Well, that is how I interpret this anyways. For those of you interested in using a free, full-powered industry modeling program, Mod Tool has been the best there is, by far. With the recent announcement that XSI is no longer going to have the cheap version of their software, and essentially dropping the future of XSI in game development, it has been assumed that Mod Tool will soon disappear. I just received the following email survey from them: Survey link I take that to mean that they are still deciding whether or not to continue supporting Mod Tool. Please take the survey if you have used it to help show them that they need to keep ModTool around. [edit]Reading through the survey, it doesn't seem as if they are considering dropping Mod Tool at all. The questions make it sound as if they are planning on continued support, which is good news. Don't let that stop you from taking it though ;) [Edited by - Jerky on September 22, 2008 9:22:41 PM]

I'm not sure why you're thinking they're going to stop making Mod Tool.

E-mail from Softimage -
"We'd like to invite you to participate in a short survey about your experience with the Mod Tool, to get feedback for future developments with the product."

Sounds to me that they're, well, getting feedback for future development of the product. I mean, what are they supposed to just blindly push forward with new versions without knowing what features people would like to see in it and whose using it?

Quote: and essentially dropping the future of XSI in game development

Where do you get this from? Softimage is definitely trying to gain market share, particular with their studio studio startup program.

It was an assumption made when they announced a couple months ago that they will no longer be selling XSI Foundation (Press Release Here), which is the version they most sold to indies who wanted to upgrade from Mod Tool. Them pulling their interest in the Foundation version was a sign to most indies that they were not interested in the games market any longer. After reading through the questions of the survey, I do not see any indication that they will be pulling the plug on Mod Tool, but I don't see many that they aren't either.

I see the survey as a chance for Softimage to make a final decision about Mod Tool, and whether or not it is something they want to continue. If they can't expect any of the users of Mod Tool to upgrade to the Essentials version (now $3000, instead of the $500 of the Foundation) then why keep Mod Tool around? The true purpose of such a tool is for them to get users used to their software so that they eventually use it in the future. GMax and Maya PLE were for that exact same reason, and both had the plug pulled. Yes, it was an assumption made on my part, but I still don't think Mod Tool is safe while the only version available is fairly unaccessible to indies/mod teams/hobbyists.

That's my reasoning, take it or leave it. Now you understand the title of the thread.

You know what they say about people who assume. This is all uninformed FUD.

They have never announced anything about canceling Mod Tool. In fact, they have even posted on the XNA program to the effect that they are looking at the possibility of licensing future versions to let people use the content in commercial XNA games.

I would say that my logic is more than fair to be considered something other than "uninformed FUD." You're correct that the title of the topic is a bit much, and it is an assumption, but one made on past history of similar tools. How about we take a walk down memory lane and see what happened to similar tools, like GMax. Also, if you read my first post's edit, you'll notice that I admit that it doesn't appear that they are pulling the plug. I'm just saying that it can't hurt to show support now.

I admit I don't "mod" with mod tool. I am using it with a custom game engine, so I have not been following the other areas that Mod Tool is being used in. This, however, doesn't mean its safe. GMax was plenty popular when the plug was pulled from it. I would say that them pulling the Foundation from their lineup is not a good sign for game developers, but again, that's my interpretation of it. Obviously you disagree with my interpretation, and as I said you can "take it or leave it." I do ask that you don't be rude when you disagree with my side of things. There are other ways of showing that you disagree.

Thanks,

I wasn't being rude. I was just stating that it was FUD. GMax was completely ignored. It was only useful for creating Quake 3 mods, several years after the q3 mod scene died, and another game that no one played.

I took the survey, and used the available space to let them know what I thought. Mostly that killing off Foundation turned Mod Tool into something that was an irrelevant dead end to the hobbyist game dev crowd who can't afford to buy their 3000-4000$ introductory product.

I liked what XSI were doing with the Mod Tool. However, I have found it to be one of the buggiest pieces of software I have ever used, making it completely unusuable. I can't even make a cube without it locking up. I have no problems with any of the other 3D modellers (max, blender, truespace etc), so unfortunately, XSI doesn't get thumbs up from me.