What do you want in the new XSI? [Archive]

Zac-Donald

03-17-2008, 01:08 AM

Simulation wise
Physics as good as ncloth and better fluid, a little update on the look, I don't want much changed just the rounded buttons for the most part, I want something so you can freeze a part of a simulation easily (like make it key'd and passive) but be able to to turn it off and on easily, I dunno if theres something like that in there already though...

Does XSI not have a separate button like maya? I just can't find it if its there...

it'd be cool if they could have a 3D program that was link'd online to resources that users/softimage puts out, so it'd be kinda built into the program, and almost automated, as long as users could submit stuff, maybe put a price too... plug-ins materials, blah blah.

Automatic copying of files to the project directory, if you link it from my docs or something.

-Thanks all I got.

scaron

03-17-2008, 01:19 AM

...Automatic copying of files to the project directory, if you link it from my docs or something....

file>save as>copy files under project

does that do what you want?

s

Zac-Donald

03-17-2008, 01:51 AM

oh, didn't know that :D

DAVID:-D

03-17-2008, 06:23 AM

I hope moondust will be able handle what Maya Particle system do, even better I hope. It means not only particles, but softbody as well.

I hope we will see CAT system implemented in XSI, otherwise why they bought it. Becouse of Max users? .. I dont think so.

I wish have better workflow for deformation tools. Like to have an option plug weightmaps instead of cluster for lattice deformer, softbody and so on.

Dynamic curves, OK we can get result with hair or syflex, but has something similar to Maya Hair curve would be great.

drdespair

03-17-2008, 07:04 AM

Halloo,

Implementation of the lates Mentalray version
Fluid dynamics
Slightly easier loop tools (aka Modo like)
Vista 64 support

Ales Dlabac

03-17-2008, 07:30 AM

Syflex Cloth isn't really Softimage responsibility... Vray and Blastcode neither... those are all plugins and if you want to see any improvements on it, you should talk directly with the companies that develop these plugins.

Hmm... you are right and generally I agree with you BUT not always is the problem on 3rd companies if they willing to develop something for XSI as you can read here http://www.blastcode.com/forumc/viewtopic.php?t=203

So tell me why Softimage is not more open to developers? The fact is XSI has least plugins than other softwares has, maybe the main reason is that XSI has small user base but I dont think so.

Best regards

3dtutorial

03-17-2008, 08:29 AM

Hmm... you are right and generally I agree with you BUT not always is the problem on 3rd companies if they willing to develop something for XSI as you can read here http://www.blastcode.com/forumc/viewtopic.php?t=203

So tell me why Softimage is not more open to developers? The fact is XSI has least plugins than other softwares has, maybe the main reason is that XSI has small user base but I dont think so.

Best regards

I find that very hard to believe to be honest. Who knows what the motivation for that statement was and what the truth really is? I've been dealing with Softimage for more than a decade and have never once found such a thing to be true, they have always been willing to provide development support... so... I dunno. To me at least this statement seems like an easy out... I suggest that if they really wanted to develop this tool for XSI it could have been done given the true will to do so. In other words, if for some reason you feel that you are being ignored as a developer then perhaps you need to put a bit more effort into finding out why and doing something about it, not just accepting defeat. But in any event, it does not sound right to me given my experience with such matters.

BTW - The "small user base" issue most likely had more to do with it than anything else (at least that would be my best guess).

Don't believe everything you read on blogs.

scaron

03-17-2008, 05:21 PM

elfenomeno

03-17-2008, 09:42 PM

a thing that i would like to see is to edit my spacing and arc with the ghost,fo exemple instead of tweaking fcurve i can go to 3d view and translate some inbetween...

mantom

03-17-2008, 11:11 PM

look at the end of the 3delight user manual... notice they thank softimage as a whole, then 3 specific employees. it always down to mis communication, i dont believe either set of developers did this on purpose.

also...i dont know enough about blastcode, but it seems the real issue i think is the XSI SDK isn't capable of supporting the dynamic creation of objects. the way it would have to handle it as a single object an dynamically update the mesh from their engine into softimage. much like michele sandroni's metaballs plugin.

*correction... looking over the documentation. we have generator ops and topo ops.. so actually it probably could have been done. i think there is still an issue creating objects during playback though.

we have generator and topology operators now, but that wasn't always the case.

There's several contributing factors to why XSI isn't more popular ranging from small user base, to missing features, to cost. I remember way back in the early days of XSI some developers didn't want to get involved because they didn't want to deal with Microsoft COM interfaces for plugin development - which was the only option at the time. Others didn't want to deal with MainWin on Linux. Some developers cite lack of SDK components for their particular interests. For example, XSI 1.0 was NURBS only, so those wanting to do polygonal toolsets were SOL.

XSI has improved a lot, but it wasn't until recent versions that it was really prime for 3rd party development (in my opinion). Look at how much work had to be done to get other renderers integrated. Now that the hooks are in place we'll hopefully see more legitimate rendering options. Same situation in other parts of the application. XSI can do a lot of things, but there are some needed SDK components that currently don't exist for these 3rd party applications to happen the way 3rd party developers want them to happen. If a piece is missing then it's more time and money investment for the 3rd party to develop their own custom workaround. Many 3rd parties don't want to go that route because it's work that may not recoup it's costs if it's really involved and not worth making the plugin available because most plugins these days don't sell for very much and have to make it up on volume. 3rd party product life is generally fairly short. How many 3rd party tools are more than 5 years old? Usually when a tool becomes really popular, it's acquired or somebody develops a feature in the main package that obsoletes the plugin.

It's not a single factor, but a combination of smaller factors that add up enough to not make it worthwhile to develop for XSI. I've looked at developing for XSI too. For me it was too costly to make a viable 3rd party product after support, sales, and other logistics were factored in. Your mileage may vary.

Aumakua

03-18-2008, 04:45 AM

Well, I won't ask for (more) exotic tools and such. I will ask for :
- a couple of features in FXTree, I mean tools of everyday use, like skip rendered frames and better use of multicore cpus in compositing,
- better and more automated clean-up tools in XSI, for instance I'd like more eficient "unused material " killer, like Maya's or even better cleanup tools,
- a bit more groomed up interface/settings for Render Options,
- scrolling wheel active in XSI,
- some more particle presets (ideally I would like Particle Illusion type of emitters :) )
That's for now.. till I think of a few more :)

Helli

03-18-2008, 06:14 AM

a thing that i would like to see is to edit my spacing and arc with the ghost,fo exemple instead of tweaking fcurve i can go to 3d view and translate some inbetween...

I definitly 2nd this !
There are some small things like when I have animation on a property I can't make an = link via drag&drop anymore on another property, in that case the animation is allways copied. Would be nice to be able to still make that = link with a.e. strg+drag/drop.

elfenomeno

03-18-2008, 08:06 AM

i always wonder why i cant manage by inbetween directly on the 3d scene,change spacing and arc with inbetween should be great. A new animation focused animation propose this features,and i think it going to rock http://www.digitalfish.com/products/animators/

Werner

03-18-2008, 08:08 AM

I would like to see a tool to translate points, edges and polys on their normals...much like Helge's normal move script that only works on polys. Using translation on local mode gives unwanted results.

A combined translate, rotate and scale tool would save lots of time as well. I know it's quick to jump between them with shortcuts, but imagine if you could have them all in one in your viewport.

Helli

03-18-2008, 08:16 AM

elfenomeno

03-18-2008, 08:17 AM

Hey,im using blender but this feature is with the softsince decade,there are many things that xsi lack,as blender user i dont see fluid and digital sculpt(multires) in xsi.

AceMastermind

03-18-2008, 09:03 AM

A combined translate, rotate and scale tool would save lots of time as well. I know it's quick to jump between them with shortcuts, but imagine if you could have them all in one in your viewport.

That would be great! Silo 2 has a tool like that.

Aumakua

03-18-2008, 10:33 AM

Oh! and a Maya hotbox-like multi toolset floating panel pleeeaaase??

Ooops

03-18-2008, 10:48 AM

Oh! and a Maya hotbox-like multi toolset floating panel pleeeaaase??

God I hate those.... Please dont turn XSI into Maya ;-p

XSI got floating menus when you right click, etc. Just not the mess which is the hotbox.

Of course, everyone's got different workflow.

macarbon

03-18-2008, 11:07 AM

The fine folks at Blastcode said about a year ago that they were working on a stand alone application so that everyone could use it. I guess it'll be the same principle as RealFlow.

I wonder where they're at now with this project.
MAC

jasonazure

03-18-2008, 11:11 AM

I'd like to be able to use my existing Lightwave renderfarm for Softimage Mental Ray rendering without having to re-mortgage my house!!! (Like 3D-Studio users are able to do)

Macphisto

03-18-2008, 11:38 AM

- An advanced UVeditor with unwrapping automation like roadkill, pin for vertex, move/rotate/scale tool like we have in the view.

- Rapid access to user preset for every tool, saving my own default for every tool

- Retopology tool

- Selection tool modo301-like

- Global OGL settings for projection support and not only for a single object... I hate too see mi texture wrappend in textured mode if this is not!

- A simple camera matching tool!!!

Helli

03-18-2008, 11:41 AM

- A simple camera matching tool!!!

What exactly do you mean ???

Macphisto

03-18-2008, 02:03 PM

Like the 3ds Max tool... put a picture on background, mark some point on the model, match the point on the picture and the camera goes in correct position with corrected FOV...

gumrah

03-18-2008, 02:23 PM

i d really lke to see some form of 2 way ik controller in xsi
moving hand would move the shoulder but moving the shoulder would move the hand too as in real world
something like human ik in maya or kaydara

its really a unique feature and a very helpfull one

i been wishing this for a long time now.since xsi is marketed as a character animation tool, it would be really great to have this kind of rigging feature

JDex

03-18-2008, 02:38 PM

It's never been something that's bothered me enough to scream... until today.

