Cj’s top 10:
what’s yours?
Cj
10.) Full Hair/Fur/Cloth solution
9.) Vertex weighting
8.) Much more advanced Morphing system
7.) Lattice Deformer
6.) Spline Ik solution
5.) Soft Ik solution
4.) more advanced Ik tools
3.) New giu & customizable hotkeys- examples: dock-able palettes for quicker access… Panes instead of separate windows…etc
2.) Better bone falloff and weight maps
1.) INTEGRATED MODELER
Sadly, I have hardly been using EI these days - there are aspects of it I really like. The Aniso shader is the best I have ever come across in any app, it reads EIM models perfectly, it is simple to use and can handle hi-poly/hi-res very well but the apps I use to get much more done take advantage of all of the processors in my computers when rendering tests and stills. The new features are very good.
Once I had experienced a good multi-processor support implementation in Modo and in Brazil4Rhino for rendering…and the speed increase in productivity, it’s almost impossible to want to go back even though EI has some advantages.
I think EI is the only 3D app which does not have multi-processor support - this is a vital ‘run of the mill’ feature. Yes, I’ve heard it will take considerable work to implement but it needs to be done.
CJ and Richard,
A lot of your CA requests are being considered, however, the beta team & developers found a considerable amount of internal infrastructure work needs to be done in order to accomplish those high level CA and vertex level features. v8 will hopefully begin to address those infrastructure requirements at some level, however there probably wont be a huge jump in CA tools until v9. Some of the things that I’ve seen that are being put into place for v8 includes UI improvements, 64bit support, more API enhancements, a large number of user requested workflow tools, additional render capabilities for Camera, OpenEXR, and so forth. From what I can determine, the intent with v8 is to round out the package and provide a more solid base to expand the program on.
As with any upgrade, a balance must be struck between new tools and overhauls to the older legacy infrastructure. We all know EIAS was originally intended to be a hard surface animation package. If too much is done in overhauls, as opposed to new tools, users may not see the benefits of upgrading and may pass over v8 and wait until later. EI can’t afford to do this, so a balance between UI, tools, and infrastructure must be struck.
Tesla is also an interesting development as well. If it turns out to be an amazing program, I wouldn’t be surprised to see EITG consider expanding it, rather than Animator, with more “organic” animation tools because it will possess the internal vertex level capabilities so many CA users require.
I’d suggest:
-Being able to Preferences-set preview renderings to transparently use Renderama’s frame strip rendering (and showing the results in Animator as normal previews do): that ought to alleviate the need for true multithreaded multiprocessing where it hurts most. Having previews produce Layer Shader files if render settings are so set.
-Some way to provide a “one button-occlusion pass” or something that can be integrated into the Layer Shaders output without needing to adjust materials and save an occlusion pass-oriented version of the project apart. Or at least some way to temporaly override all objects’ Materials and set them as neutral. It’s mostly about having a “one button-Ian’s OP recipe” :).
-In this forum there have been many UI suggestions that make sense before: screensets, making all Info windows user-floatable, keyboard shortcuts remapping (I’d add to that more-than-two button mouse mapping), mousewheel support, etc. I’d see about revising all Info windows so that sizes are regular enough (say, Material Info-width and half-width) for them to be neatly piled aside.
-I’d steal from After Effects’ UI as much as possible.
That more-than-8 bpc output is being considered is very encouraging.
“-Being able to Preferences-set preview renderings to transparently use Renderama’s frame strip rendering (and showing the results in Animator as normal previews do): that ought to alleviate the need for true multithreaded multiprocessing where it hurts most. Having previews to produce Layer Shader files if render settings are so set.”
I like this - I know a multiprocessor supported Camera is a lot of work…but essential. If this approach is do-able and fairly transparent it might be the perfect compromise. But, it needs to be a workable and transparent approach - as you mentioned.
Vizfizz, I’m not saying this about you, as I know you are only the messenger pulling for all of our request…
but do you know how frustrating this is?
EI should be busting its arse to catch up and also give the long time users who have stuck
with them some acknowledgment for being loyal to them.
co-sign
Anyway, no particular order.
3DArtZ,
Personally, I think you’re being a bit unfair. (But understandably so) No one, except maybe Alonzo, wants CA for EI more than I do. Trust me. I know this news is frustrating. Before I really got a handle on what needed to be done for EITG to transform EIAS into a CA powerhouse, I was a little put off by the news myself. Then I started seeing the amount of work required in relationship to the amount and type of assets we have in getting the job done.
I can assure you that Brad Parscale is VERY committed in making EIAS competitive again. We will see modern CA tools emerge in our camp eventually whether its in the form of EIAS enhancements or the transformation of Tesla into a potential CA tool. However, try to realize that EI is busting its arse. Seriously, they are. The folks at EI are doing everything to stay in the game and if you look at the history of the program, there are several instances where they could have rightfully abandoned ship…permenantly. But, they’re still with us, and plan to stay with us until they’re back on top again.
There are lots of things EITG must balance to keep viable. Every release must be carefully planned and tactically considered, because one false step could mean the end. Therefore, if version 8 came out with all the necessary infrastructure enhancements to handle CA to the level we wanted it, but didn’t include a single new tool, how many people do you think would upgrade to the product? Very few. Most would wait it out until the next version came about. That’s not good for a company with limited financial resources.
