CompuServe Messages

At heart, I agree the IPAS functions you've been referring to should be integral to 3DS by now. When I first purchased r2, these features sold separately was a little more understandable. Two revisions later, I can't imagine spending money on them as "additional features." You'd think by r4, they'd be built-in. I can't imagine anybody calling the Yost Group to place their order for Disk #6's SKIN.AXP or #7's DISPLACE.PXP and, in the same breath, shelling out another $300 for Disk #1's monochrome filter and now commonplace lens flare. Without the spline modeler (which would have been cool), there really aren't enough integral features to justify a full-version release now — the scripting language and 3D Editor/Keyframer speed increase, and now the image browser (which most of us have our own favorite program for already). I'm upgrading anyway, because I realize compared to other platforms these features are comparatively cheap, and at least I.K. , fast preview render and 100x screen redraws are features I personally can find a use for. Still, although I understand the idea behind the "plug-in upgrade," it would make more sense to release the current r4 without the IPAS routines as r3.x, and maybe sell the rest as (eek!) Disk #8. Mathew B.