Can we make the drag-n-drop nature of parenting objects in the explorer, a wee bit less sensitive. For instance, I select an object in the explorer, then scroll down a but and shift select an object hoping to select a range of ~100 objects... suddenly I am waiting an inordinate amount of time for those ~100 objects to become children of the object that I shift selected, so that I can wait again to undo it.

Can it be changed so that if Shift or Ctrl is being held down, parenting doesn't happen... or maybe if more than 10 objects are selected, it gives me a "Are you sure you want make a hierarchy from this selection?" pop-up.

I'm a bit testy... I've lost a lot of time today because of this (scene has 1000s of objects/models).

Oh yeah... while were at it, can performance with lots of objects improve? 60,000,000 polys on 6 objects, performs better than 600 polys on 600 objects.

Hugs and Kisses - Zaphod.

thiago

03-18-2008, 02:41 PM

Like the 3ds Max tool... put a picture on background, mark some point on the model, match the point on the picture and the camera goes in correct position with corrected FOV...

this is nothing else than a rotoscope with Fixed active :P

Macphisto

03-18-2008, 02:57 PM

Fixed OK.. but I've to guess the vertex of the model with the markers on the background pick... manually paning, rolling and paning, rolling and boring me :(

3ds Max (or other software like Realviz Imagemodeler or Photomodeler) guess the correct camera lens, FOV and position relatively to the object with 7 or more point automatically.

olsen

03-18-2008, 06:02 PM

What about a mainwin-free linux version ?

rain

03-19-2008, 03:42 AM

amen to a more "native" linux version...

cryptosporidium

03-19-2008, 11:23 AM

well... there are few things that bother me in XSI :-)

in new version i would appreciate:
- improved rendering features: latest mR integration, rendering with a backgound picture that doesnt affect alpha, rendering procedural backgrounds, custom info stamps baked onto rendered image, proper 3D DOF effect, physical camera primitive that simulates picture distorsions as realworld lens does and is tied with mBlur and DOF settings.

- better lighting features... means any shape for area lights (not only rectangle), geometry trated as light (w/o use of FG), light primitive with physically based light distribution/decay and support for IES data.

- connecting textures into physical sky parameters (rendering clouds for example)

- fix bugs in architectural material (alpha issues for example)

- proper node-based particle system interconnected with dynamics simulations (read Moondust :D)

- Maya-like fluid dynamics

- various other details like merging only parts from the scenes, adding mesh to another one rather than merging them and creating the new one, "create thickness" button for modelling, 3ds max style of creating primitives, proper working autosave per "X" minutes, increment save...

yayas

03-20-2008, 04:51 AM

well... there are few things that bother me in XSI :-)
... rendering procedural backgrounds,

Do you mean Atmoshphere Shader a la Softimage|3D?

... light primitive with physically based light distribution/decay and support for IES data.

In mental images manual this feature has been existing for long time, I don't why they don't make it accessible. You can use Ctrl_LightProfile, though.

... connecting textures into physical sky parameters (rendering clouds for example)

Thats would be handy.
But with current Physical sky, you can make environment with clouds, then hook it up into Haze parameter. (Thanks Zap for the tips)
You can even use procedural clouds/sky/sun with Legacy Atmosphere and animate them, and connect it to haze parameter.

Cheers.
Yayas

j3st3r

03-20-2008, 09:32 AM

Dear Easter Bunny,

Oh my God, I DON'T WANT to have modo like selection...that is a lot worse than XSI's. I've tried to select some loop ranges, but I was not able to do that with modo. It was creating loops from all the selections. It is a definite NO-NO!

Sculpting? No way. I think there are lot more important fields to be improved. Like MR3.6 support, and more important is that the ability to recieve MR updates between XSI versions.

And if I'm on the rendering, I'd be pleased to see IES light as well. As a standard shader.

I'd implement a Symmetry Stack. If it is turned on, it would symmetrize EVERY operator in the modeling stack. Sticking to modeling, retopo tools would be lovely, especially like Silo, or topogun, or (God forgive me) Polyboost like.

I'd love to see an option on connect edges or split edges command to "Maintain SubD Curvature".

I'd love to see better curve tools as well.

I'd love to see split bone, merge bones, better rotation limits for chains.

Improvement on Hair is NEEDED URGENTLY. It can be really frustrating to work with the current hair. I can't make a normal braid with it due to the restriction on the modeling segments of something like 13-15 segments only.

And most importantly, as a game character artist, I'd love to see better normal map generation tools. I'd welcome a cage option when defining trace distance for normal map generation.

These are my Easter wishes.

Cheers,

Jester

cryptosporidium

03-20-2008, 10:55 AM

yayas:
Atmosphere shader... i dont know, first version i worked with was XSI 6.02. I mean like you have background picture output shader, but you wouldnt plug in a bitmap, but XSI`s procedural texture node like gradient, checkerboard or whatever... its a detail but sometimes it would be handy.

About ctrl_whatever... its nice to have plugins and stuff like this but once you render on renderfarm you cant just use any plugin you find on the web. So it would be great to have it implemented by default.

I experimented connecting textures into various phys. sky params but never had good result .-/

CiaranM

03-20-2008, 11:05 AM

I experimented connecting textures into various phys. sky params but never had good result .-/

Hi,
did you try this:
http://www.xsibase.com/forum/index.php?board=12;action=display;threadid=29394

or this:
http://www.xsibase.com/forum/index.php?board=6;action=display;threadid=33677

yayas

03-20-2008, 11:10 AM

About Physical Sky,
1. Create an environment node, put a texture, a 360deg sky will do better, connect it to haze parameter of Physical Sky. You can add intensity for example to boost it..

2. Create Environment, browse it to folder Soft3d, there are a few procedural animatable clouds/sky presets (from old time) and connect it to the haze parameter.

please let me know if those don't work, so I can send you a simple scene.

Cheers
yayas

yayas

03-20-2008, 11:19 AM

Thanks Ciaran, those are interesting links.

About editing spdl, it's stated:
"..Save the spdl, restart xsi and now the shader has a scalar input in the rendertree..."

I don't remember editing my spdl, but it accepts scalar input. If I hooked up an environment to the Haze parameter, a Color2Scalar node would be automatically created, and it's connected without problem.

Cheers.
yayas

cryptosporidium

03-20-2008, 11:25 AM

thanx guys, i will try these...

Atyss

03-20-2008, 02:39 PM

Hello everyone,

First post here.

There's a few things I'd really, really like.

The ability to input mi files in the XSI scene, just like you can do with a RIBArchive in Maya. If the benefits are the same as the Maya/rman implementation, it will kick serious butts with performance (opening saving scenes, viewport interaction, render times...) and scalability.

Improvements of the grid widget.

Improved cleverness in reading external files like textures and reference models. The amount of accesses made all the time to the file system is just obscene.

Linktab and the External Files view should cover files referenced by operators and the likes.

LIGHTING!!

I won't go into every specific of lighting, as I already submitted a fair of them to Softimage. Anyway I think XSI should receive MASSIVE amounts of love in the lighting department. And I mean the direct lighting tools, not GI and FG and other indirect lighting tools.

I'm thinking of a complete overhaul of the lights. Examples:
- have a material attached to them. So we could organize them into libraries.
- alternate cone display for the spot light cone, like pyramidal, parallel (like a tube or a rectangle)
- manipulator for point light falloffs (how come after so many version we still don't have that defies my comprehension!!!)
- "start" falloffs (the light falls off closer to the source instead of away)
- MUCH better light shaders: projector/gobos, flares, glows, etc. Please stop the fast_light_effects and fast_volume_effects madness!
- separate intensity for diffuse and specular
- separate color for diffuse and specular
- shadow map buffers exposed, per light control
- see light trajectories (a line between the spot and its interest)
- infinite with interests without having to create a spot first
- shadow-only light
- colored shadows per light
- ambient lights (add to the scene ambience color within the scope of the light)
- perform light linking/unlinking with group and partition members
- light linking lists (sort of relation viewer/editor)
- create light, interest and root on cursor position

Lastly, something along the lines of Pixar's lpics would really kick butts. I know it's renderer tied and such, but oh man, what a powerful it would be in the hands of an artist....

And more....

http://www.bernardlebel.com/others/xsiwishlist.htm
(not up to date with latest releases)

Cheers!
Bernard

Nightwalker

03-20-2008, 03:00 PM

Hehe Bernard I love your list. I cant stop Imagining a big whiteboard during a Programers Daily:

"Tasks for this week:

_ Get rid of the reliance of that f*****g piece of s**t the Windows registry is

_ Improve the f*****g grid widget

_ Redesign p**s-poor bumpmapping workflow COMPLETELY "

:tt2:

Atyss

03-20-2008, 03:08 PM

:yinyang: :yinyang: :yinyang: Need to chill out sometimes :yinyang: :yinyang: :yinyang:

ahmadhabash

03-20-2008, 06:37 PM

- alternate cone display for the spot light cone, like pyramidal, parallel (like a tube or a rectangle)

Hello Bernard and Everybody,
I was actually amazed how much ideas are required to develop Softimage, I'd say its an amazing piece of software and I can say on behalf of every one replied to this thread that we all love XSI and we dream it to be the perfect 3D application, some of the suggestions are really good and needed.

-for example... what Bernard suggest about the spot light, bring to me a requirement that I would really love to see in the next XSI... a feature like (Barn Doors) in spot lights, it exist in Maya, where you can use them as real barn doors (to facilitate shaping of the beam of light from the fixture, and prevent the distinctive scatter of light)

I'm using for now a black and white image and the Fast Light effects Node in Render Tree (see example)

yayas

03-20-2008, 11:08 PM

thanx guys, i will try these...

