Will Hexagon and Carrara or Amapi merge?

[Bertmg]

Hexagon seems to be a breakthrough in 3D modeling, specially for organics. I wonder why Eovia desided to create a brand new product instead of adding this amazing functionality to their already amazing products Carrara and Amapi.

Wouldn't this be a feature package made in heaven?

[AintNoSin]

Originally Posted by Bert

Hexagon seems to be a breakthrough in 3D modeling, specially for organics. I wonder why Eovia desided to create a brand new product instead of adding this amazing functionality to their already amazing products Carrara and Amapi.

Hexagon replaced Amapi Designer and is being marketed as an affordable modeler, mostly for organic charaacter modeling.

Amapi Pro is a high-end modeler, targeted at product design and other high-precision types of modeling.

Carrara is a midrange 3D package with some modeling capability, but it's real strength is its rendering engine and its compatibility across a wide range of 3D formats.

What I'd really like to see is a plug-in link between Cararra and Hex that lets you use Hexagon as a modeler from within Carrara.

[Bertmg]

Carrara used to be a full feature- mid-range 3D software (Modeler, render and animator) at an afordable price. And Amapi was a high end modeler, still complete as a modeler and relatively economic. Just like Eovia's mission statement stated about their products. Their other prtoduct(s) were aimed as low range solution.

Is their mission and their excelent "unique" afordable and easy to use products that makes Eovia different and special from the rest. In this way I consider them "second to none". As I stated, Carrara is an all 3D economic solution!, this is how I got hooked into Ray Dream and then Carrara. Notice that most competitors do have all these features, but they are add-ons (different from plugins) that you have to pay for and therefore their product/business practice is different.

Now, from the Carrara customer point of view, to make Carrara a complete product, you need to add Hexagon. Getting the two products is becomming a must and you end up paying much more. (Amapi is not still needed unless you are looking at it at a different point of view where you have Amapi for High end models and need to render, but that is another subject).

And that is not all, now we know that if we want to make cool terrains we better work with Bryce which is not even a Eovia product. (Poser is another subject for Eovia products were never meant to be used as high end human modelers). so add all products together and you get... "Maya"... wel I am exagerating, but you get my point.

I confess I am a bit dissapointed, I love Eovia, but making me a huge fan does not make me blind to why I like the product in the first place, which I believe they are deviating from.

[JuST]

Well, but if they add all the stuff you mentioned it would be (probably) horrible expensive

[shaunmckinnon]

i can see what Bert's saying. I've purchased Poser 4, then upgraded to 5, then I bought Carrara 4 standard, and just upgraded to 5. I bought Bryce 5, and I've also purchased the Achitool, Transposer 2, Vectorstyle 2, and Replica (now useless with carrara 5), swap, and Deeper. I also purchased Hexagon. I look back now at all the 3d software and addons I purchased, and think *$h1t* Why did I pay so much money, when if I had of saved some more, I could have just purchased 3DS Max and saved myself the hassle.

Don't get me wrong though, I hate Discreet's expensive product. I'm a simple man who likes a simple software, and Carrara definitely is simple. But Hexagon's features being include into Carrara 5 is really a no brainer (and for the most part alot of them are there already).

I would love it if Eovia produce a product that had the incredible abilities of Bryce, they dynamic effects of Poser, the rigid modelling of Amapi, and the organic modelling of Hex, plus Carrara's wonderful capabilities of shading, assembly, story board, lighting, cameras, effects, and powerful renderer.

They could call it Amapocarexbry.

Shaun

[medeamajic]

Carrara can do terrains and atmoshperes like Bryce. Carrara 5 should be competition for Poser plus some Hexagon features will be in Carrara 5. Carrara 5 has it all except a paint program and fur and cloth program. I walk editor would be nice but I can do it manually just like lip synching.

[Bertmg]

Originally Posted by shaunmckinnon

i can see what Bert's saying. I've purchased Poser 4, then upgraded to 5, then I bought Carrara 4 standard, and just upgraded to 5. I bought Bryce 5, and I've also purchased the Achitool, Transposer 2, Vectorstyle 2, and Replica (now useless with carrara 5), swap, and Deeper. I also purchased Hexagon. I look back now at all the 3d software and addons I purchased, and think *$h1t* Why did I pay so much money, when if I had of saved some more, I could have just purchased 3DS Max and saved myself the hassle.

Don't get me wrong though, I hate Discreet's expensive product. I'm a simple man who likes a simple software, and Carrara definitely is simple. But Hexagon's features being include into Carrara 5 is really a no brainer (and for the most part alot of them are there already).

