My 3D experience is long (1984) but limited. The first software I used that I did not write was Vertigo in 1989.
I switched to SI3D in 1996. After the years of Sumatra hype I was foolish enough to try to move to xsi when it first came out.
Total disaster!! I upgraded to 1.5 and was able to do enough to get really frustrated.
Two weeks ago I got my upgrade to xsi 3.0--WOW!!
It was the biggest techno-rush I have ever had--Even better than my first IRIS SGI workstation in 1984!
Everything is better and hair and cloth and Mental Ray 3.1!!!
I have only demoed Maya and have never used 3D Max or Lightwave. But if you want to experience ecstasy in software try xsi now.
Increadable character rigs...
I learned hair on my own in two days...bouncy curls and all
Great particle integration
Incredable increases in the speed of operation in using large polygone counts.
Big speed increase in rendering, NOT HYPE!
Am I excited about this stuff, duh? I have not gotten up from this chair for two weeks..way way way cool!!
Thanks Softimage for finally delivering on the years of promise!!
Jay Saul, CSE
The Art of Engineering, Inc.
Tucson, AZ