Autodesk subscription-only model - impact so far?

PolyHertz

So back at the start of February AD went subscription-only (except for the suites, but that's coming in a few months too). Whats the fallout been like so far? Anyone switched, or seriously considering switching, 3D apps as a result?

Greg DAlessandro

Well I'm switching to Blender or some other program.

oglu

studios we are dealing with are all on subscription... so there wont change anything... 

AtticusMars

I switched from Max to Blender largely as a result of this, but I am also not a professional so I'm sure I'm not a good representation. I doubt people in professional settings with tons of investment into inhouse scripts and tools have much flexibility.

pior

I switched to Blender when the Autodesk purchasing department and retailers couldn't get me a copy of 2009 or 2010.

Zero regrets, and I am actually working much more efficiently ever since. Win !

thomasp

i made my switch to blender over the course of 2015 after about 16 years on max. had looked at commercial alternatives too but this was the one that stood out. parts of the toolset which i regard as more modern and ability to better streamline working my preferred way had me converted. i had never ever looked at it seriously before hearing about those subscription plans.
however i also wanted to break free from total dependency on windows so it wasn't just looming subscriptions that made me do it.

Blond

Like all the others, I use Blender at home for personal project and or potential freelancing in the future.

I'll only use AD apps if within a studio if I'm employed. Of course, I have the ever renewable Student License at home if I need to test some tools and such.:)

Deathstick

Still using Max + Blender at work, although I'm probably going to make the jump to Modo on my personal pc. I love Max, but frankly the pricing is too much for one person who works after work, and thus actual time spent modeling separate from work can range from 10 hours to 0 hours depending on how tired I am that day..

I know the modeling is great in Modo, but I have yet to see how well it handles animation/skeletal rigs compared to Max since most articles are on the modeling tools (using ue4 for my personal game experiments). Also am hoping getting stuff from modo into UE4 is as easy as Max, I believe so judging from what I've read but I'll have to try it out myself first. Hopefully as good if not better!

lefix

Switched from Max to Modo last year because of pricing. We're a small studio with only 3 artists.

0xffff

Having to rewrite half our studio tools because autodesk refuse to license us 2010 and forced us to upgrade to 2015 was a really fun, enjoyable and thoroughly productive experience. Not.

RaptorCWS

i still use max

McGreed

I'm moving over to Blender, might have a look at Modo. As others mentioned, the pricing for 3DS Max is just not good for people are not in a company. For example the pricing for Mudbox subscription I find much more reasonable compared to the rest they have.

swann

0xffff said:

Having to rewrite half our studio tools because autodesk refuse to license us 2010 and forced us to upgrade to 2015 was a really fun, enjoyable and thoroughly productive experience. Not.

What doesn't kill you... 

AtticusMars

I imagine the real effects of this decision will be revealed over the long term, if enough people were turned off enough to learn Blender and Modo, even if just for personal work then, it could chip away at Autodesks market share over time. I doubt it'll be an immediate profit loss for them though.

thomasp

AtticusMars said:

I doubt it'll be an immediate profit loss for them though.

indeed sounds unlikely. it's not like they didn't have subscriptions before. different from adobe who did experience a noticeable drop in revenue after switching to rental if i recall.

the interesting bit is really if it makes people explore other options on the side and realise their potential. pipelines do get updated once in a while after all and industry standards come and go.

VelvetElvis

As long as the AEC industry doesn't start dropping Autodesk, they will be just fine. AEC is their cash source and they have the industry's nuts in a vice clamp.

Greg DAlessandro

VelvetElvis said:

As long as the AEC industry doesn't start dropping Autodesk, they will be just fine. AEC is their cash source and they have the industry's nuts in a vice clamp.

AEC?

lefix

Architecture, Engineering and Construction I assume

Sebeuroc

I've been using Modo as my primary 3d software for the last 4 years. I've actually found AD's subscription model to be somewhat helpful for freelance clients because I can pick up a month or two of Maya, if needed, then drop it when the contract is over.

0xffff

nodeway said:

0xffff said:

Having to rewrite half our studio tools because autodesk refuse to license us 2010 and forced us to upgrade to 2015 was a really fun, enjoyable and thoroughly productive experience. Not.

What doesn't kill you... 

...makes you want to kill yourself?

dur23

                       

artquest

dur23 said:

                       

Yeah, softimage will be sorely missed. But on the bright side Maya how has all of the old softimage team. And you can really tell because most of the new updates to modeling in 2016 and beyond are based on softimage. Also the new hotkey editor is a direct rip of the softimage one. 

Dataday

Like a handful of others here, Modo was what I eventually ended up with. No regrets. Its well worth the money and you are not penalized for skipping upgrades, nor do you have to buy them incrementally. Just one upgrade price and you get the latest version they have to offer. I like that.

Now with version 10, its one of the few (only?) 3D packages that has a full real time PBR viewport with built in Unity and Unreal materials/shaders. I cant spill the beans yet on what is coming with version 10.1 (the next feature update for version 10), but I can say confidently that a lot of people have been asking for it for quite some time. Things are looking good for those seeking alternatives to Autodesk.

Here's whats coming with the first feature update in Modo 10.0, if you like what you see. Try the demo, switch the control set up to Maya/Max to feel right at home.