what the heck is going on with HASH

#401

If any of you are web designers you probably know that what you should do is what everybody else does. Yeah … I know it sounds boring and it is. Heck you have all those ideas and the tools and you actually have to accept that people visiting you site not are the least interested in figuring out how your cool interface works and spending any time on learning how to navigate it.

It’s a bit of the same with applications. You do however have more than 30 seconds, your boss might say take it or leave or it’s the only one you can afford.

I wanted to buy a ‘world’ renderer a while ago and evaluated Bryce and Vue. Bryce did not even stand a chance. I sat down with the apps and tried to do something with them.

By the time I was trowing out great renders with Vue, importing models, applying materials, creating procedurals without even reading the manual i still was at the ‘render a sphere level’ in Bryce having to look in the manual even for simple interface stuff.

The only thing that could have saved Bryce after that was if it would have managed to do something that Vue could not. But as it could not I bought Vue. I also save almost 50% of my money on that.

I also bought ZBrush(1.23) but I hated the ‘none standard interface’, the totally unreadable typface, bad windows integration and the license system so I returned the product and got a refound.

When I buy a computer product I don’t want to have to fight and waist time on learning the interface unless it’s absolutely nessesary.

Well just my $0.02435 incase anyone cares… :wink:

#402

If you think Hash is unique in trying to supress free speech – take a look at the LightWave forum here on cgtalk, where they are actually censoring threads. If I’m not mistaken, the moderator actually works at NewTek. Hell, these guys make Steve look like Thomas Jefferson.

Thank God for this forum and the super cool moderator we have.

#403

I have sensored a few things. Mainly just attacks people launch on each other. Makes me feel like crap though. I mean. . . we all sit around bashing on one thing. . . and that means we can’t bash on each other?

Kinda hard to know what to do. . .

#404

without dragging this thread off topic…

Did I miss something in the LW forum, pabitel?

Leigh deleted two threads that started as speculation about LW8 - a topic that has been beat to death over there, and one which pisses a lot of people off - and you say she’s worse then Steve?! I would hardly call that censorship or even an attempt to suppress free speech.

And for the record, as far as I know she does not work for Newtek.

Wegg - feel free to delete this post (if it’s possible?) - my intention is not to drag this into the mud. I just find it a bit of an unjust exageration unless I missed something over there recently.

#405

as one of the censored :slight_smile: i’d say that it’s being done only when absolutely necessary… when the thread becomes both disruptive and irrelevant to the topic at hand: the good and bad aspects of life with animation: master.

i’ve got no complants. it’s light-years from the one-sided treatment on the animaster list.

-jon

#406

Originally posted by pabitel
If you think Hash is unique in trying to supress free speech – take a look at the LightWave forum here on cgtalk, where they are actually censoring threads. If I’m not mistaken, the moderator actually works at NewTek. Hell, these guys make Steve look like Thomas Jefferson.

Yes, one of the moderators does work for NewTek.

However, I think your accusation is completely unfounded. We are all SICK TO DEATH of that topic that I (not William) removed. I wouldn’t have even removed it, since I started ignoring those threads a long time ago, but I received a few complaints about it from users (not NewTek employees), so I removed it.

Thank God for this forum and the super cool moderator we have.

Well, the moderator here certainly has better manners than you.

I am highly insulted by your RUDE, IGNORANT, and STUPID comment about my actions being inspired by Apartheid regime of my countrys past. You obviously know nothing about the atrocities of that era.
I think that was a disgusting comment to make.

We have a system on this forum of removing threads that we receive complaints about, and if you don’t like that, then don’t come here.

It’s not like we are just removing any ones that we don’t like or don’t agree with (like the old Hash list), we are removing the ones that become troublesome.

You obviously have no idea about how a forum is run, or about South African history, for that matter, since you seem to be able to mention that shameful era with such casualness.

I really think you need to learn some manners and courtesy.

#407

often threads are removed by the request of the thread starter as well as others. leigh is a very cool mod, ask anybody there, and she does not work for newtek.

#408

Originally posted by pabitel
[B]If you think Hash is unique in trying to supress free speech – take a look at the LightWave forum here on cgtalk, where they are actually censoring threads. If I’m not mistaken, the moderator actually works at NewTek. Hell, these guys make Steve look like Thomas Jefferson.

Thank God for this forum and the super cool moderator we have. [/B]

Wow, I can’t believe you actually made an “Apartheid” crack to Leigh on the LW forum. You need to apologize right now or get the heck outta here. Absolutely pathetic!

:thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow

#409

Hey guy,
Looks like you raised a stink. The thread has been put back on the forum so you can look at it.
Of course, we all know we’ll never see the name you used for that attack again, as you will undoubtedly re-registered under a less embarrassing handle.
But YOU ought to be quite embarrassed and shamed.
Robert Wilson
UnCommon Grafx

#410

Originally posted by My Fault
[B]Wow, I can’t believe you actually made an “Apartheid” crack to Leigh on the LW forum. You need to apologize right now or get the heck outta here. Absolutely pathetic!

:thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow [/B]

I better get the heck outta here. Right now.

#411

Originally posted by pabitel
I better get the heck outta here. Right now.

Not a surprise, you don’t strike me as being man enough to apologize.

#412

Pabitel wrote: I better get the heck outta here. Right now.

We do not argue with you this time…

While it is easy to see red, let us instead cool down with some good
music or whatever.

Let’s give the man the benefit of doubt; that he really didn’t think too much about what he wrote…

Stay cool. Stay friendly.

Cheers,
Rune

#413

Did you guys see what was posted on the other thread about netrender? Someguy got an email from Steve who said something about pointsampler?

