[Tchock]

http://pressreleases.autodesk.com/in...eases&item=485

Discreet, Alias/Wavefront, Skymatter, now this!

Upon completion of the acquisition, Autodesk intends to continue developing and selling Softimage's core product line, while integrating certain Softimage technology into future versions of Autodesk solutions and products. Autodesk plans to acquire and continue developing the following Softimage products:

-- SOFTIMAGE|XSI: Including XSI Essentials, XSI Advanced, XSI Academic,
XSI Mod Tool and the XSI software development kit. XSI is
production-proven 3D animation software for games, film and
television. It offers a complete 3D modeling, animation, rendering and
development environment for visual effects and custom tools.
-- SOFTIMAGE|Face Robot: A complete software solution for easily rigging
and animating 3D faces. Face Robot enables studios to create life-like
facial animation at incredible speeds.
-- SOFTIMAGE|Cat: This advanced character animation system is a plug-in
for Autodesk 3ds Max software. It is intended to be integrated into
the 3ds Max product line.
-- SOFTIMAGE|Crosswalk: This interoperability solution is intended to be
integrated with Autodesk's own interoperability technology.

This does not look good for the average 3D hobbyist/indie professional. At all.


On the surface it means that Autodesk is the ONLY vital player left in game asset creation (Pixologic's Zbrush is also another tool, but AD has Mudbox now to substitute), and the only other industry-grade FX pipeline competitor is Houdini from SideFX.

Yet we do have to wonder: What's next? Cinema 4D? Modo? Autodesk certainly did not need another 3D app in their portfolio (even when Softimage was an opportunistic grab since Avid was a sinking ship), they're going for the definite monopoly here.

As a prior 3D software developer gobbler, I thought that Autodesk stifled innovation after acquiring Discreet and Alias/Wavefront respectively. I'd say Motionbuilder has been handled well, but I can't say the same for 3D Studio MAX and Maya. For such a big company with so much resources, all the yearly releases and service upgrades seemed more like deliberate milking. Softimage was the exact opposite- big steps, bold strokes, the feeling that your maintainence contract was well justified. ICE in XSI 7 would have overlapped all the yearly MAX and Maya releases combined.

Next would be pricing. Now that AD has all of them, it will surely go up some. None of these toolsets now seem to have a <$1000 version in sight (for the future). In contrast, XSI used to have one. We used to have a free version of mod MAX. Lightwave is still cheap though I fear for its longevity.

Overall it's not a good news for the 3D industry and even the ones surrounding it, especially just after a few years of amazing software releases by smaller developers (Modo, Silo, Mudbox-before it got bought) who focused on usability instead of hyping superficial workflows.

[3dcgi]

I agree that it doesn't seem good for the 3D industry. Hopefully small developers will step up to the challenge and offer competitive solutions.

[hoom]

There is still my favourite: Rhino but its not really aimed at making animated stuff per-se.
They do have the Bongo companion product but I'm not sure how good/full featured it is.

(Frankly I can't understand how anyone manages to learn all those other programs? Whenever I try them, I have a hard time even working out how to rotate the view, let alone actually making a complex surface )

[RenegadeRocks]

This does mean no more competition between applications. But still the industry will keep asking for specific features and they will get implemented, just that the softwares won't be going out of the way to please artists anymore !

[Humus]

Originally Posted by Tchock

Discreet, Alias/Wavefront, Skymatter, now this!

Also Realviz earlier this year. How long before the authorities steps in and stops them from becoming a monopoly over the whole range of professional graphical applications?

[zsouthboy]

This is hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR7UWImpG54

[Tchock]

Originally Posted by Humus

Also Realviz earlier this year. How long before the authorities steps in and stops them from becoming a monopoly over the whole range of professional graphical applications?

They can't buy Adobe (yet), so it's not a monopoly.
I think Pixologic/Zbrush will be the last straw and somebody WILL step in.

Currently on the 3D front there's still Lightwave, Cinema 4D, Houdini and other modeling apps, not too complete of a monopoly (but on the highend almost)



@zsouthboy
Downfall never ceases to amuse.