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Free Stripped-Down 3D Studio Max

Posted by timothy on from the introduce-me-to-some-models-please dept.

mikpos writes: "A division of Autodesk is apparently going to be releasing a free (speech) stripped-down version of 3D Studio Max, geared towards game developers and users. The product is going to be called gMax, and Autodesk might be licencing some customised versions of it to specific game companies." Sounds like there might be a spate of "genuine free-speech" 3-D modelers in the works, with the release of Blender 2.0 as well. Update: 07/31 05:35 PM by S : Seems to have moved link.

3 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. I have a theory about this... by mav[LAG] · · Score: 5
    It's only a theory mind you since I was 10 000 miles away from Siggraph. Here it is: Some Autodesk execs went to the Blender 2.0 launch and basically crapped in their pants when they saw the new modeller/gaming support.

    My (completely conspiratorial and possibly completely incorrect) reasoning for this conclusion:

    • gMax is just an announcement at the moment - no .tar.gz or .zip files to download - if it was a real announcement, the site would be /.'ed already
    • gMax will only be available after the winter release of the next Max - plenty of time to get a source release bashed out after a knee-jerk announcement
    • Blender has gone from 0-100mph in a frightening amount of time - and it's free. In a year's time it could start eating into non-free competitors' profits
    • plenty of modellers are sick of Windows crashes
    • Linux is just starting to become a viable modelling/rendering platform for commercial 3d games
    Put it all together and it's an interesting hypothesis. Unless an Autodesk exec can show me an internal e-mail from weeks before the show :)

    As I said, it's only a theory. I have another theory - ahem ahem....

    --
    --- Hot Shot City is particularly good.
  2. Piracy and Alternatives by Sir_Winston · · Score: 5

    I truly wonder how much outright piracy is responsible for releases like this. It seems that many companies are offering stripped-down free versions of their software, and my guess is that a large number of such releases are to minimize the desire to pirate the full program. Ontrack/Mijenix, for example, released a free version of some of their products, with limited functionality, and several more companies have started similar measures this past year.

    One thing I've noticed is that these products which get limited free versions are usually ones which are heavily pirated. I suppose one line of reasoning is that if a version with all the commonly-used features is freely available, that people will be less likely to pirate the full version with all the less-commonly-used or only-needed-by-professionals features. 3D Studio MAX is among the most commonly pirated 3D apps, despite the dongle protection scheme (which was cracked within weeks). Heck, I even downloaded it to try it out after people were discussing it here on /. in a thread about graphics workstations.

    But for the things most people would use it for, there are better tools. My favorite is MetaCreations' 3D package called Carrarra. Carrarra is an integrated offering combining the features of Ray Dream Studio and Infini-D into one easy-to-use and intuitive interface. The thing I've always loved about MetaCreations is that their user interfaces are not only eye candy, they're easy to learn and practically self-explanatory. If anyone is interested in 3D graphics and wants something far easier to use than 3D Studio MAX, but still powerful and versatile, check out http://www.metacreations.com/products/carrara/ for their under-appreciated but very fine product. I use it all the time for making game models, and it'll probably whip the hell out of any stripped down version of MAX.

    --


    "The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws."--Tacitus, *The Annals*
  3. These companies *like* non-commerical piracy by xtal · · Score: 5

    I think you're missing the point here a bit.

    These companies are concerned about having professional versions of the software flying around out there because it is possible someone might get real commerical profit from using it. It might even lower their ability to procecute in a criminal trial a company using it if the company can prove there's lots of other people using the software that aren't being hassled.

    The real benefit from having a noncommerical version of the software that's highly usable is what I call "Wordperfect Syndrome". Wordperfect, back in the day, was one of the most pirated programs I could think of. This pirating led to the software becoming framiliar to almost anyone with a PC.

    Now, you're a business, say, and hire people to, uh, process words. You're going to buy the package they know, because you can't afford to get nailed for using pirated software (and you should have your ass nailed for making money off pirated software, IMHO). The reason you bought the software was because your user base knew it, and a good percentage of them picked it up through pirate or quasi-legal copies.

    This is like the widespread pirating of 3D studio and AutoCad that goes on in Academia - students learn the high power tools, then when they have their engineering degrees and get their high paying jobs, what do you think gets bought? Of course, AutoCad and 3D studio. I see 3D studio being used in a lot more places than you might think - it's used a LOT for animating engineering drawings produced in Autocad, as the two work seamlessly together.

    In any case, the company makes no more money by getting rid of piracy. All they've done is transform it from piracy to using a free version

    EXACTLY. Now all those future purchasers of your software don't have to act like felons (in the US, anyhow). This is a smarter move than you might think.

    --
    ..don't panic