#3DS on SGI
22 messages in this thread
G
I was wondering if you could clear something up for me.
Is it just the render or the entire program that is going over to the SGI
platform?
thanks
-Kyle
<<Is it just the render or the entire program that is going over to the SGI
platform?
thanks>>
Please note, this product has not been released. Autodesk and SGI are jointly
porting the renderer to the SGI platform. You will be able to access it through
network rendering. See the release below.
-Brian
The following information was released today, March 18, 1994 at 11:31 am PST.
For your benefit, we have provided the following key messages of the press
release:
1) Leading 3D Graphics Software on the PC to be ported to SGI
2) Multi-platform strategy addresses heterogeneous environments of todays
graphics professionals, and will serve both companies, create new
opportunities
3) Key 3DS markets, such as game and MM title development, will benefit by
improved Time-To-Market and lower-cost development cycles.
—————————————————————————
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Garth Chouteau
415-491-8853
Autodesk Multimedia Announces 3D Studio(R) Renderer for Silicon Graphics
Leader in 3D Visualization Software to Develop with Leader in 3D Graphics
Hardware
SAUSALITO, Calif.–March 18, 1994–The Multimedia Division of Autodesk,
Inc. today announced that it has agreed with Silicon Graphics, Inc. to
codevelop a Silicon Graphics version of the rendering module in Autodesk's
market-leading PC-based 3D Studio(R) Release 3 software. In addition, a
Silicon Graphics version of AutoVision(TM), Autodesk Multimedia's
photorealistic still renderer for AutoCAD(R), will be developed.
"By combining the leading PC-based 3D software with the leading graphics
workstations, we address the fact that 3D graphics designers live in
increasingly heterogeneous environments," said Joe Fantuzzi,
general manager of Autodesk Multimedia. "Many of our existing PC-based
customers either use some Silicon Graphics workstations on their network or are
evaluating this powerful platform. Conversely, a majority of high-end
production studios and service bureaus that use Silicon Graphics workstations
now see that the PC can deliver enough functionality for the modeling and
animation parts of the production process. As the leading 3D tools software
company, Autodesk is broadening its solution set for these
converging groups."
Professionals and enthusiasts in the CAD, videography/broadcast and
computer/video game production markets will be the primary beneficiaries of the
Silicon Graphics-based 3D Studio Release 3 renderer. Existing 3D Studio
customers who utilize the sophisticated modeling and keyframing tools in 3D
Studio Release 3 to create and animate objects and scenes on PCs, can use the
processing power of Silicon Graphics workstations on their network to quickly
render final images. With the current price of the full PC-based 3D Studio
software at US$2,995, the combined solution of the PC-based animation and
modeling modules and the Silicon Graphics rendering module is expected to
create a new price point for this type of solution. Postproduction companies
and "F/X" studios integrating PCs with Silicon Graphics systems will be able to
cost-effectively add or expand modeling and animation services.
"The 3D Studio rendering technology is something that our customer base has
been requesting for some time, and we're excited about the opportunities this
new product will create," said Kirk Loevner, vice president and general manager
of Silicon Graphics' Applications and Markets Division. The quality of the
renderer is outstanding, and the speed is a great benefit to users," Loevner
stated.
"With the introduction of Release 3 last October, 3D Studio's rendering engine
has boasted many capabilities previously only available in a few of the
workstation-class renderers: gamma correction, analytical antialiasing, 64-bit
color computation," said Bob Bennett, group product manager for Autodesk
Multimedia. "We're looking forward to taking such a compute-intensive
application as 3D Studio to the Silicon Graphics platforms, where it can really
flex its processing muscles."
"When this product becomes available, DOS-based game developers will improve
their time-to-market with faster, lower-cost development cycles," stated
Michael Moon, president of the market research firm GISTICS, Inc. "This
announcement leverages the dominant market position that 3D Studio maintains in
the game development community — upwards of 70% market penetration. The
announcement also marks a move by Silicon Graphics to become more accessible to
broader multimedia markets," Moon said.
With the advent of AutoVision for SGI platforms, Autodesk will leverage the
Silicon Graphics versions of AutoCAD and AutoCAD(R) Designer, Autodesk's
parametric, feature-based solid modeler, to offer a complete MCAD solution.
The two companies will work together to pursue new and existing dealer and
sales opportunities, as well as expanding existing customer accounts.
