That’s correct. EI couldn’t make financial sense by continuing along with the modeler. It’s been moribund for some time now and I don’t think it’s ever coming back. It’s way past time for folks to move on and away from this modeling app, since it has no future. I think Modo is where I’ll move next. Although I like Z Brush a lot too.
-Craig
I have never understood this, why would a company not want customers to know of the progress of a release?
In the case of Apple or Adobe it may be prudent not to say anything because people would stop buying the current version and would want to wait and purchase the new one instead.
In the case of EI this doesn’t apply, you couldn’t buy the previous version of Modeler even if you wanted to.
WIthout Modeler, what products will EITechnologyGroup have to sell? EI 8.0 probably won’t sell much once 9 comes out. Just wondering. -Derryl
Hi,
Well, they’ll want us all to buy version 9 anyway. I trust that they are doing the best they can and we have a great upgrade coming up. As far as modeler, it never had a chance, great or not. I’ve always wondered why people stuck with it when it was obvious pretty quickly that it didn’t have a future. When I learn apps I want to know that they’ll be around for awhile so that I can gain proficiency in them and don’t have to learn new apps over and over.
EI hasn’t ever been altogether chatty about what new stuff they have coming up.
-Craig
Maybe EITechnology Group is getting out of the business (Unless they’re selling plugins for EI9, I can’t see what they’re going to make.) I wonder if they’ll be going back to their roots as a visual effects house? I wonder what the chances are that we’ll see a reply to our questions?
I think that EIM was a pretty good modeler and extremely easy to learn. The only reasons it didn’t have a chance was that no one addressed the bugs, there was some kind of licensing issue and EITG has a hard time advertising its products.
On January 26, 2010, I posted a question on EI’s forum about modeler’s status.
Ian responded on January 29, 2010. – he said:
"Hi Hillsville,
Its still in active development, thats all I am able pass on.
Ian"
Here’s the link to the thread:
It’s still the best way to get a nurbs object into EI…whether I use Rhino or EIM everything goes through EIM on the way to EI. I get flawless meshes this way…something I can’t really say from any other app I use.
I personally find Rhino to be more efficient and practical in day to day work, but EIM is still a very nice modeler. Even if it isn’t full of new features I would like to see an update to current software and hardware.
People may not see value in EIM, but for me it still proves to be a very fast modeler. In my work, it wouldnt take many features to have it surpass other software as far as useful features.
Either way, this wasnt a good/bad post for either EIM nor EITG. I had just spent a week working in EIM and was curious what the status was of EITG and the future since I really hadnt heard much from them after the split announcement.
Peace,
Cj
A debate of interest and personal issues had broken the spine, time to rest for EIAS.
MDD import is one big step which everybody thought it could not be done due to the structure of the software, seem to me that there is no more interest of EIA3D of being or not in CGTALK from time to time Brad of EITG will post some samples or clarify any misunderstanding but we have seen nothing but MDD from the new team.
Last i heard was something about MP and 64 bit from the EIAS3D, nothing to say from EITG world.
I admire CJ for glorifying EIM, never got to use it from begining to end of a project just for its booleans,knives and bevels. It is so difficult to model something from scratch with some simple drawings as a reference.
Edgard
Well, it does a few certain things stupendously well. As long as it keeps working on our computers
(You could compare that to Macromedia Freehand’s case: the app is dead and buried, but still it is very alive in certain markets despite Illustrator’s advancements)
Actually Adobe Freehand MX is still alive and well. I used to be a big fan (until forced to use Illustrator at companies). Freehand had ways of doing things that were better than Illustrator and even features that beat Illustrator hands down. Marketing and advertising is key when matched against competitors. EITG take notice (what ARE they going to produce? Is the EITG team just going to retire?) I think EIAS3D is doing a good job with their recent newsletter and plug-in improvements. Keep up the good work guys.
EITG started to make Maya plugs. I remember one to do with sound. Not sure if that ever released.
Yes i applause such a collaboration, but still isnt enough, instead of having their own gallery we should be contributing here in the forums.
Some recent work where i have used EIAS.
http://vimeo.com/11287471
It has being long time since anybody has posted something here, i have seen some amazing stuff from Juanxer. Please share it.
Thanks,
Edgard
Well I’m still an EIM user learning Modo for backup. Thanks to Stefan (Futagoza) he provided me a link in these forums to add shortcuts to my EIM and helped speed up my modeling, just when I thought the program was just short of shortcuts or lacked capabilities. I’m still using EIM since it is the best candidate to get my models into EI. Now that I am on v8, I have to admit that importing from other apps 3dMax in particular has opened a new appreciation for downloading and purchasing 3dMax scenes that I can import.
