When I was 14 or 15, my mom came back from a computer show and told me all about
this incredible 3D thing called Softimage that she saw a demonstration of. She told
me all about it, and how she entered a draw to win it and the hardware to run it.
I guess between the SGI equipment and the software, it woulda been worth more than
our house at the time. This is all around the time Jurassic Park is out, I've started
to play daily with Aldus Photostyler, and I'm saving up every penny I can to get
some primitive 3D rendering program that's selling for $200 at Aventure Eletronique.
I never quite saved up more than $75.
Years go by, and I found myself using 3dsmax. And I can't complain about it. But
then I tried demos of 4, 5, and 6, and the thing is just clunky and insanely overpriced
compared to its competition.
In 1999, Canada issued a Softimage stamp, which I bought and still have somewhere.
It was the big dream, to one day have the money to use SI. At least I had a stamp
though, and 3dsmax 3.1 would have to do, touchy and limited as it was. I had been
hoping to sell my novel simply so that I could have enough money to buy Softimage.
Then NAB rolled around, and the $1995 Foundation version was announced. That kinda
put it in reach, if I sold a helluva lot of tutorial CDs.
So imagine my surprise walking around the exhibition floor on Monday afternoon in
LA and seeing that it had been slashed to $495. I wanted to hug Softimage employees.
A week later, and I am now an XSI user. I looked at what Cinema4D 9 was offering
for its new, bigger price, and it didn't seem worth it when for $150 less I could
get Softimage. I should get all the training CDs on Friday if I'm lucky.
:D
Now I just need to figure out how to use this thing...
by
Elvis Deane!
