Hey, I was just in the middle of my annual blood-sacrifice to Autodesk when I saw yet another phenomenal Blender update has come out recently.
I looked over the release notes and sat back and wondered… if Blender keeps getting big updates like this about 4-5 times a year, doesn’t that mean it is rapidly advancing and will undoubtedly become superior in only a few years?
It seems to me at least that not Maya, not Modo, not C4D, especially not 3DS Min and Lightwave is hardly worth a mention … get updates as big or as often. So far as I have seen Blender is progressing the most rapidly and has been accelerating over these last few years.
I sense big things for Blender in only a few short years.
Although I meddle with a lot of other software, I’ve had Blender since 2.48. How far it’s come!
…which concerns me a bit… they keep adding and packing stuff into the Software, which is pretty awesome. But I have the feeling that with more features the dependency tree grows and if you do something, basically a lot more features are connected to one step… which perhaps to me… seems to eat up a lot of performance. Ever since 2.8 came bursting into the room, I am stuck with 2.79 (and for the 5th time I have to return to the earlier Blender version… which has never been the case for me ever since I started blendering), all because of the horrible performance when editing larger scenes. I get sometimes less than a 3rd of the speed which I got in Blender 2.79 … everything in 2.8x and up takes now at least two steps where before in 2.79 it took one step.
But of course… I rarely use sculpting (as a box modeller) and EEVEE is also not yet there where it could potentially replace what Cycles has to offer (visually). So, I will be waiting for that one version where they focus more on performance instead of live view visuals
All times unpopular opinion
edit: oh, and I almost forgot, I am not overseeing the fact that a live view render system like EEVEE is a MASSIVE performance step over the old Blender Render… I am just not on board with the editing performance, I hope that makes sense
In fact, the vision of Blender 3.0 grew during a decade.
2.8 was the starting point of transition. And 2.9 is the midpoint.
So, actually what is happening is just the execution of the plan.
Probably, all targets will not be achieved in Blender 3.0.
But we should be close.
The conjunction of additions of features desired since years, new technologies (OIDN, Optix) and new developers bringing new ideas (antonio, clément, pablo) is producing that succession of big releases in a short amount of time.
Rhythm of releases cycle could calm down when most things that are parts of core refactoring will be achieved.
Actually, each module has its own roadmap including a massive feature that should revolutionize workflow in Blender.
When those tasks will be accomplished. Features added will probably be less generic.
Bugfixes and optimizations should be more numerous.
Although developers are actually trying to make as many as they can in-between big features insertions.
But history is not written. While Blender is following its own path, other softwares can still be innovative.
This is what “cooperative development” – a.k.a. “open source” – is capable of in the hands of excellent management, a strong Foundation, and an excellent team of both volunteers and staff.
… get updates as big or as often. So far as I have seen Blender is progressing the most rapidly and has been accelerating over these last few years.