EITG and EIAS3D have different goals. EITG has become silent while EIAS3D has become very vocal. I’d admit that the dispute of ASCIS technology was a weird hiccup during the “Play” days after it became EITG after, so I don’t hold it against them. The QT framework they are using again changed from private to public quite some time ago. By now they should be under full development or not.
My last search yielded that Kishore (although may be another Kishore or since he is a consultant he may wear multiple hats.) http://www.siggraph.org/s2009/attendees/programs/full.pdf late last year. Most of his news with EI end in 2007. I stopped tracking the progress. If EITG has something for us my guess IMHO is that the product will jump in the middle of z-brush / amorphium - EIM / silo / modo grade toolset. If this is not the case then at least I have Modo to continue my learning curve.
These are just tools. EIM just needed some tweaks and some optimization for today’s Powerful CPUS / CUDA and 64 bit systems. I’m not asking for a product now. HOWEVER knowing if any modeler would be canned would make it an easier step to just move on to new tools.
As far as Ian the last update was on 1/29/10 in EITG re: modeler status last word is that “it’s still in active development” so considering that was about 3 months ago and about 2+ years since we brainstormed Tesla name in these forums then my hope is that:
a) they fixed the bugs, updated the UI, updated codebase for all OS’s that it’ll run on. (done)
b) They may be beta testing an enhanced modeler to compete with other apps. (in progress)
c) They have a some sort of good integration into the possible EIv9 with EIAS3D. Although they mentioned that the new modeler may eventually grow into an animation platform. (Wishful thinking)
D) They took care of modeler, they realized that it would not compete as stand alone unless they added animation, CA tools, particles, dynamics, MDD and rendering capabilities (tall order i know) As they stated selling EIAS IP “This transfer will allow accelerated development and new technologies of the software to evolve, without limiting them to EITGs budget as it continues development of Modeler.” (Wishful thinking)
‘I’m not asking for a product now. HOWEVER knowing if any modeler would be canned would make it an easier step to just move on to new tools’.
I agree with your post - particularly with this bit.
If it is not going to fly then tell tell all the poop schmucks like me who still use and love using EIM and continue to wait (and wait…) for an update.
While Ian’s post was encouraging, in a way, it does nothing to indicate when the app may arrive. It’s already well over two years. Will I still be asking the same question in a years time? two years?
The fact that Brad hasn’t posted anything means to me that he’s between a rock and a hard place. Still developing, but probably very slowly because of limited resources, and possibly the major programmer either committed elsewhere or suffering from illness or other personal problems. So, he can’t give a timeline.
Just guessing, who knows? But then that’s the point isn’t it - everyone is just floating in limboland, guessing!
Michael.
After selling intellectual property from what I’ve seen going on lately in tech industry I’m sure it wasn’t less than 1 million. I’m sure reason why we didn’t hear from them while they negotiated was that they had to ensure funding, payment and distribution. Legalities across 3 countries and then closing of the deals ensuring all parties are happy and in agreement in moving forward afterward.
With whatever earnings EITG made from the sell off. They may have purchased a brand new team. The developers that worked in EIM are in other companies.
Kishore - EITG
Himashu - Autodesk (based on search)
Bob Bell - Renault team 3d simulations (based on search)
Norm Evangelista - MiTAC software engineer (linkedin & search)
So that core EIM team is gone with the exception of Kishore.
New blood may be working on new tech with new resources. Under the hypothetical going rate of 60 to 90k a developer a year and still selling EIAS v8 a 1 million or 2 million investment on R&D, development, QA and beta testing sounds feasible. I’ve been in environments where we dump 65k a month in errors, no results and then as refinements go under way you have a product.
I trust that we may need 1 more year before a true announcement in the open. That way there are no true disappointments in false hopes. Ian is my best gage and his 1 liner is enough information for me to sit back. I just truly hope this app is great. I’ve waited 7+ years to upgrade EIAS I can wait another 3 if I had to for a good modeler. In the mean time there are some great alternatives.
You think EITG could get 1 million for EIAS? Wow. I really wouldn’t have thought that. :eek: Wouldn’t think the user base would be big enough.
Btw, do you live in Alpharetta GA?
Yes in Alpharetta. In fuzzy math a while back considering EI is used in Brazil, Spain, Japan and US from my random searches. I try to keep the pulse on the market. Also on issues other 3d apps have and cross compatibility. 1 million would be considering there are 1,000 active users that have updated at the $450 upgrade price. This does not include if they have multiple licenses or are 1 in a team of 3 or 4.
I see the value based on a software sale not to mention konkeptonite upgrades that would be sold as well. So a 1 mil is a conservative number and 1/2 of that may had been negotiated as an ongoing relationship. Just seeing it from a business approach nothing more nothing less.
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