S3D-Jason
Posts: 1383
Joined: Sun May 31, 2015 6:01 am

S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

As promised, we wanted to post a quick update to let everyone know how things are coming with the next software release. Our team is hard at work finishing Version 4.1, and we hope to have it completed within the next month. This release has taken longer than normal due to the major foundational changes that we are working on for the product. We are working on some VERY ambitious plans for the software, so a lot of our work is going towards these major features that will be coming in the future. Although developing these big features requires time, it is going to allow us to make some major step-change improvements to the software, so it is an important step to continue advancing the state of 3D printing software.

Version 4.1 has also offered quite a few challenges of its own. Many of the features that were selected for this release required widespread changes to the software. Two good examples are increased accuracy for print time estimates and improved multi-extrusion capabilities. Those both took a significant amount of effort to implement, but we know they are very important to our customers and to the future of the product. Everyone is working hard to finish the last few remaining items for the release, and again, we are planning to have everything completed within the next month.

We are extremely excited for what's coming in future versions of Simplify3D, and we will be sure to post more information on Version 4.1 as it gets closer.

As always, thank you for your support and keep those feature ideas coming! Our developers constantly read and review the ideas on this forum, so it's a great way to make sure your ideas are heard!
timothyz
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 10:59 am

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

major foundational changes that we are working on for the product.
We are working on some VERY ambitious plans for the software, so a lot of our work is going towards these major features that will be coming in the future. Although developing these big features requires time, it is going to allow us to make some major step-change improvements to the software, so it is an important step to continue advancing the state of 3D printing software.
This is what we've been waiting for, thanks for the update.

I'm sure the community would appreciate it, and it would drive confidence if we could see updates like this (maybe with a brief bullet point list of the current things being worked on) at least once a month? You could maybe turn it into a "development blog" that would allow for user comments and suggestions in a more dynamic fashion.

Regardless, good to hear that there are some big changes going on behind the scene, thanks again for the update.
nsarzyns
Posts: 18
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2015 12:49 pm

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

@S3D-Jason

Thank you for posting an update!! It will mean a lot to both people whom already purchased Simplify3D and those that are prospective license holders. I myself am quite glad to see this update. I should probably apologize for any negativity I stated towards the Simplify3D team. I'm a developer myself and I do understand that at times timelines are underestimated or unplanned things occur and seeing this update, put a good foot forward.

I'm looking forward to 4.1! I do have a question though, do you think the Simplify3D team would be open to posting updated like you did on a monthly basis or even every other month? I'm sure a few sentence is all the community will need to excite themselves over what may come next.

I hope the rest of the development goes smoothly!
arhi
Posts: 483
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2016 5:13 pm

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

S3D-Jason wrote: Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:52 am As promised, we wanted to post a quick update to let everyone know how things are coming with the next software release. Our team is hard at work finishing Version 4.1, and we hope to have it completed within the next month. This release has taken longer than normal due to the major foundational changes that we are working on for the product
foundational changes usually mean the major number goes up so maybe 5.0? not that it matters, you can call it AAX if you like but it's kinda expected that fundamental / core changes get the major number up while minor changes and bugfixes get the minor number up .. (in A.B.C versioning A is fundamental changes, B is new features, C is bugfixes)

S3D-Jason wrote: Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:52 am We are working on some VERY ambitious plans for the software, so a lot of our work is going towards these major features that will be coming in the future. Although developing these big features requires time, it is going to allow us to make some major step-change improvements to the software, so it is an important step to continue advancing the state of 3D printing software.
I read this post 3 times and apart from "we are working on many things" there's nothing there :( ... one can write same thing about any product at any moment in time and it will be true but not revealing nothing ... how about a teaser, what are the top 3 new features? is there an API so we can extend sw ourselves? support for 3d mouse maybe :D new infill's? better / smoothier layer height control? better corners? better g-code preview? velocity painting? perimeter width painting? ... don't get me wrong, every feature, no matter how small, is welcome and every improvement and ... but "we are working on many things" really does not say anything, shooting a teaser with some images before/after etc.. would go a long way to calm the minds and provoke more interest in s3d
S3D-Jason wrote: Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:52 am Two good examples are increased accuracy for print time estimates and improved multi-extrusion capabilities. Those both took a significant amount of effort to implement, but we know they are very important to our customers and to the future of the product.
accuracy for print time is a very small thing very simple with public domain code you could just take and use... I hope you added ability in to s3d to manipulate acceleration, junction deviation and jerk settings to get higher quality prints.... the "multi extrusion" now supports this modern N in 1 systems like what prusa is shooting out, Y spliters, diamonds ?
S3D-Jason wrote: Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:52 am Everyone is working hard to finish the last few remaining items for the release, and again, we are planning to have everything completed within the next month.
I'm sure this was mentioned many times before but the institution of ALFA and BETA release to those interested to test "half baked product" before release can get you way way way closer to your community compared to where you are now..
gcodestat integrates with Simplify3D and allow you to
Calculate print time accurately (acceleration, max speed, junction deviation all taken into consideration)
Embed M117 codes into G-Code
Upload your G-Code directly to Octoprint
open source and unlicence
S3D-Jason
Posts: 1383
Joined: Sun May 31, 2015 6:01 am

