3ds Max, The End is in Sight Rumor

[Scott Schroeder]

Leave it to Reddit to turn us into a bunch of old ladies standing around the water cooler starting rumors.

 

 

They claim to be ending Max, at least on the animation side. This could mean so many things, like either just the removal of animation functionality or a total death sentence for 3ds Max. Quite possibly the death of Max for animation/films and Autodesk just focuses on Max Design for visualization.

 

There are quite a few posts about this on other websites, including some supposed deny everything posts from Autodesk folks. But, from what I've heard, the Max team was hit pretty hard for the layoffs.

 

Me personally? I don't really believe it. There is no way Autodesk would kill Max completely and just focus on Max Design, or maybe kill both. Motion Builder on the other hand? That software needs to be taken out and given the Old Yeller treatment. If you ever used it, it was a pain in the arse.

[Josef Wienerroither]

This rumor has already been adressed by middle managment statement, and other AD people internally

And i don't understand how people could whish the kill of softwares they don't even use, or do you ?

Motionbuilder is a very specialised toolset which generates from the Mocap sector, of course this brings a special philosophy with it ...

 

http://www.maxunderground.com/archives/17401_frank_delise_returns_as_3ds_max_product_manager.html

 

http://jamiesjewels.typepad.com/jamies_jewels/2012/09/3dsmax-rumours-response.html

[Justin Hunt]

Some of the comments are so far off it is ridiculous to say the least. Its quite pathetic really

[Scott Schroeder]

This rumor has already been adressed by middle managment statement, and other AD people internally

And i don't understand how people could whish the kill of softwares they don't even use, or do you ?

Motionbuilder is a very specialised toolset which generates from the Mocap sector, of course this brings a special philosophy with it ...

 

http://www.maxunderground.com/archives/17401_frank_delise_returns_as_3ds_max_product_manager.html

 

http://jamiesjewels.typepad.com/jamies_jewels/2012/09/3dsmax-rumours-response.html

 

Actually I used Motion Builder to develop animations for hearing impaired videos for small children. We would mocap the sign language onto cartoon characters. To get the mocap data into MB was a nightmare, then you have to deal with the wonderful MB license dropping bug. It wasn't the best program around. Perhaps they have improved on it since the days of yore in 2010. But I hear they are pushing MB more into Maya than Max these days. We used Max and it was like trying to fit a greased elephant though a dog door.

 

I had a thought that maybe this all as to do with Excalibur, http://area.autodesk.com/blogs/ken/excalibur_xbr_notes, though what phase are they on? I would guess that 2013 has to be at least Phase 2.

 

Perhaps one of the last phases is to make Max more on the Viz side and remove some of the animation functionality. If you look at the latest releases for Maya and Max, they seem to be getting more and more specialized rather than broad sweeping programs.

[Devin Johnston]

I was going to post this yesterday but decided not to because it's just a rumor, from what I read people representing AD said that Max wasn't going anywhere. I think it would be a big mistake for AD to do anything to Max as it's user base is massive but I would like to see them start fixing some of it's big problems like it's display performance. Max really hasn't changed much in the last 10 years, it needs an overall not just new tools the core program needs updating. I keep asking myself why I'm on subscription, even though I'm using Max 2012 I wish I had stuck with Max 9 because that's the last version that really ran well IMO.

[Justin Hunt]

Taking the animation features out of Max would be like bringing 3DSViz back from the dead. Not a good move. I remember cursing Viz for not having sub-object animation.

 

jhv

[Nic H]

Its got some truth to it I think.

Autodesk dont develop software they buy it and kill it - or give it a 'viewcube'

[Boris Horosavin]

...even though I'm using Max 2012 I wish I had stuck with Max 9 because that's the last version that really ran well IMO.

So true. I was working for a studio that had 2012/Vray 2 installed on their machines and I got this crazy total freeze on a material editor almost every minute (among other things). I couldn't wait to get back to my 2010, naturally with all the hotfixes and patches installed. Nevertheless, I've been using Max now for more than decade, I would really hate to see it go, because it is good wide-range and omnipotent 3d software.

[Tommy L]

Max users outweigh Maya users 3/2 at least. If Autodesk kill Max, they would play right into the hands of Maxon, Houdini and others. If you have to learn a software from scratch purely because Autodesk killed Max, are you goin to migrate to another one of their programs? I for one would head straight for the door and pick up C4D. If you've invested half your career and ~ $1k per year subscription and all the purchased plugins for Max, your going to be totally pissed if they kill it. Autodesk have made unusual decisions in the past that have seemed at odds with their client base, but to kill their flagship 3d program? I think thats too much even for them. They are supporting Softimge, Mx and Maya though and I can see some sort of consolidation coming.

[Justin Hunt]

there has been a consolidation going on for some time now, there are many features that have been migrated from on package to the others.

[Scott Schroeder]

It's just interesting that Max got Maya-like navigation options, yet Maya didn't receive them same for Max-like. On other boards people have speculated that Max and Maya will exist, but Maya will no longer receive major modeling updates and Max will no longer receive major animation updates. Basically they will freeze the programs respective animation/modeling where it is at the time of a certain release, say 2014. I can't say I see the logic in that at all.

 

I still feel this all has to do with the software updates they are pushing onto Max and it was taken the wrong way and blown out of proportion on Reddit. Just look at 2013 as an example. Nothing really from 2012 works in it due to the major core changes in 2013. I think Autodesk is just warning larger firms that more core changes are coming so be prepared to have to do some dev time on their custom scripts and tools.

[Devin Johnston]

I think there working towards a unified package like what Adobe is doing. That's going to be bad for us because we'll have to get the Suite to be able to do all the things we can do now with just one program, not to mention the cost.