Silicon Graphics, Inc. is the leading manufacturer of high-performance
visualcomputing systems. The company delivers interactive three-dimensional
graphics, digital media and multiprocessing supercomputing technologies to
technical, scientific and creative professionals. Its subsidiary, MIPS
Technologies, Inc., designs and licenses the industry's leading RISC processor
technology for the computer systems and embedded control markets. Silicon
Graphics has offices worldwide and headquarters in Mountain View, California.
Autodesk's Multimedia Division was established in 1990 to develop and deliver
affordable visualization software products for professionals such as
architects, engineers, designers, game developers and videographers. The
Division's products are aimed at automating and enhancing a wide range of
tasks, from modeling and rendering to animation and beyond.
Autodesk is the world's leading supplier of desktop computer-aided design-
automation software. As such, it develops, markets and supports a family of
design-automation software products, as well as professional multimedia
software products for use on personal computers and workstations. A global
company since its founding in 1982, Autodesk markets products in 85 countries
and 18 languages. Autodesk shares are traded on NASDAQ under the symbol ACAD.
For more information on Autodesk, please call 415-332-2344 or type GO ADESK on
CompuServe(R).
-30-
Autodesk, the Autodesk logo, AutoCAD and 3D Studio are registered trademarks of
Autodesk, Inc. AutoVision is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc. Silicon Graphics
is a registered trademark of Silicon Graphics, Inc. CompuServe is a registered
trademark of H&R Block. All other brand names, product names or trademarks
belong to their respective holders.
Brian,
I still say you guys got it backwards.
While there are a few 3DS users out there like SONY ImageWorks who could take
advantage of a render only version with a network full of SGI Indy's or
Indigos, or a net connection to one BIG SGI like an Onyx or Challenge, the vast
majority (50,000+) would not benefit.
What you need is a full port to SGI.
Your typical power user , who already has a sizable network of PC's, buys just
one, or a few, SGI Indigo-2's and gets the interactivity speedup of the
graphics hardware for however many creation stations are needed, then renders
on the original PC network. An Indigo rendering 3D scenes, is not so much
faster than a Pentium that a render only version would be incentive to pay such
a high price and add one to an existing PC rendering network.
Bruce N. Goren
Brian,
thanks for the info
-Kyle
>> Please note, this product has not been released. Autodesk and SGI are
jointly porting the renderer to the SGI platform. You will be able to access
it through network rendering. See the release below. <<
Brian, that press release is over 10 months old… any news on the progress,
or is this going to turn out like the spline modeler in R4? We work in a
mixed P90/SGI environment, and would be happy to help with testing of the
product if you are interested.
thanks
dan
-Dan O'Leary (n-Space)
Kyle,
The SGI software for 3DS is render-only, no design interface. The SGI
is treated as just another machine on the network and Projects are launched
from the Network Queue setup by the PC station running a full copy of 3DS (with
lock). The SGI renderer should also have command-line render capability.
Networking to the SGI needs to be SunSoft's PC-NFS or Novell Lan Mgr. Single &
multi-use licenses are available (well, will be when it ships – soon).
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
Hi Kevin,
well, that about clears it up for me 🙂
thanks!
-Kyle
Kevin, you are obviously involved in testing of the renderer. Do you know if
they have any more need for testers? We work in a PC/SGI environment doing
game development for the Sony PSX. Who would I contact?
thanks
dan
-Dan O'Leary (n-Space)
Dan,
It's pretty much too late to test. Would you settle for purchasing the
shipping version shortly instead?
I'm an Autodesk & SGI dealer in Los Angeles and should be signing on for the
renderer, presuming sufficient interest to meet my minimum purchase
requirements. How are you networked from the PCs? If you're located
elsewhere, I suggest you call the Autodesk Multimedia Referral line @
800/879-4233.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
>> I'm an Autodesk & SGI dealer in Los Angeles and should be signing on for
the renderer, presuming sufficient interest to meet my minimum purchase
requirements. How are you networked from the PCs? If you're located
elsewhere, I suggest you call the Autodesk Multimedia Referral line @
800/879-4233. <<
I am interested in learning more about the SGI renderer. We have 7 P90s
with 32 megs each (modeling for real-time applications is what we do most,
but you have to have some pre-rendered sequences too) on a Novell network.
Attached to the PC network is an SGI Indigo2 Extreme with 96 megs, etc. We
don't have PC NFS, using the Novell NFS gateway instead. With it, our PCs can
see the SGI drive, but not vice-versa.
I am not located in LA, or even close (Orlando), but would rather deal with a
knowlegable and interested dealer like yourself than any other normal Autodesk
pinhead dealer.
dan
n-Space, Inc.
ps – when and how much?
