Will the Sports Ammo Pack be out soon?

[ASU-TV]

Will the Sports Ammo Pack be out any time soon? I was very happy to see the release back in April but my excitement is turning to disappointment. Any update is appreciated.:help:

[Don Ballance]

We are working on finalizing it and it will be out asap.
We need to finish the CG templates and Live Sets first.

[ajstead]

This may be out of place, but I'm wondering if the Sports Ammo Pack will give us content that we can directly import into the Tricaster Pro, or is the 3d Arsenal software required to use the packs?

[Don Ballance]

3D Arsenal is requirered for the Sports Ammo Pack but we will also have the "Live Set Pack" for additional virtual sets and CG templates for sports. These will both work with your TC without 3dA.

[Koinonia]

3D Arsenal is requirered for the Sports Ammo Pack but we will also have the "Live Set Pack" for additional virtual sets and CG templates for sports. These will both work with your TC without 3dA.

Hi Don,

I am glad to know that Newtek decided to include Virtual Sets plug in as part of 3D Arsenal. This put much more value in this product! Please, just let me know what will be included with the upgrade. Also let me know when the upgrade will be available. I want to be the first one to buy it!!!:D

[rbartlett]

I didn't read Don's words as saying that the LiveSet plug-in was going to be provided with 3DA.

More that the options for TriCaster were going to have a Sports Ammo Pak and Sports LiveSet that would both work WITHOUT an owner also requiring 3DA.

So Sports are well covered by the plans by NewTek for TriCaster. No obvious release news for the Sports Ammo Pak for 3DA owners (which is content for use in LW, optionally supplied combined with an older version of LW or with an additional separate purchase of the latest LW). Although it was given quite a lot of verbage at NAB2008 so it is likely to be coming down the pike to our doors at some future point in time.

All this stuff is great 'Wannabe 3D'. Like Express Cuisine!

[ASU-TV]

Although it was given quite a lot of verbage at NAB2008 so it is likely to be coming down the pike to our doors at some future point in time.


Since the announcement about the new Sports Ammo Pack has been on the Newtek home page now for over five months I just hope my door will still be open when it actually arrives. With delays like this I'm starting to question my original budget request for a Tricaster in the next quarter.

[Koinonia]

I didn't read Don's words as saying that the LiveSet plug-in was going to be provided with 3DA.

More that the options for TriCaster were going to have a Sports Ammo Pak and Sports LiveSet that would both work WITHOUT an owner also requiring 3DA.

So Sports are well covered by the plans by NewTek for TriCaster. No obvious release news for the Sports Ammo Pak for 3DA owners (which is content for use in LW, optionally supplied combined with an older version of LW or with an additional separate purchase of the latest LW). Although it was given quite a lot of verbage at NAB2008 so it is likely to be coming down the pike to our doors at some future point in time.

All this stuff is great 'Wannabe 3D'. Like Express Cuisine!

You're right, but in another threat I asked Don if we could use Liveset generator with the 3D Arsenal 2.0 and he told me that it was into discussion. I guess with Live set Pack included in the Sports Ammo Pack this will be possible, so I don't need to upgrade to LW 9.5, just upgrade my 3D Arsenal. I am also planning to buy the Sports Ammo Pack, as I am doing a lot o sports events with my Tricaster Studio 2.0.:thumbsup:

[Don Ballance]

As I said it was a discussion and nothing has been announced about modifying Live Sets in 3DA.

"Live Set Pack Sports" is separate from the "Sports Ammo Pack" for 3D Arsenal and the Live Set pack does not include the LightWave content for modification, only the sets themselves for use in TriCaster.

Right now 9.5 is the way to go for modifying sets. The Sports Ammo pack is due out in 60 to 90 days now behind the CG templates for Sports and the Live Set pack for Sports.

Sets can also be modified using Aura, Mirage (if you own it) or TV Paint. These are 2D packages so no realtime ray traced reflections or shadows. Some of this can be faked though.

[Koinonia]

Understood!
I am just waitting the end of this discussion to decide what I have to do: upgrade to 3DA 2.0 or upgrade to LW9.5. But being able to modify Live Sets in 3DA would be the best solution... at least for me!

