Moho 12

[chucky]

I seriously doubt professionals are seeking out free content.

GEnerally , Yes I agree Wes, good examples of pro rigs is one thing, just random stuff is another.
All that fluff is ok for debut and should be excluded from the pro menu.
In fact a pro should never be allowed to 'accidentally ' stumble onto a page like that, it's like garlic to vampires...... hissssss.
A few close to sensible standard, fully labelled and coloured rigs wouldn't be a bad thing for pros to look at, but they have to be well presented and not just rushed together.
Even though they would not be using them for production, other than being a helpful guide to any pro's coming to grips with Moho as opposed to any other app they had previously been using.

[synthsin75]

I agree, slowtiger.

Yeah, Chucky, that's the same reason the Character Wizard button was removed from Pro (menu only). That's also the reason factory content can be hidden in the library (although Victor's characters are some of the best examples). They probably do need to stop straddling the fence between amateur and serious hobbyists/professionals.

[negroclarito]

Smithmicro don't realize a couple of things very important...

Agree 20 % (option 5 only)

1. The name. Apparently there was a vote. The people have spoken. but obviously not enough Spanish people.
2. The website. If you are the type of person who judges a product by its website, you're not likely to appreciate the product anyway. It's fine. But for discussion what animation software has a better website in your opinion? Seriously?
3. The gallery. For the hobbyist market, people want to see something that is within their capabilities. They want to be inspired and not intimidated. As long as there are SOME pro examples, then everyone is happy.
4. The support. With the new higher price, maybe they can improve the customer support. But you're not exactly paying for support at this price. This forum is probably the best support forum out there. Look at Toon Boom. You pay a fortune for support, and their official forum is a spam-infested ghost town. Right now over there I see more new posts about OpenToonz than about Harmony.

I've been using Anime Studio since version 5 and I know the real potential of this software and it's also one of the software that improves more with each release. I only wanted to mark the mistakes I think are committing if they want MOHO become a standard for the industry.
I would like MOHO had the place it deserves in the animation and video industry. Many times I went to game companies or cartoon companies that use very bad software and they don't use MOHO because they didn't know about it or they thought MOHO was for amateurs. I would like more and more companies use MOHO so that we can have more job opportunities.
Nowadays website and video samples are very important to decide to buy some software. If one professional are looking for a good animation software and only can watch hobbyist things... probably he won't choose that software.
Speaking as if MOHO was a car... they have a very good engine but they don't have good design.

About support. My problem was a problem with serials that only people inside Anime Studio could solve it. Nothing to solve here in the forum. They lasted long time to answer me.

I'm pretty sure if they keep working in this way MOHO will be the best animation software.

[rucodemente]

I don't see anything wrong with the website, especially appealing to professionals. They have gifs that demonstrate some of the new features in use, so people who know animation software immediately know that Moho is worth looking into. I really don't know what else you could ask a website to do.

You can ask a lot more.

The problem is we already know the program and so we don't notice the bad practices:

• When you first enter the page, the first thing you see is the price and a buy button. Why would I want to buy it if I still don't know it? If you want me to spend $400 bucks, first you have to convince me it's worth it.
• The gifs you mention are great... but if you don't scroll the page, you can't see them
• I agree with the "free content" stuff. It sucks and looks childish and amateurish.
• The addons should be gone too, IMHO.
• Tabbed sections? Really? That's bad UI

It's very clear they are working within the limitations of a CMS. That's the mistake. MOHO's site should be a completely different site, with appealing design.

I'm not saying its the end of the world, but it could be much better.

There's already enough professional work being done with MOHO/ASP to feature and showcase in the website. (A lot of it comes from Chile, hat tip to Víctor): Puffin Rock, Los próceres más posers, everything from Fluor films, The Song of the sea, just for starters. It puzzles me that there's not a single video from those in the product page.

Here's a bunch of websites from competitors that look way more professional:
https://www.toonboom.com/
http://www.esotericsoftware.com/
http://www.autodesk.com/products/maya/overview
http://www.adobe.com/products/animate.html

Even Blender showcases its features with greater detail:
https://www.blender.org/features/

Well, only my two cents.

[synthsin75]

When you first enter the page, the first thing you see is the price and a buy button. Why would I want to buy it if I still don't know it? If you want me to spend $400 bucks, first you have to convince me it's worth it.

The price is one of the major selling points, for individuals and studios (who can afford more seats than with competing software). Individuals know that, if you have to hunt for the pricing, it isn't likely to be good. And does anyone now days land on a webpage complete unprimed for the product offered? If you don't know what's out there in the 2D market, the first thing you learn is a ballpark price that's a high bar for competition.

The gifs you mention are great... but if you don't scroll the page, you can't see them

So unprimed visitors aren't going to scroll? Primed visitors are going to be looking for details about what brought them there.

