Price war

**EXILED ARCHANGEL** · 10-21-2002, 12:37 AM

The 2 top 3d applications as far as features are xsi and maya please no argments on that but as the maya complete price droped to 2000 the other major apps might have to drop as well expecially xsi with its 17k pricetag

How do you think they will compete with A|W ?

***gerbick*** · 10-21-2002, 06:29 AM

now. if memory serves me correctly, I stated that Softimage will have to drop the price on XSI to remain competitive, and you were somewhat against that. even called me a bit crazy... something like that...

so. are you stating some concern over the price differences now?

just wondering.

**Vatcher** · 10-21-2002, 08:52 PM

if your still a student try and get one of those, they are alot cheaper

***gerbick*** · 10-21-2002, 10:15 PM

reminder: you can't make projects for profit/money off fo student versions.

**EXILED ARCHANGEL** · 10-21-2002, 10:30 PM

Originally posted by gerbick
now. if memory serves me correctly, I stated that Softimage will have to drop the price on XSI to remain competitive, and you were somewhat against that. even called me a bit crazy... something like that...

so. are you stating some concern over the price differences now?

just wondering.

I dont remember any of that

**Vatcher** · 10-21-2002, 11:33 PM

gerbs, yea forgot to mention that, i was just sayin if he wants to learn something, most companies provide the stuff for you

**dvdvault** · 10-22-2002, 05:57 AM

Had a very interesting convo with Avids reseller here in Sydney on this very subject the other day re: Maya & XSI and the price, er, well, grand-canyon like price gap!!!

The most interesting thing he had to say was that he personally perceived Maya's price drop as a 'liquidation attempt' to pull out of the market!!! And backed that up by saying something to the effect of...'How the hell are they suppossed to do quality R&D by pimping their software for next to nothing...cant make quality products by charging peanuts...'(charge peanuts...get monkeys or something like that etc etc)

Few points he made:

- They're both industry leaders, not much seperates them feature wise
- Maya's native renderer is not so good
- XSI' character rigging is much better
- XSI' workflow is more User Friendly and co-herent

(remembering...he is an Avid employee

)

Me...well...ive been using Maya for about 4 months...and i love it...sure XSI looks really cool and there are certain people that swear by it...but, unless you are a very very big production house with big, big budgets...id say chances are that Maya's new pricing structure is going to seem VERY appealing...and that has to be good, because every Maya sale is money in the kitty for R&D at A|W, and if A|W are selling 100 Maya's for every XSI sale, than the relevant kittys are in favour of Maya/A|W...hence...more R&D etc etc....simple econ101

The products are so alike, that the huge gap is simply unjustified!!

The other problem i have with XSI, (and i think this is its majoe downfall) is that there are next to no materials for learning, apart from the included doco's. There are very few 'user' web sites, few tutorials, few texts/books, etc etc...I think Softimage needs to vreate a commuinity of users to enhance the learning experience of XSI...Still...Today...Sydney, Australia...i cannot find 1 single institute that has a qulified XSI training course

Plenty of Maya and MAX...but no XSI...simple infrastructure flaws like that will see the dimise of this much loved software...to keep the product on the edge, the company (Avid) has to increase its marketing etc...

Just my thoughts anyway...i would love to start teaching myself XSI, but id like to be confident enough that there are going to be Jobs, support, etc etc after all the hard work...

I personally think Maya is here for a very long time

(hope so too)

Cheers boys!!

[rant over]

**tallmikeG** · 10-22-2002, 12:44 PM

i worked as a contract designer for Avid and trust me...Avid employees know nothing about XSI. Softimage (although a subdivision of Avid) does it's own marketing, design, production, etc...
i'd take the comments of an Avid employee w/ a grain of salt, when it comes to the going-ons of XSI.

**WMLeeBo** · 10-22-2002, 12:50 PM

3ds max ( you all may bow )

**Vatcher** · 10-22-2002, 01:46 PM

max rules.....i believe that!

two weeks ago i went to a digital media convention and discreet was there, one of the guys i talked to which was a professional 3d animator told me that alot of guys from A|W are coming over to work for discreet, he also told me that maya is having problems with money.

one more thing, all the programs are alike cause as one version comes out the other company takes their idea and refines it, thats what discreet as told me, they bounce ideas off each other

**EXILED ARCHANGEL** · 10-22-2002, 05:20 PM

The products are so alike, that the huge gap is simply unjustified!!