[mad1town]

Which sports will be covered? Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Football, and Tennis I hope?

[ASU-TV]

Eight months after the package was announced at NAB there still hasn't been any updates about when the sports ammo pack will be available. Don't loyal customers deserve at least some news about when the product can actually be expected? I think so!

[Don Ballance]

Yes they do!
The final content for the Sports ammo pack is done!
It looks great.
We are workingo on packaging and tutorials now.
I see a Feb release as possible.

There will also be a free update for 3D Arsenal owners giving you new Easy Text with bugs fixed and sizers built in, New scale and shift key scripts for easier spped manipulation and the ability to have the animation hold on the first frame for a specified time. This will be a free patch to be released around the same time as the sports ammo pack.

Sports ammo pack also has a new plugin called Gunsmith for easier texturing in 3DA and we are considering redoing all 3DA objects to take advantage of this new technology.

I know it has been a long road to get here but 3D A enhancements are almost here.

Please hang on and you will be happy.

Thank You for all your support and patience up to this point.

Don Ballance

[ASU-TV]

Thanks for the update! I eagerly await the release with money in hand. I'm also in the market for a Tricaster and will be reviewing some of the discussions in that forum.

[Verlon]

February release date still going to happen?

Gunsmith sounds interesting, can you tell us more?

[Verlon]

1 week left in February. Any news?

Also, since there still isn't a 3DA registration system, how will a patch work? How will that planned "agressive upgrade" work if 3DA 2.0 is still coming? Is 3DA 2.0 still coming, or is it just 1.5 now? If it is 1.5, will it be free? If not how much?

I know Newtek has a lot going on, but it seems that getting news about 3DA or SpeedEdit is like pulling teeth. Seeing those entire forum sections go days without a post is disheartening.

Seeing the release deadline go wooshing by without an update is equally frustrating.

[SBowie]

I know Newtek has a lot going on, but it seems that getting news about 3DA or SpeedEdit is like pulling teeth.It's not my place to deal with these questions, Verlon, but I'll stick my neck out and first say I'm sorry it has evidently dragged on longer than anyone hoped.

Without saying anything I shouldn't, I think I can mention that I'm pretty certain everyone really expected it to appear earlier. It has seemed close more than once. However the product has undergone many beneficial revisions over these intervening months, even quite recently. It's definitely not on a 'back-burner'. It's not a simple product though, given the need to support multiple versions of LW and multiple platforms too, and even small changes have a way of cascading.

I sincerely hope it is not much longer now, and have reason to think most of the hurdles have been jumped, though no promises. At this late date and from my personal perspective only, a February release seems iffy. (Maybe I'm wrong, I hope so.) Again, I'm speaking a bit out of turn, but here I sit with my Sunday morning coffee in hand and I sympathize.

[Verlon]

Steve,

I appreciate the response. More than anything, I am frustrated by the fact the Newtek hasn't said the same thing. Originally, this was a Q108 release with references to "coming soon" going back into early '07, and Q109 is slipping fast.

Having someone post "Hey, we're trying to keep it compatible with new Lightwave updates, and we're going to miss the deadline, but the content guys are coming up with even more stuff so it will be an even better release!" or something like that shouldn't be that much to ask.

Maybe throw in a couple of screenshots or something so that people know that the update they are waiting on isn't parked at the end of the line behind LW Core, VT6, 3Play, and Tricaster HD.

[SBowie]

I could say I am really, really, really sorry, and that it's true a lot of people are really, really, really busy (what with other projects, shows, yadda, yadda) and so on - but you have a pretty good grasp I think.

Fact is, I've thought it was pretty much done a few times myself, and then it's been revised and enhanced in meaningful ways. I'm quite sure Don felt exactly the same way when he wrote his post at the end of December, and there's no desire other than to make it as good as possible and then get it out the door asap. From where I sit, there is not a great deal left for that to happen, but I've thought that once or twice before. It's tempting to go out on a limb and speculate, but it's not my place to either do that or make promises.

