This information found via newest E-on newsletter:

The free upgrade policy has been extended until September 15, 2006.

So if you buy Vue 5 now, you'll get your upgrade to the corresponding Vue 6 product FREE! (Download version, nodelocked license).
It also works if you sidegrade inside the Vue 5 product line!

The new FAQ page provides clarification on the following..

• Nodelocked vs. Floating licenses,
• Activation process (for the professional product line),
• Cornucopia3D copy-protected content compatibility with Vue 6,
• Pricing policy, special deals...

Visit it here...

http://www.e-onsoftware.com/products/vue/vue_6/?page=questions

Vue 5.11 "Official" Update now available.

"Sidegrade" - is that English (it's certainly a new term to me). But I get the gist...

Thx for the heads-up, will check this out tomorrow (have V5I, so maybe I'll get V6I for free..)

Cheers,
Diolma

Since E-on makes many  "editions" available of the same program "version', a "Sidegrade" (their word) AFAIK is merely trading up to a higher edition within the same version.

In your case, I don't think you would be eligible to receive a "free upgrade" unless you did one of the following...(Before the promotion expires)

• Upgrade to Vue XStream since you've got V5I already.
• Wait for the "special pricing" deals for Pre-orders / Late Buyers.
• Purchase another Vue 5 licence.

Oh. Drat!
Have no money.
Guess I'll just have to soldier on with V5I, then.

But I'll still check it out  (tomorrow)..

Cheers,
Diolma

BTW - What is Vue XStream? (I assume that is Sales-speak for "extreme"?.)
I'm just a single user hobbyist.... Got a single copy of V5I, on a single machine, and only used by me. (I only have a single PC...)

You could, of course, contact E-on to be sure since I'm just guessing about what your options are. As far as XStream goes, the folllowing is from E-on's site...

Quote - The Vue xStream suite of plug-ins for Max, Maya, LightWave or Cinema 4D* enables CG professionals to totally integrate their 3D projects into Vue environments. Thanks to Vue xStream, Vue 5 Infinite environments will become a seamless part of the Max, Maya, LightWave or Cinema 4D scenery.

In one single render pass, Max, Maya, LightWave or Cinema 4D elements will be rendered together with Vue elements, accurately matching shadows, reflections and illumination to deliver totally blended CG footage without requiring any additional effort.

However...

If you don't have any of these high-end programs then it's fairly pointless to get it. :lol:

I purchased some copy-protected content from Cornucopia3D (it was cheaper this way). Will it work in Vue 6?

Yes, if you upgrade to Vue 6, the copy-protected content you acquired for Vue 5 will work natively in Vue 6 (provided Vue 5 is still on your HD at the time of installing Vue 6 - if not, you will have to insert your Vue 5 Application CD or re-install your download version).

===================

Okay I read each carefully....and I DO have dyslexia...so patients please... I have a question.  I plan on running BOTH Vue 5 i AND Vue 6 side by side at the very least until I make sure all my content will run in 6.... but the wording of e-on's reply to this makes me feel like my vue 6 will OVER WRITE my 5, like an update does....and that would be why the content would work in 6.... !?  So...say I want to have a copy of a house I bought at c3d in my vue 6 .... will that be okay? Or might I have to redownload it and specify it is a download for 6 (after I register and have my inst file thingy)... ? 

If I understand all this correctly....(and hoping I CAN install and run both side by side)  I won't purchase too much more before I get 6.  Like I said this is confusing to my brain....and perhaps no one has asked (or tried? beta testers, have you?) to run both 5 and 6 on the same machine, with the same c3d content in them.

Thanks for any help... I really like to ask HERE as asking any tech question over at e-on requires me to go find my inst number AND list out all my computer specs, etc... I don't care for filling in all those forms to post a question. Just my opinion/prefrence.

The way I read it...

Vue 5 and Vue 6 will be separate (and able to coexist). If you want to install protected content into Vue 6 that was purchased for use with Vue 5, you will need to have v5 installed (or re-install it if it isn't) to make your v5 protected content work in v6. Alternatively, if you don't want to or can't install Vue 5 then you can instead re-download one item at a time from C3D (batch downloading functionality is on the horizon). Unless you purposely store all your Vue content in the same location for both versions, I think the potential for v5 stuff getting overwritten is fairly low.

is it still free, if it was a download version that was bought?