I would love it if Eovia produce a product that had the incredible abilities of Bryce, they dynamic effects of Poser, the rigid modelling of Amapi, and the organic modelling of Hex, plus Carrara's wonderful capabilities of shading, assembly, story board, lighting, cameras, effects, and powerful renderer.

They could call it Amapocarexbry.

Shaun

Exactly my point Shawn, thanks. Not counting the plugins which are common in all 3D packages (and yes, some should be part of Carrara), nor the specialization of Poser software, as I stated "to make Carrara a complete product, you need to add Hexagon. getting the two products is almost a must and ends up you paying much more". Which is not what the company mission is.. or better yet "was". Here is what dissapoints me.

After passing the beta stage, unless Eovia was planning to build a POser like program, Hexagon should have been implemented in Amapi and Carrara maintaining these two products competitive and best of their breed. one as a high end and the other as a mid-range all in one solution... and render engine. I see the niche here and my investment fulfill.

On the other hand, I enjoy their hight compatibily with Poser (and I spect more) and specially Daz which is free. Human and animal figures developing is a technological monster and as a developer, Eovia better have other companies working on that while Carrara spends more time in other specialities like working on vegetation, terrains, organic modeling, animation and specially rendering. That is a huge area to cover as is.

.. which make me wonder why Eovia sells Bryce... maybe they cannot get a full Terrain featured working and instead of spending the time working on it, they leave it to Bryce.. huuummm??? I rather works in Terrains and vegetation in Carrara, but unfortunatelly still needs work

[Nichod]

.. which make me wonder why Eovia sells Bryce... maybe they cannot get a full Terrain featured working and instead of spending the time working on it, they leave it to Bryce.. huuummm??? I rather works in Terrains and vegetation in Carrara, but unfortunatelly still needs work

Carrara's implementation for terrains is much more powerful in my opinion. And vegetation is easily accomplished with the replicators. Eovia distributes Bryce because Daz3d does not have a worldwide distribution network like Eovia does.

as I stated "to make Carrara a complete product, you need to add Hexagon. getting the two products is almost a must and ends up you paying much more".

You do realize that its just $399 now for C5 standard and Hexagon?

[Bertmg]

You confirm my point

Originally Posted by Nichod

Eovia distributes Bryce because Daz3d does not have a worldwide distribution network like Eovia does.

This is what competition and marketing is about "larger coverage than competitors"

Originally Posted by Nichod

You do realize that its just $399 now for C5 standard and Hexagon?

You can get mid range competitors for about the same price or less. Silo is $109.00 and Blender is "free". It confirms my question, why not bundling both products together? and make a killer app above all competition and still maintain the mission of a "...compettiive price solution?

.. I guess we all could go on and on back and forth about this subject. I really appreciate everyone's point of view, I did see how other view this issue and I am greatfull for that.

My main purpose for this discussion was to get us all interested in a goal to make our beloved product even better and with larger market coverage. I hope this discusion got the attention of the Eovia staff and maybe have them see things in a different prespective.

thank you all

[medeamajic]

The Price of Carrara 5 Pro and the upgrades are fair. Carrara has a lot of features compared to the competition. I like the Vertex modeler in Carrara and the IK. I think Carrara 6.0 might blow away Maya, 3DS and XSI.

[Nichod]

I think its more than fair. The ease of use/feature set when compared with other options makes up for any limitations it may have. And I stand by Carrara's rendering speed/quality haven't come across anything remotely compareable.

[medeamajic]

nichod,

I agree. Carrara gives a lot of features for a product under $1000.00 and Eovia keeps making Carrara better.

The only thing I can say is thanks. I would like a paint program.

[shaunmckinnon]

I hate to kick a dead horse, or even a dead thread, but i'm noticing Medeamajic's post was in December of 05. I'm curious if you still agree with this statement:

Originally Posted by medeamajic

I think Carrara 6.0 might blow away Maya, 3DS and XSI.

Especially after the Daz takeover since.

[medeamajic]

I think the Carrara programmers could make it competiton for XSI and Maya but I doubt it will happen now. I think the programers are good but Daz will have a different agenda for Carrara (Poser clone). Carrara is now driven by a content company. I think Carrara 5 is a decent program still but I don't expect it to develope like I hoped it would.

[shaunmckinnon]

that's too bad. i was hoping your foresight would have been correct. i really had some aspirations for Carrara 6.

[medeamajic]

I do not know for sure what Carrara 6 will offer. I expected to see Carrara 6 in December. We are now about to go into March. For myself and others it is a bad sign but then again maybe Carrara 6 will be packed with new features.