#Newton Gone!
13 messages in this thread
>>Had the Cybernetica guys not advertised vaporware all summer, we
probably would've had no trouble in getting these fixes into the LW
version.<<
Please explain. I don't understand what their advertising had to do with
bug fixes.
JG
John,
When their advertising first appeared, we had to answer an unbelievable number
of calls inquiring about those features being added to DMM. When it was
explained that those things were not coming to DMM in the near future, we would
lose a sale as people wanted to wait for Newton's Law. This basically froze the
market.
We then decided that in order to survive, we had to get the 3D Studio version
together. Having a small amount of programming resources, we had to freeze the
implementation of the LW bug fixes in order to try and get 3D Studio DMM out
before we went under.
Had the Newton's Law ads never hit VTU, we would have been able to continue to
plug away at the LW version with continued sales of DMM LW. Now, we have to
take all of the bug fixes we've made and bring them back to LW.
I have felt real bad about making people wait for the fixes, but it was a
matter of survival. Unfortunately the Amiga market began to free fall at the
same time that these guys started advertising.
I can't fault them or VTU for placing the ads, but knowing what we know, we
were convinced that all of those features couldn't be implemented without
enormous effort, and lot's of programmers working for a long period of time.
The fact that no one ever saw a sample animation was a clue that the product
just didn't exist.
I have extremely ill feelings towards Cybernetica. The only satisfaction I've
gotten at all is knowing that they went down. I hope it was excrutiating.
Brent
OK. That makes sense… thanks for the explanation.
I know what you mean about the certain feelings of satisfaction 😉
JG
"I can't fault them or VTU for placing the ads"
Excuse me, but weren't you advertising for many months before your product
shipped? And – since I own it – I know that your product didn't do everything
you claimed for it.
Sounds like the ptot is calling the kettle black here.
Jerry
Jerry,
The first ads for DMM ran in October of 1993, and the product did not ship
until February 1994. Secondly, there are no features listed in any of our
advertising that are not present in the software. There are problems with
certain features, but they are all implemented.
My point is this:
Let's say a company came out with an ad that stated the following:
New 3D animation package for PC/Amiga/SGI. Includes distributive rendering,
Inverse Kinematics, Dynamics, Ray-Tracing, Auto-Tracing, LightWave and 3D
Studio file support. Fastest rendering available anywhere. LightWave style
interface, 3D Studio power. Runs all 3D Studio Plug-ins. All 3 versions for
$995.
If the company advertised this in the right places, it could greatly impact
sales of LightWave and 3D Studio. The bad thing is that the product would not
have to even exist. If you were a consumer contemplating LightWave or 3D
Studio, would you make your purchase without inquiring to NewTek or Autodesk
about why they don't have all of these features?
Do you feel any less respect for the Cybernetica guys after advertising that
long (7 months so far), with not so much as a sample scene anywhere? How about
the people whose checks were cashed or credit cards were run? All Cybernetica
did was damage the market.
Brent
Brent –
Only seven months? Be thankful Cybernetica isn't like Culture Brain.
They've been advertising one of their games (which they still haven't
released yet) since at least early 1992…. 😛
– Jim, on AutoPilot!
" All Cybernetica did was damage the market."
In my humble opinion, anyone who advertises a product that isn't shipping
should be taken out and shot. I had two instances of that today where I called
to order a product whose advertisements arrived in the mail and both said it
will ship in three weeks.
Oh, the product is all done, they both claimed, just has to be packaged, ad
infinitum.
I assure you that my opinion of your product went down when I received my
books, saw the ad insert and upon calling learned that the product wasn't
shipping.
I think it's a sleazy tactic, no matter who does it or what the product is.
Just the way I see things.
In regard to Cybernetica's problems, you bet that cashing checks and
processing credit cards before shipping product is downright immoral, if not
illegal. But as far as them advertising a product before it existed, I still
see nothing but the pot calling the kettle black here.
Jerry
Very nicely put brent:
Now to solicit another opinion… Newton is gone yes but there seems to
be a new phisics program out there "Impact" I belive. Their add seems to
bost some of the same features as Newton's did. Are you going to have to
go through the same thing all over again. And could this be the guys that
left Cybernetica???
Boo-Radley
Hayes Visual Communication
These are the guys that left Cybernetica. While the ad lists some of the same
features, most of the impressive ones are missing.
As you may have seen me state here before, we were going to pursue legal action
if Newton's Law shipped minus signficant features. When we first learned of
Impact, we thought that Cybernetica may have changed their name and the product
name to avoid a lawsuit. This seems not to be the case.
I don't think we will have the same beef with the new guys, because as of yet,
they haven't done the type of things that the Cybernetica guys did.
Brent
Thanks Brent:
I thought it must be them.
Boo-Radley
Hayes Visual Communication
Nothing to do with Newtons Law – it was expected.
Just writing to again show my great appreciation for LW Pro. A tremendous
resource of information which I look forward to reading.
Keep up the great work – I know it must be hard doing Amblin, CI$, LW Pro, VTU,
Video Tapes, Training Seminars….etc. Its gotta be the Shoes, right? (old
spike lee Nike ad, in case you have forgotten).
Adib
Thanks for the support!
But it's not the shoes. It's the socks.
JG
> Keep up the great work – I know it must be hard doing Amblin, CI$, LW Pro,
> VTU, Video Tapes, Training Seminars….etc. Its gotta be the Shoes, right?
Don't forget the new manual for Lightwave! 😉
Sheesh. Get to work John! Stop loafing around!
I also appreciate all the hard work.
Sean // Dreaming I had been motivated enough to address this to John… //