Animator just isn’t equipped to properly handle objects on the vertex level. An entire new “mesh” subsystem has to be written to allow users to manipulate geometry on that level and that’s not all. The programmers have identified at least 3 to 4 additional instructure requirements necessary to accomodate our requests. Throw those on top of the other demands users are making and EITG rapidly gets overwhelmed. We’re still wanting 64 bits, better memory management, a multithreaded Camera, a new interface, and so forth. So EITG is forced to balance each upgrade with infrastructure enhancements, new tools, and workflow upgrades. Each tends to rely on each other. New tools are dependant on infrastructure enhancements, UI and workflow upgrades tie into new tools a bit, and so on.
So there’s a fork in the road so to speak with the advent of Tesla. Here we’re getting an entire new modeling programming, rewritten by the original author of Modeler, on a new infrastructure, new kernel, and with modern OS features. A decision must be made as to what makes more practical sense. Divert CA animation requirements to Tesla and groom it to become the next flagship application or rebuild Animator. This has been a big debate in the EITG war room for a while now. Which is going to be more beneficial? There are big advantages for each.
Brad is dedicated to keeping EIAS alive and going forward with Tesla. The questions that remain are in deciding which direction to go, and where to specialize each application into what it does best.
Everything that is being done for EIAS v8 is needed and the enhancements being put in place will make it an even stronger package still. There will be tools in there that will benefit the CA user, but I don’t see v8 as the CA be all end all. There is just too much that has to be done.
I must be missing something? In the Plug-in SDK, there is vertex access? Maybe “properly” is the operative word?
Cj
CJ,
Though I’m not a programmer, I understand it as such:
Within Animator, there is no direct select method of manipulating an object on the vertex level within the actual work windows themselves. Yes, the plugin SDK allows vertex manipulation, as seen in Paralumino’s geometry tools and through the various morphing tools EI has, however this does not address the complete problem.
In CA we want minute control over every aspect of our models and direct interaction with them. Tools like various spline manipulators, lattice control verts, clusters, vertex selection and so forth all require a method to select those items inside the work windows themselves. Image if you had to open a plugin window everytime you wanted to move and animate a cluster or control point. Not very effective…not to mention it could potentially slow workflow down to a crawl.
The meshing subsystem required in Animator would keep track of all these control points and vertices on a level that’s managable and realistic. Remember, Animator was never originally designed to do this. There was no need to control an object on the vertex level because of Animator’s reliance on an external modeler. Animator moves objects around on the object level … not on the component level. The ‘mesh’ subsystem would create that component level for us.
There’s no need to add connection editor without virtual sliders or custom attributes. It’s about workflow. Every CA project has “production” concerns. Things like increased interactivity and speed when geometry is hidden impacts “production jobs” as it does “CA projects”.
Brian's right about me. As much as I want CA features, I clearly posted on the beta board that CA features are useless without improved "production ehancements". Every CA project has production/management concerns. Toon need occlusion and multipass just as much as cars renders. CA is dependent on a solid kernel and workflow infrastructure for smoothly handling the characters calculations. CA features are not one component onto itself. It's workflow dependant on a interwoven chain of features of the total pipeline.
I ditto'd 3DArtz was to say "Hurry Up and Don't forget to say thanks for waiting" :)
I say that knowing there's a lot more users more loyal or singluraly dedicated than I.
Though I have used EI since verson 1.5 , I use other tools besides EI.
Last point, EI isn't only app with a restless mob of users. ZBrush Mac Users have be waiting for a OSX release for a year after PC users. Not a word from Pixologic. (excluding Aurick)
Least we got Brian :)[ol]
[li]Marketing[/li][li]Sales[/li][li]Marketing[/li][li] Sales[/li][li]Marketing[/li][li] Sales[/li][li]Marketing[/li][li] Sales[/li][li]Marketing[/li][li] Sales[/li][/ol] Nuff said.
Thank you Blair… that is right on the money. We’ll get those features eventually… but without those two features you listed… it won’t happen.
Well without some of these features, sales might be tough. Tough thing to balance I’m sure. But I agree, EI’s marketing definitely needs a lot of help.
Marketing is like a gun.
The bullets are the features and direction of the software that you
can shoot direct towards the users/potential users.
Right now, EI’s gun shoots plastic bullets.
Marketing is like a gun.
The bullets are the features and direction of the software that you
can shoot directly towards the users/potential users.
Right now, EI’s gun shoots plastic bullets.
I wouldn’t say EIAS is shooting plastic bullets. It just has a limited caliber and a marksman that isn’t quite proficient yet. In the right hands, even small caliber munitions can kill. If we want more…we either have to up the caliber or get a better rifleman.
Personally, I’d rather we have artillery… but perhaps one day.
So why don’t we move on from this tired topic of what EI doesn’t have and move onto something more productive.
v7 has some great new tools (lets use them), v8 is promising more (and I’ll share those as soon as I can), Tesla is around the corner (I’m trying to get Brad to give us some sneak peeks), Sonica is beta testing, and I’m running a contest to give away an iPod. Half the reason EIAS image suffers so much is because of how much EIAS users like to keep pointing out what’s still missing. I’ll agree its important to identify what we still need, but at the same time, its counter productive especially after a recent release. It makes us look like an ungrateful bunch. I think its more the psychology of wanting EI to be back on top that gets us always pointing out its flaws.
I think the developers are making good strides, though I’m always eternally optimistic. Can I get an amen?