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[dwsel]

Steve, if by any chance you read this:

Please tell us if you are still working on Anim8or.

If not, are you willing to offer the source code to any coders who could take the project on?

You still have a lot of fans out here - you made a brilliant little program. If you don't want to do anything more on it, make it open source!

Ok, a word from me. I'm wondering if there is a chance of resuming work on Anim8tor. I've found so far 3 solutions:

1. Making Anim8tor free by releasing the code on GPL licence. Simple as that - based on Steve's good will.

2. Raising foundation/money gathering to buy Anim8tor's code and later free it - as it was with Blender.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blender_%28software%29#History
http://www.blender.org/blenderorg/blender-foundation/history/
http://www.linux.com/archive/feed/24201
Because I understand that it can be difficult to free 'own baby'.

3. Let Steve turn Anim8tor into low cost payware.

Lately I see no chance of 3, because I see no action from the main host/developer, but still I see a chance for 1 or 2. If 2 would be the only way I'd donate of course.

As a side note... Does anyone know name '4D Blue'? In 2005 I was looking for free 3d software and I have found this project. I have had high hopes on this, and I was looking as they turn into dust!
http://www.4dblue.com/news.html
http://www.4dblue.com/info_development.html
http://www.4dblue.com/info_faq.html
Using cruel words... 'that was quick one'

[Gyperboloid]

And if Steve really was thinking about to give up on it, but not so sure, by looking here, I don't think it would give him strangth to continue Finaly, come on guys, untill Steve comeы here and just close the forum by himself, what's the problem ?

[CoriDavis]

I don't know. but the forum is hardly dead compared to the forums I own/use when I'm ever in a roleplaying mood.  I am more than willing to do whatever part I can to keep this, all of it going.

[dwsel]

Finaly, come on guys, untill Steve comeы here and just close the forum by himself, what's the problem ?

What if the forum will close by itself on one pretty day because of unpaid hosting? Where do we go then? I'd better be prepared for this...

And if Steve really was thinking about to give up on it, but not so sure, by looking here, I don't think it would give him strangth to continue

Continuous showcasing usefulness of the application by posting good works done in Anim8tor - I hope will do.

[Raxx]

I was just laying down the cards, it's all up to you what you do with them.

Anyway, I know it's hard to leave this community. To me it's like a favorite pet that I've helped raise. I'm sure a lot of us share that sentiment. I had asked over and over at least to be turned admin so that I could keep the community going, but I get ignored on that point. I get ignored on most points I try to make. So while I don't really take personal offense at it, it's just common sense that if Steve can't even tell us straight up what his intentions are while he goes on with his personal R&R, and doesn't entrust anyone with any kind of responsibility, then we've got nothing to work with. And if something did happen to Steve or the code (though I believe he keeps a copy in a security deposit box), then we've got nothing to work with x10

The main point is that you should accept the possibility that it's a dead end here, and try to find a new community to take roost in where you can grow as an artist and as a person. I'm sure that if Steve's fine then one day he'll visit the forum and read this topic, and maybe respect us enough to give us some sort of response.

You guys don't seem to realize it, but the last time he talked to any of you in the public was an entire year ago, and that was regarding a Windows 7 bug.

[ADSohr]

Everyone can move over to my forum as well.  It's brand new and isn't too set in it's ways yet.  I highly encourage newer animators to join, since it's geared towards beginners.  I would be glad to have some expierienced users help too.  It's not specifically for any program though, just whatever I find easiest to teach a concept with.

CGForStarters.

[ENSONIQ5]

We appreciate you being straight with the community about this Raxx, as much as it is bad news it is good to finally have some information on the Steve situation from somebody in a position to know.  I would be interested in a community project, time permitting of course.

[Raxx]

Sadly, all I know is that I don't know any more than the next guy about this matter. For all Steve's done, I don't mean to sound like I'm bashing him or chasing away his followers.

I'll list your website in the first post, ADSohr. Starting a successful forum from scratch takes time and effort, so good luck and hopefully a lot of people can benefit from it.

As for the collab project, I do have an idea but since it's something that everyone might want to do, I don't want to sound like I'm trying to dictate any of the details. So if you guys have better ideas, then by all means say so.


Don't Forget
A tribute to Anim8or and its Community

Collaboration from all the members of the community that wanted to do something memorable.

So, here's the idea, let me toss it out there...

Basically it'd play the Don't Forget song by Demi Lovato. Kind of a sentimental animated montage thing from the users here.

Granted there aren't a whole lot of us anymore, but I know there're a lot of lurkers that still log in and browse around.

