Autodesk surpises this week??? what is it?

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Melak

Huh, now I don't get that. The difference between "Design 2009" (why'd they change their naming scheme to 200x anyway?) and "2009" is that one includes the SDK, and the other some "Exposure lighting analysis feature". And that's worth two different applications? You can't just have both on the DVD?

Well, I'm guessing (and I mean guessing) that the "Design" package strips out a lot of the tools that are aimed at games work and animation, concentrating more on Architectural Visualisation tools and render/lighting enhancements that go hand in hand with that. The "standard" bundle with the usual name will be the one with the SDK for games development in mind (where custom coding is often required)

I have to say, I'm puzzled by the logic behind offering two different "packs" for different markets. I don't think it's outside the realms of most freelancers to be able to take either games-related or high poly photorealistic work- I hope this split doesn't polarize the userbase.

The only comparison I can think of is Maxon's Cinema 4D- which is available as a modular approach, or in packages to suit the needs of the customer. All well and good, but C4D gets very expensive if you need a little bit of everything. The base price is somewhere around £500 these days, but you literally just get a base application and a basic renderer- no dynamics, no particles, no scripting, and not even radiosity- for those you're looking at close to £2,000 all in- not quite the bargain it first appeared to be.

Obviously Autodesk isn't following quite the same process as Maxon, but the fact that C4D remains just behind Maya, Max and Lightwave in professional studios I think says a lot about over-specialising elements of an application and releasing them in separate packages- I get the feeling the next couple of years are going to be interesting on the software front.

[chrono]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Well, I'm guessing (and I mean guessing) that the "Design" package strips out a lot of the tools that are aimed at games work and animation, concentrating more on Architectural Visualisation tools and render/lighting enhancements that go hand in hand with that. The "standard" bundle with the usual name will be the one with the SDK for games development in mind (where custom coding is often required)

BTH, I read it as Autodesk's attempt at moving VIZ user's into MAX thus consolidating 2 user groups under a single 'core' package.

Which makes a good bit of sense because then MAX 2009 could get 'new' tools from any developments that would happen to have relevance from the MAX Design 2009 program. Same kernal, nearly the same code, all in basically the same R&D development group.

[JDR]

I hardly care - as a subscriber I get both versions anyway.

[homerpalooza67]

Originally Posted by chrono

What, MS bought Autodesk as well?

But we know that it couldn't have been a new file format because hell hasn't frozen over yet!

You'd be surprised Hell, Michigan Hell, Norway lol

[lennier1]

Originally Posted by homerpalooza67

You'd be surprised Hell, Michigan Hell, Norway lol

You forgot to include New Jersey.

[pete.cook]

Partial credit to Nutsy!

It's actually two versions of 3DS Max 2009! The first one is the general one we all grown to love/hate*, plus a new version that is geared towards architectural visualization that does away with the SDK but adds new lighting simulation and analysis tools. Shipping expected to be by end of March.

Further details.





*Delete as appropriate.


Edit: Doh! Maybe I should read the whole thread in future before commenting, instead of just the first page!

[Novak]

Way to fast....

Just Crazy....

Greetz,
Novak