-Dan O'Leary (n-Space)
Dan,
Sorry, can't touch that! While SGI will let me sell all over the place,
adherence to Autodesk's face-to-face policy means you'd have to purchase from
your local, pin-head dealer. There should be a Novell solution for you, but
details and pricing need to wait for the official announcements.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
>> Sorry, can't touch that! While SGI will let me sell all over the place,
adherence to Autodesk's face-to-face policy means you'd have to purchase from
your local, pin-head dealer. <<
I do not understand. How can a company like Digimation sell 3DS if
Autodesk has a "face-to-face" policy? If this is true, then it is Autodesk
that is the pinhead. I bet they wonder why they have a bad rep for customer
service…. except here in ASOFT, of course! (dodging slings and arrows)
dan
-Dan O'Leary (n-Space)
Dan,
I'm not sure that Digimation *CAN* sell 3DS outside their face-to-face
area. I would hope they don't, or that Autodesk stops them. However,
Digimation is an Autodesk Partner, because of the IPAS Plug-ins (and tapes)
they market. Thus they may have the ability to sell a bundle due to their
added-value.
Re: Customer Service – I consider Autodesk to be a company with wonderful
Customer Service and Product Support departments. The customers experience,
however, differs according to how well their dealer manages the transaction. As
a dealer, I find that Customer Service ALWAYS has a solution, and an incredible
willingness to satisfy the user. Product Support is not available directly to
end users except through a $3000/year contract. Support is through the dealer,
and that seems to be where the user can be left unhappy.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
Kevin, this has nothing to do with you, it's just following with the thread.
I'm an Autocad user for almost 10 years (since version 2.0). I have never, ever
asked for tech support and I couldn't care less about it. What really bugged me
for years and years was the fact I always had to go through some bone head
dealer (none present in this forum, by the way) to get my upgrades. All I've
always wanted was just a [Adesk] number I could call, give my credit card
number and receive my upgrade without having to go through the f*** pains of
dealing with dealers that don't make enough money selling upgrades and give you
s*** when you call asking for an "upgrade only". My last upgrade (from 11 to
12) took 3 months to arrive. At the time I had ordered 3DS R2 for the first
time. They not only charged my CC 5 minutes after I left the joint but they
"lost" any record I had ever been there. It took an intervention from Carol
Bartz to get those idiots to send me the stuff I had paid for… This Adesk
dealer/customer thing is the weirdest thing in this industry and I guess that
can only happen when there is no other game in town. I wish those marketing
dudes over Sausalito would take a field trip and acted as a common customers
trying to get an Autodesk product. I guess they have no idea what this is
like…
Pheeww… there you go <g>
Hi Gus,
<< marketing dudes in Sausalito.. >>
they all moved to San Rafael in the begining of Jan. FWIW.
Gus:
>> having to go through the f*** pains of dealing with dealers that don't
>> make enough money selling upgrades and give you s*** when you call asking
>> for an "upgrade only…
Please don't hold back. Tell us how you _really_ feel about it! <g,d,& r>
Greg Pyros
>> Re: Customer Service – I consider Autodesk to be a company with wonderful
Customer Service and Product Support departments. The customers experience,
however, differs according to how well their dealer manages the transaction.
As a dealer, I find that Customer Service ALWAYS has a solution, and an
incredible willingness to satisfy the user. Product Support is not available
directly to end users except through a $3000/year contract. Support is
through the dealer, and that seems to be where the user can be left unhappy.
<<
Exactly my point, Kevin. Customer Service is great, ASOFT is great, but many
people have problems with their dealers. That problem is compounded by this
"face-to-face" policy that you have introduced me to. I had planned to
purchase all future Autodesk products thru knowledgable and helpful folks like
yourself. I guess that is out of the question…
-Dan O'Leary (n-Space)
Hi Dan,
I've been away for a week, so I am catching up on this thread, but I will try
to address all the points you, and others, have brought up.
<<Brian, that press release is over 10 months old… any news on the progress,
or is this going to turn out like the spline modeler in R4?>>
Yes, the press release is old. That press release was announcing the
_agreement_ to create a product, not the product itself. Since it was a joint
venture between SGI and Autodesk, a press release was called for. In fact, that
was posted prior to the first line of code being written. The product is
currently in the final stages of development, however I do not have any
specific release dates as of yet. When specific dates are announced, a "Product
Release" press notice will be posted to the forum.
