From what I am seeing, Anime Studio has a weakness in the advertizing department. It seems like a great program that is really not getting the exposure it deserves.
This is the Wikipedia entry for this program.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anime_Studio
This entry was done by an amateur writer and one not very familiar with the program. In addition, a [Toon Boom] troll posted a negative "spam" complaint on the write-up.
If Vern or any of the other gurus on this Forum see something amiss, perhaps you can correct this entry a bit or even a byte. Or maybe the advertizing department at Smith Micro can take care of this problem in perception.
For comparison, one might take a look at the Toon Boom entry in Wikipedia. It looks like their advertizing department knows how to get free advertizing on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toon_Boom_Animation
This entry was done by a professional writer and advertizing expert.
Wikipedia and Anime Studio
Moderators: Víctor Paredes, Belgarath, slowtiger
Hmm...
I don't know if I saw the negative "troll" comment. Everything there looked fairly accurate. However I don't use wikipedia that much and I didn't click all the links. Everything listed under "Restrictions" is true except of course the wma/wav issue someone has.
That comment that seemed very silly to me. WMA is NOT a standard audio format. The fact that that is the "default" export on windows is a failing of windows not AS and it certainly doesn't make lip sync difficult. Audio format has nothing to do with lip sync. I rarely see programs that make a big deal about wma support.
I don't know if I really care about the Wiki for AS to be perfectly honest. I've seen these things before with other programs I use. Everyone thinks the wiki needs to be improved. It's a ton of work. The AS wiki has the links to this forum and to the AS web site which is where you would want to get the good info and download the demo. The general info is pretty accurate if you ask me. Maybe missing a few newer features. Wikipedia even states they are not for "advertising" but information. I suppose it could be expanded further but... there is so little time in the day. You can be sure that other companies pay employees to maintain their own wikis. You can tell from the writing that it was done by the company in a lot of cases. I'm already doing my part here.
Spread too thin the way it is.
Now if this forum or SM forum expanded their web site I would want to be involved. Wikipedia just helps... wikipedia in my opinion. I just don't have the time.
-vern
I don't know if I saw the negative "troll" comment. Everything there looked fairly accurate. However I don't use wikipedia that much and I didn't click all the links. Everything listed under "Restrictions" is true except of course the wma/wav issue someone has.
That comment that seemed very silly to me. WMA is NOT a standard audio format. The fact that that is the "default" export on windows is a failing of windows not AS and it certainly doesn't make lip sync difficult. Audio format has nothing to do with lip sync. I rarely see programs that make a big deal about wma support.
I don't know if I really care about the Wiki for AS to be perfectly honest. I've seen these things before with other programs I use. Everyone thinks the wiki needs to be improved. It's a ton of work. The AS wiki has the links to this forum and to the AS web site which is where you would want to get the good info and download the demo. The general info is pretty accurate if you ask me. Maybe missing a few newer features. Wikipedia even states they are not for "advertising" but information. I suppose it could be expanded further but... there is so little time in the day. You can be sure that other companies pay employees to maintain their own wikis. You can tell from the writing that it was done by the company in a lot of cases. I'm already doing my part here.
Spread too thin the way it is.Now if this forum or SM forum expanded their web site I would want to be involved. Wikipedia just helps... wikipedia in my opinion. I just don't have the time.
-vern
Yeah, it's pretty well known in the scientific community that Wiki is about the best source of misinformation you can find on the web (because most of the entries were done by kids -- ahem, young people -- whose commitment to accuracy is somewhat suspect.
I'd ignore it -- there are much more important things to worry about.
I'd ignore it -- there are much more important things to worry about.
I understand what both of you are saying. And yes, the more intelligent surfers know that Wikipedia is full of misinformation. However, most web surfers don't have your perceptive abilities.
Though sometimes flawed, Wikipedia has some great information. But unfortunately, Wikipedia entries are accepted as the Gosple Truth by the general public and any Google search on any subject will have a wiki entry very high on the list. This being the case, ignoring the effects that Wikipedia entries have on the surfing public is kind of like ignoring the effects that the META TAGS on your web page have for people looking for your web site.
ACCURACY OF INFORMATION IS LESS IMPORTANT, in this case, THAN MULTITUDE OF HITS.
But ACCURATE AND APPEALING INFORMATION, in this case, creates a MULTITUDE OF CLICKS. You want the surfer to click the link to the Smith-Micro site, not to keep surfing from lack of accurate and appealing information.
When potential customers find a weak and less-than-convincing Wiki entry, that "potential" customer becomes a lost sales opportunity. So, no matter how many HITS the Wiki entry gets, the info contained on the AS entry is neither accurate nor convincing. KA-CHING turns into CLUNK, if I may use a cartooning caption here. On the web, you only have a couple of seconds to capture a customer.
