CompuServe Messages

Dear Bob, I'm not a 3DS user, just a graphics professional who freelances doing hi-res 3D stills and animations for video. I have a few partners who are in similar situations. We've spent some time researching PC-based rendering tools, and have come to the following conclusions: 1. 3DS is the best tool for the job, a masterful work that deserves all the praise and recognition it gets. 2. The 3DS development effort is significant, and the future of 3DS is bright. 3. The basic support channels are inadequate, and negate the value of #1 and #2. For the significant investment in 3DS, there doesn't seem to be even a *basic* level of free support. No 90 days free, nothing. The dealers here in Chicago say that they'll help me install it and get it running, but if I want any support beyond that, _sure_, any of these dealers will sell me a support contract. However… For a startup operation like what we're attempting, the risk of investing $3k in software is high, but doable. However, without basic support it's not doable. I've been an MIS professional for 8 years, and have never met a dealer who I didn't quickly surpass in technical expertise, whether it was manufacturing software, graphics software, or whatever. Dealers are concerned with selling *units*, and support quickly eats into the small margins, so it's not their priority. I want a direct conduit to the people who made the software, because 9 times out of 10, their the only people with the right answers. Playing phone tag with a dealer, who really only acts a liason between customer and manufacturer is a barrier I'd rather do without. While my opinion probably doesn't mean squat at Autodesk, these are the reasons we've come within inches of buying copies of 3DS, but stopped short. Just thought I'd let you know for what it's worth. Regards, -Heinz.