Ah I didn't know if there's attachment feature.
This how it works:
http://community.softimage.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=287&stc=1&d=1206065234

Cheers
yayas

jaqu

03-21-2008, 02:09 PM

here are my small wishes~,and yet I know there are many script out there can achieve these, but sometimes these small improvment will make workflow much easier~~
So,besides the improvment that were listed above~~

I wish~~

1.
XSI need tol have a EXTRUDE along normal in the extrude option~,yes yes I know there is a script ~and there are work around~~like push deformer~~but if one were trying hardcore modeling on a mechanical character with current workflow~I think other 3D APP like MAX would be a life saver then XSI can provide.

2.
realtime shader "preset" for "artist". just "preset" for artist to have quick view on normal mapping ,realtime AO ....in the viewport
without messing around the shadercode. I think it would be a great help with these quick views, especially for coding dummies like me. I know MAX has these presets and option set for artist~hope XSI would have the similar presets

3.
dynamic curve or spline~~ yes, I know that Kim did a great work on the script to let it work with physic dynamics in XSI, and there are many other work around~~but when it comes to manage the scene with massive amount of different types of ropes or tanticles collision. managing current workflow could be very tidious and time consuming.~ <hope we can find a better solution in future Moon dXXXX >

4.
improvment on tangent!~~><~animated charecter with normal maps works like slug~T_T
<I wonder if any one have encounter this or is there anyway to solve it~~I find that if I mute my tangent operator or I switch it to updates on topology changes, normal map seam line can be very obvious in the rendering; and character still runs like slug >

5.
support STL~and~VRML export ~~for rapid prototyping~^_^

6.
capable of displaying unit on selected bounding box .
It would be much easier for achitecture modeling

7.
feather tool workflow perhaps
~~make feather distribute and movment much easier and realistic~^_^

these are the wishes I currently can think of~
sorry~for the bad spelling~and english~><

jamination

03-21-2008, 08:14 PM

I would love to the biped guide get more features, for one "stretchy limbs", I like what the 3dquakers options are it would be nice to get that kind of guide built in (I never had much luck using the 3dquakers quide in production, too easy to break).
- more finger controls (again like 3dquakers) which is cool, but doesn't allow for individual finger rotation control.
- more render nodes for essential
- 3dlight built in as an optional renderer:)
- a side bar on the rendertree where i could dock certain nodes (or strings of nodes) I use often (lambert, gradient, 3d party procedurals) that I use often, so I wouldn't have to
go picking through the menu.
- the new way animation editor works is either clunky or buggy. sometimes you have
to select nothing then another handle otherwise when editing, multiple handles get adjusted when not desired.
- somebody mentioned split-bone, great idea.
- agbend built in and fixed to work better with the mixer, you can't have more than
1 agbend in the operator stack and use the mixer at the same time.
- mtmg built in with some more visual ques and more bells and whistles

mde

03-21-2008, 09:26 PM

Muscle system and dynamic splines, thank you.

Aumakua

03-22-2008, 08:20 AM

Wouldn't be nice to have semitransparent floating menus like ZBrush does?

DAVID:-D

03-22-2008, 07:22 PM

Wouldn't be nice to have semitransparent floating menus like ZBrush does?

Are u kidding ? Is that really all what you want and pay for update ?

and let the rest wait another year waiting for real changes/improves

scaron

03-22-2008, 07:32 PM

Wouldn't be nice to have semitransparent floating menus like ZBrush does?

you dont want the performance cost of such a feature

Aumakua

03-22-2008, 07:41 PM

DAVID:-D : Ofcourse not only this, I just asked for an interface feature I find useful, that's all ;)
scaron : I asked for this cause when I open the tear off floating menus around my models I have to drag them continuously here and there so that I can see my work properly.
That's why I previously asked for Maya hotbox-like menus, because I would like to have my menus visible only whenever I need them.

scaron

03-22-2008, 07:44 PM

is seeing through them going to allow you to select things through them? move components through them?

DAVID:-D

03-22-2008, 07:45 PM

toma

03-25-2008, 09:28 AM

I just wish a single key could toggle the visibility of all open views and ppgs, just like tab does in photoshop…

uno

03-25-2008, 10:28 AM

I just wish a single key could toggle the visibility of all open views and ppgs, just like tab does in photoshop…

Ctrl+TAB - Next Floating Window

ben8111

03-25-2008, 04:36 PM

My wishlist?
I'm comming from 3ds max, and find XSI very nice. As a freelance, I enjoy the price of Foundation and hope that it will not increase too much with XSI 7 ! On my wishlist are very simple tools that can be added via scripts, but it would be nice to have them in standard.
On top of my wishlist are :
1. "one click" grow to insland selection (I know about <shift> +, and island filter) but a shortcut or a 1 click button would be nice. Today I use RCTools 4.2 for this function, but I can not shortcut "grow to island"...
2. Collapse points (just like ctrl+ del works with edges), cap holes, bevel points...
3. Attach object to another (the attach function in 3ds max does not create a new object unlike the merge function of XSI)
4. A free transform manipulator in the Texture editor (like the B key mode that work in the geometry, or J for texture supports)
5. OpenGL materials works fine with Ogre3D engine, but those materials are not handled by Collada (although they are specially designed for realtime). OpenGL materials should be exported !
6. A better license manager : it sometimes does not work. When I buy Photoshop I'm sure that every day I can use it without having trouble with the license, having this confort would be nice with XSI !
7. A better communication with 3D engines such as Acrobat 3D, VRML (actual plugins are poor), DirectX (actual exporter is not perfect when it come to texturing and bones).
8. A lot of shortcuts do not work on a french keyboard.

For the rest ? Keep the good job : new MR version, improve performances, etc !

3DDave

03-25-2008, 06:10 PM

1. Easy to use network rendering manager.

2. Ability to render MI files with Essentials via the easy to use network rendering manager.

3. a few more render nodes with Essentials. (Bascially make it able to render your animations via a small network).

4. Bulletproof Satellite Rendering.

5. Did I mention an Easy to use netwokr rendering manager.

6. Interactive array (copy) tools.

7. Easy to use deform (modeling) tools like taper, bulge ect. (currently using latice all the time).

8. Shell modeling tool.

9. Ability to create a primative at the location of the mouse cursor and drag out the size.

SebasProulx

03-25-2008, 06:53 PM

I can't wait for moon dust !
I think that a lot of the things i have been waiting for will suddenly apear, I just want you guys to concentrate on that.

bsm3d

03-25-2008, 08:34 PM

1 - Better Collada, VRML97 or X3D export and Native DXF, DWG, VRML97 Import

2 - Attach tools

3 - Shell modeling tool

4 - Convert spline / nurbs to rendering shape like 3dsmax does

5 - Improve viewport refresh

6 - Better Layers model

7 - A ressources collector to collect and archive all the project datas to share it with others ppl / computer

8 - Allow to use Firefox to browse docs ( Grins ;) )

9 - As Houdini a depth nodals systems

10 - Improve licence SPM stabilities

Continue the good job you do with XSI ! Thanks for all !

bsm3d

03-25-2008, 08:36 PM

6. Interactive array (copy) tools.

7. Easy to use deform (modeling) tools like taper, bulge ect. (currently using latice all the time).

8. Shell modeling tool.

9. Ability to create a primative at the location of the mouse cursor and drag out the size.

I vote for this and specialy the 6 and 9 points !

Zac-Donald

03-25-2008, 11:31 PM

A 3D model of the XSI logo in the XSI_SAMPLES folder or somewhere included with the program.

Gene

03-26-2008, 09:40 AM

Hi! I would like to transition from max, because XSI fascinates me with it's elegant and user friendly structure. Yet there are a few things that still hold me back:

- VRay (is underways...) mray is a powerful renderer, no doubt, but I don't trust it when it comes to complex scenes with GI that should render in a foreseeable time.

- better Spline editing tools: cut a curve by clicking somewhere on it, weld points, attach/detach segments, trim, extend, etc...
This is really essential not only for archvis but for lots of other modelling tasks as well.
Subcurves exist in XSI (see Text primitive), but you cannot combine subcurves, only detach them.
Compared to max, spline editing looks pretty poor and half-baked.
Please don't tell me to use another program for archvis. I do other things as well, whatever comes my way so to say, and I don't like to use different programs for different tasks. Slows you down. Time that XSI catches up a bit regarding arch/design/visualisation.

- Like others already said: attaching Polys/Splines without creating a new object.

- a simple tool for aligning an object by one of it's face normals to another object's face.

- creating primitives by interactively placing them somewhere in the scene, not always in the world's origin, preferrably with an option to align them to a face (max has this. Very nice!)

- A CONFIGURABLE CONTEXT MENU! I know XPop, but this should be built in!
max' QuadMenus really are a HUGE timesaver, believe me. Having 4 "quads" is perfect, Maya's hotbox with 8 directions is already a bit too much.

- last, not least: MOUSE WHEEL ZOOM in the viewports!!! Hello...???

Best,
Gene

oglu

03-26-2008, 09:55 AM

6 - Better Layers model

i second that..

jasonazure

03-26-2008, 11:07 AM

How about a 'fixed rigid body constraint' that works with the Physx Engine ?

oglu

03-26-2008, 12:40 PM

think there is no need for the physx engine... because all in xsi7 will be multithreaded and much more powerful than these ugly physx thing... :D

Gene

03-27-2008, 05:56 AM

what nvidia and mental images are up to:
http://vfxworld.com/?atype=articles&id=3582&page=1

Since XSI is built "around" mray, I suppose it will be among the first to adopt this.

3DDave

03-27-2008, 03:34 PM

what nvidia and mental images are up to:
http://vfxworld.com/?atype=articles&id=3582&page=1

Since XSI is built "around" mray, I suppose it will be among the first to adopt this.

