Brix

[JeffG2]

So what happened to them?

[voltron7]

Well, they made this awesome plugin and then decided to split up...
I wish they ahad updated for max 2012 first :P

[glorybound]

The only 3rd party app I am comfortable with is Cebas, everyone one else has been very difficult to work with.

[voltron7]

The only 3rd party app I am comfortable with is Cebas, everyone one else has been very difficult to work with.

That's too bad bobby. I have had different experiences, so far...iCube folks always got me sorted out, despite the huge time difference, and itoo is also excellent. Autograss has been slightly under-par, but not horrible...
Onyx is fine, and Red Giant has also been great. During their brief time, Brix was also excellent as far as support...

[glorybound]

iCube has told me, in the past, that there isn't anything wrong with their software and the issues are mine; just to find a patch later that address the very issue I had. I gave up on Autograss because the pony express would be faster then their email response time. I have heard great things about itoo, but I haven't used them yet.

[duke2]

Yeah Itoo is excellent. You get a next-day response from Carlos himself by either email or the forums.

[themaxxer]

I've heard martin from materialwerk is updating Brix for max 2012. but I don't know if it's really true. the rights to Brix has martin.
but another guy is making a similar plugin which is free for Brix user. so, it really obscure what happens in the next months.

best regards
themaxxer

[peterguthrie]

Anyone know if Materialwerk are even responding to emails? I'm considering re-installing max and worried I won't be able to activate BRIX when I re-install it

[yyk]

Anyone know if Materialwerk are even responding to emails? I'm considering re-installing max and worried I won't be able to activate BRIX when I re-install it

I send you a PM.. well, at least I thought I did. My profile does not show as been sent but I guess it could be a bit slow to update..

[duke2]

Any news on Brix or Brix-like plugins? Is there a way to buy it yet?

[Pixelsonic]

Let me give you some feedback and correct information, just so everyone knows what happened to BRIX and Materialwerk.

We were two people starting Materialwerk in 2009, the developer and myself (Martin). The developer programmed BRIX based on my concept and the idea of using random bitmaps within tiles.
I created everything else, starting with the material library, renderings, documentation, website, trademarks and so on. In June 2010 we started selling BRIX and were ok with the sales, although we were a bit disappointed after half a year that the sales were lower than our expectations. In september 2010 we both decided that it´s time to split up and go separate ways.

First we agreed that the developer would continue with BRIX and Materialwerk as it was and he would pay me a certain amount of money to completely take over Materialwerk. Before Christmas we agreed on the deal but a few days later just before we were about to sign the contract, he decided not to stick with the deal, but instead quit Materialwerk and force me to stop selling BRIX by January 1, 2011. Unfortunately I wasn´t able to save and rescue BRIX, because he was not willing to accept any offer from me to continue with Materialwerk.

After long debates we finally agreed in May this year that he will keep the rights on the software code and I would keep the rights
on everything else, materials, trademarks, names, website and so on.

So the current status is that he is the only one who could continue with a new version of BRIX under a different name with a different GUI. If he is going to do so or not, I don´t know.

I could create a new version of BRIX with a different developer, but at the moment I honestly can´t say if this is going to happen or not. I´d be the first to let you know and I would immediately give every BRIX customer a free version of a new BRIX version.

Personally I really apologize to all who purchased BRIX and can´t work because it´s not 2012 compatible. I never thought that something like this could happen and I will do whatever I can to continue with the BRIX idea ... It´s too useful to just let die.

Best regards,
Martin

[glorybound]

I think sales were low, because this happens far to often, and we have been caught in the middle before. I stopped purchasing 3rd party plug-ins, for the most part, about a year ago. I have spent a ton of money on plug-ins, that development just died on. I remember BRIX coming out, and my initial thought was simply, let's wait and see.

Good luck. I am sure it was a lot of blood-sweat-and-tears, developing it.

[duke2]

Yeah i'm the same a bit with a new developer. I've got a solid relationship with Itoosoft, and while their support leaves alot to be desired, iCube continues to release incredibly useful (but often buggy) plugins. I didn't purchase Brix straight off not because of the new developer, but because it was too expensive for what I thought was simply a procedural tile (like BerconTile). After seeing the videos and results people got with it, I took another look at it but by that time they'd closed up shop. I felt vindicated for not buying it in the first place, as they soon disappeared, but at the same time it is/was a great piece of software, and it would be a real shame to see it die off. It sounds like a bit of a dick move on the part of the other guy, but I hope something does reappear, preferably after a reconciliation!

[voltron7]

Well, I also hope to see a reincarnation of Brix. I did buy it, and still use it regularly. What can I say, it is a great tool.

[duke2]

This brings up an interesting topic - a software license being a collectors item! Try selling one on ebay :P