Here are our current plans regarding the Stoke MX license behavior and pricing scheme:
A workstation license will be required for performing simulations inside the 3ds Max UI, including custom MAXScript simulations.
A network simulation license will be required for performing simulations on the network (for example on Deadline, Backburner etc.).
A 15 days evaluation license will be available for testing out the software.
The price of Stoke MX will be $495 for ONE Workstation license. This price will also include TWO Network simulation licenses.
The price of additional Stoke MX Network simulation licenses will be $95/node.
NOTE: The $495 is the actual price of the Stoke MX Workstation license. The two included Network licenses are a FREE BONUS at $0 each.
In other words, it does NOT mean that Stoke MX Workstation alone is $495-2x$95=$305. If you need to purchase additional Workstation licenses, they will be $495/workstation, and each will add two Network licenses to the license pool. If you need only additional Network licenses, they can be purchased in any quantity at $95/node.
Please let us know how you feel about this pricing scheme.
I was just wondering how you were planning to price it.
My two cents from a perspective of a small shop.
For me personally I am still trying to come to grips with the potential uses for it. So far I have been thinking it would be good to quickly add some secondary particles to existing particles and to add secondary phenomenon, say like vapors coming off liquids sims or even characters. I thought it would be a good tool to upres particles but I am not finding it that simple its seems more of a tool to enhance what you have rather than upres something.
We all know It is possible to do all this with out Stoke but its a chore. Therefore I think it would be hard to convince my boss to buy a couple or even one license. At my current level of understanding of Stoke I would say that it should be addition to krakatoa almost like a krakatoa plugin and be priced accordingly.
You guys know I want all of them! Unfortunately my maintenance budget and time is pretty much consumed, I have to pick and choose. If I were to choose between this and Ember, I would probably just wait for Ember Still have XMesh on the wishlist (next to Frost, XMesh is the most universalable plugin)
A major selling point for me is .fxd write-back functionality (not just in Stoke but Ember too). Not having this cuts off a good chunk of the market, people with Fume would be able to use this even if they don’t have Krakatoa. Shutter the thought they are out there. Krakatoa Particle/Voxel modes solve lots of issues, motion blur, ginormous scenes, magma unique tooling BUT flat-out Fume’s shader is pretty damn solid, easily tweakable, predictable, and FAST!
Very niche, it is a pretty compact plugin, (different arena but) for $100 more you get Genome and the full breadth of Magma.
Frost for instance is usable by many people for many things, not to mention it fills gaps in other packages (ie some other fluid simulators) so it gets lots of eyes. Stoke is really cool, that said it is also tool for tools, meaning you are re-piping existing data through it, it’s uses to us are many, while the broader spectrum are few. IMO, and I may be way wrong, I don’t think it will score as big a hit at that price point personally.
Not that I think the price is out of the ballpark, sell it a little cheaper, sell more, build a bigger userbase. You’re going to get yearly maintenance anyway or keep it small and exclusive… My 2 cents.
seems pretty decent, but I’ve just started with Stoke and should dig further into the available features before commenting on pricing. Seeing the next build/features will also help…
Doesn’t seem unreasonable at all, but I wonder how many people will just wait for Ember. Offer a reasonable credit on the purchase of Ember and it seems like a safe investment.
it seems the suite of tools Thinkbox is offering is starting to show some overlap, might be worth thinking of combining some of these tools, or offering a bundle discount or something. Would make it a easier selling the money people on buying new software.
Stoke is pretty cool, and will definitely be a nice tool in the set.
Still have XMesh on the wishlist (next to Frost, XMesh is the most universalable plugin)
they are out there. Krakatoa Particle/Voxel modes solve lots of issues, motion blur, ginormous scenes, magma unique tooling BUT flat-out Fume’s shader is pretty damn solid, easily tweakable, predictable, and FAST!