http://e-onsoftware.com/Press/PR.php?date=September%202,%202003

Attached Link: http://e-onsoftware.com/Press/PR.php?date=September%202,%202003

VIDEO PREVIEW OF PROFESSIONAL PRODUCT NOW ONLINE New Professional Features Demonstrated in Coming Soon Video September 2, 2003. Beaverton, OR. e-on software, makers of award winning 3D nature simulation software, presents a preview video showcasing features of their next product release. Weve been preparing something very special in response to requests from the professional 3D industry, said Nicholas Phelps, president of e-on software. Come view our QuickTime teaser and see why every professional 3D artist will want our new product! e-on software publishes three industry leading products in natural scenery animation: - Vue dEsprit 4, the ideal tool for creating, animating and rendering realistic 3D scenery - Mover 4, the ultimate animation pack for Vue 4, supporting network rendering and fully animated digital characters - The Ozone 2.0 line of professional atmospheric plug-ins for LightWave and Cinema4D Vue dEsprit 4 for Windows and Mac OS X comes with 2 CDs, bursting with 30 SolidGrowth 2 tree and plants, over 100 atmospheres, 100 different types of clouds, 300 materials, 250 high quality fully textured 3D objects, 50 example scenes and a 340-page manual. Vue dEsprit 4 costs $199, with academic versions available from $169. Mover 4 for Windows and Mac OS X is available for $99. Ozone 2.0 for Windows and Mac OS X is the most complete, elaborate and productive solution for creating realistic (or surrealistic) skies and atmospheres in Cinema 4D and LightWave. Ozone 2.0 is available from $199. The Coming Soon video can be viewed with Apple Quicktime Player installed, at the e-on software website http://www.e-onsoftware.com. About e-on software Founded in 1997, e-on software was established to develop and promote the highest quality graphics tools with professional strength features. Established by graphics enthusiasts for graphics enthusiasts, e-on software translates its passion for art into tools for the graphics community. E-on software is based in Beaverton, Oregon and Paris, France. The company has achieved worldwide reputation for its award winning 3D scenery generator Vue d'Esprit. Contact e-on software 503-646-4857

I feel my bank account hurting alread :-) The Plant Editor, Wind and Dynamic Motion Reaction all sound excellent. Cheers Mark

And plant export and object export and and and... :-). Hi, old users, remember our wishlist???

I bet the price will be completely out of the ballpark for most of us too. Software that has "Pro" in the name usually is :o(. Laurie

I have several PRO softs, they are all :-)

I like Vue too much to ever want to export from it to some inferior other package ;-) Seriously though if the price on this is reasonable and the plant editor works well I can see my copy of X-frog becoming somewhat redundant.

Just a quick run down of what I saw for those who have problems watching some vids:
Export
Plant Editor
Wind
Dynamic Motion Reaction
Camera Syncronization
G-Buffer
Hybrid Motion Blur
Network Rendering
Fully Scriptable

So I am gathering it is a complete package of the vue, mover 4 and ozone all in one package plus some other cool things thrown in like Plant Editor.

I hope some of the things like wind and hybrid motion blur are not required to be set up via an animation like we have to do now. Would be great to click on an object and click in a menu to apply say motion blur and have dials for direction and power. I don't like doing it via animation.

About the cost, yeah probably pretty high. Plus since I have no desire to ever do animation, I will have to pay the premium price just for few the extras I want. My guess $499(US) atleast.

But still sounds cool. :)

As a teaser it work perfectly; it gives you enough to start you salivating but little else. Vue professional defiantly looks tantalizing but until we get more info we wont know for sure. I hope you will be able to upgrade from Vue to Vue professional? It would nice if e-on would give current owners of Vue an upgrade path.

Yes I remember distinkly. Hopefully it will be priced with the realization that most of us are broke.