I am a little concerned that there was no mention of Softimage just Max and Maya.

kim aldis

03-27-2008, 05:13 PM

3 - Shell modeling tool

you mean like this: http://kim-aldis.co.uk/drupal-6.1/node/17

or like this? http://picturethis.pnl.gov/im2/shell0/shell.jpg

jamination

03-27-2008, 05:18 PM

EXACTLY like this only 64bit or 65bit, I am not picky:)

Phil

bsm3d

03-27-2008, 07:20 PM

This : http://kim-aldis.co.uk/drupal-6.1/node/17

:-)

melantonio

03-28-2008, 12:27 AM

In Modeling:
A Flow Connect, and Set Flow, like Polyboost for 3d Max.
Polyboost tools are good!

In Simulation:
A New Particle System, simple and friendly.
Better Fluid System.
Realtime control of simulation...

In Animation:
Hummm. I like it... Maybe CAT for XSI?

kim aldis

03-28-2008, 04:07 AM

This : http://kim-aldis.co.uk/drupal-6.1/node/17
:-)
Take it, it's yours.

scottsch

03-28-2008, 10:58 AM

Re: What do you want in the new XSI?

- Program stability - the ability to work for 4-5 hours without a program crash with the initial 7.00 release.
- vray.

DAVID:-D

03-28-2008, 12:20 PM

Re: What do you want in the new XSI?

- Program stability - the ability to work for 4-5 hours without a program crash with the initial 7.00 release.

I can do that even with 6.5 version

wailingmonkey

03-28-2008, 01:46 PM

I can do that even with 6.5 version

I think the point is that one would hope to NOT have to go thru 7.01, 7.02, and then
another upgrade fee for 7.5 to get what you can do now in 6.5. ;)

3DDave

03-28-2008, 01:47 PM

Re: What do you want in the new XSI?

- Program stability - the ability to work for 4-5 hours without a program crash with the initial 7.00 release.
- vray.

Can do that with 5.11 as well!

JDex

03-28-2008, 02:20 PM

Can do that with 5.11 as well!

Can only do that w/ 5.11. :(

DAVID:-D

03-28-2008, 02:25 PM

I think the point is that one would hope to NOT have to go thru 7.01, 7.02, and then
another upgrade fee for 7.5 to get what you can do now in 6.5. ;)

Oh, I see the point now :innocent:

scottsch

03-28-2008, 07:31 PM

I think the point is that one would hope to NOT have to go thru 7.01, 7.02, and then
another upgrade fee for 7.5 to get what you can do now in 6.5. ;)

Exactly. Going from 5.11 to 6.0 was a bit of a shock. To Softimage's credit, they have greatly improved stability of version 6 with the free incremental releases. I'd rather just wait 3-6 months more for a stable version for production work instead of having the "coolest new features right now - oops, crash, restart, reopen, argh!".

I'm sure 7.0 is going to be a very good app. So glad I moved to XSI from the other ones that will remain nameless.

kim aldis

03-30-2008, 04:13 PM

From the new XSI I'd like a new car. And a house, definitely a house. And maybe a boat too.

Sil3

03-31-2008, 10:23 AM

mechis

03-31-2008, 01:19 PM

The only modelling feature I miss is the ability to make points stick to the center seam. So if you have have half a model and an instance, the points at the center seam won't separate.

OR, if they could create symmetry modelling (like what Sil described above)-- so if you have a symmetric model (no instances or anything, just the model), you can model on one side and the other side updates automatically.

~Mechis

thiago

03-31-2008, 02:07 PM

I havent read the entire thread so excuse me if this was already spoken:

-Symmetry Selection

Simply selecting components one side and it automatically selecting those on the other side is a Bless in my Book. This can save hours a day when dealing with more complex shapes, specially when selecting Edges for Cuts.

maybe you can use the paint selection (F11) in edge/points/polys, and activate the "Sym" to make symmetric painting selection.

was that introduced in XSI 3?

Sil3

03-31-2008, 02:30 PM

maybe you can use the paint selection (F11) in edge/points/polys, and activate the "Sym" to make symmetric painting selection.

was that introduced in XSI 3?

I didnt knew that heheh thanks for the tip :D

...but it doesnt select loops and I cant seem to be able to select Polys that way.

Oz Adi

03-31-2008, 02:38 PM

Something really small ;) : in the dopesheet, when you Deactivate a region, the previous
keys, still interpolate to the deactivated keys... it's really useless like that :/

T.I.M.

03-31-2008, 03:07 PM

There are many things that I want but right now I will mention just some :
English is not my first language but I will try to be clear as possible.

First feel free to call XSI Unlimited as Maya does http://community.softimage.com/images/icons/icon7.gif, there are some limitations right now:

- Hair : unlimited count of points on the guides no just 15 points as is now; better simulation (maybe Softimage needs own hair system)
- Texture editor : To be able to tweak multiple uv's at once for multiple objects ;Unwrap solution similar to Roadkill plugin
-Skeleton : Give more freedom with chains( to be able to delete bones, split bones);Better auto rig system (maybe something similar to Kaydara rigging system,Check out also Houdini auto rig system ) , Give us CAT please!
- Muscle system (VERY IMPORTANT FOR CHARACTER ANIMATION APPLICATION)
- Rendering : Introduce to xsi community all mental ray shaders and give us better and faster workflow (ease of access) for adding new shaders (Maybe this could be done with even better material manager);Arch material -fix the viewport preview; Preview render window - ability to cache, image comparison functionality(similar to render region, but not limited to 4 ),ability to go back and see your test renders; Camera bookmarks unlimited no just 4 ;Give us back the hardware renderer aliasing;Better view port preview give us something similar to maya "Hight Quality Rendering" and "Hardware Texturing " without having to build huge render trees with real time shaders.
-Animation : Time Line Marker ; Ability to animate weight maps.
-Simulation : interactive simulation (connect everything together under one solver or separate solvers but to be able to interact each other like Houdini) - particles ,RBD,Soft bodes,cloth(maybe Moon Dust it's gonna do that I hope ) ,Give us fluids.
-Modeling : I thing it's time to see extrude based on normals, integrate Kim's
thickness plugin(this is all I can think of now)
-General : Revert to Default and save your own defaults values in Parameters (as in Houdini); Improved browsing system. (Ability to remember last directory/or easier access to folders without pressing "up button" so many times); Ease of access- For educational version please realese an educational version without 30day limit.You can lock it with water marks so forth (Similar to Houdini Apprentice)
This is all I can think of for now.

mechis

03-31-2008, 04:31 PM

maybe you can use the paint selection (F11) in edge/points/polys, and activate the "Sym" to make symmetric painting selection.

was that introduced in XSI 3?

Symmetry map and sym with the manipulate tool is cool... but it breaks when you add new geometry. I'd like sym to work even if you add new geometry to your model.
~Mechis

thiago

03-31-2008, 05:25 PM

Symmetry map and sym with the manipulate tool is cool... but it breaks when you add new geometry. I'd like sym to work even if you add new geometry to your model.
~Mechis

See this video:
http://www.xsi-brasil.com/videos/XSI_sym_modeling/

The most cool thing in XSI is not Gator or Motor or the Sym button.... It's in fact this layered concept that hold the architecture as a whole and let you develop your own little systems, that will not fall apart in the next workstation or that eventually will show "incompatible" with a next operator.

I'm former max/maya/lightwave user and I know pretty well that max symmetry modifier is the easiest thing on earth to set, but it's nothing else than what I show in this video... So go and do a damn "one click script" and you are done with that! :P

mechis

03-31-2008, 05:38 PM

Thnx thiago... that was interesting to see. I'll def have to remember that.
~Mechis

daskog

03-31-2008, 06:38 PM

I hope XSI 7 gets some basics like Thicken tool and so on built in natively! is it so hard?
Look at modo, they have sculpted out the foundation for good work flow.
I love XSI but it is frustrating to see the competition have some really must have tools.
Like a painter has his brush, paper and paint.

scaron

03-31-2008, 06:45 PM

come on... modo started as a modeler and they are also four versions younger.

is it hard? ask kim aldis if it was hard and why users can't use his plugin i dont understand?

daskog

03-31-2008, 07:16 PM

come on... modo started as a modeler and they are also four versions younger.

is it hard? ask kim aldis if it was hard and why users can't use his plugin i dont understand?

I do use his plugin, and i love it but thats not really my point! The point is why not implement such a useful function and even make some more out of it?

scaron

03-31-2008, 07:31 PM

sure and why they are at it everything else mentioned in this thread :)

hair, fluids, new renderers, pelting tools, muscle simulation, CAT, free houses and boats too!

MY point is that be there is already a plugin available, use it. softimage purchasing the licensing from kim and putting it into the software will probably be no different then you purchasing and installing the plugin from kim. kim mentioned this before about the difference between softimage doing it and a 3rd party isn't that much different.

The point is why not implement such a useful function and even make some more out of it?maybe what you should do is suggest to kim how he can improve his plugin?

*and more ranting.. if you find kim's tool useful enough to be integrated into the software i hope you were one of the few that actually purchased his plugin. people complain about lack of 3rd party tools, but never purchase their plugins. then suggest to softimage to integrate that tool... so what? you dont have to purchase it from the 3rd party? we need basic tools... you're right. like an updated particle system, not a thickness plugin that someone already did a damn fine job implementing

and breathe...

kim aldis

04-01-2008, 04:14 AM

I hope XSI 7 gets some basics like Thicken tool and so on built in natively! is it so hard?

I could turn around and say something like, 'if it's that easy, why don't you do it'. But I wouldn't do a thing like that ;-)

Is it easy? Yes, and no. It's not that hard to get it working, but in practice getting it easy and slick to use time consuming. Most of the work goes into workflow.