Besides, Wikipedia is FREE ADVERTIZING, if used as such. Toon Boom obviously knows how to use that resource as their Wiki entry is so finely crafted. I am not suggesting a piece of commercial spam, merely an accurate and enlightening Wikipedia entry. I am not conversant enough in the AS software, yet, to do anything. But from what I know of the software, it isn't being properly marketed or advertized. As a result, we all suffer because without enough profits, then less money is put into development and upgrades, right?
And Vern, I wasn't suggesting that you, personally, do anything; I was just making a general statement, aimed more at Smith Micro than anybody else. After all, it's their product. Whether they make or lose money on it all comes down to that magic word: Marketing. They've got a great product but what good will it do them if few people buy it?
Though sometimes flawed, Wikipedia has some great information. But unfortunately, Wikipedia entries are accepted as the Gosple Truth by the general public and any Google search on any subject will have a wiki entry very high on the list. This being the case, ignoring the effects that Wikipedia entries have on the surfing public is kind of like ignoring the effects that the META TAGS on your web page have for people looking for your web site.
ACCURACY OF INFORMATION IS LESS IMPORTANT, in this case, THAN MULTITUDE OF HITS.
But ACCURATE AND APPEALING INFORMATION, in this case, creates a MULTITUDE OF CLICKS. You want the surfer to click the link to the Smith-Micro site, not to keep surfing from lack of accurate and appealing information.
When potential customers find a weak and less-than-convincing Wiki entry, that "potential" customer becomes a lost sales opportunity. So, no matter how many HITS the Wiki entry gets, the info contained on the AS entry is neither accurate nor convincing. KA-CHING turns into CLUNK, if I may use a cartooning caption here. On the web, you only have a couple of seconds to capture a customer.
Besides, Wikipedia is FREE ADVERTIZING, if used as such. Toon Boom obviously knows how to use that resource as their Wiki entry is so finely crafted. I am not suggesting a piece of commercial spam, merely an accurate and enlightening Wikipedia entry. I am not conversant enough in the AS software, yet, to do anything. But from what I know of the software, it isn't being properly marketed or advertized. As a result, we all suffer because without enough profits, then less money is put into development and upgrades, right?
And Vern, I wasn't suggesting that you, personally, do anything; I was just making a general statement, aimed more at Smith Micro than anybody else. After all, it's their product. Whether they make or lose money on it all comes down to that magic word: Marketing. They've got a great product but what good will it do them if few people buy it?
Wrong. There is not direct relationship between profits and further development in all the cases. The development ->marketing->profit cycle is not necessarily continuous. If the profit cycle still being good enough, why bore bringing a new version? and the most important: recent customers would be very annoyed if they discover suddenly that his purchase has become obsolete so soon and there is a new version that requires more money. Because the new version will cost more money for old customers right? (and will cost the same for new customers) Meanwhile the profit curve were good enough, the new release won't go to the street. I bet that next version is already designed and they are keeping it on stock for the precise moment.But from what I know of the software, it isn't being properly marketed or advertized. As a result, we all suffer because without enough profits, then less money is put into development and upgrades, right?
So I won't bother on helping SM to do marketing of AS.
-G
That's what makes these Forums so much fun ... lots of opinions and lots of different views on lots of subjects. It makes for a bigger and better world.Genete wrote:Wrong. There is not direct relationship between profits and further development in all the cases. ....So I won't bother on helping SM to do marketing of AS.But from what I know of the software, it isn't being properly marketed or advertized. As a result, we all suffer because without enough profits, then less money is put into development and upgrades, right?
-G
Good software is like a good friend who helps you with your work. It's always fun to introduce good friends with other good friends for a bigger and better society. So, when I find good software, I like to tell everybody about it.
Call it marketing, call it word-of-mouth, call it whatever you like, but it certainly is not a "bother". Please don't call it a "bother", call it friends helping friends to find good software.
Ignoring Wikipedia, this does bring up how AS is marketed.
I'm curious how people find and purchase AS. Even better, how do people find this forum? If I hadn't been around here since Moho days, I don't know that I would be able to find the forum or the product with any sort of ease.
Is Anime Studio advertised anywhere? Visiting Smith Micro's web site doesn't find it without some looking. And I didn't find any links to this forum there either. Sort of a pitiful showing, isn't it?
I'm curious how people find and purchase AS. Even better, how do people find this forum? If I hadn't been around here since Moho days, I don't know that I would be able to find the forum or the product with any sort of ease.