{{However, there are times when Multipass is beneficial, even necessary (DOF, Motion Blur, multi-light rigs) for those reasons, there will be a new “pointsampler” renderer in 10.5 that will include Multipass- it’s important to note, that this will be a TRUE multipass renderer, not a hybird like at has been in the past}}

Cool.

#414

Originally posted by koon69
[B]Did you guys see what was posted on the other thread about netrender? Someguy got an email from Steve who said something about pointsampler?

{{However, there are times when Multipass is beneficial, even necessary (DOF, Motion Blur, multi-light rigs) for those reasons, there will be a new “pointsampler” renderer in 10.5 that will include Multipass- it’s important to note, that this will be a TRUE multipass renderer, not a hybird like at has been in the past}}

Cool. [/B]

Maybe…but I’m going to give my spine a little exercise as I take advantage of my right as a consumer to conduct any future business with a company that values its customers.

#415

AM wasn’t the first 3d app I started using. So I luckily didn’t feel that I had too much invested in it in order to dump it.
The amazing work showcased prompted me to buy it along with the tutorial videos and books. It didn’t take long to figure out it would be an uphill battle with AM. I wouldn’t be suprised if the guy I sold it to ended up passing it on to some other guy to deal with.

We have seats of several of the big apps - Maya, Lightwave, Cinema4D, and smaller ones like TrueSpace, Nendo and Milkshape3d (for real-time content). Even a couple of simplistic ones like Amorphium and Bryce. None of them were as fun, as an artist, to work with than AM (except Nendo). But AM would crash too often during modeling, and I soon got discouraged and didn’t get too far. I didn’t stick with it long enough to figure out the nuances of getting surface creases ironed out. Never got around to animating much. Plus all of the negativity and the seemingly hostile attitude Hash has toward it’s userbase made the idea of dumping it easier.

I can sympathize for those that stuck with it and to proselytize the great things about AM but ultimately got burned. But I think it just shows the amazing talent of those artists in spite of the tools they were working with.

As it stands, there is no one particular app that I really had an affinity too except Nendo, but Nendo is strictly a modeler and not a full blown 3d app. I was offered student pricing (even though I’m not a student) for a full seat of Mirai a few years ago. I’m glad I held off getting it at the time as they’ve since been bought out by another company. And Mirai and Nendo seem to be stuck in limbo.

Wings3D has impressed me the most from what it has turned into. Amazing dedication in a developer. And to think it is free…amazing. Bjorn is has created a truly fantastic offering. I do all of my modeling in Wings now.

I’m having fun using Blender. It still has a lot of shortcomings, and definitely has that ‘in-house tool’ grittiness to it. But development is being fueled by passionate developers. And it will only become a better app over time.

Open Source is allowing everyone access to some really cool tools created by some really talented programmers. I think most, like myself, don’t work in a tools vacuum and have to shuffle content between apps. And proprietary apps that don’t play well with others is ultimately doomed to fail at some level sooner or later.

#416

Interesting thread ! How is the situation today ? How many ‘gurus’ that were banned one year ago are still here and support A:M actively ? What happened to Mr Cosman and Commiekeebler ? How does Hash treat their community today ? Do the problems that caused the riots still exist ?

#417

Quote “bertha big”
“Interesting thread ! How is the situation today ? How many ‘gurus’ that were banned one year ago are still here and support A:M actively ? What happened to Mr Cosman and Commiekeebler ? How does Hash treat their community today ? Do the problems that caused the riots still exist ?”

I was one of the people chucked off that old list and I am still using the program and plan to make a kick-ass short with it.

Wegg is the owner of the studio that Cossman and such were in and he is the moderator of this forum. He will be using AM on a small project soon.

Commiekeebler was given a free upgrade to v10 and on his website says that all is forgiven. Allthough I don’t know what he is doing now.

Stability is much improved and the code base hasn’t changed for a long time (compared to how it has in the past) so stabilty is getting better and the programmers have more time for adding new features rather than fixing bugs.

The OSX port has been released and is getting fixed up pretty well by the looks of it (I don’t have a mac so I don’t really know).

Creasing issues are basically fixed.

The renderer has improved.

There is a new AM forum where people can discuss bugs openly with frequent input from the programmers.

The hair features have been much improved and they are working on improving the other areas where AM fell short.

All in all, I think that Hash have done an admirable job in turning things around and should be applauded.

#418

Agreed. Well everything but the stability part. I dunno why but I seem to have a talent for crashing AM. . . and all I’m doing is modeling. It isn’t ANYWHERE near what it used to be probably once every 3 hours of intense constant modeling. About the same level as Lightwave 8.

Their whole approach to their user base has COMPLETELY turned around. It is a whole new company as far as that is concerned.

#419

I feel there’s more of a partnership relationship between user and Hash now.
You can often talk (email in my case) directly with a programmer to sort out a feature in the software.
For example, if you read some of the threads here, John Keates and Joe Williamsen have by sending bug reports and feature requests helped make the new ‘dynamic constraints’ truly impressive.
The big problems with A:M in the past where, lumpy models, poor renderer and stability. These have all been pretty much resolved and now A:M has a really top notch hair/fur solution too.
Cloth and import/export abilities remain poor. Cloth is likely to be improved in the near future. The other will probably never be a high priority for Hash, it’s not part of their philosophy for the program, and personally I don’t care too much either. For me, the strength of A:M is it’s basically all you need to make a ‘kick-ass’ movie. No need to re-mortgage your house to buy the program in the first place or indeed those essential plugins, and of course, the character animation tools are literally second to none.

#420

Glad to see this story has a happy (or at least an optimistic) ending.