The thickness tool was up for sale for well over a year with only 4 or 5 sales. Now it's free everyone's all over it. This I don't mind, I'm pleased people find it useful and I don't need the money anymore but Steve makes an extremely valid point; if no-one buys these tools then no-one will develop them. Right now, no-one's buying. I'm noting here everyone's asking for things to be added but no-one's talking about how they'll be paid for. Here's a truism; nothing comes for free. One way or another you'll pay for it and right now the price is a lack of developers.

j3st3r

04-01-2008, 04:24 AM

kim aldis

04-01-2008, 06:12 AM

Decent map baking tools. Ultimapper produces crap in most of the cases, and we are forced to use xnormal or (god forgive me) max.

I'd love to see max like cage, better tangent computing, etc. On our behalf it is the weakest point of XSI

When you guys talk about features from other software can you explain some of the terminology? I don't use Maya that much, Max even less, feature names don't mean much to people who don't use these things a lot.

j3st3r

04-01-2008, 06:34 AM

Cage is a duplicate of the original mesh, showing the distance on a per vertex basis, instead of a single distance value. The cage can be adjusted, therefore you have the possibility to adjust the distance for each vertices.

Ultimapper creates a lot worse result than max or xnormal, it is due to the distance management, and the tangent operator. Ultimapper's issues are most obvious when you are working with non-organic forms.

I could attach a lot of samples, but they are not allowed to show up due to company policy.

GeneCrucean

04-02-2008, 11:14 AM

I've been asking for the same thing since version 1.5 I believe, and SI keeps letting me down! They just keep crushing my inner child with each release. I want a simulation feature that gives me an ice cold dark beer... and after I drink it, I don't feel like I just ate a family sized portion of lasagna! C'mon Soft! Get on this!

Simulation > Get > Primitive > Ice Cold Dark Beer

mantom

04-02-2008, 05:37 PM

My quickie list:

1) Stability out of the box. No more having to go through 3 or 4 service packs to get a stable platform.

2) Timely releases - no more waiting nearly 2 years per release. I'd rather see more frequent releases with a smaller targeted feature set. Would help #1 as it would force developers to pay more attention to their code and make sure it's working properly. How frequent? At least one release per 12 months. I'd like to see every 9 months.

3) A software that is friendly with other applications installed on the system. No more stomping on driver settings for Wacoms when switching to/from other applications, no more insisting on only the highest end of 3D cards in the box for usage, ...

4) A true geometry unfold tool for texturing. The current available tools are not acceptable for games development. This is one area where both Max and Maya are kicking XSI's butt pretty hard. I requested and spec'd out this feature 10 years ago, and like Gene, have the inner child squashed with each release.

5) Quality lighting tools from shaders down to light primitives - including the realtime shaders which currently don't have any. Light shaders should work with all light types (eg: texture projection should work with point, infinite, and spot, not just spot).

6) A text tool in the FX tree / compositor. How can you have a compositor without a text tool?

7) More love in the animation mixer. Lots of basic tools missing. Understandable at XSI v2.0, not so understandable at XSI v7.0.

8) Better SDK documentation w respect of how to do things from a user's point of view. Many topics in the SDK docs explain from how the XSI's architecture is organized, but it doesn't do a very good job of explaining where to start and how to approach specific tasks to a user not familiar with XSI. For example, how to find information to manipulate normals on a geometry. If you don't know they're called "user normals" or that they're a clusterproperty, you'll be hard pressed to track down what you're looking for. Same goes for other ordinary tasks.

And my favourite: Why is the algorithm for SRT matrix computations in the main XSI user guides and not the SDK docs?

would also like to see more explanations of how data structures are organized in the scripting docs.

9) Friendlier exchange of data between scenes or assets. Having to package everything into models and bring them into another scene for use is a pain. Would be nice to have a system where bits and pieces of objects could be pulled at will from a browser of some sort.

10) Overrides that function on clusters in the renderpasses without having to resort to trickery.

jamination

04-02-2008, 05:54 PM

My quickie list:

2) Timely releases - no more waiting nearly 2 years per release. I'd rather see more frequent releases with a smaller targeted feature set. Would help #1 as it would force developers to pay more attention to their code and make sure it's working properly. How frequent? At least one release per 12 months. I'd like to see every 9 months.

I too think this is very important. I really hate the idea of paying for maintenance if you are not going to get another release out of it. The way it works with softimage at some point you are going to get screwed because the releases are not always at 12 months. And for small companies the support is not worth that much money.

Phil

coolroy

04-02-2008, 06:07 PM

I wish gamma value to be in render settings, not in shaders. Like it was in 5.11

franky

04-03-2008, 04:06 AM

I too think this is very important. I really hate the idea of paying for maintenance if you are not going to get another release out of it. The way it works with softimage at some point you are going to get screwed because the releases are not always at 12 months. And for small companies the support is not worth that much money.

Phil

is STRONGLY disagree here! why should i want a release every 12 or 9 if its not WORTH a release? just to justify the maintenance? oh dear, thats why i never signed a subscription with autodesk, because the keep releasing in a timely manner, but what? a joke of a update mostly consisting of 3rd party incorporations into the software.
i signed maintenance with soft because here its NOT like this. here ppl develop tool and technologies that change my work flow and therefore life for the better. and they should release it when its time.
we've seen that they are very fast with point releases, if they must (see 6.01/6.02). that should suffice.

i rather wait 1.5 years and get something that makes me happy and faster, instead that i have to bitch about each release of max. for instance. the last version i own is max7. hm... i think i missed.. max8, max9, max2008, max2009.,... but then wait a sec... what did actually changed?? mr integration is better :) cool ... 4 versions for that.
now count the stuff you got in xsi new since 4 versions... that should make it clear!

Gene

04-03-2008, 07:25 AM

True what you say about max.
Installed the trial of 2009 yesterday; still the same old thing with a few addons and tweaks of questionable usefulness. I don't know yet what the upgrade price will be.
I suppose the devteam considers max "mature". Posted 25 UI issues and weaknesses in the area wishlist, not a single one has been touched.

That's why I really want to leave max behind at last after 13 years, and switch to a more elegant and user-friendly 3d-app.

I'm pretty happy with XSI by now, yet a few things with curve editing are missing, which make editing of imported floorplans or other complex curve networks difficult:

- ability to edit curve segments (the pieces between two curve points): select them, delete them, transform them, ...
- curve segments should be a component type of their own, consequently. In max it's the three sub-objects vertices, segments, splines. In XSI it could be points, segments, subcurves.
- attach subcurves, not only extract them
- connect open ends of subcurves
- trim, extend tool

Or did I miss something? How do I delete a curve segment after extracting it?

The other curve editing tools are perfectly clean.

franky

04-03-2008, 08:48 AM

the curve tools are totally underdeveloped in xsi. i usually draw them in illustrator or max, then export as ai.
so, i agree with your suggestions. curves are something really basic in 3d, the toolset should be complete.

jamination

04-03-2008, 01:48 PM

mantom

04-03-2008, 03:00 PM

is STRONGLY disagree here! why should i want a release every 12 or 9 if its not WORTH a release? just to justify the maintenance? oh dear, thats why i never signed a subscription with autodesk, because the keep releasing in a timely manner, but what? a joke of a update mostly consisting of 3rd party incorporations into the software.
i signed maintenance with soft because here its NOT like this. here ppl develop tool and technologies that change my work flow and therefore life for the better. and they should release it when its time.
we've seen that they are very fast with point releases, if they must (see 6.01/6.02). that should suffice.

i rather wait 1.5 years and get something that makes me happy and faster, instead that i have to bitch about each release of max. for instance. the last version i own is max7. hm... i think i missed.. max8, max9, max2008, max2009.,... but then wait a sec... what did actually changed?? mr integration is better :) cool ... 4 versions for that.
now count the stuff you got in xsi new since 4 versions... that should make it clear!

When you work at a company with 50+ seats of XSI and a year goes by without any releases and all the artists are bitching and moaning about all the bugs without any remedy in sight, the producers tend to coming marching into the office and demand valid reasons why maintenance should be renewed at $100,000+ or why the studio should continue to use the software if the studio doesn't get anything out of it. Rather difficult point to argue don't you think? When 2 years go by and there's no meaningful releases, the producers will actively look to dump XSI altogether whether in mid production or not. They don't like paying large sums of money for things and not see returns.

What you have to realize is that on large productions you hit a point where you have to freeze on a particular version of the software because the production is too deep to risk problems from bugs or changes in feature sets. However, when there's such a large gap between releases it becomes a big risk for studios because if the version they're currently using isn't stable enough or is missing some features, then when that next XSI release finally hits the shelves it may be too late to upgrade. Either that or you roll some very big dice that all else will be working too if you make the switch. History shows it doesn't work like that. What studios need is the option to upgrade or hold, but they really can't do that if there aren't any valid releases on a timely schedule.

Imagine a 3 year project. A version of XSI is released the day the production starts, so studio makes that the studio wide copy in use. A year goes by and there's no release, but by now the studio has needs that must be addressed. Some are handled internally via custom tool development, others remain hanging because it's an XSI bug or missing feature. OK, 18 months now go by and still no release of XSI. Studio has to freeze on whatever version of XSI they're using because they have no other options, yet some unfulfilled needs have now become rather glaring. Producers get very antsy because of all the moans and groans piling up within the studio walls as it's a moral killer. Developers spend time writing workarounds, artists accomdate as best as they can. 2nd year milestone arrives and finally another release of XSI shows up....what does the studio do? they leave it on the shelf because it's too late to integrate into production for fear of breaking all the tools and assets that have gone through the pipeline thus far. So, in a 3 year schedule, how has the studio benefitted from being on maintenance? Answer: They haven't. They would get the same return buying licenses without maintenance and not upgrading. By not purchasing maintenance, at least they wouldn't have the letdown of expecting something and not getting it, while saving money in the process.

So tell me how Softimage taking it's sweet old time is beneficial to a studio?