Is Anime Studio advertised anywhere? Visiting Smith Micro's web site doesn't find it without some looking. And I didn't find any links to this forum there either. Sort of a pitiful showing, isn't it?
dm,
I found AS completely by accident -- I was in an Apple store for an issue with my iPhone and as I was waiting I looked through the software rack, which in itself was odd because I don't have a Mac. The package just caught my eye, and I'm always looking at animation software.
It turned out it was the PC version (even odder -- do you sense a larger hand at work here? :>) and I bought it on a whim. So in that respect you're absolutely right -- given that I always look for animation software and had never seen or heard a whiff of AS prior to this.
Once you HAVE AS it's easy to find this forum, as there was (still are?) many links to it in the help menu. So that part isn't an issue.
I found AS completely by accident -- I was in an Apple store for an issue with my iPhone and as I was waiting I looked through the software rack, which in itself was odd because I don't have a Mac. The package just caught my eye, and I'm always looking at animation software.
It turned out it was the PC version (even odder -- do you sense a larger hand at work here? :>) and I bought it on a whim. So in that respect you're absolutely right -- given that I always look for animation software and had never seen or heard a whiff of AS prior to this.
Once you HAVE AS it's easy to find this forum, as there was (still are?) many links to it in the help menu. So that part isn't an issue.
Discovered the Moho program on a $2 Animation Studio tools CD in a Thai Night market. Most of the tools I was familiar with, except Moho. Tried the cracked version, liked it and bought 6 copies for the studio. The productivity jump and quality of animation paid for the investment several times over, just on that first 5 * 13 series. The CEO was very pleased - the cost of equipping the all the animators with Moho was less than 1 Maya licence (of which they had 10), and the 2D team finished the series before the 3D guys had finished one film.dm wrote:Ignoring Wikipedia, this does bring up how AS is marketed.
I'm curious how people find and purchase AS.
We upgraded to AS when eF took over.
Rhoel
I found Moho on the Animation Master forum. Someone posted a link to this forum and I checked it out. Downloaded the demo and in just a few hours I WAS HOOKED FOR LIFE! I remember that giddy feeling in my stomach that I just found the coolest cheapest 2D animation program.
I had just come off of a long and arduous experimental Flash session of trying to do character animation. I even thought of buying one of those "bone" plugins for Flash. I was about to work on a 2D animation and had no idea what to use.
I was almost ready to use Animation Master (it can be done but it's quite a bit harder than using AS) when I found that link to this forum.
----
On the topic of Wikipedia, I use it only for scientific stuff or things that aren't likely to inspire "trolling" or misinformation. I sometimes find math formulas for lua or things like that. Sometimes I look for movie references or filmographies etc.
-vern
I had just come off of a long and arduous experimental Flash session of trying to do character animation. I even thought of buying one of those "bone" plugins for Flash. I was about to work on a 2D animation and had no idea what to use.
I was almost ready to use Animation Master (it can be done but it's quite a bit harder than using AS) when I found that link to this forum.
----
On the topic of Wikipedia, I use it only for scientific stuff or things that aren't likely to inspire "trolling" or misinformation. I sometimes find math formulas for lua or things like that. Sometimes I look for movie references or filmographies etc.
-vern
I bought TB and AS about the same time. Had a few hundred bucks to blow on 2d software. I wanted to switch from the 3d, because nothing I was doing was that original looking- when you buy or find free models. At only one third the price of TB, now I use AS almost all the time.
As to the wiki:
1) Who the hell would be happy with an operating system that can only use one codec to save recording? Vista sucks, trust me, I know.
2) Move Maker is just as reliable as any other MS product. - Do I need to say anything more?
3)As to the gripe about exporting to a video editor. Is there anyone who does a complete animation in the program they are using? I would love to hear how you handle 15 or even 5 minutes of animation in TB, Maya, Hash or any other animation program?
Dale
As to the wiki:
1) Who the hell would be happy with an operating system that can only use one codec to save recording? Vista sucks, trust me, I know.
2) Move Maker is just as reliable as any other MS product. - Do I need to say anything more?
3)As to the gripe about exporting to a video editor. Is there anyone who does a complete animation in the program they are using? I would love to hear how you handle 15 or even 5 minutes of animation in TB, Maya, Hash or any other animation program?
Dale
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synthsin75
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After figuring out that 3D wasn't for me, I found an AIO demo that included Moho, Toon Boom, The Tab, Flipbook, and maybe one or two more. After messing around with all of them, I did a little animating in TB since it was a very straight forward approach to animating (i.e. frame-by-frame). I soon realized that I wouldn't have the time or patience to do FBF.
So I took a second look at Moho, did the tutorials, found this forum, and was sold. Haven't touched anything else since (well except of some lingering thoughts of 3D).
So I took a second look at Moho, did the tutorials, found this forum, and was sold. Haven't touched anything else since (well except of some lingering thoughts of 3D).