Your two Most Wanted Features for V9

#1

What is your 2 most wanted features in the forecoming V9?

My choices are:

1.0 Flawless UV texture mapping.

2.0 Flawless I/O.

:beer:

#2

Hard to pin it just to two :wink:
But flawless IO (especially since the fate of EIM is still unknown) is definitely one of them!

#3

Probably too late for version 9 (course who can tell) but some form of advanced color management like this:

Color Management for CG Artists

would be really awesome. I second the I/O request. It’s an area where EI has some weaknesses that need to be shored up. Especially maintaining hierarchies, textures, naming, etc.

#4

Hi,

An Occlusion render option. I want to make some easy settings, push a button, and get an occlusion render.

I have other features I’d like, but I’ll wait and see what it’s like.

-Craig

#5

At this point, Occlusion should be a no brainer. If EIAS3D insists on enhancing Camera then they should start thinking about infusing hardware rendering technology. Hardware generated AO could be done in realtime.

#6

Hi Brian,

Something like the Octane Renderer would be so great.

-Craig

#7

Octane’s renderer is pretty sweet. There are a number of hardware rendering solutions on the market now that are going to eventually give any simple software rendering solution a run for its money. (Mach Studio Pro, Octane Render, Furryball, various game engines, Red SDK) I remember back when I was at ILM I sent a proposal / feature request to EI to begin exploring this avenue years ago. When systems like Mach Studio Pro materialized recently the handwriting was already on the wall.

So instead of wishing on what could have been… the obvious forward solution would be to integrate a new hardware rendering solution into Animator. Working in previs has shown me that CPU based stand alone systems like Camera are going the way of the dinosaur. Cost factors ultimately support GPUs as the predominant rendering technology of the future. This is one of the primary reasons why I’ve argued against expending energy and resources to enhance Camera’s feature set. It’s a waste of resources.

Whatever EIAS3D is doing with Camera they should finish it and call it done. They should continue to bundle Camera with EIAS as its primary renderer as they focus on enhancing Animator and its animation features. Once Animator gets its infrastructure and animation overhaul, then start thinking about internal modelers or integrating a new hardware based “camera” into Animator. The cpu/software version of Camera can always a part of the bundle for those wishing to take advantage of older cpu-only based render farms. But ultimately something more akin to this:

http://www.cubixgpu.com/Products/Pro2?PHPSESSID=b599ea8c3edef6aed424910fa91ce12f

or this

http://www.nvidia.com/object/product_tesla_c1060_us.html

Is where the future is heading.

#8

Hi Brian,

I just quickly skimmed the info in your links, but that gear seems to be very, very affordable compared to buying a lot of computers to render. Individually, Tesla and Cubix seem great alone. If I understand correctly, and one could put a lot of those Tesla cards in a couple of the Cubix expanders, that would be some kind of wonderful for a crazy good price.

-Craig

#9

Craig,

The Cubix xpander is just basically a housing to install various GPU cards and tie them together for additional rendering power. Its basically a renderfarm in a box. When newer more powerful gpus come out, you swap them out. One could use regular graphic cards or the Tesla systems. Tesla’s can also be put into your own workstation. Ultimately the idea is to use your internal workstation’s video card to do your preliminary work and then offload renderings to the Teslas or Cubix for high rez, more detailed versions. All rendered by the GPUs working in tandem. Advantages of the separate box include its own dedicated power supply, they’re hardware agnostic, and GPU speed and capabilities outpace CPU equivalents.

#10

Well, not a V9 feature but i really would like to see, once V9 is released, a free fully functional V8, dongle free, version on 3D World Magazine CD. This would give EIAS the exposure it probably needs.

Those then who are in need for additional plug-in’s, for example, would then have to update to V9.

EIAS competitors in the mid range field are doing the same.

Regards
Stefan

#11

A healthy plugin community is always a good thing for any application. Keeping the dongle helps those vendors protect their intellectual properties. However, EI is in a situation that requires a change of methodology and architecture…especially since these older plugins are tied to the dongle.

A lot is going to depend on how deep EIAS3D wants to rewrite Animator. If its only going to be surface level improvements, but keep the same ole object based architecture, then keeping the dongle makes sense to ensure backwards compatibility with older existing plugins that are tied to it. But if the changes to Animator are profound (such as adding component/vertex level modeling tools and a complete 64 bit infrastructure rewrite), and the dongle is removed, legacy plugins may have to go by the wayside or get integrated into the host application to survive.