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

@timothyz @nsarzyns

That's a great idea and thanks for the positive feedback. I'll try to encourage more frequent status updates so that we can keep everyone informed on what's coming in the future.
mroek
Posts: 148
Joined: Mon Oct 26, 2015 1:47 pm

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

S3D-Jason wrote: Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:52 am Everyone is working hard to finish the last few remaining items for the release, and again, we are planning to have everything completed within the next month.
Could you please clarify what is meant by "next month"? Does it mean a month from day of posting, within the current month (August), or by the end of next month (September)?

And while I am happy that you at least posted something, it didn't say much. Your customers would really appreciate a bit more details on what is coming, if indeed the upcoming version contains more than the two improvements that you mentioned (print times and multi-extrusion). The very modest increase in version number indicates only minor changes (as is customary in the software industry), but that is of course your choice. If this is indeed a big update, I think many customers will be very happy.
mzpx
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2018 11:59 am

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

Is it possible to read a list of new feature for 4.1 instead of "big changes" ? :)
Maybe I was not carefully read the posts enough, but I did not find any specific points.
Thanks!!!
mischl
Posts: 32
Joined: Thu May 18, 2017 2:10 pm

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

a lot written, but not said much...
most adresses something somewhen. I don't know much more now, sounds very marketing like.

If this is the kind of information it does not make any sense to me.
SusiT140V
Posts: 52
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 5:12 pm

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

I really REALLY want to be positive, especially as there is now a presence on the forum from the S3D guys (Hi!), but I have seen this kind of 'announcement' too many times from other companies in the past.
Like Micro$oft at E3 2013 where excitement got the better of them and announced the 'XBOX One Home Video Recorder' that nearly destroyed the console.
Or is it just another a marketing placeholder - "Watch this space" (AKA - don't abandon us)?

However, I do welcome this new approach towards a new era of enlightenment with open arms, and hope it is neither of the above, but a genuine move away from the way the business has been run to date. This would be a major step towards improving user confidence in the Team and the future of the S3D software.

As I work as a support technician for a major UK filament company, I need to keep familiar with new releases of S3D, so I can say with confidence that my custom is assured for the foreseeable future.
In the Real World, I now use Cura for most of my slicing as IMHO, it has greatly surpassed S3D in its general slicing capabilities. I now just 'shadow-slice' with S3D (and Slic3r), just to keep my hand in with the software.
Knowing what I know of S3D in its current form, would I buy it for myself?
Probably not.

I used to recommend S3D to our customers on a daily basis - I have not done this for at least six months now.
IMHO, it currently is not worth the money.
It has a few advantages such as the reasonably-logical workflow, and processes are extremely powerful, but some basic stuff - like the support options are somewhat lacking - setting manual supports can be a nightmare on objects with complex geometry, and the profile system is just awful when you have many different machines involved. (Saving that info in the Registry was just not cool either)


This really isn't meant to be a rant, it's an honest reflection of how I feel as an S3D customer of nearly two years.
I truly hope that the lack of engagement from the S3D management is now over forever and I can start feeling positive about the worth of the software once more.

A lack of substance, in what amounts to a "We're still alive - Jam Tomorrow!" announcement, totally lacking in any substance, at the moment is just looking like a slap of paint over the cracks of the old mismanagement of the customer base.
Hence, I am cynical.

The Simplify3D software has so much potential, so please PLEASE prove me wrong.
nuroo
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 1:54 pm

Re: S3D Development Update - Aug 2018

Yea where's the beef??? This update says nothing but we're working on things.

+1 Cura has surpassed S3D, and they are actively updating with new features and fixing bugs.

The processes for different objects in S3D are great. Custom supports, I love. But haven't seen an update or any new features in more the 6 months.

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