Assuming we have at least 12 people:

1. The contributor makes their own avatar of themselves in the form of a person, creature, robot, whatever entity they think best represents themselves, and has them dance, stand, play around, do whatever within a certain timeframe. Maybe each contributor should have the robin in there in some shape or form.
2. Each contributor makes a 10 second clip and a 3 second clip.
3. Each contributor's clip is played one after the other in sequence. The 10 second clips are played first, then some sort of tribute to Anim8or is done in a title screen, and then the 3 second clips are played afterwards. Each 10 second clip has their username and real-life photo that fade in and out along the bottom.
4. The positioning and fading of the names and photos will be done via post processing, so the contributor doesn't have to worry about that part of it (aside from providing the photo).
5. The scene can have whatever environment the contributor wants. Whether it interacts with their avatar or is static or even nonexistant.
6. Each contributor renders their own clip. To keep it all consistent, the settings will be predetermined. More than likely 1280x720, bicubic AA, and H.264/MPEG-4 codec with very low compression. Then each contributor can upload it to one of my websites and I'll combine them all together, add the names and photos, transitions, title screens, etc, and upload it to Youtube and Vimeo.
7. Anim8or will be the only program used for modeling, animation, and rendering, since this is a tribute to Anim8or. Yeah it's a pain to the guys who found other software to make it easier in certain areas, but that's what'll make it special.

Depending on the number of contributors that sign up, the actual length of the clips will be determined.

This is the song that would be playing during the duration of the animation:

Naturally this kind of has a "the end" kind of feel to it, and it'd be a little silly if Steve pops in sometime and says all is OK before it's finished. So if that happens then we just swap out the music with something funner and then all's well

Tell me what you think.

[ENSONIQ5]

Love the concept Raxx, perfect.

[headwax]

Hey Raxx et al.

Well, I was googling anim8or to get here like I always do, I check about once a month to see if Steve has polished a litle more of the anim8or gem, and I found that 'anim8or is officially dead' announced on the b lender forums.

I have the greatest respect for everybody here, especially Raxx  .... but isn't this all a bit premature?

Maybe Steve is having a holiday, maybe he is having a family crisis, maybe he is sick, maybe he is having chemo. Heaven forbid any of these things, but just because he hasn;t answered emails doesn't mean  that anim8or is dead!

Just because anim8or hasn't been updated for x amount of time doesn't mean it's dead.

It's a worry about the new user registration - to me it just means that Steve has something else more important on his plate.

Best to look at the facts:

Anim8or still works on a majority of machines.

 It;s still a great program.

It;s only dead if you want it to be.

[texel]

Hi,

Two months ago, Steve responded to my email.
He doesn't have the time to work on Anim8or for the time being even if he spends some very limited time to fix bugs.
He doesn't know when he will have more time.
Keeping spammers out of Anim8or forum is also taking a lot of his time.

I do not have more informations from Steve.

I think we can't expect a major update soon. Maybe some minor bugfix.
Anim8or is still a great program and very easy to use. I haven't found any free program like Anim8or yet.
Blender has great features but i don't like its interface.

Anim8or doesn't seems to be dead but in pause.
If Steve decides to stop the developpement of Anim8or in the future, i think he will probably find a way to make it still alive.
It doesn't seems to be the case for the time being.
He probably do not want to make Anim8or open source now because it would make him loose the control of its development.
It could create many forks like Open Office and Libre Office or Linux It could be a good and bad thing.
Blender is open source but its developpement is leaded by a strong fondation. Steve develops Anim8or in his free time. He has a job, a family, and a life. He will probably do not have the time a lead such a fondation yet.

I do not expect Anim8or to be the best 3d modeling program, but just the best program for my purposes.
It would be great to create a new 3d modeling program using the source code of Blender but with a GUI like Anim8or. But who will do it ? Others...

[headwax]

a quick search tells me site is registered till 2011-07-27
from

http://website.informer.com/anim8or.com

[Maximilianibus]

oh no.... this really ruined my day...
got somebody an idea which program i could try nect? free, maybe open source?
blender wont work, i dont know why. the last time i tried, i had to dowload 7 versions until all the tutorials fit together...

[3Dgeek11]

I understand all the "facts" in this topic are actual facts. I hate it and wish it weren't true but it appears to be.
I get so sad thinking about it.
It's like saying goodbye to a cat that came up to your door one day and now has to return to its owner. A wonderful run we all had here on Anim8or.com. And I thank Steve for creating Anim8or, which got me into 3D modeling and sort of decided my career. I thank the whole community here for helping me and everyone else that have come and gone in the last two and half years. I'll be turning 15 this year, and as you can see, my name has an "11" at the end of it. That's a pretty long time, isn't it?

I am in favor of that project Raxx mentioned. I love that song and listening to it again got me thinking. I'll gladly contribute "one last time" if that's what it comes down to.
Anyway, I hope Steve can return soon and tell us what's going on, if anything.
If not, we may just have to wait until July 27th and see what happens. ^^
Been a wonderful pleasure knowing everyone here, and I hope that, if we do "move on", that we can all stay in touch somehow.
3DGeek

[rellik420]

well... what can i say. i still use anim8or often. and i think i will always use it for modeling. im searching for other software simply because of all the bells and whistles but i will always have anim8or in my back pocket.

i think the best thing for steve to do is to release anim8or as open source so the people who use it "us" can progress it a bit further. really the only thing it is missing thats is necessary is IK. physics simulation is great but its still not necessary.

i hope your wrong about all of this raxx but thanks for the heads up. i know a lot of us have been anxious about hearing some kind of news on the progress. thanks