Whohoooo cant wait i want it and i want it nowwwww hehehe seeklight

I'm STILL surprised that they didn't have SOMEONE showing this at Siggraph. It would have been a really big hit, I think. I also have to think that this project is also geared a lot to Lightwave users, since E-On already writes software for Lightwave and the Lightwave user base is the most likely to spring for this ASAP. (Will plants be exportable Royalty-Free, OR ?) While I could afford a Pro version, it would have to have a lot of nice Still Rendering features, since I don't do animation. Might I suggest: 1. Phong Rendering- Give it some thought E-On. MAX does Phong and Ray-Tracing, Phong would give Vue Renders LOTS of extra punch, I think, and be a hit in the Still Rendering marketplace, especially among Poser users!

I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Good luck to Vue for going after the serious money/big boys software, let's face it, they've crushed Bryce (with help from Corel), we all know how great their software is. But us who have been buying Vue for years, us hobbyists who freak, scrimp and save for $200, us who have helped to make vue what it is today. us who might like Wind, Plant editors, well, there's a good chance of us getting screwed. As has already been pointed out, Pro means lots of wallet action. I am hoping I am wrong, but I feel a little gutted at the moment, but I rarely rant and rave about this sort of thing anyway, but I kind felt a little kidney punched. "Thanks for the ride guys, but we've got the rep to go 'pro' now. All those features ain't for you little guys." Here's hoping the devil gets crushed (fingers crossed). Best wishes Jody

My thoughts EXACTLY Jody. I feel us little guys (and the few who helped make Vue more popular) will get the "fecal" end of the stick from now on :o(. I'm absolutely certain that current Vue 4 owners will get an upgrade path, but that still doesn't mean we'll be able to afford it. I'm afraid that all the stuff we as Vue 4 users want and ask for will only be available in the Pro version from now on. Laurie

How 'bout 10 bit per channel render (cineon) so we can composite in film! Please Please pretty please. Ooh, ooh, and camera path export/import, yeah! yeah! I wan it! I wan it! Bot

Wow. Please, please have an upgrade price that is not tooooo expensive. My husband just got laid off two weeks ago. I'd hate to have to sell him to raise money for software! Peggy

It would be nice to have a rough approximation to an indication of the rough ball-park region of the likely upgrade price - "upgrade", "new-package", "more than Vue", "if you can't afford Maya forget it"

Peggy- If he just got laid off you're probably gonna' have to pay to get rid of him! Thats what happened to my ex-wife! Bot

Well my concern is that it is called Vue 4 professional, and not Vue 5 or just plain Vue Professional. This is why I think it will be just Vue 4, Mover, Ozone and a handfull of new features all in one bundle.

If I am right, I would hope that we could buy things, like the Plant generator, separately because I won't need any of the mover 4 or ozone stuff or most of the advanced animation stuff. Hate to pay for all that and Vue 4 all over again for only 3 new features I really want. :)

I think this would work, if the "Pro" version has the option to just buy "Vue d'Esprit", minus mover, minus ozone... That would make it considerably cheaper... I for one, am not interested in animation, and if you have Vue, you don't need ozone... However, I would be interested in Vue with new features... I really hope that the folks at E-on will give us dedicated Vue users a special upgrade price...

Geesh..I haven't even learned regular VUE4 yet....siiighhhss. However, I'm with most everyone here, I have no use for animation whatsoever...now the plant editor that's another story...I want that!!!!!! Xfrog is WAY to expensive with all the addons...wish I could model....oh well.

It just sounds like they are packaging the three products as one and calling it 4 Pro, if I understand it right. So some may buy that.. but what if "vue 5" whenever or whatever that is comes out next and people already invested in this pro thing? I am going to wait and see... all I really ever wanted in Vue 4 is MORE PLANTS and perhape an improved terrain editor, and terrain materials that look more realistic.

"all I really ever wanted in Vue 4 is MORE PLANTS and perhape an improved terrain editor, and terrain materials that look more realistic." I'll second that! :) If Pro is not just a packaging of their three products, maybe there will be a special upgrade price for Vue 4 users.

