Cartoonbrewmaster Amid made a posting about Flash vs Toonboom. I had written him before about why Anime Studio Pro was ignored at Cartoonbrew. He hinted today in his column, the other two packages ADVERTISE at his site. Regardless of how good ASP is, he's not going to irritate his sponsors.
SlowTiger and I made a case for Anime Studio in the comments section.
http://www.cartoonbrew.com/flash/adobe-vs-toon-boom
Plug for Anime Studio
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
That would only speak to his credibility.
IOW, if I hosted a site on, say, tennis racquets and failed to acknowledge in any way the terrific Head tennis sticks because only Wilson and Prince advertised on my site my credibility would be extremely suspect. No one could take my site seriously and I suspect that's true of that particular site, at least in terms of software appraisal.
Not being able to speak your mind (or whatever -- I don't know how his site is organized, or what the actual purpose of it is, nor do I particularly care as I'll never visit it) due to fear of losing sponsorship is the worst kind of censorship there is. I remember in the 60's how much smoking was encouraged in the shows the tobacco companies sponsored, and how you could *never* even slightly hint of anything bad about it or you'd find yourself canceled due to lack of advertising. That a few courageous souls did stand up (and pay the penalty) is amazing.
Heck, even here you can tout the benefits of software other than AS -- kind of amazing, when you think about it. Other sites that can't follow suit are just not worth visiting, IMHO.
IOW, if I hosted a site on, say, tennis racquets and failed to acknowledge in any way the terrific Head tennis sticks because only Wilson and Prince advertised on my site my credibility would be extremely suspect. No one could take my site seriously and I suspect that's true of that particular site, at least in terms of software appraisal.
Not being able to speak your mind (or whatever -- I don't know how his site is organized, or what the actual purpose of it is, nor do I particularly care as I'll never visit it) due to fear of losing sponsorship is the worst kind of censorship there is. I remember in the 60's how much smoking was encouraged in the shows the tobacco companies sponsored, and how you could *never* even slightly hint of anything bad about it or you'd find yourself canceled due to lack of advertising. That a few courageous souls did stand up (and pay the penalty) is amazing.
Heck, even here you can tout the benefits of software other than AS -- kind of amazing, when you think about it. Other sites that can't follow suit are just not worth visiting, IMHO.
The way of the world
Unfortunately, this is just the way things work, and the way advertisers expect it to work. I once worked at a network affiliate doing graphics for the local news. I was required to run a lot of things by the news director so that advertisers wouldn't get "news" - making insinuations or even hinting at facts that would impact on-air ad buying. It works this way all the way up the ladder. If you think you're getting untainted reporting from ANY American news source (other than maybe a few blogs), you're not understanding the landscape. It wasn't always like this, but you have to look back to the Reagan years. That's when a real sea change occurred (and other things like the creation of armies of homeless people, thanks Ronny). I personally think the Financial Times is one of the few major news sources with credibility. Cartoonbrew is getting by like everybody else.
More to the point: I bet is doesn't cost an arm and leg to advertise on blogs like Cartoonbrew. Just think of the return that Smith Micro could get from these modest ad placements.
More to the point: I bet is doesn't cost an arm and leg to advertise on blogs like Cartoonbrew. Just think of the return that Smith Micro could get from these modest ad placements.
Martin Hash has said the same thing for years about 3D software reviews in magazines. Animation Master just wasn't getting any reviews form anyone even though the software was very powerful and had comparable features to other hight end programs. Martin felt this was because Hash didn't advertise. The only way he got reviewed was buy buying ad space which he did a few times. He felt it was a waste of money. Money better spent on AM.
I think there are fair unbiased legitimate sources for software reviews out there, unfortunately it's hard to know which ones. I guess the same goes for news outlets but I think if you are intelligent enough and work at it you can find the truth. I don't believe in conspiracy theories.
-vern
I think there are fair unbiased legitimate sources for software reviews out there, unfortunately it's hard to know which ones. I guess the same goes for news outlets but I think if you are intelligent enough and work at it you can find the truth. I don't believe in conspiracy theories.
-vern
Ta Daaaa, info-tainment!
I don't think broad conspiracies are probable, mainly because of thinking dulled by hubris. You do need to consider cause and effect, however. Regulations are chiefly in response to abuse. Repeals of regulations profit whom... you can guess. US broadcasting (and knock on effects for other media) started changing in the 80's. Remember public service requirements for broadcasters. Remember ownership (monopoly) restrictions. A number of things happened but foremost - broadcast news went from being a mandate to serve the public, to being profit centers for the parent companies. Ta Daaaa, info-tainment!heyvern wrote:I don't believe in conspiracy theories. ;)
-vern
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blacksunproject
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:45 am
I agree with you vern.heyvern wrote:Martin Hash has said the same thing for years about 3D software reviews in magazines. Animation Master just wasn't getting any reviews form anyone even though the software was very powerful and had comparable features to other hight end programs. Martin felt this was because Hash didn't advertise. The only way he got reviewed was buy buying ad space which he did a few times. He felt it was a waste of money. Money better spent on AM.