AS far as capibilitys i agree so much that why im so worried about the diffrence because if more companys use maya insted of xsi then my xsi knowledge is worth very little.

3ds max ( you all may bow )

I still use max for all my clients xsi is just my tool that im studying

Me...well...ive been using Maya for about 4 months...and i love it...sure XSI looks really cool and there are certain people that swear by it...but, unless you are a very very big production house with big, big budgets...id say chances are that Maya's new pricing structure is going to seem VERY appealing...and that has to be good, because every Maya sale is money in the kitty for R&D at A|W, and if A|W are selling 100 Maya's for every XSI sale, than the relevant kittys are in favour of Maya/A|W...hence...more R&D etc etc....simple econ101

This thread is in no way putting down maya, i used it for about 2 years(mostly for dynamics) but as far as companys they seem to use several diffrent applications such as xsi maya and max all being used by capcom.Maya needs more r and d before they drop the price so much because there not ahead in everything in fact in my non biast openion maya only has a few things over the compitetion such as there great paint and dynamics system; but then xsi has the advantage in animation and character building.

**dvdvault** · 10-22-2002, 06:31 PM

Originally posted by tallmikeG
i worked as a contract designer for Avid and trust me...Avid employees know nothing about XSI. Softimage (although a subdivision of Avid) does it's own marketing, design, production, etc...
i'd take the comments of an Avid employee w/ a grain of salt, when it comes to the going-ons of XSI.

Funny stuff

Its just sad really, to see such a great product get no publicity, or support, i mean, there are obviously some VERY talented people at Avid/Softimage...but they just sooooo lack any 'come and use me' factor (at least here in australia) and basically, get forgotten

. I think the only XSI sales here would be just current
clients who are upgrading etc etc...i wonder how many new clients they get???

Ahh well, what can you do, but observe and hope they pick their game up ..v3.0 is due in about 10...but not a single magazine has any advertising, no emails from Softimage, no roadshow/product launch...nothing from the local re-seller etc etc....not good

Cheers

**Vatcher** · 10-22-2002, 06:39 PM

well i'll make xsi have a home soon, sometime in the next few months i am gonna buy the educational version of xsi v.3, i saw some awesome features on the web site and just can't wait to test it out

**dvdvault** · 10-22-2002, 06:51 PM

Originally posted by Vatcher
well i'll make xsi have a home soon, sometime in the next few months i am gonna buy the educational version of xsi v.3, i saw some awesome features on the web site and just can't wait to test it out

Vatcher,

What limitations are there in the Educational version of v3.0?? as oppossed to the full blown version (other than the obvious 'not for commercial usage' mumbo jumbo)

Is there a table with whats in-and whats out, between the two versions somewhere???

Cheers mate

**Vatcher** · 10-22-2002, 07:04 PM

the only difference is what you know..can't use it for commercial use..besides that its an exact clone from what i have seen

**Vatcher** · 10-22-2002, 07:04 PM

plus the educational version is only $500..a huge difference

**dvdvault** · 10-22-2002, 07:10 PM

thanks....yep $500 is a HUGE differnce

Id be interested to know how you like it when you get it...have u used it before???

If you wouldn't mind emailing me in due time..to let me know how it is, compared to Maya .....that'd be cool

Thanks dude!!!

Reason i ask is... i am looking to expand my 3D proggie knowledge with either MAX or XSI....

thanks again

**EXILED ARCHANGEL** · 10-22-2002, 07:21 PM

as far as recorces my new site will have alot of tutorials school listings and other things for xsi

**Vatcher** · 10-22-2002, 07:26 PM

well i plan on making my 3d app. experience broad, and i happen to have enough money, so i am planning on buying xsi v.3, max5, lightwave 8, cinema 4d 8, and maya 4.5 unlimited

i am gonna get all the educational versions so it will save me tons of cash, and before you start goin on about how stupid i am to buy all that..i'll just be ready for whatever the company throws at me, and it gives a bigger range of options

and i'll be pleased to send an email telling you the differences

**tallmikeG** · 10-22-2002, 07:52 PM

Originally posted by Vatcher
and before you start goin on about how stupid i am to buy all that..i'll just be ready for whatever the company throws at me, and it gives a bigger range of options

on the contrary, vatcher! i think you're absolutely on the right track! "if i could go back knowing what i know now..."

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