Question for possible purchase

[Steven547]

OK... i'm seriously considering buying this product based on reviews, demos. But, the hefty $300 price tag is a killer. However, I did find a 2005 version of A:M for cheap. It says its version 11.1b ?? Is it possible to buy that and then upgrade to version 2006 for $100. Saving $150? Or is it better just to buy the 2006 outright? Thanks for any help.

 

 

Steven

[Rodney]

Yes. Several people have gone that route.

A word of caution however. Make sure you are buying a legal version and the transfer/registration moves to you. Otherwise you'll be out the money plus the ability to upgrade.

 

For more specific information I recommend a phone call to Hash Inc.

Their number can be found on ther support page.

 

Note that v11.1b would be A:M 2004.

v12 was the release for 2005.

[Steven547]

Thanks for the quick reply. The site I found was cheap-software.com. But, after your reply, I think I might just go the route and spend the $300 and know I'm getting a "real" version and not getting ripped off. (Get a "clean" version). Thanks for the information!

[Steven547]

Steven,

You could qualify for the student discount.

Or... if you are at a location where you might drop in on one of Hash Inc's tradeshow.

 

$300 isn't so much to pay IMO (compared to similar 3D programs) but if you can save money... I'm sure you can find other things to spend that money on. You could buy a couple training CDs for instance.

 

 

I'm way out of school (old guy here 35). haha. So it is pretty easy to use then? From the demos i've seen, it looks pretty easy. I've done a ton of vid editing and paint programs etc, so these things come fairly easy to me. What do you think?

[luckbat]

I wouldn't say any 3d app is easy to use, but then, neither is video editing. It's all relative.

 

Check out some of the Hash tutorial videos here to get a sense of the workflow: http://www.hash.com/vm/

[stinkyu111]

Steven,

You could qualify for the student discount.

Or... if you are at a location where you might drop in on one of Hash Inc's tradeshow.

 

$300 isn't so much to pay IMO (compared to similar 3D programs) but if you can save money... I'm sure you can find other things to spend that money on. You could buy a couple training CDs for instance.

 

 

I'm way out of school (old guy here 35). haha. So it is pretty easy to use then? From the demos i've seen, it looks pretty easy. I've done a ton of vid editing and paint programs etc, so these things come fairly easy to me. What do you think?

 

I was in the same boat.... i was 35 when i bought A.M back in 2004 ...i spent a year just trying to make a model ... it's hard to visualize the a.m. world of splining at first ( i have a background of just photography ( 3 years of college and some drawing in high school )

 

i found renew interest in A.M. by finishing the 19 exercises ( today i finished #19 )

 

a word about it forum ...perfect ...there lots of people who are positive and helpful

 

and with a great product for the beginner to pro

 

the demo is true to form ...1 person, 1 PC, 1 movie

 

Stephen Molloy

[Steven547]

Steven,

You could qualify for the student discount.

Or... if you are at a location where you might drop in on one of Hash Inc's tradeshow.

 

$300 isn't so much to pay IMO (compared to similar 3D programs) but if you can save money... I'm sure you can find other things to spend that money on. You could buy a couple training CDs for instance.

 

 

I'm way out of school (old guy here 35). haha. So it is pretty easy to use then? From the demos i've seen, it looks pretty easy. I've done a ton of vid editing and paint programs etc, so these things come fairly easy to me. What do you think?

 

I was in the same boat.... i was 35 when i bought A.M back in 2004 ...i spent a year just trying to make a model ... it's hard to visualize the a.m. world of splining at first ( i have a background of just photography ( 3 years of college and some drawing in high school )

 

i found renew interest in A.M. by finishing the 19 exercises ( today i finished #19 )

 

a word about it forum ...perfect ...there lots of people who are positive and helpful

 

and with a great product for the beginner to pro

 

the demo is true to form ...1 person, 1 PC, 1 movie

 

Stephen Molloy

 

I appreciate all the infor i've received on here. I've actually tried to find a decent animation program for awhile and came across this. Pretty excited to purchase it.

[C-grid]

OK... i'm seriously considering buying this product based on reviews, demos. But, the hefty $300 price tag is a killer. However, I did find a 2005 version of A:M for cheap. It says its version 11.1b ?? Is it possible to buy that and then upgrade to version 2006 for $100. Saving $150? Or is it better just to buy the 2006 outright? Thanks for any help.

 

 

Steven

 

Hello Steven,

 

Finding $300 too high for Animation:Master? Or for your wallet?

Do you know 3D or starting from scratch?

 

If it's a 'wallet problem' and not knowing 3D, my advise would be the upgrade-route and $150 books/videos...

 

Niels.

 

 

ps.

It's a magicians box, find your wand.

 

ps2.

Knowing enough 3D and having the 'wallet-problem', go for the 2006.

 

ps3.

Don't know 3D and no 'wallet-problem', go for the 2006 package and take some vacation.

[Steven547]

It's not so much the wallet issue as it is just "ease of learning". I understand that every program out there has its "learning curve". Heck, i've done editing with various editors from Ulead to Adobe, etc and for commercials. All a learning curve. I guess I'm just hoping that it's not one of those extremely complicated programs. I am a beginner as far as 3D CGI animation goes. From watching the demos and how objects are moved, it seems like it would be a relatively easy thing to learn, but time will tell. It's also nice to have a $300 program and not some $4000 program to have to buy!

[itsjustme]

It's not so much the wallet issue as it is just "ease of learning". I understand that every program out there has its "learning curve". Heck, i've done editing with various editors from Ulead to Adobe, etc and for commercials. All a learning curve. I guess I'm just hoping that it's not one of those extremely complicated programs. I am a beginner as far as 3D CGI animation goes. From watching the demos and how objects are moved, it seems like it would be a relatively easy thing to learn, but time will tell. It's also nice to have a $300 program and not some $4000 program to have to buy!

 

Watch every tutorial you can, Steven. It will help a lot. To start, do all of the tutorials in "The Art of Animation Master" book that comes with the software. The video versions of those tutorials are located here, so those will help give you an idea of workflow. Visit Jeff Cantin's site (the "Basic Splinemanship" tutorials will help you avoid a lot of new user mistakes), the ARM, the Tutorials section of the Forum (especially the Useful Links), watch the Tech Talk's and the Technical Reference.

 

Hope those help.

[Steven547]

All this information i've received has definately helped. One last question, I was about to purchase it when I noticed there are 2 versions of this program? One has lip synch and "composite / animator" ? WHat is the main difference?

[luckbat]

Where did you read that? There's only one version of the program.

[Rodney]

I was about to purchase it when I noticed there are 2 versions of this program? One has lip synch and "composite / animator" ? WHat is the main difference?

 

Not sure where you are seeing that information.

There is only one version of A:M. It has lipsync capability (with or without dopesheets should you choose to use it) and compositing and animating are standard.

 

Perhaps you are thinking Netrender?

Even Netrender has the same program feature set. The same A:M.

It has more rendering options for groups of computers across a network.

 

There is only one Animation:Master.

[Chad_Hunt]

I would not go any other route than that of AM. When I started I was in the same boat and actually went the expensive route first...big mistake. I found that for someone like me who cant draw to save my life, even after taking classes, it is very easy to learn if you go through the exercises provided. it is well worth the $300.