3DDave

04-03-2008, 03:03 PM

I think maintenance should be optional and not a requirement to get the next release. A standard upgrade price for each version should be defined and sold through the Softimage store. Its not like this is new to AVID because you can buy upgrades for most of the editing systems and Pro Tools without any maintenance. Right now I can upgrade my 5.11 Essentials to 6.5 for a special price of $1200, that's a lot due to the $800 maintenance that is included. My preference going foward is to buy tangible upgrades not invest in future upgrades that may or may not be needed by myself.

P.S. I would upgrade to 6.5 if I didn't have to buy maintenance to do so.

j3st3r

04-04-2008, 03:11 AM

I do agree with a more frequent releases. It's very frustrating that XSI has supoprt for MR 3.5, while Maya nad Max has MR 3.6 (with a lot of architectural and other issues fixed)

I do not agree that XSI UV editor is unusable. I prefer UVLayout, or even roadkill, so I think basic unfolding algorythms could be implemented easily. Even I started a script for doing unfolding, but it's nowhere close to be released.

Curve needs a serious update. Max curves are a lot better :(

As I told, Ultimapper needs the most attention. The result of ultimapper is almost useless compared to Max's result. And this IS unusable for game developement.

Modeling is solid, I could imagine additional tools, but I can live with the current toolset.

I think a scatter tool would be nice (internal solution without using Object to Cluster constrain), etc.

So there is always room for improvement

franky

04-04-2008, 09:56 AM

different ppl, different oppinions, different customers, different needs.

i doubt soft will line its release dates to studio project deadlines. and as far as i know (never experienced it myself) there are these qfe's, that are sent in urgent cases to certain customers. didnt hear that something like this exists in the autodesk world.

as much as i respect your oppion Matt, i dont agree with you here. having 50 artist moan all the time tells me that something else is wrong. up to my experience, you have to bitch and moan a LOT more with other packages, thats why we use xsi here.
if its certain features they miss, a studio of this size should be able to come up with either a own solution, or a mixed pipeline where a tool fits the needs. sorry, can only shrug my shoulder and wonder why that should be a reason to get rushed, most likely buggy releases, that will make nobody happy.

i buy xsi since v4 and i dont see 2 years without any updates? wonder where that comes from.

anyway, its only my opinion

@Szabolcs, as far as i know there will be a solution to the unwrapping problem in xsi7.

kim aldis

04-04-2008, 10:42 AM

if you're a studio with as many as 50 artists I doubt very much whether you'd want to start changing versions in the middle of a production.

simesf

04-08-2008, 04:58 PM

I'm just learning XSI after over a decade of other 3d apps. The problems I'm having are to do with the importing of .obj files from other apps. Displacement maps are a pain, I have problems importing surfaces as clusters (I seem to get a surface overriding my existing surfaces.) I've not had these many problems before when importing/exporting from /to other apps.

Zafar Iqbal

04-09-2008, 04:53 AM

I had problems with importing OBJ myself, but I managed to solve it after a while. XSI is just a bit more strict than other appz.

andystopps

04-09-2008, 04:19 PM

Some things I'd like to see in the new XSI:

Nested Layers - including the ability to export layers nested within a model; I know you can use grouping to effect the same thing, but I like layers.

Shape manager can be set to display current deformation - e.g. you want to use shapes to generate muscle bulge as an arm bends, but currently you can only see the unbent limb in the shape manager.

Ability to associate clusters with lights.

Of course someone may now tell me that all these things are currently implemented and I should have R'd the FM - well that's fine by me, as long as you tell me which pages to look on.

thiago

04-09-2008, 04:49 PM

Nested Layers - including the ability to export layers nested within a model; I know you can use grouping to effect the same thing, but I like layers.

No please. I don't want that.
Imagine that instead of stay at Scene level, layers stay at model level.
Why do I want to have Groups then?

If they do it I hope they let me toggle when I want and when I don't want to send this with the model.
Imagine what the mess it would cause in a big project where every artist model with it layers and etc.. then when you got it in the final scene, you get 100 layers because every model bring it own layers.
Then to change objects from it native layers would cause a huge Ref model management issue.

Worst case: imagine the render guy who uses layers to override visibility when tweaking passes, but to do so he would have to take the object from the exported layer that comes with the refmodel. Now think if the artist working on that model change his layer set.

Layers are limited because they are supposed to be. Layers must stay on the scene set and nothing else.
Right now you can have many levels of control: the Object visbility property, Layers, Groups and Partitions.
Now if you change the layer behavior to be the same as a group, you lose one level.

What you should do is script your layer creation to be equal to groups creation, or script a custom property that read groups and show it to you nicely with toggles, like layers do.

U'Gene

04-10-2008, 05:42 AM

Hello, I want to ask about only one thing - please make a different system units availiable in XSI, now as I know 1 unit= 10 cm, please make it more comfortable, for example 1 cm or 1 mm, or 1 m, I live in a country that uses a metric system, but it's much easy to use inches than decimeters, thanks.
with new mental ray and vray(it seems that this renderer will be availiable for XSI soon), and price for foundation version of XSI in 10 times lower than 3dsMax - XSI can become a strong player in archviz industry... but with present dimension system, it's hard.
thanks

kim aldis

04-10-2008, 06:39 AM

No please. I don't want that.
Imagine that instead of stay at Scene level, layers stay at model level.
Why do I want to have Groups then?

If they do it I hope they let me toggle when I want and when I don't want to send this with the model.

the scene is a model. if layers could be model related I don't think it would make much difference to you, just keep your layers at the scene root level.

patrick.n

04-10-2008, 07:10 AM

but the point about imported models with layers is valid. It's another level of organisation you could do without.

kim aldis

04-10-2008, 07:50 AM

I don't see why, if you carry on using layers as you are you'd never see the difference. On the other hand, if you do find a use for it and it's there .....

patrick.n

04-10-2008, 08:35 AM

yes, if you can disable the import of a model's layers property. Otherwise you end up with x more layers per imported model. I personally like to keep layer sets as simple as possible, and use sub-model groups for more local control.

kim aldis

04-10-2008, 01:37 PM

unless you're clever with merging of model layers with existing layers.

If I were honest I'd be less bothered by not having model level layers than not having model level passes. That also would require some clever merging.

Gene

04-11-2008, 07:36 AM

I second U'Gene's wish for scene units!
One unit=10cm ist quite strange. Very uncomfortable for design/archvis projects.
Best regards,
Gene

Zafar Iqbal

04-11-2008, 07:43 AM

I second U'Gene's wish for scene units!
Gene

Me too - I dont see any benefits, but instead have to think about what numbers I'm using almost all the time.

nixx

04-11-2008, 09:12 AM

I 've been wishing for real-world units for years... The usual reply is "an SI unit is what you want it to be", but it's not like that - the 10cm rule is what it's like most of the time, so why not have the interface reflect that ? Why not have the software do the math for the user, instead of the user having to keep that scale in mind ?

nick

Ewald

04-11-2008, 01:58 PM

I woul'd love to get somewhere a switch from the default organic modeling grid,
to a construction grid,just by adding major lines to the viewport slate.
But no workaround with a transparent primitive grid and adjusting edges.

I know that XSI is a superbe character animation tool,but when i look at our nice gallery here
i'm recognizeing also a lot of superbe arch viz stuff.

nevermetagerman

04-11-2008, 05:14 PM

I LOVE xsi modeling tools, the best in the business imo. it would be nice to see some nice surface tools though, you guys at softimage always make your tools work how they should and i cant imagine how good your surface tools could be. I would like to see some surface tools and something for quick sculpting changes, brushes similar to zbrush, not for sculpting in millions of poly detail or anything, but its useful to have a smooth brush or something for modeling on high res mesh at work.

Also i really hope you guys get a new rendering method. i dont know how that stuff works, but Modo's renderer as well as vray (which i use at work) are so much better imo than mental ray. i can get clean results in no time at all, no artifacts. would be nice to have a new method of rendering to have very fast results like vray or the modo renderer.

toma

04-12-2008, 04:35 AM

layers and partitions are just exclusives groups no? (an object can't be in two layers or two partition) so maybe adding a "unique" parameter to group properties should be nice, and could be use to make some sort of "local" layer…

punchatz

04-12-2008, 10:20 AM

Hey Matt!
You seem to be counterdicting your self by essentially saying...1. I want the software to be stable....2.but please rush it out the door.

To do anything truly significant to improve xsi and not simply pile on features on top it takes time.

My concerns about XSi....soft listening to the masses to get somthing out now, I would rather have them take the time to make right.

JDex

04-12-2008, 01:22 PM

TharsoBrasil

04-15-2008, 06:56 PM

scaron

04-15-2008, 07:20 PM

the point of the new rendering api is to push the responsibility for these rendering engines to the developer of said engine. vray is in private alpha/beta... these things are complex and take time.

s

bodoquedoc

04-22-2008, 07:01 PM

Things like cinema 4d MOGRAPH Module for motion graphic artist like me.....:biggrin:

GeneCrucean

04-22-2008, 07:10 PM

What exactly does that do?

jamination

04-22-2008, 08:36 PM

It is a motion graphics tool like the mindthink tools plugin, MT MG for xsi. If you are into motion graphics it is a must have. MT MG is great and I use it all the time, there is a pain in the ass factor when using it though, and I say that will all due-respect ( I really do find it useful).

- visual display is proxy-like at best and kind of a hack job
- to net render, caching is necessary (ugh).
- needs more tools like the c4d effectors.

It really is very close, and quite useful as is. I would love to see it built into XSI, futureproofing it a bit. Perhaps with the supposed new particle system it will give it
a lift there.

edit: Basically the c4d mg and the MT MG tool are array creating tools with tons of control, the MTMG version uses the xsi particle sytem, (somewhat transparent though). You can create radial arrays, cube, spherical, object, spline etc.

