Maya Price Cuts (Maya Complete $1999)
Very cool… check it out on CGCHANNEL.COM (free registration required)
This will be a earthquake ! What will happen with 3DStudio Max, Softimage, Cinema 4D, etc?
It will be good for us!
Whether or not it’s good will depend…I read in a newsgroup posting from someone with fairly good knowledge of Alias and its recent decision to move all of its development to Canada, that Alias isn’t doing so well. This may be the beginning of the end. This is a fairly drastic price cut. 
:o :-? 8) :x 
Wow…orange
I have several friends in 3D FX and Games that use Maya and they are bit skeptical of this also. It is a sign of things to come I believe. With Lightwave cutting their cost of LW7 to $1500 and now Maya only $1999. Two great tools for great prices, compared to the past. Granted, Lightwave has never been as expensive as most of the others.
I already have lightwave and am still trying to master it. I am very capable on 3DSMax but currently do not work with it. Maya and XSI are what I’ve been really trying to learn. This is just more insentive to start saving some more cash. Looks like Maya is my next purchase goal.
“and its recent decision to move all of its development to Canada”
You do know that Toronto, Canada is and has always been Alias’s headquarters right?
SatoriGFX.
There is the fact that one of the founders left the company when they closed the 2 US offices, and the fact that they dropped the price to $5000
Then $2000 in less than a month. I too am wondering if they will survive.
Before I spent $2000 on their product I would wait and see if they stablize.
Paradox
I think I will keep my cash and see if Blender does anything interesting.
(sarcasm on)
Sure, because any day now Blender could become a serious threat to dethrone Maya. I recommend to anyone who is considering spending $2000 on 3d software to wait and see how the Blender situation pans out.
(sarcasm off)
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
SatoriGFX.
Yes, but from what I read, the real innovation came from the California office. Most of those people elected not to move to Canada because Alias’ compensation offer wasn’t very attractive. The conclusion was that the product’s future development will suffer.
“Yes, but from what I read, the real innovation came from the California office. Most of those people elected not to move to Canada because Alias’ compensation offer wasn’t very attractive. The conclusion was that the product’s future development will suffer.”
Well, I have no idea what recent “innovations” came from what office. My only point was that Alias is and has always been a Canadian company. I saw more than a few people say they couldn’t understand why an American company (SGI, parent company of Alias) would open up a Canadian office and end up closing the American offices and only leave the Canadian office alive. I don’t think too many people realize where these software companies are based, that they “started” out in Canada and have their headquarters there. I think many just assume they are American companies through and through.
It’s interesting actually. Canada seems to be a bit of a hi end cg software hotbed, a bit surprising considering it’s size relative to the US. All of the big boys in 3d are Canadian (Softimage, Alias, Houdini). Alias and Softimage now have American parent companies. And Kinetix, which is American as far as I know, is now owned by Discreet which is Canadian. There are a few other Canadian companies that make cg software, like Eyeon (Digital Fusion).
The reason, apparently, that Alias closed the American offices (according to the main guy that left) is that because the headquarters is in Canada and the Canadian dollar is weak it was too expensive to pay these guys in American dollars because the company deal mostly with Canadian dollars. Personally, I don’t quite get that. They would have been taking in American dollars from sales (and benefiting from the fact that the US dollar is always worth more than the Canadian dollar). I’m not an economist, but that excuse just doesn’t make sense to me.
SatoriGFX.
It makes perfect sense from a business point of view. Most sales in US dollars (still strong), development in Canada dollars (still 75% or so of US dollar). Why pay top dollar for your help? When you can pay them the same wage, at a 25% discount. When do they move to Mexico?
“Canada dollars (still 75% or so of US dollar)”
I wish . The Canadian dollar hasn’t been worth $0.75 US in a long time. Today, for example, the Canadian dollar is worth just under $0.63 US.
But I see your point. It’s far cheaper, with US dollars coming in, to pay wages out in Canadian dollars.
SatoriGFX.
(sarcasm on)
Sure, because any day now Blender could become a serious threat to dethrone Maya. I recommend to anyone who is considering spending $2000 on 3d software to wait and see how the Blender situation pans out.
(sarcasm off)
OK, I deserved that. But I wasn’t really comparing Maya or Lightwave to Blender, only stating my desire to see if anything interesting happens with the software before going somewhere else. I guess I’m just not ready to bail on the whole thing yet.
[/quote]
OK, I deserved that. But I wasn’t really comparing Maya or Lightwave to Blender, only stating my desire to see if anything interesting happens with the software before going somewhere else. I guess I’m just not ready to bail on the whole thing yet.[/quote]
I hear you. I have been waiting since long before the closure to see what was going to happen. I am using Blender because it’s the best thing available for the price (free). But, to be honest, I will be saving my pennies. And once I have the cash to go elsewhere, I will. Blender is too far behind. Unless something happens that speeds up development in a major way, I can’t wait around for features (especially half done features) to make their way to Blender.
SatoriGFX.
I don`t understand the comparisons about Blender.
I’m think the first step on 3D worl of some people,
some kids also, is Blender.
The people who can buy, in next steps, another 3D
sotf.
Blender can cover expectations of the most of people,
(the people i know, sorry) because everybody don’t
make 3D films.
I’m not O.k. with some of practices of the Soft-system
and Blender is like say: “another soft is possible”
Next i downloaded, the fist one, Blender, i bought in the
e-shop Blender guide. Because i don’t need more.
I do 3D works, about buildings, profesional works.
Not quite sure how you are thinking about this.
A|W is a profitable part of SGI, which also turned a profit last quarter.
If Alias was so profitable why would they close down their US offices, slash prices and so on?
BTW. Where did you see the figures that show Alias is making a profit?
SatoriGFX.
And, if you check out the comp.graphics.apps.alias newsgroup over the past three weeks or so, you’ll see that there are some people who really don’t feel that Alias is doing all that well.
I have to say, Discreet and Avid must be stressing quite a bit these days.
Lightwave is now $1595, Maya Complete is $1999, Houdini Select is on it’s way and will sell for $1999. I think Discreet will be hit the hardest since Max is, as we speak, more expensive than all three. It has always been more expensive than Lightwave, but not by as great a margin as it is now.
I can only assume that we will see new pricing on Max shortly and most likely XSI as well. I can’t imagine Avid not countering Alias.
Suddenly, there are alot more people who can afford to buy and use some of the best tools in the business without having to use some other software as a stepping stone.
SatoriGFX.
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If Alias was so profitable why would they close down their US offices, slash prices and so on?
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I didnt say so. Thay turned a profit. Not a huge profit.
a|w has been profitable for a long time.
And as to why.
Does the words capitalism and market economy have anny meaning to you?
Doing their research and development in canada is cheeper.
The port of maya to osx was done in india for example.
Slashing prices has the posibility of getting them more revenue.
Doesnt allways work though.