Agree with the devil. ~sigh.~

The press release is poorly written, being 50% "this is what we sell already" rather than about Vue 4 Pro which is should be. Result: confused and concerned customers, me included.

E-On would do well to follow the example of Eovia with the way they're handling the release of Carrara Studio 3: clear information and lots of it. Plus a beta release for early registrants. (Incidentally, if you're looking for a modeller and more plants, give Carrara 3 a look see.)

Anyone out there in the real world actually been involved in beta testing Vue 4 Pro? Or can we expect another "OpenGL doesn't work but that's everybody's fault but ours" scenario? No way the pro market's going to put up with that attitude.

Frankly, I'd have thought that concentrating on real functionality we can all use would have benefitted E-On more. Clean Poser 5 import, inc. animations, would make Vue 4 monster.

I've started using Vue to produce commercial work so I really want Vue 4 Pro to be a killer app but somehow I can't see it happening. Prove me wrong, E-On. Please, prove me wrong.

Vue just isn't fully mature yet IMHO and I think they're working on it. Some of the stuff BGFT points out (like open gl thing ) is true but from my point of view it's only a couple items short of being the perfect app for doing what I do - and at a high level (ie film, hi def). I hope this pro package juices Vue up to the point where I don't have to go back to some of the "nameless" others that can't handle what Vue does at 10 times the price or more. When I bought Vue I had a budget to buy anything I wanted but still chose Vue.

As far as I can tell, there isn't anything in Ozone that isn't in Vue. Ozone is simply a way to use Vue atmospheres in Lightwave and Cinema 4D.

I think the render and lighting look better in the teaser then they do in current Vue renders.

I would certainly think that there will an upgrade price for current Vue users. There was an upgrade price for Ozone for Cinema 4D.

Oboy. I wonder what Phoul is going to think... :) What I wonder is if this may be the build of Vue that has full or nearly full Poser 5 support. There's wind generation and dynamic mesh deformation, so it seems possible, at least. There's definitely an improvement in the renderer there, and perhaps the lights as well. And as I -am- interested in animation.... (those trees swaying in the wind...whimper....) it looks like a good one to me! As for abandoning the user base...Personally, I doubt it. There aren't enough 'pro' users out there to provide the sales that the hobbyist base has, and even if there were, the economy is such that =every= customer is precious. Particularly for a software house. And I would also think that there will be an upgrade price for those of us with Vue 4; or maybe a two stepped one, with a little more being off for those who have Vue and Mover 4. What I want to know is when are we going to see more on this beast!

I'm wondering if Vue Pro is going to be a plug-in for Cinema4D. Ozone already is a plug-in for Cinema and it is a great program, but really has no trees or terrain stuff. That's the way Xfrog went (plug-in for Cinema). I bought Cinema4D at Siggraph just a few weeks ago. Haven't figured out which way is up yet with Cinema, but it is a powerful "professional" program. Peggy

I was wondering if Phoul did the animation for them (are you beta'ing Phoul??). The camera-movements and sfx were VERY Phoul-like. If it wasn't Phoul, they owe him some kind of royalty! ;)

My thoughts are, as an animator, while tantalizing ... I wish they would simply FIX THE GLARING PROBLEMS with Vue 4!! (OpenGL and other display issues, Poser import issues, etc.) Although, sadly, it seems when a company starts using its programming muscle on another project, the original gets left behind. Is this why the 4.2 update has taken so long to be released? Hopefully, neither of these is the case, but with the whopping two-lines of text about "Pro" ... we're all just left to speculate I suppose.

Here's to hoping for the best of both worlds!

