toonnation

#1

hi!
does the toonnation plugins work in v10? I can’t use it on my pc, is it only my problem, I thougt just the shaders wont work anymore but also multisky and all the other great thinks don’t work.

#2

nope…and since the guy who wrote them works for Pixar now making shaders, I don’t think we’ll be getting them updated. I for one will miss the awesome metal shaders!

  • pjc
#3

but why did he update the terrain plugin? so I think he own v10 and why he doesn’t work on the other things?

#4

I’m not sure about Pixar specifically (although the demise of Exluna/BMRT leads me to believe that it’s so), most large studios have “work product” clauses in their employment contracts. Basically, such a contractual stipulation means that everything you create while employed with the company (within the scope of your job description), belongs to the company. The end result is that, if he creates, modifies, or does any shader related work out side the confines of Pixar, Pixar still owns it.

#5

…which is one of the reasons I’m very sceptical to working in the US, though I do know that a lot of studios don’t have them (else we wouldn’t be seeing all those indepent shorts we’re seeing now). Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t think contracts like that are normal in Europe…or even legal. In theory, if you have a kid while working for the studio…the “studio owns your kid”:stuck_out_tongue: . It’s a total rape of individual rights, they’re simply not paying you enough for that. It’s just stifeling of the employees creativity, or alternately forcing them to lie about what they’re doing…and once they resign they suddenly come up with 10 shaders, a comic book and animated short, all in one month:). Other industries don’t work like that, if you’re a carpenter and build a house in your free time…you’re work place doesn’t own that house. The studio can take whatever I do during workhours, after that it’s my time and my creations.

Anyways…that’s all for todays rant, contracts like that just make me want to become a carpenter.

Ragnar

#6

In theory, if you have a kid while working for the studio…the “studio owns your kid”

That’s a little extreme, don’t you think?

The reason studios do this, and it’s for good reason, is:

  1. The creative process is NOT a 9-5 function that gets turned off when you leave the office. Studios recognize that creative people often do there most creative thinking outside the 9-5 time slot. :wink:

  2. Someone who puts in 8-10 a day at the studio, then goes home and works 2-4 hours on their personal stuff WILL burn out quite rapidly. Many studios try to impress the importance of “re-charging your batterys” in your off time, as opposed to “burning the candle at both ends” and winding up being un-productive during normal work hours.

Notice I said “within the scope of the job description”…this is likely the reason he was able to update the terrain plug…it has little to nothing to do with shaders, and shaders are what Pixar pays pays him for, not terrain generation plug-ins.

At my day gig as an electrical designer, my company has both work product and non-compete clauses in the employment contract. If I design something electrical in my free time, the company still has rights to it. If I quit my job, I can’t go to work with a competing company for 3 years. These clauses can always be waived by the employer upon termination (by my choice, or by my employers choice)…and it’s really not as Draconian as you make it sound. Just the company protecting their investment in me.

However, none of my 3D work or game development work fall under these clauses as they do not fall under the scope of my job description.

Everything in life is a trade off… :smiley:

Would you turn down a job at Pixar just because of a work product clause in the contract?

I wouldn’t!

#7

I’ll try and be on-topic first - there’s still huge demand for Toonation and I heard that AM would buy up or incorporate plug-ins that users had great need for.
I think these should be updated - AM could buy the rights as this work was done pre-Pixar…

Now back to the OT…
I would never sell my non 9-5 rights time to any company- no matter who and no matter how much for. luckily in my past I never came across that

The creative process is NOT a 9-5 function that gets turned off when you leave the office. Studios recognize that creative people often do there most creative thinking outside the 9-5 time slot.

I would expect to be paid or compensated for that work - I think you confuse “flexible working” with selling your soul here. i think your 2nd point shows the contradiction - what studio (in any sphere- I was an Automotive Designer) would expect employees to produce personal work that the company would have any rights to? How would you motivate your staff any further?
this was not a flame, I just disagree with your opinion here Ran13.

#8

Hey,

i was just browsing the forum and came across this thread.

the reason the shaders haven’t been updated is
mainly time. I’ve moved jobs, country, and have
a new baby. these things don’t leave much time for anything else.

also, i never thought the shaders were that popular. i had a few emails about them, but mostly didn’t think anyone was using them.

i finally got a copy of version 10, via Mr Navone
and the guys at Hash. i made some requests about new sdk features for 10.5, don’t know if they’ve made it in yet.
the terrain plugin was really simple to update,
that’s why i did that.

anyway… i have a couple of the shaders updated. i’ll stick them on the site soon.

cheers

Andy
www.toonnation.co.uk

#9

I’m still using 8.5 and trust me – I use your plug-ins all the time. Thanks alot for making them.

#10

AWESOME Andy!

Congrats on the new baby, and I for one miss having your shaders in my toolbelt.

oh yeah, and WELCOME!!

  • patrick j. clarke
#11

I use your plugins and shaders too, ¡fantastic!

#12

Andy your stuff ROCKS!!! Please update them!!! :>

#13

okay,

i’ve uploaded 3 shaders to

http://www.toonnation.co.uk/shaders

(At the bottom of the page.)

CookTorrence- the maya ‘blinn’ shader

BlinnPhong - much wider smoother highlight

and Glossy… blinnphong with a sharp edge.

should work with v10 and v10.5

enjoy!

#14

or

http://members.tripod.co.uk/toonnation/shaders.html

if that link doesn’t work.

#15

hi Andy,
may I pass my congrats to you also! As it’s your plug-in, would you re-post your links in the plug-in “sticky” thread?

cheers!
Alf

#16

Great to see that the plug-ins are getting updated, now I’ll have to start seriously considering upgrading my AM copy.

As for the OT stuff I sort of started. The kid things was in parentheses and with a smily behind it, in other words it was taking it to the extreme with a tounge in cheek. Though I still don’t like those kind of contracts. I agree that it’s not a 9-5 job, and that you can come up with lots of ideas in your free time (for a while I was thinking if I connect this to that, and drive this with that and…as I was falling asleep at night, rather than counting sheep). But that doesn’t mean you won’t take the ideas you come up with in your free time back to your employer. And if you actually get to own what you do in your free time, you’ll likely be more motivated to spend your free time testing out new ideas and doing 3d stuff, rather than drink beer and play pool. I’ve done AM stuff in my free time, that has given me ideas on how to set up and rig things in Maya at work.

As for being overworked and burning out, it’s true if you are sitting in front of your computer doing 3d at home and at work, it’s likely to happen. Though, maybe the studios should rather try to encourage you to have more healthy leisure activities with other methods.

Anyways, no more ranting. Great work Toonation.

Ragnar

Ragnar

#17

THAAAAANK YOU toonnation!!! :bounce: :thumbsup: :applause:
The waiting is over! :slight_smile:

oh wait, the zip file is corrupted, has anyone else the same problem?

cya

#18

Works fine for me, try it again maybe. I’m off to play…

#19

does somebody know a tutorial or could help me how to use the shaders, I understand how to activate them but I don’t know how they work and what I can do with them excactly. After activating I couldn’t see a difference or a result. Thanks!

#20

Thanks Andy!! :thumbsup: