Softimage and Valve to Demonstrate Mod Tools

[Chris D]

Planet Half-Life have just posted news about a press release sent to them by Softimage, the developers of the Half-Life 2 modelling tools XSI|EXP. It states that they are teaming up with Valve this March at GDC to demonstrate some of the tools for Half-Life 2 mod development.

This year, we will be hosting by far the coolest event at GDC: a special session with Valve Software where we will be unveiling the widely-anticipated SOFTIMAGE|XSI EXP for Half-Life 2. Valve and Softimage will co-host 4 sessions lead by John Morello (DoD animator /designer Valve) and Michael Isner (Softimage Special Projects) that demonstrate how to make and animate high-quality Half-Life 2 characters within this free 3-D art environment. These seminars are presented in cooperation with ATI - Get in the Game.

Read the full press release here.

This will be exciting news for the mod teams out there as this demonstration was promised to us a long time ago.

 

[The Mullinator]

I wonder if this means the SDK will finally be getting released soon.

 

[Shuzer]

I wonder if this means the SDK will finally be getting released soon.

If you direct your attention to this link, you'll see it says "Please fill out the following form to receive more information on the soon-to-be-released SOFTIMAGE|XSI EXP for Half-Life 2."

Now, call me a little optimistic, but isn't the free version of Softimage bundled with the SDK? So, all in all, doesn't that mean the SDK is soon to be released?

 

[Brian Damage]

Hey, I got the exact same thing in my eMail today. Pity I couldn't be the first to post it...

 

[lonestar]

when will the gdc be?

 

[Chewcky]

the GDC is in the middle of march, and Chris i think its exciting news for modders because it hints that the sdk is very soon to be released

 

[Maxi]

This is good, right?

 

[Shuzer]

the GDC is in the middle of march, and Chris i think its exciting news for modders because it hints that the sdk is very soon to be released

Bah, you weren't so excited last night in IRC! lol

 

[Lavrik]

Wow valve really got together and started being themselves again heh im glad.

 

[mrchimp]

/me bets 50p it will get cancelled.

 

[razorxl]

more info

Hey everyone.. i've been a big user of XSI for some time now.. GREAT tools.. a bit hard to just jump into.. however i'm sure the guys at SI and VALVe will help considerably..

just to let everyone know... the "special version of XSI" will most likely be just some extra plug-ins which valve developed to use with Source.. along with the EXP version of XSI (EXP is their "free trial" version of the software.. it's TOTALLY free.. not a demo either.. you can do everything in it.. but only for educational use..so no making money with it... it's time limited though.. so get on it

i don't think that THIS will be the SDK release... they'll have some bundled plug-ins.. like a model exporter.. that cool exporter they showed off at E3 about the baked in bump maps and such... that kinda stuff..

if you want.. go ahead and download this.. and get started learning with these.. (getting a head start is always a good thing..) you'll have to register with them.. to log in and view the tutorials.. but if you head to google and do a search for "xsi tutorials" you'll find what you need...

have fun everyone!!!

////RazoR

 

[razorxl]

..

Not trying to argue which is better.. i actually use both each has it's own unique advantages and disadvantages... check this out.. maya.. undoubtedly is much easier to get into.. and also more accepted as a "standard" however.. i was trying to relate to the topic at hand.. XSI is what VALVe used to create the game.. and that's what's getting sent out for use..

i'm sure there'll be 3rd party plug-ins (community based i'm sure) that will be available for maya as well though... i saw a model/animation importer that someone was developing for 3d studio max... everyone was saying it was nice.. (wonder how they got the model files to use??? eh? ) anyway.. to be honest.. i'm one of those "tools are only as good as the artist" type of people.. i've seen some kick butt work done in programs such as Blender even, and that is TOTALLY free... no strings.. they've never charged

good luck to all you new artists out there.. i'm glad valve got to partner with XSI as this will truly add more artists to the scene.. and that's a good thing (creates competition, creates larger market, newer people = newer ideas)

////RazoR

 

[lonestar]

the GDC is in the middle of march, and Chris i think its exciting news for modders because it hints that the sdk is very soon to be released

thx. hopefully the sdk gets released 'til then. i want to try it out a little bit and have some hands-on fun until hl2 will hit stores.

 

[ray_MAN]

Wow, compared to EXP, PLE sucks.

 

[razorxl]

Wow, compared to EXP, PLE sucks.

yeah.. one of the things i hate most about the PLE version of maya... is that if you are new to the software... and you want to get into it.. it's kinda hard.. cause there's a lot of stuff missing... also... the watermark is BAD... it covers your viewports.. it's not just during render... ... it's annoying as crap for beginners to grab and start to use.. at least it was annoying to me.. but that's cause i was used to the normal version at work..

 

[Brian Damage]

I'm wondering... could this "Half Life 2 Version" of XSI EXP be the cause of those legal issues that were alluded to in that eMail a while back...?

 

[razorxl]

naw

The legal issues that valve had mentioned.. i believe.. had to do with the fact that the source code got stolen.. and within that source code.. was all of the code for the 3rd party physics engine they use called HAVOK.. since that got stolen along with it.. they had to clear things up.. prolly some kinda "breach of contract" disputes and such.. before they could clear the sdk for release.... that's been resolved as far as they have said however..

SoftImage (pronounced like you have the money to buy it... soft - ihh-mahggge) has been working with valve of and on throughout the project.. so i'm sure they were actually quite happy to help out on the "exp" version... as i said previously though.. i wouldn't doubt it .. if the "HL2 special version" is just EXP with the plugins that valve has created to use with source...

also.. since EXP is a time limited thing... what they may do... is remove the renderer.. entirely.. and remove other things associated with rendering that wouldn't be needed.. and releasing that.. with NO time limit.. that way people could use it.. and SI wouldn't have to worry about it.. cause it's not like you could really use it for anything else BUT making stuff for HL2.. since you can't render.. (unless you could import those model files into another prog..) heck.. who knows.. they might weave the Valve plug-ins directly into XSI EXP and make it so that THAT's the only thing you CAN output from the software... that'd be smart on their side.. however.. would create some programming time to include those things..

just my 2 cents.. let's see how right i am when it comes out..

////RazoR

 

[Brian Damage]

I thought that the "Havok legal stuff" rumours had been quashed...

 

[razorxl]

hmmm

not sure on that one.. i don't see any other "legal" issues that would have arrisen however.. maybe something between VU and Valve? i honestly don't think that there'd be "legal" issues btwn. valve and SI.. as they work together.. that's like saying there's legal issues between valve and ATI.. yah know?... issues.. sounds like problems.. if it were a PR thing.. they would have just said.. "talks with our partners.. or PR stuff.. or something like that.. you know?

just my $0.02 but we may never know..

////Raz

 

[Brian Damage]

I thought it sounded like it was taking longer than they expected to get a license to distribute a version of XSI with Half Life 2...