I don't think the press release says much, myself. A bit of a teaser about animation effects, primarily. I'm not into animation myself, so frankly, I'm not that interested so far. But I very much doubt that Vue users are going to be left in the dust while E-on goes after the professional market (if that's indeed what they're trying to do). We're the "bread and butter" of E-on, and the fact that they're working on the Vue 4.2 beta, and possibly working on Vue 5, says to me that they're still working on the product with the intent of improving it. I hope they do well with Vue Professional, whatever it turns out to be; more money going to E-on pays for more programmers to improve the product we all use! And a plant editor would be simply brilliant to have in Vue 5, that's for sure. I'd certainly grab it, and I know I'm not the only one! But I'm not going to get wound around the axle imagining worst-case scenarios...I enjoy the Vue that I have now, and will wait patiently and see what they come up with next.

Thanks Timoteo1, you're right, I've made the teaser ;-)))

the only thing that keeps vue from being my main app is lack of dynamic hair and cloth support. i wonder if this is going to change? it said dynamic motion reaction or something...

I'm sure there will be some kind of upgrade path for existing owners of Vue4. Most of the people interested in these features will be people who've already used Vue, so I can't see them doing the pricing with only new 'pro' users in mind. They seem to have always been a very 'user friendly' company - I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they won't alienate their support base just to attract the high $ market.

Still waiting for the poser 5 plugin from Spring. E-on if you're listening, don't promise something then leave us hanging and expect us to run out and buy more software from you. Sounds like another company I know of.... And every time I've asked about the plugin I get answers like, oh it was announced it will get here when it gets here. Getting tired of being strung along with promises and pictures guys. Let's see some product here. Marque

Also they say they are based out of Beaverton Ore but just try to get an answer from anyone there. I was under the impression, (based on what I was told on the phone when I finally did reach someone in Oregon), that they just take orders, no tech support or other help. So are they trying to make folks think that they are an easily reached U.S. company? Not slamming them, but would like some answers here. They don't give the software away, they sell it, and they need to be more aware of the concerns of their use base and not take attitude with us because we would like more information. Marque

Make that user base Marque

Isn't the 4.2 update meant to be the P5 "plug-in"?

Where are you getting the 4.2 update?? I only see the 4.12 update?? Thanks, Marque

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/messages.ez?Form.ShowMessage=1401884

Marque, here:-)

Thanks! You might tell the company that they should send out emails on these things for folks who don't get into the forum every day. 8^) Marque

Phoul.... You BRAT! And reviewing the teaser, Tim is right; that does have your touch all over it That out of the way, is they -anything- you can tell us drooling fanboys about it that isn't under NDA?

Dale B. Thanks.
Can't give more info for now. Sorry. :-(

As a user of Vue, I could see and analyze that Vue 4 Pro is simply an integration of Vue 4 + Mover 4 + Ozone into one with some changing in UI, more functions, better render, more control with new Plant editor, better import & export to meet its professional level. If the upgrade cost is expensive and I don't see any difference for people having all the above programs and doubt that it is worth to upgrade. I hope that it is truly an advantage to justified for the upgrade for us as an existing Vue user rather than to 'repackage' Vue 4 to meet its professional status. Hopefully it should something close to a Vue 5 expectation. Ed

Hello all, The PR basically announced the video clip so you can see an example of what you can do with Vue 4 Professional. More information is coming REAL SOON NOW as I mentioned over on the Macintosh forum. Marque, yes, we are based in Beaverton, Oregon. We also have offices in France, and elsewhere. All support for Vue 4 is handled by email and free. The phone number you probably called was our reseller line, which is a sales line. We dont have tech support staff in the Beaverton office. If you check at Nike's world headquarters, also in Beaverton, you'll see that they dont make shoes there either (Im always struck by the irony that across the street from Nike's HQ is an awful looking trailer park). Maybe more importantly, we are also here on Renderosity and I make it a point to respond where I can. Best regards, Lynn Fredricks e-on software

I just can't believe all the negative response to a very good thing. What the heck is wrong with you people that are complaining? Why e-on even bothers to post here is beyond me with some of the lame responses I see on this forum. Learn some manners and do your best to at least TRY and be nice. Vue Pro looks awesome to me at what ever the price. If you don't have the money start saving your pop cans. Half the lame questions I see are answered in the manual if you have legal version. Some of the crap I read here is just ridiculous. I say keep up the great work e-on and don't give the nay Sayers the benefit of a reply. I mean really who needs a problem customer anyway?

