[Maxer]

Let's all face facts, NL is "selling" what they now claim is a Beta version of Maxwell for people to "use"! No where on their site does it make any claims that Maxwell isn't fully functional as it is now, you are presented with a list of features that Maxwell Beta has whether or not they are actually fully functional. It also leads you to believe that in October of 05 the final version will be released, this is a definite statement. No where does it say that they may not make this deadline. Maxwell may be a Beta version but this is not the way they are truly presenting it, or selling it. For all of you who think its ok for NL to do what ever they wish just because this is a Beta and they have no obligation to those who purchased it are dead wrong. Whether you like it or not we are paying customers who were sold a product that was going to be completed by a certain date! If NL knows they can’t deliver on Maxwell when they said they could then they shouldn’t have definite dates on their web site saying when the final version is going to be released. Beta or not we all purchased this software with the expectation that it would be complete by a certain time, the very least NL could do is keep us informed.

[Maxer]

No that's wrong! Your saying that I should know what these guy's are thinking? If they put on their site that a product is going to have x number of features and they will all be working by October of 05 how is it my responsability to know that they are just kidding, and the information they presented was just a guess?

[Maxer]

Adam, my problem with what's going on is NL isn't being honest with either their new or old customers. New people coming in don't know that the chances of Maxwell meeting its October deadline is very slim, even though everything they have seen on the website would lead them to believe that this final release date is set in stone. Old customers have no idea what features will be included in the final version because so much has been promised, and right now very little has been delivered.

As far as knowing how CG software development works, I don't think that applies to this situation since no CG software developer I know of has asked their customers pay for the privilege of using their Alpha or Beta software. If we paid nothing then we would have nothing to complain about, however since we did pay NL must recognize that they have an obligation to us to keep us informed about our investment.

[Micha]

...
The best way to help is to test and provide CONSTRUCTIVE feedback to aid with the development process.

I'm frustrated, that you can make CONSTRUCTIVE tests and post bugs ( that need some hours) and than you get no feedback. For me, I stoped testing Maxwell and only read posts sometimes here. At the moment it seems to be, that no beta tester is needed.

[Mihai]

Well, that could be they are already aware of the problem.

buffos has a talent for starting multi-page threads

Perhaps tonfarben can provide more info about the uvmapping, or a search on the forum will provide the info. This way Maxwell won't be totally useless to you until the GUI arrives.

[victor]

Dear Buffos, what is the GUI for you? Please define it.

[Gear]

I'm not a costumer yet, but I think buffos is right, I just don't know why everyone in here is happy with how things are going on but buffos. Actually if I would be a costumer who bought the product preventively I think I would be very very angry. Another thing I don't get, its why everyone ignore buffos when he says that the version released a month ago is not a beta, because a beta is a testing version of the final product. As I said before I think that if alpha versions were for free download, now there wouldn't be any trouble. I don't know you, but i don't promise nothing if i'm not sure to keep my word. And I absolutely don't buy nothing if no one give me a concrete assurance, and I think it's the same for you. I think NL made a great work, a revolutionary one in CG, but they did a big mistake with commercial operations. Maybe I was wrong with the last part of my reply, I'm not an expert person in marketing knowledgement, but i think there are softwares that are for free-download in alpha stages, or others with only final releases not for free.

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[Maximus3D]

My godness.. well alright if you people complain about delayed developement schedules and dissapointments on this and that then just look at the gameindustry. The now very very delayed Duke Nukem Forever been in developement almost 10 years and it's still not finished!! the fans of the game are still waiting, sure many gave up years ago but the true fans never give up, they stay true to the developers as they changed their mind more times than i can count for during all these years and probably will change their mind about this and that feature within the game. This is just a example but and it's a game but still the principle is the same and it applies to Maxwell developement as well as it does for a game.

There's alot of security and hush-hush in the developement sector as the competitors are watching, and i'm sure that NL don't take any chances in their plans and secrets get's in the hands of their competitors, apparently that affects their customers visible here in a bad way but i'd say security has to come first and patient customers has to come second or go hand in hand. Disclosing stuff that could come to a advantage to their competitors would mean bad business for NL and that would be far worse than keeping some things secret now for a while longer. My trust is with NL as i'm pretty sure they're hardworking day and night on this with close to no off-work time and their families surely suffer. Please guys show some gratitude and thankfulness to them for all they do instead of giving them shit for it. That don't help them at all.

Just my thoughts about all this, sorry if this upsets anyone.

/ Max

[rivoli]

I just don't know why everyone in here is happy with how things are going on but buffos.

just because i know that while developing a renderer unexpected things might happen. i've seen other third party renderers (now i speak from a max user point of view) not meeting their deadlines, actually i've never seen any meeting them. so from this point of view i really dig the fishes way of handling this matter: it's ready when it's ready. maxwell 1.0 might be there in october, it might be not. i'm not really concerned about it, i'm still working as i used to do before maxwell came out, with or without it. what i did was investing a very reasonable amount of money (for a standalone renderer) in a very promising application. as simple as that.

[Maxer]

4) They only "contract" I signed with NL is that they will give me the final product sometime in the future... "

So let's say you were contracting with a home builder to build you a new house. If your origional contract says the house is going to be finshed in July, then wouldent you expect it to be done then? If they come back and tell you they can't finshe the house and it will be done in October instead would that upset you at all? Would you feel better if they didn't give you any date and just said well finish your house some time in the future?

[Mihai]

buffos, check again this thread about matador, you might be able to have uv tiling now:

http://www.maxwellrender.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1855

[victor]

Thanks Buffos, I answered your PM, please don't send me PM, there is a way to communicate through maxwelltech@nextlimit.com

I see your feature list. Please notice that some of those points were not found in our public roadmaps, so I am afraid that your concept has been ideally created in your mind and now you claim badly for it. Will the rest of people send me this feature list exactly as yours?

Being said this, your feature list is very clear and useful, and we will add some of those points even if they were not included in the roadmaps.

[victor]

Buffos, I will not fall into the trap, tell me what features do you think we must do

[Gear]

The now very very delayed Duke Nukem Forever been in developement almost 10 years and it's still not finished!!
/ Max[/quote]

I don't think Duke Nukem fans did pay ten yers ago for the product.
There's a thin difference. If you don't stipulate a contract with costumer, i think you can take all the time you want.