Ok it´s 16. June today

[Janus Rölder]

v1.5 was announced for begin of may if im not wrong.

v1.1 was announced for 15. december 2002 if im not wrong?

a printed manual and box was promised right from the start.

9 month of no DR for max 6 user and even the new beta builds have no DR.

now chaos give a few handselected user the new builds to create a even bigger hype for v1.5 and for the upcoming standalone version.

but will we see a final v1.5 release or will the number game start again?

1.45.09 --- 1.45.12 -- 1.46.03 -- 1.46.05......

i hear from the betatester since weeks, that only a few minor bugs must be ironed out.
mhm, the beta builds have not even DR.

the documentation is updated but still not finished.
when will we see a printed manual? how many years?

a few month and we will buy max 7 and of course we hope that we can use it.

will we have to wait another 9 month (or more) for working DR then?
i fear it will become even more complicated because, like chaos wrote, the max version is not top priority anymore after v1.5 is released.

must be nice to be a paying betatester for maya users.

chaos you have a big userbase, hire a coder or two to get things toogether. mabye it´s to much work for two people.

the future of vray looks good but keep in mind that the max user have supported you through the years of betatesting.

it´s only fair to give them what they have payed for and what was promised.

end of my rant.

[egz]

So, do you want them to release with the last bugs? Or what do you hope to gain from your rant?

They have given a lot of information about what is going on, so it's not like you are being kept in the dark.

It will be out real soon, when the last isues are fixed. It's just not possible to give an exact date.

As for the box and printed manual.. I don't want them! the Adobe, Macromedia, Microsoft, Discreet etc. boxes take up enough shelf space as it is, and the manuals are still shrink wrapped...

[peter008]

It`s all true what he writes.

And EGZ you promise that v1.5 will have NO bugs?

Im also concerned that we will see the 1.1 story again and about a working Max7 version.


BTW: I want a printed manual.

[egz]

I'm in no position to promise anything. But as long as there are known issues that are being worked on they shouldn't release.

Yes, what he writes is true. But what's the point? What does he want? Updated info about the status of 1.5 is all over the forum, so I don't see the point of repeating the same old rant all over again. It's not like Chaos aren't working on 1.5 as fast as they can. Also, the fact that when 1.5 is released we will get a lot more than we originally paid for seems to go unnoticed.

But then again I have the beta, so maybe just I don't feel frustrated lke others do...

[Janus Rölder]

if i would be one of the choosen ones like you EGZ i would maybe write the same.

fact is that my points are valid and true and i hope it comes to an end soon.

there where plenty information and promises on v1.1 too.
what does it proof?

fact is that max 6 user can not use DR (please don´t tell me about region rendering, i know everything about it) and vray advanced users payed for it.

sure we will get much more then what we payed for when it is released (some day )

some studios prefer to have a rock solid version and pay for an upgrade if needed.
some freelancer maybe like to do betatesting and trying all the new fanncy stuff.
some only want that all features they need will work.

why making such a (sorry) stupid release announcement for v1.5?
after v1.1 they should have learned something, or not?

maybe this date was given with the intention to create a big hype (then it worked well).

but im getting bored of such games.

[egz]

I'm not saying that your points aren't true, they are. And things are taking longer than Chaos planned, obviously. I still question your motives for posting though. What do you hope to accomplish? An earlier released version with known bugs?

Chaos' biggest mistake has been being too open about their, in hindsight, too optimistic plans and time estimates. Had they been totally quiet between each release everyone would be happy.

[e3d]

I have to agree, I use Vray commercially every day and the fact that DR does not function in Max 6 is a major problems for me.

I hadn't even thought about what will happen when Max7 comes out

I sometimes wonder if all these promised releases are not a smoke screen to make us stay with Vray and not change to another render(although I can't find one that beats vray!!)

I guess we will just have to put our trust in the Chaos guys and wait patiently!!!

[Janus Rölder]

Chaos' biggest mistake has been being too open about their, in hindsight, too optimistic plans and time estimates. Had they been totally quiet between each release everyone would be happy.

yes, only i begin to believe that it´s not a fault but a strategy.
i mean, after 1.1 they SHOULD have learned?

what i want?

maybe only blow off some steam.
express my unhappyness or tell them to hire more coder.

if DR will not work with max 7 then we switch to fR or brazil (if brazil finally will have DR).

