Shaderlight 2014 compatibility?
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For SketchUp 2014 "update", Shaderlight charges a user fee of $75.- ($150.- PC + Mac) without an "upgrade" to their render plugin since before the release of SU 2013 AND with no mention of bug fixes or improvements to come.
REALLY?! ... $75.- to $150.- from each user just to be able to use Shaderlight with the new SU 2014??? An incredible amount of profiting off SketchUp's further development is manifesting here without the investment to improve/repair their own rendering plugin.
A Shaderlight user on their FB timeline asks, "So.... I´m wondering.... what do I get for $75? Apart from the upgrade to be compatible with 2014? Please enlighten me!"
Here is the official response from Shaderlight.
"We have been working hard to deliver an update to Shaderlight that is fully compatible with SketchUp 2014 and for the time being, when you upgrade, this is what you get. Due to the work involved in getting this update to you in time for SketchUp's launch, the new features and improvements we were hoping to include didn't make it in. we are in the process of putting the finishing touches to our next release already.
so, what do you get for your $75 upgrade? The ability to render SketchUp 2014 models with Shaderlight NOW and the promise of some shiny new things from Shaderlight for free until 2015.
We hope you will continue to support Shaderlight and its future development.
Many thanks
The Shaderlight Team""some shiny new things"?!
No new bug fixes? No reduction in rendering times? No corrections to Ray Tracing issues? NOT A SINGLE MENTION OF ANYTHING to an adult, mature audience of users... but to a group of sheople who can't possibly know what they want... we offer "some shiny new things"
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I read about this on Facebook a day or so ago, I have also been to their Facebook page and website to confirm this.
It boggles the mind that they would charge for a compatibility release, it's not like they are giving any improvements at all, the same product as per last release which was a long time ago. only difference is it works with latest version of Sketchup.
This is crazy.
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The lowest common denominator is motivation and... that, when you think on it, allows for less speculation than the obvious conclusion that they are cashing in on "money for nothin'. This is a dangerous gamble to play when your user base is huge. But, when it is under 10'000 people, you test the tensile strength of credibility with the only residual income you have.
Those of us who have mac and PC will end up paying half the price of the full Shaderlight Pro version only because Trimble works so hard.
Crazy is the action being carried out here. Insane is to actually buy into this "some shiny new things" carrot before the horse and cart scenario when many of us have our wheels stuck in the road from ongoing and inherent problems ignored and left unaddressed since before the SU 2013 update. It is past boggling. It's terribly disrespectful and shamefully, most dishonest.
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So then, what do you think of making the models in 2014, and then "downgrade" them (Save-as) to 2013?
And then render in SL after that?
I normally make my models on my MacBook Pro and render them there as well, at least I do that now.
I used to do this on my MacPro, but needed a portable Mac as I often make sketchup drawings together with our customers. (At least the "quick-n-dirty" stuff)
Which mean I do also have a MacPro available and I can use that as a "render-station". (Will have to transfer the license) What do you think? (Free for all to answer!
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That's the most practical solution and must be shared will all who are effected by the threat of money for nothin'. It is a certain work around for latent ArtVPS integrity issues. In principle, this solution allows for the continued use of the Shaderlight 2013 that has not been modified since before it was released and not require 1/4th payment of the full plugin. Until they make Shaderlight work or actually do "Something" to be justified of a salary, ArtVPS should actually do anything at all than just that it works with SU 2014. Please share this solution with other SL users so they know that this option exists and is available. Smart thinking Baltus.
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For those faithful to Shaderlight… or, if anyone is already using Shaderlight and wanting to avoid paying 1/4th the price of the full version just to use it with SU 2014, the solution is making the models in SU 2014, then "downgrading" them (Save-as) to SU 2013 or SU 8 files and finally rendering in the identical SL 2013 (already paid for) plugin.
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