Hi All, I've been registered on Shapeways for years but only started trying the printing process in the last year or so. I've been working in the TV post production industry all my working life, since 1991, in Cardiff. I currently run a small motion graphics company called Mint Motion, which I helped start 5 years ago. I've used a number of software packages over the years, but my software of choice is Softimage, which Autodesk have rather ridiculously decided to stop developing as they also own Maya and 3DS Max. The big thing with Softimage is the node based procedural system called ICE (interactive creative environment) which is a bit like coding but with networks of nodes. If you take a look at my models for sale, the most recent are of a snowflake which I submitted for the most recent custom-maker challenge. That was made using ICE plus some extra stuff to blend it nice and smooth. I'm looking forward to getting lots more stuff printed and hopefully selling some of my designs, so any help / feedback is very appreciated. Chris
Welcome! Love hearing about different processes! I hadn't heard of Softimage before. Do you have any videos to share from your company? I've been looking into making some videos.
Hey thanks, Softimage has been around since the early days of 3d, back in the late 80's early 90's. It was an independent company, bought by Microsoft who ported Softimage to Windows, to stop the dominance of Unix OS on Silicom Graphics hardware. Microsoft then sold it to Avid, then about 6 years ago Avid sold it to Autodesk. That was the writing on the wall for the death of Softimage unfortunately. My company website is at www.mintmotion.co.uk and if you want to see some of my own experiments, have a look at https://vimeo.com/chrismarshall Cheers
Funny I also work in the TV industry, Live in Cardiff (92007), and could recite the history of SoftImage. Sorry the monopoly is giving you the blues, I'm under their thumb too. Hopefully you have a ZBrush license, your ornament could be done with radial symmetry if that is a form you would explore outside the ICE system, maybe you'd sculpt an iguana instead. Good luck with your shop! -Shea
How do I not know you? I know most people in the TV industry, especially those who have been around a while and are familiar with Softimage. Who do you work for?
Besides the big pond perhaps it is because I'm in pre-production, set design specifically. A unnamed Design Group's best kept secret. Used to have SGI reality engines at my feet, virtual sets, realtime tracking et all. Now it is more about design, lighting and texturing in 3DS Max/Mental Ray. Then it gets built. So not a ZBrusher, yet? -S