Softimage XSI 5.0

#21 @Laser Louis: That sounds great Laser... worth a shot!:)

@ Lois: Look here... you can see a comparison between the 3 XSI offerings...
There is A LOT of new good stuff in Foundation 5... I think some of the bits that were not in Found-4.2 made it into Found-5.0... that is unless Softimage changes mind before the proper release.... but I think they will not change... it would be bad to sell a pre-order showing this specs and then reducing the tool sets... here you go:

http://www.softimage.com/products/Xsi/v5/comparison/default.asp

look at the bottom of the above page for Custom Display Host

some of the highlight from that page are:

Tool Development Environment (TDE)
A TD's dream come true - a single unified development environment to create, manage and deploy all tools, plug-ins and workgroups. The TDE contains multiple script editors each with syntax help, breakpoints and external debugging links and includes a tree-based Add-On manager with the ability to create self-installing shaders, events and plug-ins from development wizards using standard scripting languages or directly in C++. Develop inside the TDE and enjoy the refined workflow that XSI artists have enjoyed for years.


Shrinkwrap
Tweak Component Tool
Bezier Curves
Smooth/Relax

Texture Swimming: (Guys this is a great aid for referenced modelling look at the video here: http://www.softimage.com/Products/Xsi/v5/nfvt/default.asp
Towards bottom of the page

Shape Manager
Timeline Dopesheet
Integrated XSI Rendering (mental ray v.3.4)
Lightmaps

Ultimapper (good to have it in Foundation!)
Ultimapper can generate normal, ambient occlusion, difference, light, and albedo maps all with an instant mental ray, DirectX or OpenGL preview directly in the XSI view-ports.

Rendermap
Custom Display Host
etc...



The
GATOR (Generic Attribute Transfer Operator)
and the new
NovodeX Rigid Body Dynamics
are the only two big NEW things that didn't make it into Foundation 5.0


This page does not mention thenew Gigapolygon technology... so I hope that means Gigapoly is available on Foundatin too... including the capability to import directly from ZBrush

There is a lot of new stuff in the Foundation package, surely worth the price... sadly I can;t by that right away... but I'l upgrade ASAP

#22 Thanks for the link, the Softimage site is hard to navigate :)

This is definitely very good stuff. I am really hyped now. The custom display host and the TDE are to me, the most important features in this new release. They are really doing some good stuff.

Now that I know that the custom display host is in, I definitely would change my first opinion. If I had to buy it, I would. Along with the other new features, it is to me a deal to not pass up.

#23 Not sure if anyone pointed this out yet, but they also added some stuff to Foundation that used to only be in Advanced or Essentials:

Advanced Character Rigs
Texture Layer Editor
Tools IDE

The new Shape Manager and Tweak Tool look totally awesome. I am sold :-)


www.softimage.com/Products/Xsi/v5/nfvt/default.asp 5.0 new feature videos here

#24 I bet the Foundation price barely covers the Mental Ray single CPU license. I think it is unfortunate timing to buy Foundation 4.2 then have 5.0 come out a few months later, but 4.2 is very nice on its own. Perhaps 4.2 users could wait till the next point release to upgrade. I knew Max users who would only upgrade every 2 versions. However, Softimage is moving features from the Essentials and Advanced packages down into Foundation for the 5.0 release.

For me the Gigapolygon Core looks really nice, especially if you want to work with ZBrush models. XSI 5 will be able to handle way more polys than ZBrush can throw at it. The Ultimapper combined with the new ZBrush pipeline and Gigapolygon core should make for a nice Normal Mapping workflow.

The Tweak Tool is great for modelers. The GATOR tool just looks like a huge time saver. Also, did you all see the game engine running in XSI? The artist was able to deform terrain, change animations, and update models while running through a game level as a game character in an XSI viewport! A company has already announced at XSIBase.com that they will be using this feature to tie XSI into Ogre3D.

#25 Hokuto, Gigapolygon Core is in all the packages, whether 32bit or 64bit. I have heard you can run Millions of polys with 32bit and get into Billions with 64bit.

#26 Yes, I'm aware of it now... Foundation 5 is really full of great features... what a package!

