Hi all Here is a re-print for those who want the info NOW on upgrade pricing and final feature list. I am crying for this, the whole package looks AMAZING. This is truly the end of wanting higher-end product, E-On are going to clear up with this new product. Bryce 5 I predcit will crash and burn next to this. Also the upgrade price is extremely reseanoble, even for Vue 2 owners. Complete Product US$ 199 EUR 250 1640 FF US$ 199 Upgrade from Vue 3.x to Vue 4 US$ 129 EUR 160 1050 FF US$ 129 Upgrade from Vue 2.x Retail Version to Vue 4 US$ 169 EUR 212 1390 FF US$ 169 Upgrade from Vue 2.x Free Version to Vue 4 US$ 189 EUR 236 1550 FF US$ 189 Standard Shipment - UPS Ground US$ 16 EUR 8 50 FF US$ 16 Shipment via FedEx 3 Days (US/Can only) US$ 25 N/A N/A N/A Shipment via FedEx Next Day - Int'l Priority US$ 45 EUR 70 180 FF US$ 100 If you bought Vue 3.1 after May 1, 2001, you qualify for our special Late Buyer upgrading program: US/Canada Europe France Others Upgrade to Vue 4 without manual* US$ 30 EUR 37 245 FF US$ 30 Upgrade to Vue 4 with manual** US$ 54 EUR 67 440 FF US$ 54 Standard Shipment - UPS Ground US$ 16 EUR 8 50 FF US$ 16 Shipment via FedEx 3 Days (US/Can only) US$ 25 N/A N/A N/A Shipment via FedEx Next Day - Int'l Priority US$ 45 EUR 70 180 FF US$ 100 Whole new interface design. 40% faster rendering (completely rewritten render engine). Volumetric atmosphere system. Volumetric materials and clouds; volumetric lights (visible rays, with optional dust). Complete lens flare system with global/local settings. OpenGL preview with advanced options (shadows, fog, background and per view/object quality settings). Real-time thumbnail render preview. Luminous and glowing materials. SolidGrowth 2 for even more realistic and varied vegetation. Terrain Editor with Solid3D real-time view, Airbrush brushes and Effects brush mode (with 16 different effects). Random rock generator. Planets (Moon and other planets of the solar system). Symmetrical terrains. Static Poser scene import and TrueSpace 2 COB object file import. Mpeg1, Mpeg2, QuickTime, RealMovie, QuickTime VR, Pict and Tiff* import/export filters. Light gels with realistic projection modes. Stars, rainbows and ice rings. Caustics in the shadows of transparent materials. Caustics realistically depend on the Index of Refraction. Two new types of lights: quadratic point light and quadratic spot light (for more local lighting effects). Adjustable light shadow density, negative lights. Trackball-type camera operations and advanced camera management grouped into a Camera Control Center. Possibility of doing everything using the main view only. Improved anti-aliasing strategies for higher quality output. Mapped images can be rotated and inverted easily in the editors. Pictures can be printed directly from within Vue. Picture DPI resolution setting saved in picture, if supported (Bmp and Pict formats only). Filters influenced by altitude, orientation and/or slope. Spherical and cylindrical procedural mapping modes. Large scale color variations in procedural materials (with 17 different blending modes). Objects can be locked/hidden independently. All preview displays are fully anti-aliased and new preview options have appeared. Direct editing of filter key points and tangents. Object resizing relative to opposite corner (toggle). Pivot position in object coordinates (toggle). Pivot position can be reset. Anti-aliasing can be disabled for given materials. Receive shadows material option. Replication tool with given position/size/orientation offset. Backlight option (for one-sided materials only) for realistic backlighting of opaque materials. Improved multi-part DEM and 16 bit RG encoded TGA file import filters. Render area can be temporarily disabled. Mapped pictures can be blended with a solid color (bitmapped materials). Unlimited transparency depth (the death of the "infamous blue gunk"). High performance multi-processor support (Win NT/2000 only). Wavefront MTL material library converter.

Wow, that's an impressive features list, isn't it? Nice to see they included a deal for ALL Vue users, and not just those with Vue 3. I notice they make the distinction for "late buyers" of Vue 3 and have an upgrade for with or without the manual. I hope that the standard upgrade from Vue 3.1 to Vue 4 at $129.00 US includes the manual. So, for $174.00, I'll be using Vue 4 the day after it's release.... COOL!

You know what else, that Quick Time VR looks pretty cool too!

Tragically, my 500 mhz 352Mb RAM AMD K-6 will not run it. It requires a Pentium II. This is a major bummer. I hate to upgrade for just one piece of software when ALL my other apps are running so nicely under the current configuration. Oh, well.

