NEW: OTOY’s acclaimed OctaneRender™ software now free for students

[sempervirent]

Hi.
I study at Politechnika Śląska in Gliwice, and my mail is @student.polsl.pl. It would be great if you would like to add this domain.
Thank you.

[Goldorak]

I'm afraid I have to strongly disagree that this is a good idea. Student discount, yes. Free, no. Even deeply discounted would be great. Making this completely free is an invitation for any d-bag or his dumbass kid brother (or anyone that can get their hands on a .edu, which can't be that hard if you know people) to come and sully Octane - especially the forums... I can just see it now...

Not long ago I was thinking about suggesting that you to set up a kiddie pool of sorts, in the event that you should start selling Octane on Steam etc.... Now I really, really think you should do this. Working pros need to be able post crap in forums and not get lost in a sea of "what are UV maps?"..."hows come my polys ain't showin?"...

Since the beginning, anyone with an email could post on the public forums and ask questions about the demo version, and we've managed that OK.

Either way the issue you are concerned about is moot. Students have their own section of the forums, in addition to the public ones. The student forums are also separate from the licensed customers section, which can only be accessed if you have purchased a commercial license.

This doesn't mean commercial licensed customers can't help out and contribute to the student forums, as they currently do on the public forums.

[prehabitat]

@frank

Perhaps we should set up a FAQ?

[FrankPooleFloating]

Well, if you didn't like my first reason, or you think it is moot, my second is that it cheapens your brand. Things can't be given away for free without diminishing the value of what is given away. I'm sure Otoy is looking at this as an investment in the future - but that investment is harder to get a ROI when there are tens of thousands or millions of free licences out there. If your goal is for Octane to be completely ubiquitous in the 3D industry, that can be done without going to this extreme. Charge $20. That is completely affordable for pretty much any student. People love to get free crap, just for the sake of getting it. Making a tiny monetary hoop to jump through would just be smart and good business.

[pixelrush]

@Frank
I think you are being a little mean spirited toward students.
Everyone is a learner some time. Some students are not especially youthful.
Some students are very talented and will soon produce better work than you or I do.
You really shouldn't characterise students as snot nosed idiots who will require quarantine.
Neither should Otoy be asked to use a low financial hurdle to raise the standard of idiot to an acceptable one. How they price Octane is really their business.
So far it looks like the deal has attracted about 120 new users, so as a promotion its going well for little effort.
If helping students/newbies isn't your thing you can just pass on answering their questions.
I am one of a few people who spent a lot of time helping out new users in the first few years.
Octane probably wouldn't have survived and attained its present following if it hadn't been for the community goodwill.
Being generous toward others helps everyone.
More users ultimately means more funds for development too.
Of course getting Octane guys to code stuff we would prefer is still a problem...

BTW @Goldorak where is this student forum?

[FrankPooleFloating]

I certainly don't mean to be. Please believe me. I'm not some elitist snob and segregating folks is not what I am ultimately after. I would just hate to see Octane become something less than what it currently is.. and to lose that high-end, professional feel. But my aspirations for Octane and Otoy's are probably vastly different - and I should just not care so much regardless. It is just my render engine and I need to remember that. Sorry if I offended anyone. Perhaps it is me who is the d-bag.

[Spectralis]

I'm afraid I have to strongly disagree that this is a good idea. Student discount, yes. Free, no. Even deeply discounted would be great. Making this completely free is an invitation for any d-bag or his dumbass kid brother (or anyone that can get their hands on a .edu, which can't be that hard if you know people) to come and sully Octane - especially the forums... I can just see it now...

Not long ago I was thinking about suggesting that you to set up a kiddie pool of sorts, in the event that you should start selling Octane on Steam etc.... Now I really, really think you should do this. Working pros need to be able post crap in forums and not get lost in a sea of "what are UV maps?"..."hows come my polys ain't showin?"...

Since the beginning, anyone with an email could post on the public forums and ask questions about the demo version, and we've managed that OK.

Either way the issue you are concerned about is moot. Students have their own section of the forums, in addition to the public ones. The student forums are also separate from the licensed customers section, which can only be accessed if you have purchased a commercial license.

This doesn't mean commercial licensed customers can't help out and contribute to the student forums, as they currently do on the public forums.

I agree, students should be welcome here. I was a student once and free and discounted software was invaluable to my study development. Now I upgrade to the full versions almost every year so the loyalty that the student access created has paid off for those developers. When you are a student with limited resources but a keenness to experiment having this kind of access provides the chance to test out what software tools will be useful in the long term in a way that trying a time limited or crippled demo will not.

If Otoy allows elitist attitudes to influence these forums then the next thing will be protests against those of us who use DAZ and Poser posting on the forum because we aren't so-called "professional" enough compared to the top end 3D software. By the way, what is a UV map..?

[WayneBannerman]

that's amazing~~ thank you so much

[RealityFox]

Huh this is really great, I could have used this last year before I decided to buy it. Lol ah well. At least I get to try the Blender plugin for free now before I decide to buy it. Kinda torn between it and Modo at the moment :/

[KeeWe]

I've followed the discussion and questions about the possibility to get it for C4D as well. So i know, it depends on the third party developer of the plugin. But are there even any plans to provide a similar offer? Maybe a discounted version? I assume you are in contact with the developer. Can you give some details about it? Thanks