[JaMike]

When you first enter the page, the first thing you see is the price and a buy button. Why would I want to buy it if I still don't know it? If you want me to spend $400 bucks, first you have to convince me it's worth it.

Every web designer worth their salt knows that putting a big Call To Action button increases sales when you do A/B testing on it. When you have an impulse purchase price, anyway. You wouldn't do it on $2000 software.

Here's a bunch of websites from competitors that look way more professional:
https://www.toonboom.com/
http://www.esotericsoftware.com/
http://www.autodesk.com/products/maya/overview
http://www.adobe.com/products/animate.html

You think "professional", I think "trendy".

Animation software is not "mass market", it's not like buying hamburgers or shoes. It's not even like buying an App on a phone. The customer is looking for a tool that is right for the job. And if they're having to spend $400 on it, they're not going to let the trendiness of the website put them off.

Here's how things work in 2016.

1. Someone wants something
2. They find someone talking about it on YouTube (because even when you Google something, Google owns YouTube and those results show up)
3. They make their decision based on that
4. They go to the seller's website to buy it (that's when the big Buy button comes in handy)

If you work for McCann Worldgroup, then you know that the most important thing is to know your market. I bet you that over the years, Moho has outsold Toon Boom and Spine, probably Maya as well, if you count units and not value.

[JaMike]

So unprimed visitors aren't going to scroll? Primed visitors are going to be looking for details about what brought them there.

All the websites he mentioned as examples of "professional" design REQUIRED the user to scroll.

[synthsin75]

So unprimed visitors aren't going to scroll? Primed visitors are going to be looking for details about what brought them there.

All the websites he mentioned as examples of "professional" design REQUIRED the user to scroll.

Apparently, scrolling is so taxing that they have to hide the "Buy" button so you'll do it. Maybe they should offer a scrolling discount?

[Psmith]

Make 'em work for the "privilege" of purchasing!

Greg Smith

[rucodemente]

Every web designer worth their salt knows that putting a big Call To Action button increases sales when you do A/B testing on it. When you have an impulse purchase price, anyway. You wouldn't do it on $2000 software.

I wouldn't call $400USD an impulse price. But more on that later.

You think "professional", I think "trendy".

I guess the leaders of the industry are silly, blind, trendsetters then.

Now, guess what? trends are trends for a reason: they work. And yes, you're not going to disrupt and win big if you only follow trends, but following 1990's trends are not going to make you win big either.

And if they're having to spend $400 on it, they're not going to let the trendiness of the website put them off.

So, now $400USD are not an impulse price? Wow, you change your mind fast.

Here's how things work in 2016.
1. Someone wants something
2. They find someone talking about it on YouTube (because even when you Google something, Google owns YouTube and those results show up)
3. They make their decision based on that
4. They go to the seller's website to buy it (that's when the big Buy button comes in handy)

Ok, now tell me where MOHO stands after you do this "2016 stuff". What kind of things you find if you do your homework and search on Google and YouTube? Do you really think they will get to your 3 and say "Wow, this looks like a professional tool to do serious animation, I'll definitely go and buy this right away, I don't need more reasons to buy".. really?

I bet you that over the years, Moho has outsold Toon Boom and Spine, probably Maya as well, if you count units and not value.

I'm sorry but this is laughable.
First, by value I guess you mean either income or profit.

If that was the case, upsetting your current (huge, if the numbers you imagine were real) userbase with a price increase, retreated upgrade discount and all the things many users have complained here and in other places, would be the most stupid thing a company could do.

If that was the case and things go so well... why on earth would they announce a early-adopter discount on the upgrade cost just to take it back a week later? That's not a movement you make unless you have to change your marketing strategy, and usually you don't change your strategy if you're doing well.

$400USD is cheap for a professional, but most professional animators that I know have either never heard of ASP/MOHO, or have a bad image of it (as an amateurish tool for children to play and make silly videos).

$400USD is expensive for hobbyists, so even when they are the ones that most likely have already heard of it, this price is not something many of them are willing to pay because they don't make money with it, so it's an expense and not an investment.

Now, I really don't understand how so many felt offended by my criticism to MOHO's site. Most of you have only stated opinions based on how you think people reason before a purchase, or how they make decisions. But when you really like something your opinion is biased. All of my suggestions are based on facts and numbers, it's a well known fact that the vast majority of users only scan through websites, the majority won't scroll or go deeper than the first page they land on, most users will only scan through images and play videos if available, but at the same time, most of them won't wait for the page to load if your page is slow, etc.

If the MOHO team is making all this bold changes (rebrand the software, increase the price, don't give the usual launch discount, etc.) is for a reason. And I think most likely the reason is they want to target the animation industry and a more professional userbase because their current userbase is not profitable enough. If that's their goal, sticking to the same old website is a mistake, as I think it doesn't do justice to the software's capabilities.

Would you all say that the current website is so perfect you wouldn't change a thing?