#27 Here is a new XSI 5.0 Feature Review by Ed Harriss. Many new additions for game developers.
www.edharriss.com/xsi/version5.htm

Also, I am pleased with the news that the DTS exporter is still in development. I won't need it for a few more months now that classes started up again, but I'm hoping to be able to use it during my Winter break along with XSI 5.0.

#28 I think you just have to live with it. They have to make money on XSI somehow. Loks to me that their market strategy is to charge a very reasonable sub $500 anualy, and hope that you stay a repeat customer.

The upgrade is competitive with other packages and you do get a lot for the money. I think it's a good way to get your product better filtration in the market, and a steal when you consider the nearest competitor is hokey old gamespace.

I get a feeling that L Foster has similar feelings, but didn't get up off the right side of the bed or something :)

#29 Eh, Get blender. It has a DTS exporter, and its free. Better interface as well.

#30 It looks like they've added enough features that help justify the upgrade price. That wasn't clear to me when they first announced it. They seem to be doing a better job at communicating the value of the upgrade now.

I consider the bad timing to be my fault; I should have waited. Anyway, I'll stick with version 4.2, at least until I get productive with it, and with game development in general :-)

#31 @Ryan- why not Milkshape? Why not write POVRAY code by hand ;-) You are dealing with XSI fanatics here. I am a former Blender user btw.

#32 :) Lol, sorry :)

Blender is much more comparable to XSI than milkshap, which is why I mentioned.

Mostly just posted to interupt the pointless bitching about the paltry upgrade fee... Yes, its still 400$, and thats not pocket change ( 4 me anyways), but for the tool that exceeds max in so many ways ( personal opinion), 400$ is nothing..

If they charged 20$ for it, I bet half of these guys would be bitching about how its not free... Never happy :()

#33 I think just a year or two ago a single Mental Ray license for 3DS Max was going for $1500. With XSI Foundation you get a Mental Ray license and there is a new Mental Ray version (3.4) included in XSI 5.0. This is the renderer used for movies like Blade Trinity, Star Wars : Episode II, The Hulk, and Matrix Revolutions ( www.mentalimages.com/4_1_motion_pictures/ ).

I think most of the cost goes towards this single-cpu license. As for the low-cost strategy, I think XSI is attempting to gain seats in the North American Game Industry with Foundation. XSI is actually already used by many European and Japanese game companies. I am sure they are hoping new Foundation owners upgrade to Essentials or Advanced eventually. Either way, the competition is good for us. Anything that drives down production costs is good.

However, there is not really a need to upgrade. I think 4.2 is very functional and stable. I knew people who were still using Max 4 when Max 6 was out. Of course I understand how compelling it can be to want this specific XSI upgrade though. There is just so much being added to enhance productivity.

#34 XSI 5.0 FAQ and Answers
www.xsibase.com/forum/index.php?board=9;action=display;threadid=20910

XSI is growing on me unlike any other app ever has. The more hours I spend learning it the more impressed I am, both with the workflow, and the docs + videos.

#35 Me too. I started with Milkshape, tried a free version of Truespace, tried a friend's copy of Lightwave 7.5, then GMax and finally Maya PLE before Half-Life 2 got me to try out the XSI Mod Tool. XSI was the only tool that just "clicked" for me. The interface and non-linear workflow just drew me in. It also has the cheapest educational package, which is perfect for me.

I recently found a really good free video tutorial that might interest you XSI users too. I learned a lot of modeling tricks from this.

Modelling a Colt 1911 by Desty:
www.hl2modcentral.com/tutorial.php?id=27&cat=0

#36 Doe's anyone know when the exporters for XSI will be finished or where it stands?

#37 Doe's anyone know when the exporters for XSI will be finished for the TGE.

#38 Matt Summers said in his last plan that he hopes the exporter will be done before the Indie Games Conference (October 7-9).

You can still export static shapes to the .obj format, and use obj2dts to translate them to dts. If you use TSE, you should be able use the new .fx tool to export shaders made in XSI. I started working on a dotXSI convertor. I found Softimage's File Toolkit is easy to use. I'm trying to understand dtsSdkPlus right now.

#39 XSI 5.0 is released. I got my Foundation downloaded and installed earlier this week : -)

#40 FYI, The XSI exporter works in both 4.2 and 5.0...