<< and would be happy to help with testing of the product if you are
interested.>>
At this time, I beleive all the BETA sites are chosen, however if you would
like to discuss it with the Product Manager, that would be Bob Bennet. I doubt
that a BETA site would be added at this late stage, but if you had something
unique to offer, who knows? Bob can be reached through the main number
(415-507-5000) or bobb@autodesk.com.
<< I am not located in LA, or even close (Orlando), but would rather deal with
a knowlegable and interested dealer like yourself than any other normal
Autodesk pinhead dealer.>> "KEVIN"<< While SGI will let me sell all over the
place, adherence to Autodesk's face-to-face policy means you'd have to purchase
from your local, pin-head dealer>>
Actually, this is not quite true. (sorry Kevin) Not every Autodesk dealer or
Multimedia dealer will be allowed to sell the SGI product. There are strict
requirements which include demonstrated expertise on both the PC and SGI
platforms in order to sell this product. The MM dealers who will be selling the
SGI renderer will have previously demonstrated advanced technical skill.
<< I do not understand. How can a company like Digimation sell 3DS if
Autodesk has a "face-to-face" policy? >>
Digimation no longer sells 3D Studio via mail order. Digimation and other
companies like Digimation that have some mail order products are carefully
monitored to insure they are not violating this policy.
<< Exactly my point, Kevin. Customer Service is great, ASOFT is great, but
many people have problems with their dealers. That problem is compounded by
this "face-to-face" policy that you have introduced me to. I had planned to
purchase all future Autodesk products thru knowledgable and helpful folks like
yourself. I guess that is out of the question…>>
Let me take a moment to talk about the "face to face" policy. The "face to
face" policy is really designed to curtail the efforts of mail order houses who
buy product in great numbers and offer a price that no one can match, with no
support. Many customers wound up not understanding what they were, and were
not, purchacing. The "face to face" policy basically states that a dealer must
be able to provide "on-site" service, i.e. "face to face" technical support, if
required by the customer. It doesn't mean that you have to purchace software
from dealer A instead of dealer B just because Dealer A is 10 miles closer. But
it does mean that if you live in Maine, you can't purchace from a dealer in
Florida, unless there are extenuating circumstances. And we do listen to all
circumstances presented to us, and give exceptions to this policy.
Autodesk can not control where a customer shops. A customer is free to purchase
from whatever dealer they wish. However, Autodesk feels that in most cases a
customer will be better served by a dealer that can provide face to face
technical support. So if the customer wishes to purchase from a dealer who is
not able to provide face to face technical support, we want to insure that the
customer is aware of the implications of that decision. Many times a non-local
dealer can provide specialized technical knowledge or a unique service that
local dealers can not provide. (In one specific example, a customer who was
working in a hybrid PC/MAC environment wanted to work with a multimedia dealer
that had specific experience creating cross platform multimedia applications
using Autodesk products as well as MAC products. That dealer was not local to
the customer, so an exemption to the rule was allowed. This scenario is not
unique.) In these cases, written statements from the dealer and customer
outlining each others expectations were provided.
I hope this helps clarify our intent with the "face to face" policy. If you
have other questions, of course post them here. Anything I can't answer I will
forward to the Multimedia Sales division for a specific response.
-Brian
>> Let me take a moment to talk about the "face to face" policy… I hope >>
this helps clarify our intent with the "face to face" policy.
Consider it clarified. You make some good points, Brain, and I do not doubt
that the FtF policy was created with entirely good intentions. It does,
however, get in the way at times.
thanks for the debrief…
-Dan O'Leary (n-Space)
Dan,
As per Brian Rudolph's message, there are sometimes extenuating
circumstances. As dealers, we try to hold up our end of things. Certainly I
understand that the SGI-authorized dealers will be a limited group, but there
may still be an adequate dealer nearer you. It boils down to this: we'll be
happy to work with whomever we can best support, and as long as we have
Autodesk's (or other appropriate manufacturers') approval. We don't actively
solicit business from outside our immediate area. Given a rep's blessing,
however, we have been known to involve ourselves with special projects or
customer service issues. I hope this discussion has helped make things a
little bit clearer for everyone.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
Thanks Kevin,
I think that is one of best statements of a dealers viewpoint on the policy
that I have seen.
-Brian
>> It boils down to this: we'll be happy to work with whomever we can
best support, and as long as we have Autodesk's (or other appropriate
manufacturers') approval. <<
Sounds good.
– Dan / n-Space, Inc.