I think there are fair unbiased legitimate sources for software reviews out there, unfortunately it's hard to know which ones. I guess the same goes for news outlets but I think if you are intelligent enough and work at it you can find the truth. I don't believe in conspiracy theories.
-vern
Martin has taken out a few adds in the past.
Animation Master's success is due to it's grass roots approach to selling their software, and their users are world wide.
Animation Master was the first consumer 3D application for ordinary home comptuers... yes the first. For a few years now Martin has been predicting all the mergers and failures of the "top" 3D applications. He predicted it perfectly. It's like he's psychic or something. His final prediction for 3D software is that there will be one for the big studios and AM for everyone else.
AM has been around for... like ever and yet it never rose out of obscurity. It is definately a great application, it can't be lack of features. But one thing Martin has never done is to market it aggressively. I always thought AM could have been HUGE or reinvented itself if he had just marketed it; Better packaging, advertising, website, whatever.
Yet, it's still here... trudging along when so many other applications have vanished or were bought out or whatever.
I would like to see AS do more than that but... if it just keeps going, low on the radar with a bunch of rabid fans that would work too. The similarities between A:M and AS are there, a cool affordable application with great features that no one takes seriously because it doesn't cost enough and isn't "popular".
-vern
AM has been around for... like ever and yet it never rose out of obscurity. It is definately a great application, it can't be lack of features. But one thing Martin has never done is to market it aggressively. I always thought AM could have been HUGE or reinvented itself if he had just marketed it; Better packaging, advertising, website, whatever.
Yet, it's still here... trudging along when so many other applications have vanished or were bought out or whatever.
I would like to see AS do more than that but... if it just keeps going, low on the radar with a bunch of rabid fans that would work too.
The similarities between A:M and AS are there, a cool affordable application with great features that no one takes seriously because it doesn't cost enough and isn't "popular".-vern
3D for the masses
What about Blender 3D. I really like it. I've used Softimage (XSI) and Maya, but Blender is the easiest to operate and seems to have most bells and whistles.
Not to get too far OT here (because I don't think it is) but the internet has basically stopped the model of the past, and I don't think AM or AS should bother selling out by paying the whores their blood money in order to get good reviews because it ain't necessary anymore.
There used to be a time (pre-internet) that you had to rely upon magazines and TV for news/reviews/opinons, etc. No longer. Now forums like these can get the word out far more effectively.
So -- forget this site the topic started off about, forget ads in magazines, SM should concentrate on making AS the best it can be and the word will get out (if they build it right, we will come).
There used to be a time (pre-internet) that you had to rely upon magazines and TV for news/reviews/opinons, etc. No longer. Now forums like these can get the word out far more effectively.
So -- forget this site the topic started off about, forget ads in magazines, SM should concentrate on making AS the best it can be and the word will get out (if they build it right, we will come).
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blacksunproject
- Posts: 102
- Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 6:45 am
Re: 3D for the masses
Blender is another wonderful tool that has built a following world wide.jwlane wrote:What about Blender 3D. I really like it. I've used Softimage (XSI) and Maya, but Blender is the easiest to operate and seems to have most bells and whistles.
I am learning Blender and I hope it continues to be a free program for those who are aspiring to do great 3d on a tight budget.
There is a great Tutorial set for Blender at: http://www.cartoonsmart.com/.
Sorry for going off topic, I just need to share since Blender was mentioned.
Gustavo
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The Modax Jago
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2008 3:56 pm
Blender, modo, Wings, Cinema, Mudbox, Zbrush, Google SketchUp,... etc.
There are plenty good quality "low level" 3D apps capable of producing acceptable content for most clients. Most of the bread and butter work in a studio does not require all the fancy plugins out there.
Regardless, you will still need an invesment into higher end software for larger volume workloads if your serious about working with only A+ clinets, as these applications are able to scale up and be managable at a project level with large teams of artist and copious amounts of data.
There are plenty good quality "low level" 3D apps capable of producing acceptable content for most clients. Most of the bread and butter work in a studio does not require all the fancy plugins out there.
Regardless, you will still need an invesment into higher end software for larger volume workloads if your serious about working with only A+ clinets, as these applications are able to scale up and be managable at a project level with large teams of artist and copious amounts of data.