[fisch]

Right Janus !!!

I´m also wondering when this salesman´s show is over and we get what we have paid for.

It will be out real soon, when the last isues are fixed. It's just not possible to give an exact date.

This is a quite funny statement for me, cos when "the last issues" are fixed, some new will appear.
And at least Max7 will be out, and the whole story starts again? No, guys thats too easy.
Must I quote the Master?: "There are two ways to write error-free programs. Only the third one works."

I would be glad to see the 1.1 features (esp. unlimited Outputsize and Meshsize), that were announced for a long, long time now in a offical release and not as beta tester.
Who cares for the fur?

Seem that EdwinBraun from Cebas set new standarts for the announcement of new releases,
that all others are forced to adopt.

So we will be waiting for our christmas parcle.


"Kommt bitte mal in die Puschen!" they say where I work.
CU

[plastic_]

i have the feeling that the max7 update wont be as painfully as 5 -> 6. unless they are switching to .NET framework or whatever.
my guess is that 6 plugins will work with 7 too, everything else would be a strange move.
3dsmax is pretty dependent on it's 3rd party plugins, they can't force a recompile (and partial rewrite, as with 6) with every major update in a 12 months cycle.

[Janus Rölder]

i have the feeling that the max7 update wont be as painfully as 5 -> 6. unless they are switching to .NET framework or whatever.
my guess is that 6 plugins will work with 7 too, everything else would be a strange move.
3dsmax is pretty dependent on it's 3rd party plugins, they can't force a recompile (and partial rewrite, as with 6) with every major update in a 12 months cycle.

can you explain why you think so?

they have done it before with any update except 4 -> 5.

[plastic_]

as far as i understand, a recompile of dll's becomes nessecary when a new compiler generation is used. or when the SDK changes in a drastic way.
max6 fixed stability problems, that alone made it worth it for me. as well as the improved dwg import, improved layers and shell modifier.
considering that it took months for many important plugins to work with 6 - some don't fully work to this day (vray) - it wouldn't be a smart move to force a recompile every 12 months.
i love playing with new toys and i always want the latest software, but i can already say that if the update to the next max version isn't smooth i will skip it, as many did with max6 or even 5.

[percydaman]

If you guys have a problem with how chaos is doing business, think about if you solely used mental ray? How often do THEY update? You dont get a chance to use point releases. What OTHER renderers allow you to try out the latest stuff?

Unfortunately, chaos group is a victim of their own generosity. You could easily have seen NOTHING between 1.0 and 1.5, and it wouldn't have been criticised.

[tom schuelke]

to fisch

I´m also wondering when this salesman´s show is over and we get what we have paid for.

well i also can understand that people get frustrated, and i think like egz told, that vlado and Peter did think to optimistic about their release times.

(At last it is allways also with me and my partners the same problem
we also think "weeeel this job only will cost 10 Days, each with 8 Hours of work, and it always gets 10 Days, with 13 Hours of work ) so me for my self i would never flame vlado and peter for this. And i think, devellopment of software always is much more difficult to bring to a point, than any visualisation.

At last i have to say:
You allready got what you´ve been paiing in my oppinion. One of the fastest most spectacular highendrenderes on Earth. And 1.4565 already is much much much more spectacular.
Also the upgrade is a gift, nothing you did pay for.

In one point you are right. Maybe Vlado should stop with announcements.
But are you realy happy if they post " well it is ready when it is ready " ?

don´t be affraid. 1.5 will soon be in your hands, and it´s awsome.

[fisch]

You could easily have seen NOTHING between 1.0 and 1.5, and it wouldn't have been criticised.

If there were no 1.09 with the outlook on 1.1, I wouldn´t have advised my company to buy V-Ray. And we´ll all be happy with MRay and Max6.

Where is the 1.1?
Will there ever be a 1.5?
Or maybe they leave it out like the 1.1 and go on to the 2.0 Standalone because of some bugs still left in the 1.5.

Yes I have a problem with the chaos people handling their business the last mothns but we paid the 900 bucks and I think it´s now time that I can use the promised features, after almost a year.