Phil

iamamanami

04-26-2008, 12:43 PM

How about adding muscle & fat effects for human/animal modeling?

lookslikematt

04-27-2008, 03:21 PM

My concerns about XSi....soft listening to the masses to get somthing out now, I would rather have them take the time to make right.

Amen, brother. Can't enjoy the new magic if it crashes to desktop when you go to use it. :P

lookslikematt

04-27-2008, 03:27 PM

How about adding muscle & fat effects for human/animal modeling?

Just b/c it isn't labeled "fat maker" doesn't mean the tools aren't already there. Streamlining the workflow and making sure it plays well with the particle/dynamics engine seems more worthwhile of a request, yeah?

Ahmidou

04-27-2008, 04:54 PM

Some things I'd like to see in the new XSI:
Shape manager can be set to display current deformation - e.g. you want to use shapes to generate muscle bulge as an arm bends, but currently you can only see the unbent limb in the shape manager.

XSI doc >> Shape Animation >> Using the Shape Manager >> Modifying Shapes

andystopps

04-28-2008, 06:08 AM

Well, there you go; I never noticed that paragraph in the manual (or the menu entry in the shape manager). Thanks Ahmidou.

iamamanami

04-28-2008, 12:37 PM

Just b/c it isn't labeled "fat maker" doesn't mean the tools aren't already there. Streamlining the workflow and making sure it plays well with the particle/dynamics engine seems more worthwhile of a request, yeah?

So, for "particle/dynamics engine", is it possible to add (chemical) bondings in between particles for better simulation?

bilfrok

04-30-2008, 10:11 AM

SOFTIMAGE XSI 7, really needs a nice implementation of vray. (Coz maxwell its almost ok in xsi). As well a bigger compatibiliy between other 3dsoftwares for importing exporting scenes, coz i didnt have any success with crosswalk.

xsi 7 ---- VRAY PLEASEEEE

GeneCrucean

04-30-2008, 10:20 AM

It's in beta right now along with other 3rd party renderers. Just give it a little time.

scaron

04-30-2008, 03:05 PM

...As well a bigger compatibiliy between other 3dsoftwares for importing exporting scenes, coz i didnt have any success with crosswalk...

i use it daily from max -> xsi...

expecting complex materials to translate is just wishful thinking. our meshes with uvs come over fine, skinning works, i use gator to salvage work done in max and send it back for lighting and rendering later. if you are using edit mesh modifier never expect quads in xsi, edit mesh is faking quads.

what you need to do is log a specific bug where it doesn't work, crosswalk has been abstracted from the development of xsi so faster updates can happen.

steven

nevermetagerman

05-07-2008, 04:15 PM

Vray or some updated mental ray that can render fast and clean like vray would be nice. also, how about an updated UI? the xsi ui has been around for a while now, its time to give it a face lift. programs like modo and zbrush are really sleak and fresh looking, just think a new UI could really be nice is all. dont go the way max or maya has gone where it STILL looks that bad, lets get a fancy new ui softimage.

GeneCrucean

05-07-2008, 08:29 PM

Would you prefer... http://www.genecrucean.com/misc/sum97.jpg

Zac-Donald

05-07-2008, 10:27 PM

Thats hott!!!

But seriously, xsi could still be a little less cute (with the rounded box buttons)

bilfrok

05-08-2008, 04:45 AM

scaron so if i understood you u model on xsi and render in max? and u use crosswalk for the export import job between max2008 and xsi 6?

Another thing is unit system, i know xsi its a make your own system unit but anyway lights shaders and everything are made in xsi units so if u want to work in meters forget 1xsi unit= 1meter.

hi all

mantom

05-08-2008, 05:38 AM

Would you prefer...

Gawd, I remember when that was still concept art. Ugh, I feel old now.

Anyway, while the art of that UI is rather, ick, I'm rather interested in how the buttons and panels are laid out. While the layout reeks of Softimage|3D and the looks of the original Softimage|DS, visually it makes sense. There aren't any double uses of buttons, or confusing labels. Screen space is used fairly well even though some holes exist. Everything has it's place and is grouped logically. Some areas need work, but overall it feels simple, clean, and relevant. Other useful features are plainly visible and not hidden in menus either.

For example, notice how the undo and redo buttons are in plain view on the MCP along with the duplicate, instance, and repeat buttons. Stuff you use everyday right there. I like how the contraint panel has two buttons: "Immed" and "Snap". The immediate button would be very handy and much more useful than the match tools if it does what I think it was supposed to do. Also interested in the "scene" button at the top left as I remember a thread from years ago talking about scene mixing. The "Trk" button sounds interesting. I assume it stands for "Track" as in track an object or parameter.

It's obvious the model, motion, actor, matter, tools, DS things was still in vogue per the icons at the bottom left, but my how things have changed since.

thiago

05-08-2008, 03:14 PM

Some areas need work, but overall it feels simple, clean, and relevant.

Design wise it looks ugly, old and confusing.
It has lots of beveled things that make your eye jump up and down
and you never stop to look around. (still present on XSI of today, but less).

I second that XSI need a revamp in the interface (speaking about design) and
also bring a simplified, (pretty) icon based layout for new users.
Just this two things would bring a thousand new users trying XSI even without
talk about any new feature.

Damn don't try to convince me that text is better than icons.
Text is better, definitely and we all know that. But XSI would
just get more popular with an icon based interface.

Like Matt, I also love that all commands are on my fingers, but new users coming
from other softwares just hate it because is too much for them.
An icon based interface is present in Modtool but if they do a similar layout
for XSI, please make it look beautiful (modtool icons are really ugly).

An ideal new interface design would need to be beautiful, have option for a
darker theme (this thing is too bright for me to spend 10h a day).
I also suggest:
Make it pretty, make it clean, flat it all. Use this 3d style buttons just
on important menus/buttons (like the KP/L is), and let me do my own
design if you don't wanna do.
At least two font size available, I think all the text is too big. Let me choose
colors or put more themes. Put 2d widgets available (2d flat buttons pleeease).

ps: Why they can put that huge circular arrow in the select panel and I can't??

GeneCrucean

05-08-2008, 04:08 PM

What I find funny about the interface is that all of the buttons have a height for two lines of text... but not a single one uses two lines :)

oglu

05-09-2008, 03:06 AM

there is no need to make the interface look good...
its an waste of time...

Zafar Iqbal

05-09-2008, 04:07 AM

While I do not necessarily agree with XSI's interface needing a major overhaul, I do agree that a good and fluid as well as somewhat fresh looking interface is important. I wonder if you would be saying the same if XSI looked like Win 3.1 :) - modo is IMO the best example of that, where you can even make adjustments on the run, but without having to spend ages on doing so.

GeneCrucean

05-09-2008, 09:09 AM

there is no need to make the interface look good...
its an waste of time...

Yeah because image appeal is nothing.

Using your logic... next time I try and pick up a girl, I'll wear dirty nasty worn out clothes and stink like a turd. :)

simesf

05-09-2008, 10:12 AM

So... You're looking to marry Courteney Love?

GeneCrucean

05-09-2008, 10:14 AM

hahhahah perfect!

ajcgi

05-09-2008, 10:59 AM

Apart from multithreaded simulations there's not a lot more I would ask for with xsi. I've kinda got used to its bugs. They give it character. Wouldn't mind too much if they went though ;)
eg I'm zooming in using z + scrollwheel click, accidentally roll wheel forwards, let go and it keeps zooming in. Yeah cheers for that.
Course some kind of "animate the client's idea of perfect" button would be great!

[edit] just thought of something... an update to flipbook that remembers your codec settings from the previous time and doesn't take an age to navigate through the harddrive.

JDex

05-09-2008, 11:13 AM

... Course some kind of "animate the client's idea of perfect" button would be great!

I'd be slightly more excited with a "make client actually know what they want" button and a "make client remember what they asked for" lockable parameter.

David Diamond

05-09-2008, 12:50 PM

I'd really like to see the shaders section of the user guide enhanced with workflow examples, idea usages and color images. XSI has so many Render Tree nodes, but I find myself sticking to the few that I know because I don't have a good sense of what the others do, when they'd be used, and whether or not they've been supplanted by another shader. (The cumbersome way in which we access them also makes it seem as though some are important and others should be ignored.)

I'd also like to see some "best practices" info included in the shader reference. Example: instead of just warning that a particular option will increase render time, provide some helpful suggestions (when available) as to other ways to achieve a similar result with less of a render hit.

thiago

05-09-2008, 02:12 PM

there is no need to make the interface look good...
its an waste of time...

I would agree if XSI had 90% of the market.
But it doesn't, so I think a fresh looking interface would help to bring new people to try XSI.
And make old users feel alive. :)

XSI is already growing but the best new feature of XSI7 would be even more people and studios using it (even if 90% of what's been asked on this thread never get into XSI).

Flood the market with XSI artists and see what happen.

mechis

05-09-2008, 05:29 PM

SEXSI

05-28-2008, 11:56 PM

Hiya.