Yes, Downloaded or Boxed it doesn't matter.

oh yay! :) lol Wasn't sure about that

Just asking, does this offer cover Vue 4 Pro? I do not want to be stuck in 4.
I remembered there was an upgrade path from V4P to V5PS, but that's gone now. :(

the-negative - your best bet is to ask e-on directly through the contact form on their web site about this.  Their reply may not be as quick as you might get here but its more definitive and official than anyone here can give you

Oh I hope I didn't do something stupid. blush blush blush I was out computer shopping yesterday and saw a boxed version of Vue 5 Easel. It was $89 before taxes. So I got it. It was faster on my new machine than Vue 4 was on my old machine (that machine died a few weeks ago. Vue won't run on the new machine. :( ) I played with Vue 5 Easel last night and I noticed the Poser character I imported looked terrible, -- all the fancy skin shader don't work in Vue 5! What was the point of getting this app if it can't render skin well? ARGH! pulls on hair calms down Okay, I see Vue 6 will use Poser shaders. I see there is a side grade offer too. Question: Is it worth it to side grade Vue 5 Easel to Vue 5 Esprit for $99? I just spent that much on Easel! How much will Vue 6 Esprit cost? Is it worth it for me to pay another $99 to get Vue 6 Esprit sidegrade/upgrade? ...Or should I just kick myself for shopping stupidly? bB

Two more questions.... Will there be an Vue 6 Easel? If I just bought Vue 5 Easel and I registered it last night, will I get a free copy Vue 6 Easel and I don't have to sidegrade at all? OR... Do you guys think it would be wise for me to upgrade anyway because Easel is too simple? What is the difference between Easel and Esprit? OR... Should I sidegrade my Vue 4 Esprit to Vue 5 and get free Vue 6 Esprit, or is that too many jumps to qualify? bB

Hey! How about us guys who brought Vue 5 a year ago do we get a free upgrade to Vue 6??

I would go for d'esprit because you can create more with d'esprit than easel....and if you buy it before sept 15..you get 6 for free.  (Basically you pay to side grade instead of upgrade)

The faq states you have to have bought after august 1st get the free upgrade....but the upgrade prices have not been fully announced yet.

This is what I found on e-on software site..................

{If you buy Vue 5 Esprit now, you will receive your free upgrade to Vue 6 Esprit when it is released (download version). }

So if you buy Vue 5 now you'll get a free upgrade and if you were a loyal costumer and brought Vue 5 before now you get nothing for supporting them in the past.Now am I correct in that assumption:)

Quote - So if you buy Vue 5 now you'll get a free upgrade and if you were a loyal costumer and brought Vue 5 before now you get nothing for supporting them in the past.Now am I correct in that assumption.

Almost, they said that upgrade specials would be announced when Vue 6 was available for preorder, i.e. the upgrade prices given so far are the normal ones (i.e. those which will apply after the (pre)launch period).

I did some looking at the e-on site, and it looks like an sidegrade done right now would be $99, and an upgrade once Vue 6 comes out would be $129. So that's a 30 dollar difference. I am hoping Vue 6 Easel will support shaders. If I use the program alot, then it makes sense to move up to Esprit. But for now, I'm pouting about having spent unwisely. I should have bought Vue Esprit 5 online instead what I did. :( bB

Quote - So if you buy Vue 5 now you'll get a free upgrade and if you were a loyal costumer and brought Vue 5 before now you get nothing for supporting them in the past.Now am I correct in that assumption:)

Buying a product brand new for the first time is not like being an existing user and expecting a “free” upgrade to the next version. It’s not the same thing at all.

What e-on is doing is stopping customers from not buying Vue 5 because Vue 6 is almost here. So in effect, they are saying, “Hey, I’d love to sell ya’ Vue 6 right now but it’s not ready yet so take a copy of Vue 5 for now and when Vue 6 comes out we’ll send you a copy.” It makes perfect business sense. Basically, they are “pre-selling” Vue 6.

What that does is keep the cash flowing. Otherwise all sales of Vue 5 would stop while people wait for Vue 6. All companies do this to not stall sales after a new release is announced but not delivered. You should not feel slighted by it.

As you know, e-on gives discounts to existing customers if you decide to upgrade to Vue 6 so they are taking care of their existing customers as well. Some have said that the upgrade price may drop for a short while once Vue 6 ships.

~jr

Well I guess I have to wait and see what will happen when Vue 6 comes out.