Autodesk no longer doing upgrades for 3ds Max

[firehawk]

I received an email yesterday that read:

"Beginning February 1, 2015, Autodesk will no longer offer the option to purchase upgrade licenses of its software. This message is intended to provide advance notice to help customers prepare for any impact they may experience.

Our records indicate that you or your organization may have one or more licenses impacted by this change."

Well. It looks like I'm stuck with 3ds Max 2010 til I die now.

 

[KurtF]

Are they moving you to their 'Cloud Subscription' model, or just not doing Max upgrades?

 

[msorrels]

Long, long ago I bought a copy of 3ds Max (90's). Upgraded it through version 2.5. Then they killed off internet dealers or something and since I wasn't really using it (was going to write plugins for it but realized it wasn't a winning move) I just let it go, stopped upgrading it. After a few versions they stopped offering upgrades for that version at all. So to get back on the current version I'd have to re-buy the product full price. This "you missed the upgrades now your software is frozen" thing has been around awhile. Autodesk is just taking it to the next level. I thought they were still supporting a support contract though, so to get upgrades you have to keep paying but when you stop you can keep what you had. But if you want to restart you either have to buy it again or use the subscription service (which when you stop you can't keep it).

 

[firehawk]

Are they moving you to their 'Cloud Subscription' model, or just not doing Max upgrades?

Users have until the deadline to uprade their current licenses (v2009-2014) to version 2015. Unfortunately I cannot afford to do that. After the Feb cutoff users can either continue to pay for the yearly subscription or buy the software at full price. So if a user bought 2015 without subscription and later decided they needed 2016 or 2017 they would have to buy it again (at full price). It's not quite the same as the Adobe Cloud software renting because you still CAN buy the software and keep using it. However, it's very expensive software and if one is a small business that doesn't do a lot of 3D work then it's very hard to swallow. I'm thankful I was able to buy 2010 a few years ago and hope it will continue to serve me for many more years. Heck, I used release 5 for a long time before that
I fully expect that buying the software will cease to be an option in upcoming years at all.

 

[msorrels]

Getting a new license key for a machine change may become very difficult in the future. I know I had to jump through some email hoops to get a key for my copy of Motionbuilder 7 (which I stopped upgrading long ago). Since the software is tied to your motherboard/hard drive/whatever when you upgrade machines getting a new auth may become a problem. I fully expect to lose my copy of Motionbuilder the next time I upgrade machines. My 3DS Max 2.5 is hooked to two parallel port dongles, which no machines I'm using even have, so that's dead already. Hard to believe I actually like dongles more than this tied to your computer licensing everyone is using.

 

[Gord.T]

I started off with the trial version of 3dsmax just before I joined here several years ago. (Tried it for 3 months back then, then gave up 3D. for about 6 months until I found the less complicated C4D.)
My question is why did the above posters gravitate to 3dsmax?

I learned that it was mostly a video game design engine/based driven, which it appeared to be very capable of.

Any thoughts on that?

 

[firehawk]

My first exposure to 3D Studio Max was in college and Release 2.5 and 3. Back then they heralded it and I was told it was used in major Hollywood films as well as in architectural renderings, etc. The only other software I remember was Bryce 3D for landscapes.
So I learned how to use it a little and always had the desire to buy it and use it more. I finally was able to . By then I was aware of Maya and others but it seemed 3dsMax was still a formidable player and it was the only one I was familiar with using.

Now Revit seems to have largely replaced AutoCad and has it's own 3D built in, so perhaps 3ds Max is not used so much for that. Perhaps Maya and C4D have replaced Max largely in the entertainment field. I don't know.
Is it mostly used for video games now?

There was a time when I produced more work with 3Ds Max but the last few years I have been too busy with more normal/basic/blah video editing jobs that don't justify 3D. Due to my involvement helping troubled people I have zero free time so I don't get to spend time advancing in 3D either. I think I'm moving backwards actually

It can still do all the things I need it to do: Character animation, virtual sets, object animation, titles, explosions. I create and animate what I need then bring the image sequences into After Effects and finish it. I still love the possibilities it offers.

 

[Gord.T]

I honestly don't know for lack of anyone else responding. I'm sure the old 3DS max programs are fine. They were back in the day if you think about it.
I still use C4D R10.1. I use/learning ZBrush now, but C4D 10.1 is and always will be my "go-to" program for backup. Man, I can just knock out stuff so fast on C4D.
I could chat for hours.

-Cheers.