CompuServe Messages

Douglas, <<I know their histories are different, but their destiny is the same, competition for ruling the NT platform. One advantage 3DS will lose when it ports to NT is the 1000+ plug-ins it has available. They will all have to be rewritten to work. Maybe 3DS will also have a stingy upgrade policy and NewTek can benefit by those who want to crossover.>> Every 3DS Plug-in developer I've talked to has been ecstatic about the move to NT. They feel that writing their routines as DLLs, using Visual C++, will be easier and faster than for the DOS 3DS. They've also already started the process; by the time MAX ships this January, there should already be a fair number of Plug-ins available. (Or soon thereafter.) In addition, Autodesk is going to continue to sell and support the DOS version simultaneously with MAX. As far as the upgrade policy, this is from the Autodesk press release: "3D Studio MAX software will ship in Q1 1996; the product's suggested list price has not been announced. Because 3D Studio MAX is an entirely new product, Autodesk is announcing a series of special offers to its existing customers, rather than a traditional upgrade program. "All 3D Studio R4 customers, including those who purchase the product between now and 3D Studio MAX's ship date, will be able to purchase a 3D Studio MAX seat for a suggested retail price (SRP) of US$495. Owners of previous releases of 3D Studio can purchase a 3D Studio MAX seat for SRP US$995. These offers are only available in the US. A separate 3D Studio MAX hardware lock will be provided in all cases." If you want, you can still use your current DOS version as well as the NT version. Also, MAX isn't a "port" of the DOS 3DS, but a completely re-engineered program written in 32-bit code specifically for Windows NT. From what I've heard, not even Microsoft's Softimage for Windows NT can make that claim — it's a port of the UNIX app working *under* NT. — Jon