??? There's a =lot= more to it than that. All Ozone does, so far as I can tell, is allow Vue to function as an atmosphere creation plugin for Cinema 4D and Lightwave. Look at the features in the teaser: Export- We don't know of exactly what, though. Maybe just the terrains as before. Maybe just the terrains with all the clutter, waterplanes, vegetation, etc. But just mentioning it suggests that there is something more than standard Vue export ability here. Plant Editor- If this works with the proprietary plant technology that Vue has, that pretty much opens the field for infinite species creation from some very basic datasets. And would be going Bryce one better, as Vue has more than trees in the library. Wind- The only other sub kilo-dollar apps with this are Poser 5 and Cinema, I believe, unless Worldbuilder Pro and TS6 has this. And if this is a wind force field compatible with P5, those who use same will be -very- interested. And we also don't know the full range of effect there yet. Just trees, or also grass? Possibly dust simulation with some work? Dynamic Motion Reaction- We currently have -nothing- like that in any E-on product. This requires at least part of a good physics engine. And we don't know which one, or how capable the rule set is. If there is a full engine there, the possibility is there for objects reacting to gravity, some wave effects, chain reaction effects, etc. And this could be the system that would allow the dynamic cloth to function from P5... Camera Synchronization- With what? That would have to do, methinks, with the next feature... G-Buffer- Read just what this is www.dram.org/rd/tips/rdGbuffer Hybrid Motion Blur- There are so many hybrid implementations, there's no telling what this will permit. Scriptable- Not knowing the script language, there's no telling what this will permit, either. But if it is a standard one, and has hooks to allow outside events (such as Poser animations) to trigger things.... Network Rendering- This must be RenderCow, only it would be the Vue4 Pro engine under the hood. And that is just what was in the teaser. There's no telling what else will be in the finished product. Better lighting (maybe true radiosity and caustics?), corrected OpenGL implementation for those who want it, etc. One thing for sure, this is no repackage of existing software.

Well put shoop bot

I am rather excited about this, since I use Vue alongside LightWave and Cinema (though I am a hobbyist :/). World Builder does have wind dynamics (and fluid dynamics and a particle system). Vue4 Pro looks like it will be bringing Vue up to the same playing field as WorldBuilder. Segmenting the product like this is not a bad thing for the hobbyists, though. I don't see why this would lead anyone to believe that E-on is abandoning the hobbyist market. The delays and lack of public information about the 4.2 patch are a bit of a downer though. I agree on that one.

Well, looking at e-ons pricing structure for their other products, and that of the competition...I will lay my money in the price being between $400 to $500...maybe $550. Any more than that and I think they will be relying on the (now) base Vue 4 and maybe Vue 5 package sustaining sales that it has had in the past. I will buy it, but will wait for 6 months after release before it does...I remember being bitten by the bugs of the Vue 4 release and this baby is far more complex. I must admit that I have the same fears as Jody and Laurie (Hiiiiiiiiii yer Laurie ;oD ) also. If it looks to me to be too expensive for what I will get, then I will just carry on using Cinema 4D XL and Xfrog when I want dynamic animations. It does not matter how good Vue Pro is, I can be certain it will not have the particle, modelling, texturing rendering power (etc, etc) of C4DXL....but then again I do not expect it to have that power; they are competing for slightly different markets. What they have to convince me of is; can I do better landscapenature animations or stills in Vue Pro than I can do already in C4D or Vue 4. Good luck e-on!! I hope you have a big hit on your hands and something all your loyal customes can benefit from :-) Cheers

Some of us hobbyfolk aspire to become professional and could only afford the budget end of the market when we started out. Perhaps they want to take us with them as they improve their sofware, give us fledglings the chance to compete with the big boys. Well done E-On!! More plants, more plants! I hear painting by numbers doesn't tax the mind too much!! Rokol.