The only good part of all this is that it is, in my personal view, a better package now than it would have been if released even a month ago.

[ASU-TV]

It's been almost a year since the press release announcing the sports Ammo Pack (see www.newtek.com home page).

Will I at least be able to purchase it at NAB THIS year?

[Don Ballance]

I know it has been a long wait.
Thank You for your patience.
We are working very hard on finalizing the installer and we hope to be selling this product by NAB of this year 2009.

It will be worth the wait.

[Verlon]

I would certainly love to see the update.

[lvsoule]

I just ordered the Sports Ammo Pack at Computerwise, but they didn't say that it wasn't available yet. Can anyone confirm- I'm excited to see them- are they pretty cool?

thanks
-Larry

[SBowie]

I just ordered the Sports Ammo Pack at Computerwise, but they didn't say that it wasn't available yet. Can anyone confirm- I'm excited to see them- are they pretty cool? I won't confirm anything about shipping, but I'll mention that last I heard there had been a slight name change, and yes - they are very cool (and nicely organized).

[Don Ballance]

Gunsmith is now called Easy Surface and it is really cool.
Works by adding extensions to surface names so ES will recognize it.
Then you can change color or stand in image with still or video without having to enter the surface panel at all. It's great for those not experienced with LW.

[Don Ballance]

We are finishing up the installer and release should be soon.

[ASU-TV]

It was one year ago tomorrow (April 14th) when the press release came out announcing the sports ammo pack. I can't tell you how interested I'll be when/if it finally gets released.

[Verlon]

We are finishing up the installer and release should be soon.

Bah! I liked Gunsmith better than Easysurface as a name. :devil:

Anything resembling an actual release date? Full feature list? Pricing? Maybe even a screenshot or two? If it is all done but the packaging, these types of things seem like they should be in existence.

[Speedy_Sticks]

Is it possible to have easy text accessible from Lightwave without going into modeller?

Is it possible to merge scenes?

Is it possible to add things like cubes to a scene?

Cheers

James S Welling
news@transportradio.co.uk

[Verlon]

Is it possible to have easy text accessible from Lightwave without going into modeller?


Probably not due to how Lightwave itself works.


Is it possible to merge scenes?


You know, I've honestly never tried this so I can't say, but its a Lightwave issue, not a Sports Ammo Pack one.


Is it possible to add things like cubes to a scene?



It is already, even without the pack.

[Verlon]

We are finishing up the installer and release should be soon.


Is there an update on "soon?" Its been a few weeks.

[ASU-TV]

Is there an update on "soon?" Its been a few weeks.

Actually it has been over a year since the sports ammo pack was announced.

[Verlon]

Yes, but the last thing from Newtek was "we are finalizing the installer."

Still nothing though. I wonder what the real problem is.

[rbartlett]

I hope they are adding to it, easing such things as fixing menus that have been meddled with without having to repeat the (originally somewhat manual) re-install process, or providing training. If not those, it would be good to think that they were too busy using the tool themselves so as to have no capacity to finish the new box and get it shipped? If the latter is the case, don't let Jim know!

[ASU-TV]

We are finishing up the installer and release should be soon.

I need to know the definition of "soon" because my dictionary apparently has the wrong entry. :D

[Verlon]

I need to know the definition of "soon" because my dictionary apparently has the wrong entry. :D

I am saying......even my wife wouldn't mis-use "soon" like that.

[Don Ballance]

Yesterday I saw the shipping department putting serial numbers on finished 3D Content Packs for sports and shipping them out the door. They are done and shipping.

Sorry for the delay.

[ASU-TV]

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!! My new fiscal year starts next week and the money is ready to be spent. Count me in!:thumbsup:

[Verlon]

Yesterday I saw the shipping department putting serial numbers on finished 3D Content Packs for sports and shipping them out the door. They are done and shipping.

Sorry for the delay.

So is there a release date?

Will it be in time for this school sports season?

[rs402931]

IT's OUT. Received few days ago. I ordered directly from NewTek.

Haven't had too much time with it yet but looks great.

Bob S