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Hello Softy people

I noticed a few minor updates to the FX tree in the latest Softimage release. This got me thinking that maybe it hasn't been completely abandoned by developers and maybe it has a future.

Does anyone know if there are any plans for future development of the FX tree? Even some basic multi-channel support would help bring it more up to date.

I'm quite a fan of this compositor. It is perfectly possible to do quality finished work with it and it would be a shame if it just slipped further and further behind. The fact it comes built in to Softimage is very handy, even if is just for quick pre-comps etc.

Does anyone know anything about it's future?

Thanks

Sam

While Luc-Eric Rousseau mentioned on the Mailing List that the FXTree wouldn't be pulled from Softimage,

We fully own the source code of the fxtree, and it'd not going to be pulled out of the app

(quoted from here)
updating it doesn't seem to be a high priority at Softimage and the fact that Autodesk gave us our very own Softimage Composite with version 2011.5 does seem to point to the same ("no-new-features") direction.

So it's not being dropped but it's not being developed either. I suppose that's something.

Thanks for the info.

Do you think a poll would be a good idea to help demonstrate to Autodesk that the fxtree is something Softimage users want, and want developed?

If we just accept Autodesk Composite (not saying its bad), then that is what we will get.

Regards,

Alan

AlanMc wrote:Do you think a poll would be a good idea to help demonstrate to Autodesk that the fxtree is something Softimage users want, and want developed?

I highly doubt it, as the whole FXTree implementation always seems to have been a one-man show, Luc-Eric Rousseau's one-man show that is, and he has moved on from his time as "Project Leader - Compositing", when he apparently single-handedly implemented the FXTree in XSI, within (Avid) Softimage to his current position as "Development Manager, Autodesk Softimage" , leaving him obviously less time to dedicate to his "code-child" FXTree. And Autodesk's stance on this seems clear, hence "Softimage Composite" & probably no allotted time for Luc-Eric to play with the FXTree some more in the near future.
;)

i would love to see FX tree enchanced, that would be killer and really a boost, its already powerfull but with a bit of updates it could really do great things.
Dont think it'll ever happen sadly:/

yeahh make it openCL and openFX compatible would be a good step!

I'd really like to see FXtree evolve as well. It's not that it's another compositing tool. It's that it's so integrated (and can be more) in SI that opens great possibilities. I second that, OFX should be a great step if there are no plans on developing exclusive SI nodes.

Fx tree input/output ( clips ) and a basic toolset needs adding to ICE, rather than the fx tree being contInued as it is IMO. Then we will have full integration within xsi.
In fact we pretty much have that now with ice and plugins; but we have to write to external fIles and it could be made easier to do.

I'd love to see it get steady development as well. It's great for small shops that don't want to spend extra on something like Nuke just for basic compositing and it's integration make it very handy. Toxic doesn't appear to be under development at all and for some reason it's display is all messed up on my comp. I'm not sure if it doesn't support Win7 or Aero or what but it's completely unusable as is with pieces of windows missing, redrawing strangely and not updating, going black etc.

So yes, FX tree is a great thing and should be continued!

I would suggest reposting your troubles with "Autodesk Composite"
in a separate thread in our "General & Troubleshooting" forum.
It now being part of the Softimage distribution makes it something
our "resident" support guy (you know the one... )
may be able to provide some answers/solutions for...

Autodesk has a pack of different composite applications, so I guess they probably don't have interest in one more app... That said the way the FXTree is integrated into Softimage is crazy cool. You can basicaly edit any of your textures through it, paint them, or what ever...
As Pooby suggested probably the FXTree should be though in a different way... Adding ICE capabilities would be great, making it easy for 3rd party renders to get the clips out of the FXtree the same way MR does would be nice, adding the ability to paint in the third dimension...
If that was the way to go the FXTree could probably get a little more attention (read $$$) since it would be valuable in a way no other app can. The inner parts of it would need a upgrade like support for full 32bit Float, and Tiled images, which would also be great for anyone who wants to do some actual Composite work in it.

I love the idea, but some questions off the top of my head:

1. Would it require a new context? Say a pixel context?
2. How would you convert between a pixel context and the existing ones? If we say this new ICE Pixel feature is displayed using the Grid primitive, then you could map pixel info to mesh info that way with some new attributes like, PixelToNearesetVertex or PixelToPolygonIndex. But, you'd need UV data for that wouldnt you?
3. Would it also make sense to upgrade the WeightMap to use pixels as well? That may require the mesh to be UV'd as well.
4. Would it also require some new region(s) perhaps? Maybe an imaging region that sits above modelling and below simulation? Maybe the imaging region is where the image is created and its size defined, and image type (BMP, PNG, JPG) as well.

Wish I knew what Autodesk had planned in this area...