Encourage Hash to make a Linux Port 34
An anonymous reader said "An employee of Hash, Inc.,
the makers of the phenomenal Animation:Master 3D modeling
and animation software, inquired today on the animation:master mailing
list on whether or not users would buy a Linux verion of
the software package, if Hash happened to port it to
Linux. You can email Steve Sappington at Hash and let him know if you'd be interested in a Linux port. "
For those of you who care, I animated Hamster Havoc and
Duckpins in an earlier
version of this software ages ago. I miss this program more
than Diablo. Update: 02/18 09:09 by CT : Steve from Hash emailed me and said
that this was completely untrue and to stop emailing him.
I'm bummed.
I doubt it will be free and/or open source (Score:1)
years ago and from I remember Hash never offered
a demo version and their price was steep -- but
yes, the quality and effects were amazing.
I seriously doubt there will ever be a free
version of Hash (not even a demo) and defintately
not open source. Nonetheless, more apps is what
we need so come on down!
Hmmm. (Score:1)
Personally, I think the open source modellers are getting to the point where they are adequate (if not ideal) for most modelling purposes.
The not open source but free modeller, Blender [neogeo.nl], from Not a Number is quite powerful, as well (though it's UI is the worst of any program I've ever used. A good example of how a UI can look good but be absolutely impossible to use). Moonlight Creator [cybersociety.com] is open source, and was getting quite good; unfortunately, there's not been a release or any update by the author since June of last year.
For rendering, the open source renderers [povray.org] can for the most part compete with commercial packages in technical features, though do lack a bit of the UI polish.
With all that said, having a high quality, polished commercial package available would be nice!
I have to agree (Score:1)
And I doubt that this would be free or open source.
The Blender UI (Score:1)
I find the interface very intuative and powerful. One hand on the keyboard, and one on the mouse, and I'm blazing though models without thinking about the interface. It feels like a good race car. Not that good to look at (depending on your tastes) but everything it right where it belongs to get the work done. You focus on how to create the effect you want, not where that menu item is. That is the goal of a UI, isn't it?
Not everything has to be. (Score:1)
YES!!!!!!!!!! (Score:1)
The more Linux 3d apps we can get, and the more multimedia support we can come up with, the closer Linux gets to being the indisputable OS for everyone.
Blender UI is good, not bad. (Score:1)
points are highly SUBJECTIVE based on the user.
Blender's UI is highly optimized for work and
power, not for new users to get into the field
of 3D. If someone wanted to really use Blender,
they should seriously consider checking the
various howto's on the web and/or purchasing
the extremely good and stylish manual.
Their URL is: www.blender.nl
Linux and Windows are examples of a conflict of
style and UI priorities. Linux(Unix) focuses on getting
the job done by making commands and flexibility
of programming and scripting at the command line.
This allows for faster and more effective work
to be done while making it harder to use for
new users.
Windows is easy to use for new users, but has a
limit on functionality after that initial learning
curve has been reached.
Blender is like this. Focus was on efficient use
of functions and accessibilty of functions.
After a few days of playing with Blender, even
without the manual, it becomes easier.
I had similar experiences when I alternated between
3DS MAX and TrueSpace. MAX had a good modeler, but
TrueSpace had better renderer's. So I switched
between the two and found that while Truespace's
interface is fun and easy to learn, it is highly
limiting because of the many widgets.
Max's menus were hard at first, but tinkering got
me around soon enough. Still, after the initial
learning stage, the menu's themselves were a
speed limit. I kept asking myself where the
shortcut keys were.
Blender is like this. Lot's of shortcut keys, but
virtually no menu's. Better work speed, but
slower learning.
I happen to like Blender, which is becoming better
with each new release. And while I hope it doesn't
go commercial, I wouldn't mind paying for it when
it does. This is because it IS a quality product.
The UI seems hard because people are not used to
it. Once you do get used to it, you'll find that
what seemed like UI mistakes are actually UI
improvements.
- Wing
- Reap the fires of the soul.
- Harvest the passion of life.
This is bad. (Score:1)
I use Linux and love it. I hate MS shit. I am thinking about trying FreeBSD soon. Viva el Open Source.
But Im tired of them UseLinuxBecauseItsLinux. PromoteLinuxBecauseItsLinux.
Why should we LIE to companies and tell them to port to Linux software we know we are not going to buy?
Please, the Open Source movement does not need that. If we Open Source followers need a program, we will code it ourselves.
Only those who would actually buy their port should email them. And I am pretty sure many who wouldn't buy it will write.
I, for my self, would write: "I couldn't care less if you port your application to Linux or not. I will never buy it anyway. I would like you to port it just as it would promote my favorite OS, but don't expect me to actually buy it".
AFC.
Yes, we want a port (Score:1)
Oh, and if you trademarked the name, we will bitch about the US patent office. OK, so you don't know what the trademark has to do with the patent office. We couldn't explain it to you either, but we will bitch about it.
Finally, we will point out to all your users that there are *real* Open Source Software doing almost the same thing and they should, instead of buying your software, and supporting your evil, immoral ways, give the money to the OSS people. Nevermind that it is years behind your program.
So, please port. We welcome you with a fist.
* NB! Anyone who disagree with any or all of the above points are braindead M$ stoogies.
I doubt it will be free and/or open source (Score:1)
i don't really consider 200 bucks to be steep for a spline modeller of that calibre.
it's rendering engine isn't the greatest, but hey, that is what electric image is for
Great Product (Score:1)
Open source modellers seam to be duplicating effort. I look and look, and mean like all last week, but I can't find one that is a complete 3D solution, or even one that provides character animation abilities. If I am wrong, and you have tried one that works, please reply. I might even try working on one that looks like it is or was going somewhere.
I doubt it will be free and/or open source (Score:1)
Animation master has a lot of features for a low price.
3D Apps on Linux (Score:1)
Other supported systems will be Windows and probably IRIX. Amiga is most likely being dropped and maybe Mac and possibly Be will be left to third party developers.
There is no release date yet, but the software is finally entering beta testing after years of alpha testing.
See their V4 pages [realsoft.fi].
3D Apps on Linux (Score:1)
I don't think the price is fixed yet. But just like the Amiga version was always much cheaper than the Windoze-version, it might happen that the Linux version will be cheaper than the version for the "professional" (huh?) operating System "Windows NT". (It will most likely run on W'98, too)
Real 3D was always a lot cheaper than competitors like 3DS MAX (whose rendering engine really sucks, both quality- and speed-wise) or LightWave 3D, and offered much more features without hundreds of plug-ins.
Thanks for the links! (Score:1)