This process of change will occur over time. But right now the Igors have plenty of plugins they could integrate into the host application to constitute an upgrade along with enhancements to Camera.

So question back to you… would you buy an upgrade to v9 if it included the bulk of the Igors’ plugin and shader libraries as the only enhancement to the application (other than Camera improvements)? Otherwise a complete rewrite of Animator could take years to complete. Heck, you never know, EIAS3D could surprise us all and already have the bulk of the rewrite finished. With the gag order lifted, you’d think we’d get some information, but that’s not the Igors way. They despise releasing information prematurely.

#12

Well, to be honest Brian i don’t know what V9 brings for the old EIAS users who are buying updates anyway (me not included because i have modo now…;-)), but it was only a suggestion in case the new company is looking for a new user base to get fresh blood. In my opinion new users who can get a freebie like V8 could possibly be candidates when needing a fast 64bit and multi threaded renderer along with some nice procedural shaders, for only an update price.

This alone could be an attractive offer, compared to other apps full prices.

Anyways, i believe the new company would have nothing to loose, with such an offer.

Regards
Stefan

#13

Giving away the software is always a tricky situation. If not properly handled, it could cause the situation to get even worse…or as you say…it could be the shot in the arm the company needs to get the word out there.

Once again, it depends on EIAS3D’s roadmap for the application. If there are going to be profound infrastructure changes to Animator, releasing v8 for free (though commendable) may give the wrong impression. New users could see v8’s limitations and say “no” to the product and then you’re having to spend energy convincing them that v9 or v10 will be better. EIAS3D has to lead new customer relationships with its own product rather than what was left over from the previous owner.

Thus a dongle free v9 + Camera via 3D World Mag would be a better choice. But perhaps a v9 who’s plugin architecture is still protected via dongle, where the rest of the application is not. The Igors could infuse Animator with free versions of their plugins and allow the application to hit the wild… but then charge for a dongle when the user really wants to go further.

You have to create a new market.

#14

There is a good opportunity now to try to attract new customers with all the mess Maxon has been creating with their new product line and pricing policy…

#15

Don’t quite get Maxons new product line ups but they did sell it over the summer for 50% off which was a deal and I’m sure brought in MANY more users that didn’t wanna shell out close to 4k. EI would need to do something similar, but don’t think they can. Personally if they gave away v8 free I would not go back. EI needs SOMETHING to get older users back and to attract new users. I understand the concept of giving away an older version away free, and while it may work with up to date software, I’m not sure it helps EI. Upon opening the app users will immediately see how archaic the interface alone is. I’m hoping v9 or possibly 10 will solve such issues…and NO I’m NOT talking about gui colors and aqua!! :banghead:

#16

Well its hard to say what their up to. You think the flow of information was limited before? I doubt the user will have any real influence on the roadmap of the application other than the so called “user pack”. The Igors are all about giving the user what the Igors think they need.

On the positive side, EIAS3D is doing a much better job than EITG when it comes to website promotion. The new website is much better.

#17

yea, think you’re right Brian :argh:

#18

Well maybe in EI’s current stage of development such an authoritarian approach to the roadmap is exactly what they need. Only the future knows. :slight_smile:

#19

Hello Brian and all,

since the Igors don’t answer questions here, i strongly assume, i have a question for you and all others…

I had recently a discussion on another forum about switching to 64 bit mode in OSX and now i’m curious how this would work with EIAS in the future.

If i’m correct you have to boot OSX Snow Leopard in 64bit mode while holding down the “6” and “4” key, since it’s not configured to boot in 64bit mode.

Now my question, how will this work with V9 and the dongle. Do people need then two dongle drivers installed 32/64 bit in order two work with a 32bit Animator and when switching to a 64bit Camera? And does the Dongle then get not confused?

Just curious.

Regards
Stefan

#20

I don’t have a direct answer for you… however I would theorize that one would not require two dongle drivers. I’m pretty certain 64bit snow leopard combined with the proper eve driver would switch down to accommodate a piece of 32bit code. Especially one as simple as accessing a usb dongle for 32bit applications like Animator. But I could be wrong.