EEEP! Autodesk buying Alias....

[dapeter]

At the very least this may push a more common file format (FBX anyone?) to make life easier.

Plus, although the Chaos crew doesn't want to hear it (after all the hard work I'm sure they've been putting in and not knowing product line futures) the plug-in development community will probably have one less program to code for, making it easier to access plugins across product lines.

[cpnichols]

At the very least this may push a more common file format (FBX anyone?) to make life easier.

Plus, although the Chaos crew doesn't want to hear it (after all the hard work I'm sure they've been putting in and not knowing product line futures) the plug-in development community will probably have one less program to code for, making it easier to access plugins across product lines.

Standalone is what Vray has been concentrating, and that is the most important part. In any case, it will be YEARS before either package goes away. After all Revit is still here.... many many years after Autodesk bought them.

[nvanherpt]

many many years after Autodesk bought them.

you make 3-4 years sound like an eternity!

[3ddesign]

I'm surprised no one has touched the subject of a Vray takeover. Autodesk knows that radiosity is out and that mental ray is too cumbersome for most small studios. The fact that Vray is written for both apps makes it an appealing target. I for one would dread such a buyout having unpleasant memories of the Lightscape takeover. But the truth is Vlado is brilliant, Vray is the best, and Autodesk wants the most brilliant and best it can get. Plus Autodesk has the muscle and money to get what it wants.

On the other hand, it might not be a bad thing to have a million dollars thrown Vlado's direction??

[flipside]

many many years after Autodesk bought them.

you make 3-4 years sound like an eternity!

In computeryears this is an eternity!

[jujubee]

IMO, it doesn't make sense to have three separate programs doing the same thing (Viz, Max, and Maya.) They'll take the best program aspects of each one and best programmers and repurpose them to streamlining a new product. Otherwise it's a waste of time. The first thing they'll probably do is unify common file formats across the programs. The good thing is that they'll probably dedicate their people to rewriting the Max/Maya core shortly afterwards into a 64 bit hybrid.

Unless they can really differentiate a purpose for having each one separate - ie. Maya for movies and specialFX, and Max for games, there is no real excuse for having both. To shut out competition? $182 million for Alias doesn't really seem like much in terms of company purchases...

[Morbid Angel]

there is stock shares too dont forget.

[tom schuelke]

Ahhh...


Yes thats good, I like max very much, but Maya was much better programmed i supppose and has many good ideas. Only think of paint effects...

I dont think they will go together to fast. rather a common exchange file, smal steps, and the one or other feature each programm can benefit from.

at last maybe they morph together..

it makes the contest interisting again... lets hope for it


Tom

[RErender]

$182 million for Alias doesn't really seem like much in terms of company purchases...

I have to guess that they probably acquired a lot of debt with Alias making it much more expensive than just the cash.

it makes the contest interisting again... lets hope for it

What contest is left? Houdidni? Lightwave?


It is not that hard to imagine that a lot of Maya could be reverse engineered and integrated into Max quickly, We'll have to see.

[Dynedain]

I wouldn't be shocked to see a new three-tier program come out of this (Viz / Max / Maya) based on a single core

Yes, I agree this is a strong possibility. It will be very interesting to see how this pans out. If Max is targeted directly at games, I am afraid they will remove many tools that are essential to us in the ArchViz segment, tools that are not and probably will not ever be in Viz. I really do not want to have to learn Maya :P

My sentiments exactly. Looking at Viz, and while its nice that it's cheaper, I have no intent to go to Viz because it is lacking a lot of tools that I need. I don't want Max to become the game development product, for the same reason.

And there's no way I'm paying $10k for a license that encompasses all 3.

[nvanherpt]

sounds like we need to start an open-source 3d software project. any programmers around?

[percydaman]

sounds like we need to start an open-source 3d software project. any programmers around?

Already started. Its called Blender. www.blender.org

[Morbid Angel]

[dapeter]

$182 million is their market value. They were bought by the Canadian Teacher's Pension Fund and Accel-KKR for about $57.5 million... so to them (who prob don't care if artists are whining "waaah, my maya, how can you do this!") thats a 300% return on investment in a little over 1 year (not to mention any profits Alias had that year). It's probably more like the real estate speculation here in the states right now - buy something now and sell it quickly for a big profit, without any regards to what you're buying and selling.

Remeber we're not talking a big company here - from what I could find they had $65 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 03, for a total profit of $5.7 million. Last year they had $83 million in sales... not much. Also, the $182 is the entire cost of the purchase - Alias is privately held so there are no shares to buy out and no stockholder approval to seek.

dynedain: Yeah - it's going to be hard to figure out pricing. We've enjoyed $3500 retail / $440 subscription costs for software that has all the same features as Maya (minus paint effects and fluids)... Those two would be the only things I'd be willing to give a little money for, but if they follow the XSI price scheme where the only things you get for the $4000 jump from essentials to advanced is crowd behavior, hair/fur, and cloth... I think max's pricing has been fair so far with regards to what you get, hopefully it will stay that way.

They'll also prob have to contend with Modo as well, once the animation features are added to it.

[jujubee]

Alias is privately held so there are no shares to buy out

If you read their marketing PDF information, there are shares to buy out...