Stop making excuses for t_3

[rcallicotte]

That it's still a beta and not using 1.2 code. Out of beta or I'm really just a tester. That's how it works in my world as a developer. My workplace doesn't let me run tests on clients.

Plugin works just fine and is still being developed, what issues are you having with current version?

[dustrider]

I can only imagine the frustration those who were early adopters of the plugin might be feeling, especially given the instability issues and the lack of any new releases in over 6 months. I've only had the plugin for 3 months, and I'm a bit concerned as well. 3dmania did recently post in the thread about ongoing progress that t_3 is actively working on the plugin ("Guys relax, I can personally attest hat the plugin is still being worked on. Its actually come a very long way, Have a little bit more patience, it will be rewarded soon").

There could be a number of reasons t_3 hasn't posted or provided the update at the begining of January. Some possible reasons could be very good for us, some not so good. But I think that we should at least give some consideration to what 3dmania posted when speculating (which is really all we can do at this point).

First lets consider that t_3 posted at the end of December that he was about to release an update, but we haven't heard from him since. Some possibilities here include; he may have had personal problems that have kept him from finishing the update (not an uncommon thing around the holidays), or he ran into some issues that are keeping him from giving us a usable update (which may be due to changes in the most recent version of DS) and doesn't want to face the "firing squad" until he's got things working, or maybe Otoy released the SDK for version 1.5 to developers, and he is busy working to give us an update that will work with 1.5 (and being under NDA, he would not be able to disclose his activities to the general public, thus the silence).

Given 3dmania's statement, I tend to think that the DS plugin hasn't been "abandoned", but that it is being worked on, and there is some good reason that t_3 either wouldn't feel comfortable, or wouldn't be able to (NDA?) adequately explain why the release has been delayed. Sure it is frustrating for us to not know what is going on, especially with the ongoing instability issues, that at times, for what ever reason, makes the plugin almost unusable. But there may be some very good reasons why t_3, and the update, have gone missing for the past month.

Maybe someone who knows 3dmania could convey our concerns, and ask that they be passed along to t_3, and that he provide some type of communication back to us, even if it's something like "I'm sorry for the delay, but I can't tell you much more than I'm actively working on the next version of the beta, and will give more information on my progress when I am able".

[veil32]

The major breaking problem I have at the moment aside from the constant crashing is how materials will simply vanish from identical objects.

For example if I have two Victoria or Michael 4s in one scene, for some reason half their materials are missing on one (usually eyelashes, arms and mouth internals).
They can't be restored in any way unless the other figure is deleted, then they load just fine. Bring the other figure back and it goes right back to missing again.
All the other issues I can work around but this makes constructing scenes with more than one figure utterly impossible.

[Tugpsx]

Quick test, 2 figures, prop gazebo, bag, bottle and HDRI background

Multi-figure test

[dustrider]

From my understanding, it's multiple V4's or M4's that people are having problems with. One V4 and one M4 doesn't seem to have issues. Genesis seems to not have problems either (at least I haven't seen any issues with multiple genesis figures).

[Tugpsx]

Well this scene has instancing with 11 V4.

V4 instancing

V4 instance 2

[veil32]

Yes yes we get it tugpsx. You personally are not having problems. How nice for you.
Now kindly shut up and let the majority of us who are having problems try to sort this out. I tire of your white knighting.

[michael_g]

I still maintain Octane is way over priced for what it is, when you consider it`s nearest competitor Luxrender is free. The fact the DAZ octane plugin is not being updated and way out of date makes things even worse, it also seams to me Otoy is not bothered that the plugins are updated or not they got there money so it`s down to the consumer to care or not.

[birdovous]

I still maintain Octane is way over priced for what it is, when you consider it`s nearest competitor Luxrender is free.

Granted, Luxrender is free and I was using it in DAZ both with the Reality plugin and with the Luxus... But then again the same scene I have rendered in Octane in about 8 hours takes 6 days in Luxrender... So there is the price and there is the productivity...

Of course then there are the bugs and constant danger of the plugin crashing the studio...

[veil32]

Obviously the speed and quality make the price worth it IF the plugin worked.
And no it doesn't work no matter how many times a small minority try to disingenuously claim otherwise.

We just need someone to actually work on this plugin and not continually sleep on the job and lie to us.