Version 5 Announcement

[top_gun_de]

While 4.1 is not junk, it is certainly less evolved than the competition. I paid S3D in April for 4.1 on the assumprion that "we are making great progress" means that it can't be much later. I was wrong. No hard feelings, but disappointment.

In September, I found that Prusaslicer has many Features that I miss in S3D like Intelligent acceleration configuration, which allows me to print good first layers in half the time igbtakes on S3D, while taking advantage of blazing speed on the higher layers where more acveleration is no problem. It also has a system of profiles that is completely logic and transparent to me. Atm, I am much more happy with Prusaslicer than I was with S3D.

S3D 5 might be ahead of Prusaslicer. But after my experience with the current update cycle and lack of commitment for existing customers, S3D will only get a future chance if 5.0 arrives within my one-year upgrade period. I won't spend money to test if they have caught up with a superior free software.

[Omikron]

I don't think 4.1 is crap at all.

The question was if it was worth recommending to a new user. In general, when I purchase commercial software, I expect a certain level of support, ESPECIALLY in circumstances where competition is stiff.

In this case, there seems to be no end to options available for the low low price of FREE.99, and they all compete with each other in varying degrees. I do think S3D is better in a few areas, such as support generation and overall toolpath calculation. However as has been highlighted numerous times, the gap is narrowing because everyone else has had *literal years* to catch up while nothing has advanced on the public front for S3D users.

So for a new user who has yet to shell out $150, my recommendation is different. Past performance has not indicated that they will have any expectation of bugfixes, upgrades, or meaningful support forthcoming. All they would be paying for is the overall cleaner UI, and the aforementioned features I mentioned.

Admittedly this might be worth $150 to some, but probably not to most folks who would bother asking that question.

I am a paid user who's "1 year of free upgrades" has long lapsed. I stopped using S3D as my primary slicer long ago due to deficiencies in material handling and features such as gyroid infill and ironing, but have recently tried to make an effort to see what it would take to make it usable again. I will for the moment put in some effort to see what I can do to make the product more usable for me, but I can not personally recommend it for new users at this time until S3D's behaviors and performance show clear and marked improvement.

S3D-Jake's more frequent responses in the forum are promising and appreciated. The lack of transparency in other key matters, less so.

[RoboDLC]

@Omikron,

You make a good point. There has been no substantial update in well over a year. If they had come out with V5 a while ago, there could have been tons more use behind it and many substantial updates. Some fool at S3D apparently still believes in the "Waterfall Model" of software development, while CURA is clearly following Agile methodologies. Sorry, geeking out there.
Anyway. I too usually use CURA for anything that is elaborate because of Tree Supports, which are a godsend to those of us with complex typologies to print (think prosthetic hand digits) and tabletop gaming miniatures . Trees can bite you on occasion, but usually get really good results with easy to remove support structures. I use S3D when I am making structural parts that need supports, like 3D printer pieces. S3D allows me to orient the part in the manner that makes it strongest and know that my supports will allow the print to come out well. And lets face it, the multi-process model concept is just plain awesome to get special parts done right.

I like printing two-color items using E3D Cyclops and Chimera heads. CURA sucks at multi-color prints because their scripting capabilities and their two-color slicing act so bizarre. (I do not know if 4.7 has improved this yet.) Two-color prints are stupid easy with S3D, and when using custom scripting for tool-changing, S3D creates really good two-color prints.

I tend to perfect settings using S3D because it is an order of magnitude faster in slicing and customizing than CURA. When I find the sweet spot, I then craft a CURA profile. I have tried Mattercontrol and a couple of other slicers and found them very lacking in features, usability and sometimes, network-ability. Simplify3D and CURA are my "go to" slicers. Hey, it is better to have more than one tool in the toolbox right?

So, while I do agree with you and am disappointed as well in S3D's lack of progress and transparency in development, I am still going to recommend it to the newcomer with change in their pocket. It will get you out of the gate and experienced enough to be able to drive CURA in a few months. And S3D does things that no one else does, well.

IMO,
DLC

[troop231]

Any update yet? We're fast approaching the end of the year.

[teamcarlisle]

After Simplify3Ds recent blog post about spending the last year improving their Web Infrastructure, https://www.simplify3d.com/stronger-web ... re-growth/ I half expect the next simplify3d version to be cloud/web-based. And if that happens I'm definitely moving my workflow 100% to ideamaker. I dont want software that fails to run or becomes crippled if the internet is out, or if the companies servers go down or the company closes its doors.

For now though, I still love using S3D and I use it the most because I'm more familiar with it even though most other slicers have blown past it features wise. (I love that Ideamaker has an adaptive infill option) I do find it funny that they made a blog post about all the work they did on the web infrastructure and how its paving the way for the V5 roll out roadmap. But they still refuse to give us any info about the details of this roadmap. And other than liscense activation, what exactly took them an entire year to upgrade as far as webservices for the customer?! And if V5 has been in limbo this whole time because "Several of the most exciting features we are developing require corresponding infrastructure advancements before they can be realized." then why didnt they say so.

[th0mpy]

I find it curious that the post said NOTHING about when it's going to be released. I am pretty sure they have no idea at all, probably wont see it until 2022 at this point. I've lost all faith that they'll produce anything.

I've just pretty much moved completely to Slic3r and have 98% of the features I want. I've also been able to tweak it to a point of getting better prints than in Simplify 3d. More work but less out of pocket cost.

The frustrating thing is that I paid for something that I won't get. No updates at all and I purchased when V5 was to be released within a few months. Now, by all accounts, I will need to repurchase. Really doesn't seems worth it at this point.

[3DNichtVersteher]

Hello, I finally want to know when I can count on version 5. The eternal it comes soon annoying. Now one of the companies could finally say what it looks like with the new version. So slowly but surely I lose patience. So, please give a correct date this time, when the Verion 5 is to be expected.

Greating

Ralf

Translated with Google

[chernogorsky]

<sarcasm>
We are not ready to discloser any information about v5 release date or even its existence.
</sarcasm>

[r0n_dL]

Anything???

[parallyze]

<sarcasm>
We are not ready to discloser any information about v5 release date or even its existence.
</sarcasm>

<cynicism>
Thats great! I'm still busy having a closer look at v4.8.0...
</cynicism>