modo is on the rise and in the short-mid term future they could grab a decent part of the market once everything gets fleshed out a bit more. Other than that, what else is there? houdini is nice but bugger me the learning curve is a vertical cliff face.

Blender has the potential to sneek up and pounce but until whoevers running it pulls their head out and agrees that the entire interface needs scrapping and starting from fresh, its going nowhere.

#1212

Answering “How about small vendors?”

Still gonna use Foundation 4.2 until I’m forced to go to Vista (which it doesn’t work on).
Still considering shelling out $3k for Essentials - no matter WHO owns it.
Still gonna upgrade to C4D 11 for the matte painting tools, and some other things I find I can do quicker on C4D than XSI.

But WHY am I still considering the Essentials purchase?
Because there are things XSI does that I like better than C4D - simple as that.

There is no single killer app - there are tools from “this” one we like, and tools from "that one we like.

Just buy the tools you like. They’ll still be there in 5 years - I’m positive of this. and they’ll just get better because the same people will be developing them - all source code will not go to random AD developers, and we’ll stand around crossing our fingers and hoping for the best.

#1213

wellm on topic, this in’t huge news for the industry no matter how much anyone wants to claim it to be so.

The same claim was made about the purchase of Maya, and it had ZERO effect.

XSI while having a decent following of loyal users, is overall an insignificant app in the entertainment industry. It isn’t the most popular app in use in studios worldwide.
It doesn’t have the largest installed user base in the industry.

The loss of XSI will in general have virtually no effect what so ever on the industry overall except to those few studios that use it.

And those who like XSI7, the software doesn’t suddenly become unusuable because Autodesk bought it. XSI isn’t going to suddenly regress because of Autodesk buying it. and you have the nice cube in the corner to look forward to in XSI 2009!!

For crying out loud people grow up.

Now there is a major positive side to this in that smaller companies have an opportunity to become more competitive in the marketplace. Right now there is a potential at least for LW to gain some share, providing they actually take advantage of the possibilities.

Likewise Luxology has a rare window of opportunity to gain share with recent events, as do other apps. Providing of course they are smart enough to make the effort.

why this ridiculous thread has raged on for 80+ pages is astounding.

#1214

some good points you made there.
in the educational area which creates new 3d artists for the industry, autodesk have a lockout with max and maya, adding xsi and mudbox will strengthen that.

as you said there is a small space for inovation from other 3d software but the money and r & d is mostly at autodesk now.

#1215

Well, the money is one thing, but the R&D is another! R&D is solely done by the brilliant people working at ADSK, if they get fired or just leave I can’t imagine a guy with a resume saying “I wrote the core algos for FaceRobot” being out of job!

As MadMax pointed out, smaller shops are likely to pick up these people and start a brand new “evolution” of the CG industry tools.

#1216

If you have issues with my duties as a moderator, plese feel free to contact Cgtalk moderation.
The forum rules are clear. Please read them next time you post.

Edited by Mod…

#1217

and on that note…

how about we finally close this thread ;-). it seems every bit of pertinent discussion has already occurred. and really… aren’t 81/82 pages enough already?

#1218

Before it’s closed, I want to ask something.

The Antitrust Law prohibits restrictive agreements, abuses of dominant market positions and mergers and acquisitions with the effect of restricting or eliminating competition.
Wouldn’t this acquisition have the effect of eliminating competition? How come it was allowed to go through?

I supposed it’s still better than if some teacher’s pensioner fund company who has no clue about 3DCG buying it but still…

#1219

err nope. Avid sold off that division for cash. No probs with Autodesk buying it… they got a bargain. Avid wasn’t any better than the teacher’s pension company for managing a 3D division. They probably bought Softimage to kill off DS and Eddie anyways so their priorities weren’t to keep Softimage as a major product line.

So why isn’t this thread dead yet?

#1220

Would’ve been better if Side Effects bought it so it becomes a two way duel, Max+Maya vs Houdini+XSI. :smiley: