My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

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benoit81
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My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by benoit81 » 19 Oct 2011, 22:01

Like most of you I use Softimage everyday. But I'm not sure that Autodesk consider myself as "valuable" user. I'm obviously not in the main target : I use Softimage for creating realtime 3D assets. Modeling, texturing, backing shadows, animation are my regular tasks. I must admit that I'm mostly happy with it. But as a subscription customer, I'm very concerned with the evolution of the product. New releases focus mainly on ICE. I'm absolutely not against ICE, but as a Realtime 3D artist it does not help so much... 2012.5 was in fact the first nice surprise since Softimage 7, even if I had for a long time ago scripts for all those "new" stuff.

Here are my wishes to improve Softimage for "everyday work" (not only for a rocket science effect) :
- It would be very nice if the texture editor get a major update. Now that we can see multiple UVs together, it is very frustrating not to be able to pack those different UVs together. I do not know why Unique UVs or Unfold does not work on a selection of objects, or as subprojection ? Also it would be nice to have the same features in the Texture Editor and in the other windows : the B key to rotate, scale, move UVs, double click to Island selection, loops selection,... Actually, texture editor gives the impression that it is not well integrated.
- I also think that merging objects should be much easier. In 3ds max, when you add an object to another one, you do not need to create a new entity, so you preserve the name, the hierarchy, the animation... So, so simple.
- FBX Exporter should work (I have reported bugs to Softimage "gold" support, but it's still not fixed*, I think I will never loose time anymore to report bugs as it as never changed anything).
- I would also be happy to have a modern viewport capabilities (FSAO, RT post effects, RT Reflections...).

I have the impression that every working hours of Softimage engineers are dedicated to ICE. But I think that if ICE were so great there should be much more usefull modeling tools made with ICE. Why cap tools or thickness are so slow and so user unfreindly with ICE ? Why is there no painting tools made with ICE ? I would be very happy to be able to develop with ICE, but it's time consuming, and I do not manage to go very far (I'm not familar with arrays, vectors, matrix).
Well, to be positive I think that Autodesk should do at least 2 things regarding Softimage :
- listening also small studios needs.
- launching a pluginStore for Softimage ; so that people developing ICE compounds can easily sell or share their tools. I saw tonns of very interesting new plugin/ICE initiatives, but I can not use them :
ICE Path Tracing (http://vimeo.com/groups/ice/videos/24817712)
ICE Boolean (http://vimeo.com/groups/ice/videos/24450642)
ICE Cut Edges (http://vimeo.com/groups/ice/videos/23367815)
Interactive Tool SDK (http://xsisupport.wordpress.com/2011/03 ... -tool-sdk/)
Viewport Fcurve Editor (http://vimeo.com/20538565)

/regards,

* make a cube, apply an uv projection (do not freeze modeling), make a symetry, export in FBX, import it... Enjoy, or not. Why is it so hard to fix this reported bug ? How long should I wait again ? Am I the only one to use FBX exporter ? Today, I have to export in .XSI, import it, and then re-export in FBX for every object that I export. Great

PS I'm french, sorry fo my poor english.
Last edited by benoit81 on 20 Oct 2011, 15:25, edited 1 time in total.

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ActionArt
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by ActionArt » 19 Oct 2011, 22:20

There has been lots of talk on the SI mailing list about the texture editor so maybe it'll get revamped soon. I think it's pretty important to them since about 50% of SI seats are in the gaming industry. Also, Luc-Eric hinted that there was work being done on the viewport (instead of developing Iray) so there is some hope for that.

I think FBX/Collada is somebodies idea of a joke. I've never had it work right, ever. I think it's slowly getting better but at the pace of a glacier. Don't hold your breath on that one!

I'd sure like to see some of the MR features hooked up (like progressive rendering, Iray) but apparently Iray is off the table.

I think there will be a lot more ICE modeling tools, it's just that it's very new. It takes time. There are a lot of great tools popping up all over that wouldn't have been made if not for ICE. It'll get better with time.

In a dream world it would be nice if SI kicked MR to the curb and integrated Arnold but now I'm really dreaming...

I would like to see certain elements of rendering moved to the GPU like OA, area light shadows and most of all, volume particle rendering (the most time consuming for me).