Honestly? I want prices to drop. :) I had by taxes coming in, had a grad "squirreled away " (ok, so it was "hiding in plane sight" on my MC)...just waiting for the tax firm to do their stuff...and BLAMMO! They increase the price of Essentials by a cool $1,000.00!! :( So...I kept trying to save, etc., but while it's not that hard for me to get up to 2.5k, getting up to 3.5k....not likely unless I cash in my vacation pay (and my wife would KILL me if I did that!). So, yeah, I want XSI Essentials to drop back to 2k. :)

...as that is HIGHLY unlikely, the second best thing would be for there to be a Foundation version of it for sale...*with* a 64-bit option. The primary reason I wanted to upgrade to Ess was for the full 64-bit support. Oh, I should be more specific: "64-bit version that runs on Windows XP 64-bit". I don't have Vista, and am not going anywhere near Vista. Ever.

kim aldis

05-29-2008, 05:40 AM

andystopps

05-29-2008, 07:02 AM

With regard to pricing; I think SI might do well to emulate Side Effects' pricing policy for non-commercial licences, i.e. dirt cheap, and no requirement to jump through hoops proving academic status (which requirement of course excludes many artists, hobbyists and auto-didacts).
"Ah" you might say "at $99 a pop, Houdini Apprentice HD is scarcely likely to send Side Effects' share price into the stratosphere, and anyway doesn't everyone in the non-commercial category (or, to put it another way, those who can't get the Inland Revenue to pick up the tab) use a crack ?
Well, there may be some truth in that, but firstly $99 is $99 better than nothing, and anyway, people become surprisingly loyal to this intangible entity we call software and, if the price is within their means, many will pay for it, even when they could get away with not doing so.
After all, anyone who is intellectually capable of learning to use a program like XSI must also be well aware of the need of the parent company to make a profit, pay their staff etc., and can see the eventual consequence if everyone were to steal software, rather than making some sort of contribution to its development. (One could speculate that widespread piracy of software, films, music, etc., by otherwise well-behaved and law-abiding individuals is harmful not only to commercial interests, but to the psychological and moral well-being of society as a whole, but that's straying rather outside the ambit of this thread ).
XSI Foundation is keenly priced for a commercial license, granted, but for those who have no need for this, let's scrap the academic license, and follow Side Effects' lead.

SEXSI

05-29-2008, 11:00 AM

Since XSI and SI3D dropped in price these past years competition for work has become stiffer and fees have dropped considerably. Nothing comes for free, even free stuff; if prices drop further you'll end up paying for it one way or another.

That may very well be...but that's like saying "A Softimage artist doesn't have to be better than the next 3d artist...he just has to be richer". ;)

^_^

Paul L. Ming

j3st3r

05-29-2008, 12:23 PM

Sorry to interrupt this conversation, but sexsi you are wrong. Check out what does XSI offer for it's price, and what does Maya or Max, the main competitors offer.

dur23

05-29-2008, 01:42 PM

Suggested Improvements

I will try to keep my list to the games aspect of a change list. I have been using xsi since the 1.5. I have been in the games development for the better part of 8 years. I wish to provide softimage with a few key features/suggestions that are missing.

Generation of maps

>Shell based Generation.jpg

This shell based method would give artists the option of going through each vertex and picking the spot at which it is going to project and be projected upon.
Push modified initially.
Secondary editing would be standard mesh tweaking

>EdgePadding.jpg

What this is used for is adding on to the UV edge of the baked pixels.
It is used for games for adjusting for Mip-Mapping.

>Others:

GPU based AO generation for baking.
Invert Y, Invert X
Ignore mirrored UV’s.

Viewing of maps

>Using the CDH Softimage should develop an external fully scalable viewer.

Updatable without having to update the whole of Xsi.
Scalable with the ability to incorporate the latest and greatest technologies emerging in the industry. (SSAO, HDRI, Irradiance Volumes, BRDF, etc.)
Backwards to forwards compatible. Nintendo DS --> Crysis(and onward).
DirectX, OpenGL, CGfx, etc…
Would include post effects for proper viewing of mesh’s. (DOF, Motion Blur, Bloom, Emission, AA, etc.)
Connected to the XSI Render Tree.

Ease of use. Right now the way that it is setup making a custom shader for real-time use is hard and most of the time goes right over the head of the standard game artist. Simplifying this down to just a few simple nodes will help the artists achieve much better results.

Support for render methods for current next-gen engines. What I mean by this is lighting/drawing settings that are used in certain engines that could be duplicated in the real-time CDH so the artists can get a better grasp of what their assets will look like in the engine used. (Unreal, ID, Crytek, etc.)

Ps. Sorry for the weird formatting. I wrote this in word and absolutely silly when it comes to text editors. :)

pss. This is just a starting point for you wonderful folks at Softimage. I really think that if you started to push a little bit more in this direction i wouldn't have to work in maya anymore. :)

SEXSI

05-29-2008, 09:33 PM

Sorry to interrupt this conversation, but sexsi you are wrong. Check out what does XSI offer for it's price, and what does Maya or Max, the main competitors offer.

Ditto on the sorry...but j3st3r you are missing the point. It's not about "what it can do for the money". It's about how much money it costs, period. XSI could do everything ever conceived for a 3d app...it could have *everything* that 3DS MAX, Maya, ZBrush and C4D have put together. It would still cost me $3,500. I don't suddenly get richer just because XSI has a dozen new features. $3.5k is $3.5k. That's too much, IMHO, and will only lead to more pirating.

j3st3r

05-30-2008, 12:10 AM

Okay, following your way, you should do you job for a lot less money, because there are cheaper artists. Maybe they cannot do the job as good as you. Maybe they are not as fast as you. But you should lower your price, because the client (or employer) will hire a cheaper craftsman. That will lead to increased working hours, and less income. Softimage covers from the income the salary of those people who code XSI, the whole marketing stuff, etc. I don't think there should be a price drop. I wouldn't lower my price, because I know what are my costs of living, and I know there will be customers who pay me well for my skills.

The only product line I wish to see a serious price drop is Face Robot. It is unbelievably expensive. I wish if it would make into the next Advanced version.

kim aldis

05-30-2008, 02:51 AM

but that's like saying "A Softimage artist doesn't have to be better than the next 3d artist...he just has to be richer". ;)
Paul L. Ming

Nobody's talking about getting rich here; I'm talking about just earning a living.

DAVID:-D

05-31-2008, 06:32 AM

I don't suddenly get richer just because XSI has a dozen new features. $3.5k is $3.5k.

Well thats your problem that you cant offer more with new features to your clients.
There is a problem in your business strategy, and you cant blame Softimage for it.

That's too much, IMHO, and will only lead to more pirating.

- Pirating ? thats a bullsh*t. People share on torrents with games and other softwares what cost 20 bugs and even less. So the high cost is not the point, its a nature of some people to get software for free.

SEXSI

05-31-2008, 11:46 AM

Well thats your problem that you cant offer more with new features to your clients.
There is a problem in your business strategy, and you cant blame Softimage for it.

Guys, I don't want to get into an argument here so I'll just list a few things:

I don't do 3d for a living
I don't care how much money I make...as long as I can pay my bills, eat well, and have a few bucks left to go fishing, take in the odd movie, or maybe go out to dinner once and a while. Getting "rich" isn't really a concern of mine; I don't want to *have* to work my ass off to be happy...I'll happily work hard for it, sure, but I'd like to keep my ass, thanks! ;)
$3,500 is $3,500
I'd like the next version of XSI to go back to it's 'slightly older' price (where Ess was $2k)....
...OR...bring back Fnd and offer a 64-bit version.

No more comments from me on the whole price/value thing from me anymore.

ThE_JacO

05-31-2008, 03:32 PM

OR...bring back Fnd and offer a 64-bit version

It's worth noting that FND has never gone away.
There's no 6.5 FND only because the focus of 6.5 was feature transferral, price revision and relicensing.
There's no 64bit version yet (and I don't know if there are plans for it to come into being soon), but FND definitely hasn't gone away.

Delirium

05-31-2008, 04:57 PM

Guys, I don't want to get into an argument here so I'll just list a few things:

I don't do 3d for a living
I don't care how much money I make...as long as I can pay my bills, eat well, and have a few bucks left to go fishing, take in the odd movie, or maybe go out to dinner once and a while. Getting "rich" isn't really a concern of mine; I don't want to *have* to work my ass off to be happy...I'll happily work hard for it, sure, but I'd like to keep my ass, thanks! ;)
$3,500 is $3,500
I'd like the next version of XSI to go back to it's 'slightly older' price (where Ess was $2k)....
...OR...bring back Fnd and offer a 64-bit version.

No more comments from me on the whole price/value thing from me anymore.

well, Lambo is over 100 000 bucks and guess what. It's too expensive, so why don't they cut the price because it's too much for me. How about that?
Ohh, better. I'd like a big condo and a mansion somewhere in western Wales. Gee, I'm a bit short. I know..., They should cut the price for me.
A bit of a suggestion. Why don't we let the maker of the software decide how much they want for it, ok?

Still, foundation in 64 would be sweet.

ThE_JacO

05-31-2008, 05:02 PM

I think SEXSI already said that "he would like" it to happen, which is different from "Softimage should". The point has been driven home already, several times.
Let the thread move on please :)

Delirium

05-31-2008, 07:58 PM

I think SEXSI already said that "he would like" it to happen, which is different from "Softimage should". The point has been driven home already, several times.
Let the thread move on please :)

No problemo. I didn't mean to sound rude but to point out the absurd of the request. Regardless, sorry guys.

etaf

06-09-2008, 09:33 PM

Hello There

Here is my wishlist.

MODELING
-A smooth and relax operator with a paintbrush control.
-symmetrical selection of components.

RENDER
-Partition working on clusters.
-Flash vector render.
-RENDERMAN support.

SIMULATION
-Better Fluids
-Cloth and soft bodies that can tear.
-Particles and instances that can be Motion-blurred.
-Hair that can be shaped into braids and curls easily.

RIGGING
-A MUSCLE SYSTEM, most important, since it´s a "Character Oriented" software
-Better pre-sets for Mo-Cap rigs and other apps like ENDORPHIN. You always end up constructing these rigs and would help workflow with MOTOR.
-FACE ROBOT on Advanced or at least some form of these skin solvers to help bulge and slide without having to rely on secondary shapes.

BEHAVIOR graphic and user friendly interfase. Maybe ICE will be implemented here...

I also feel the integration with RPC´s from ARCHVISION would help a lot. Many Architectural clients expect to see people around. I contacted them about plug-in support and they asked me to contact Softimage in turn. So I had to post it here too!