Your machine will run it fine, the Pentium II is just a benchmark, your PII is actually faster than a P500 in all probability.

casamercia, your system will be fine from the details that I have seen up on the website...unless e-on have told you otherwise. The type of processor you run should only effect the speed that the application runs at. E-on's render benchmark test where done with an AMD Athlon, and I have never heard of a app that runs on an AMD K7 not run on a K6. Cheers

jarm, cheers -- You may have just made my day a bit brighter! Thank you. I might have misread the eon website, too. I am amazed at the upgrade price we are being offered! It really puts a lot of these other so-called "upgrade" prices to shame... especially for the generational jump in features. Now, as long as my dog comes through surgery this morning okay I'll be one very, very happy camper!

but but...you mean that people who bought 3.1 just a couple of months prior to May 1st have to pay $129 instead of $30/$54????? NOT FAIR!!! What the heck is the difference?? If you bought Vue 3.1 after May 1, 2001, you qualify for our special Late Buyer upgrading program: US/Canada Europe France Others Upgrade to Vue 4 without manual* US$ 30 EUR 37 245 FF US$ 30 Upgrade to Vue 4 with manual** US$ 54 EUR 67 440 FF US$ 54

Amir, best wishes for your pup's quick recovery! I think E-on is boldly demonstrating, from every angle, that it listens to its users' wishes and actually wants us to be happy with the program. Sure can't beat that! :)

Eh? I bought Vue 3 for my pc, I'm buying a Powerbook G4 soon...can the upgrade count for an OS switch?

Amir, best wishes for your pup's quick recovery!<<< Thanks, Varian. She's no "pup," but she's still the best friend I have. ;-) She's home, but it looks like I'll be spending some time away from the computer and work to look after her. Oh well, it will give me time to start thinking of projects for Vue 4.0. Take care and Godspeed.

My pup was well over 15 years when she left us. I think when they're loved, they're a pup forever. Take care of her. Plenty of time for Vue-ing later. :)

I have a complaint & I agree with sparkle. Why isn't the "recent purchaser" discount applicable to anyone who purchased v.3.1 not just those who puchased in the month of May? Seeing as how v.3.1 was in reality nothing but a beta for v.4 considering how short of a time its been out. Nothing like being shown up as a sucker by a company you supported. So a first time buyer going from the freebie v.2 pays $199 and gets v.4. People like us who just recently purchased v.3.1 get the screw and end up paying a total of $318...yeah varian they sure are making sure all us v.3.1 suckers are happy. This pricing sucks and all the clones in here know it.

Seeing as how v.3.1 was in reality nothing but a beta for v.4 considering how short of a time its been out. -- Not sure where you're getting your information, but I've been using version 3.1 for about a year. I can assure you, it's no beta.

Ain't Capitalism cool? Cheers, Mike Head Clone Vue d'Esrit Forum/Renderosity PS I just know you'll love Vue 4!

Well, z, I won't resort to the insults and name-calling as you have, I'll simply state that you are wrong in regard to 3.1 being a "beta" for 4.0. I also will state that as a purchaser of 3.1 many, many months before the announced release date of 4.0 I really did not expect to get a new GENERATION of the program for loose change. Having spent several thousand dollars the past 18 months on software, I know a fair deal when I see one and the e-on offer is fair. If you really want to "... get the screw..." or be a "...sucker...," then purchase a product from Corel, JASC or Kinetix a few weeks before a new GENERATION of the title comes out and see what sort of "deal" they offer you. Take care and Godspeed. Casamerica, Deputy Director of Clone Development

Attached Link: http://www.bakhter.com

Please, if anyone else doesn't like Vue's pricing, by all means, take the complaint to E-on people themselves. There's nothing that can be done about it here in this forum......... That's not to say I agree, but I'm simply saying that the discussion of E-on Software pricing practices is simply not appropriate here, and would be much better dealt with by E-on Software representatives. ......... PS: casamerica, nice reply!

Woohoo! Happy day! What an awesome new feature list! I am glad I decided to go ahead and wait for Vue4 before upgrading from Vue2! I even get a little discount! Hey...any discount is better than no disount for Mommies on a budget! Emily (another clone I guess)

One question re shipping. That standard shipment - UPS Ground for US$ 16 is that just within the US or is it $16 to anywhere in the world (Specifically South Africa)? Gail

Not really sure, Gail, but you might want to order from their European office in France. I don't know what the deal is there though. Probably it would be best for you to contact E-on Software through email.

Thanks, I checked the e-on website and it seems that the $16 is worldwide. I'll check before I order. Gail

heyas; check the pricing grid. there's different lists for us, european, and 'other' (no offense) places. :)