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Memag
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Memag » 19 Oct 2011, 22:49

Ice booleans and cut edges compounds can be found on this forum.
Booleans are included in implosia FX package,as I recall, and cut edges can be downloaded from the vimeo link you posted.
There was also a workshop on softimage mailing list, so you can check there.
As far as interactive tools go, you can use the factory ones but you need to enable them and call them with "boxtransformtool","picktool" commands.
You need to read the manual on how to do this exactly.
Also, there is QuickExtrude modeling tool by Piotrek, which uses new SDK.You can find that tool on SI community as well.It's great.

jamination
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by jamination » 20 Oct 2011, 05:57

- modo style sculpting tools (push, smooth, etc)
- erase painting a "shape"
Phil Harbath
Jamination Productions

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Hirazi Blue
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Hirazi Blue » 20 Oct 2011, 10:57

Personally I think wishlists are nice places to vent some frustration,
but in the end they seem to have hardly any significant influence on the development of the software.
But just for the sheer fun of it, let's throw in a classic one: Softimage for the MAC =))
(no this wasn't a true request, this was a mockery...)
And after that joke, let's throw in a real one: give us the option of a Basic Subscription.
Not just claim to have discussed it, implement it!
(And that wasn't a mockery, that was a true request...)
;)
Stay safe, sane & healthy!

iamVFX
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by iamVFX » 20 Oct 2011, 11:34

1. Pre-selection highlighting. Not only for Tweak Component Tool.
2. Would be nice to have basic sculpting tools (not on ICE with weight maps, a real one, like Blender Sculpt Mode).
3. ICE Modeling tree in simulation stack.

I think that the first one not so hard to implement, the sculpting tools is more like a serious problem, but I KNOW that ICE Modelling was done not by AD team, so it's useless to ask :D

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xsisupport
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by xsisupport » 20 Oct 2011, 12:41

iamVFX wrote:...but I KNOW that ICE Modelling was done not by AD team, so it's useless to ask :D
ICE modeling was implemented by the Softimage development team at Autodesk.
// Steve Blair
// "You're not a runner, you're just a guy who runs" -- my wife
//
// My Blogs: Arnold | Softimage

iamVFX
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by iamVFX » 20 Oct 2011, 12:52

xsisupport wrote:ICE modeling was implemented by the Softimage development team at Autodesk.
That's good news! So can we expect this feature in SI 2013? :)

Bellsey
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Bellsey » 20 Oct 2011, 13:55

iamVFX wrote:
xsisupport wrote:ICE modeling was implemented by the Softimage development team at Autodesk.
That's good news! So can we expect this feature in SI 2013? :)
Erm, I'm confused, I thought the answer in the above forum post was clear to me. :)

@Hirazi As for Silver Subs, whether you believe us or not, it was discussed and a decision made.

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Hirazi Blue
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Hirazi Blue » 20 Oct 2011, 14:07

I am basing my doubt on this quote by mr. Luc-Eric Rousseau...
luceric wrote:As far as I know, a adding silver subscription is not under consideration at all, I don't think it will happen.
(Quoted from here)

Just to highlight: "not under consideration AT ALL" (my extra highlight),
which sounds differently to "we're discussing it/have discussed it"
and that's all I'm saying about this matter...

Back to the wishlist, please... ;)
Stay safe, sane & healthy!

Bellsey
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Bellsey » 20 Oct 2011, 14:20

yes, it could look like that, but it could just be how Luc-Eric has described it?.

All I can say is that we discussed it, in the EMEA M&E team, and we also spoke with people in Canada.

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Maximus
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Maximus » 20 Oct 2011, 15:12

My wishes:

- Make ICE control somewhat render engine, being able to work with ICE on procedural textures/mix/lights (i know this gonna be impossible!)

- FXtree update, this is a fantastic tool i'd like to have some update, maybe integrated or connected with ICE, no idea, shooting in the dark, but this is a brilliant tool wich is ashame to le it rotten for future ages.

- Viewport and UI revamp (i know many of you gonna suicide hearing this! lol) but a dark ui theme would be very nice! without messing the stability and interface possibly

for the rest i'm fine! :)

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Memag
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Memag » 20 Oct 2011, 15:16

Oooh, FX tree update, ICE connection... wet dream.

benoit81
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by benoit81 » 20 Oct 2011, 15:30

I forget in my previous post to add this comment about the texture editor. It would be nice to move accuratly the UVs (without having to enter numeric values in transform UVs). For exemple the <shift> <page up>/<page down> to move a mesh in the 3d view would be nice in UV editor...
By the way, very good idea to integrate the "curvature continuity" option in Softimage 2012 SAP modeling tools.
/ben

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ActionArt
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by ActionArt » 20 Oct 2011, 15:37

I agree the FX tree is a great idea and it would be nice to see it keep pace. Some of the nodes need a bit of work, I don't get good results with the 2D DOF for example. Would be nice to see this brushed up :)

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Memag
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Re: My Wishlist for Softimage... maybe 2013 ?

Post by Memag » 20 Oct 2011, 15:45

Don' think it will ever happen.
Luc Eric said so some time ago, when Pooby was making interesting effects with the FX tree.
Too bad.

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