New to Houdini and this community.
Autodesk just axed Softimage so there's a big chance that many XSI users will flock your way in the next months or years.
I hope you'll be a better home for us.
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McNistor
Autodesk Softimage’s retirement: what you need to know
Autodesk have just announced that they will be retiring Softimage over the next couple of years. The good news is that it’ll be going out with a bang, with a final version slated for release in 2015.
So why kill off Softimage? Well, Autodesk already have two insanely popular, industry standard 3D software products on their books – 3ds Max and Maya – and want to concentrate all their efforts on those, and start adding Softimage’s functionality into the Entertainment Creation Suites. So it’s not a proper goodbye, more like ‘see you around’.
What do I do now?
Anyone with Softimage and a current subscription will be able to migrate to a bundle of Softimage 2015 and 3ds Max or Maya free of charge to ease their transition over the next two year period. After that time, you’ll simply be migrated to the most up to date version of 3ds Max or Maya. The transition isn’t compulsory though, and there are a few things that current Softimage users can do.
Softimage customers looking to expand their user base in the short term can buy a bundle of Softimage with Max or Maya for £3900. There’s also a rental licence available too, which you can pay for either on a perpetual or quarterly basis.
How about Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suites?
Now for Autodesk’s Entertainment Creation Suites. For the 2015 releases, there will only be two versions of the suite – Standard and Ultimate. Customers on the Premium suite will be able to transition to the Ultimate, but downgrading to Standard won’t be possible. As only advanced subscriptions are available for the Ultimate suite, it looks like the prices of these will be lowered too.
What about support?
Don’t worry, Autodesk will still have your back covered with support. Subscription customers will continue to receive support for Softimage for two years until April 2016 or until their current subscription contract had run out. Service packs for Softimage are expected to be provided until April 30th 2016, and if you want to remain on subscription for Softimage but not migrate, you can retain your subscription until 30 April 2016.
ctedin
I've transitioned from Soft about a year ago. Fully commercial version too. I'm teaching, so in the educational realm. I've stopped teaching anything in Soft completely, and gone deep down the rabbit hole in Houdini. The animation system is awesome, particle and DOP system is very much like ICE, (especially the VOP system), and the only thing that really needs some help is the modeling system. I don't think it's anything the Houdini folks aren't aware of, but specific details about what we feel is missing would be fantastic. If I get together some specific details about the things I miss, I'll post them up. In the meantime, I'm adding some character modeling videos to CMIVFX library, to augment my earlier Softimage titles. We are working hard to add some “Softimage to Houdini” titles to our site very soon.
It makes a lot more sense to transition from Soft to Houdini than to Maya, or Max. Max makes absolutely no sense, IMHO. It's very old code, and feels like it's on its last leg. Softimage was beautifully multithreaded and amazingly fast.
McNistor
New to Houdini and this community.
Autodesk just axed Softimage so there's a big chance that many XSI users will flock your way in the next months or years.
I hope you'll be a better home for us.
riviera
Allow me the “usual” shameless plug of directing all disappointed Softimage users with Houdini-related plans towards our general-purpose asset library qLib.
ace63
Hello everybody!
I've been using XSI since v6 (not too long I know) and intent to never give Autodesk any money again. Will look into Houdini in the next few months so hi there.
sekowriviera
Allow me the “usual” shameless plug of directing all disappointed Softimage users with Houdini-related plans towards our general-purpose asset library qLib.
i am implementing some of my ICE tools with vop sops, as learning exercise.
I can contribute to that.