You can differ, but don't take this personal.

[Markster]

I think going back to the old name Moho is a good idea. As much as I love the software, the name Anime Studio is a bit misleading. Yes, it can technically do animate, but it was primarily designed for standard animation.

I'm exited for this one, I might upgrade from Pro 9.5 once I get the money.

[Reindeer]

I like the auto-freeze feature very much. Quickens things quite a bit. As far as I can tell it works only with bones but it'd be nice if it would freeze the layer's transition, rotation and scale as well since those are used just as much.

[JaMike]

You think "professional", I think "trendy".

I guess the leaders of the industry are silly, blind, trendsetters then.

I think you have a low opinion of the sort of people who would purchase Moho. In the case where you have two almost identical products (think Coke and Pepsi), people would go with the better looking website. But where you have a unique product (Moho) that clearly is better than the competition in the areas that matter, real people are not taken in by the glitz and glamour.

And if they're having to spend $400 on it, they're not going to let the trendiness of the website put them off.

So, now $400USD are not an impulse price? Wow, you change your mind fast.

I didn't say that at all. If you want to have an intelligent discussion, fine, but don't put words in my mouth.

Here's how things work in 2016.
1. Someone wants something
2. They find someone talking about it on YouTube (because even when you Google something, Google owns YouTube and those results show up)
3. They make their decision based on that
4. They go to the seller's website to buy it (that's when the big Buy button comes in handy)

Ok, now tell me where MOHO stands after you do this "2016 stuff". What kind of things you find if you do your homework and search on Google and YouTube? Do you really think they will get to your 3 and say "Wow, this looks like a professional tool to do serious animation, I'll definitely go and buy this right away, I don't need more reasons to buy".. really?

Er... yes! There's lots of reviews and webinars on Moho. This is how people do things nowadays. They don't trust the cr*p they read on the company websites, they listen to their peers.

I bet you that over the years, Moho has outsold Toon Boom and Spine, probably Maya as well, if you count units and not value.

I'm sorry but this is laughable.

Laughable? Moho was $99 for YEARS when the cheapest Toon Boom product was $250, and the most expensive one was $$$$$$. Then when Debut came out, it was in Walmart - have you any idea how many sales that would generate? And Smith Micro has a lot of other graphic software products, the opportunities for selling to Poser customers are huge, especially with all the offers and discounts they do. Toon Boom might be better known in professional circles, but in terms of real people, who are the market for the website, I'm willing to bet Moho has Toon Boom beat hands down.

Remember, Toon Boom dropped all of their cheap and entry-level software last year. Now, at Moho's price point, they just have a crippled version of their flagship product. They've given up on the hobbyist market.

If that was the case, upsetting your current (huge, if the numbers you imagine were real) userbase with a price increase, retreated upgrade discount and all the things many users have complained here and in other places, would be the most stupid thing a company could do.

I don't agree with the price change, but we're talking about the web site design, and more specifically, whether the design works for the intended market, and whether that has been proved by good sales.

usually you don't change your strategy if you're doing well.

By your logic Toon Boom are in big trouble, then.

most professional animators that I know have either never heard of ASP/MOHO, or have a bad image of it (as an amateurish tool for children to play and make silly videos).

If they hadn't heard of it, they won't have been to the website. And there's nothing on the website that makes it look amateurish. So where are they getting this impression? From looking at YouTube? Did you just prove my earlier point?

Now, I really don't understand how so many felt offended by my criticism to MOHO's site.
...
You can differ, but don't take this personal.

Well maybe it was your "I'm Don Draper" attitude. It sounds a bit condescending. You're talking to a bunch of people who WEREN'T turned off by the website, and a lot of us like Moho because it isn't fake and flashy like those other sites you listed.

Yes, the website can be improved. So could everything else. Is it that important to sales and to people's impression of the software? Clearly not. Have you been to TV Paint's website? It doesn't affect their sales or reputation.

Animators are more discerning than you give them credit for.

[synthsin75]

You're talking to a bunch of people who WEREN'T turned off by the website, and a lot of us like Moho because it isn't fake and flashy like those other sites you listed.

Yes, the website can be improved. So could everything else. Is it that important to sales and to people's impression of the software? Clearly not. Have you been to TV Paint's website? It doesn't affect their sales or reputation.

Animators are more discerning than you give them credit for.

100% agreed. Website presentation means very little when you're spending more than a few hundred dollars, and most people looking to spend money on software (of any kind...other than $2 apps) typically do research on which software will suit their needs.

[rave]

Hi,
perhaps I am stupid – I can not scale Pin Bones – that's it.
In the webinar "What is new in Moho 12", I saw, that Pin Bones was scaled (Cmd + l Mt) – but, if I try it, nothing happens.
In the manual (page 91), I found this: "... You can translate and rotate Pin Bones..." – not scale!?
Does anyone know that?