V5 disappointments

[s3030150]

I share the disappointment. When I saw V5, I was thinking "oh yeah well, someone has woken up finally". Then during a boredom I have tried to log in and see the downloads and i saw the upgrade to V5 is paid, while they ask more than 50% of the original price while reducing the number of the seats.

Buying S3D was a mistake, I can see that clearly. I wanted to support the guys in doing a good job even if S3D was available patched without having to pay for anything. I simply wanted to show my respect and pay. Then they stopped releasing anything for years, I thought they have bankrupted, or something. Now they come with V5 and ask for money from the people that have already paid. No, thanks. Complete disappointment

I am using Prusaslicer since S3D 4.0.1. Prusa also ignores many feature requests, but we can at least see a development, releases ... I really loved some of S3D features, but this attitude is a disrespect.

Well, Simplify3D, I wish you the same you do to your paying customers. Shame on you

[cbarry]

I don't have auto-leveling, and rely on the 'Bed Leveling Wizard' to help with that. It's not available anymore (unless they hid it somewhere). I have to start up v4 and use it there. Bummer is, after starting that up, V5 won't start again unless I log out and back in. It just sits there with high CPU consumption but never starts otherwise.

[Larry45]

I requested a refund on my V5 "upgrade"

If he does not reactivate

USB live view
The number of licenses has 2
Macros
Wire speed and throughput

I will not buy the license.

[RoboDLC]

??? first layer parameters??? Sure you can set individual speeds, thickness, heights. Look at the Layers tab,,right side!

But not flow.

DLC

Yes, you can ... via "Assign settings to categories" option. Did so for multiple materials and working fine ...

But _STILL_ not flow. I can set the flow rate for just the first layer in other slicers.
And, I don't want to tweak it for a material or a quality, or process, I want it for a model.
The only way to do it now (or with your method) is to create an entire process with my chosen extrusion multiplier and assign it to layer one only. Doable, but rigid and has to be done for each type of material or printer that I would use.
Oh, and yeah, I can sort of do that by adjusting the Z offset such that it squishes layer one. But that is NOT what I want because that will modify all layers unless, again, I create a custom process for each material I use for the first layer only.
Not convenient for something I do all the time with other slicers.

But, maybe, there is a way to do that in scripts? Yeah, I bet, BUT again, that means a custom modification to any process that I would use a particular material or on a particular printer.
Again, a heavy handed approach when all I want is to customize that first layer for models with lots of islands or other features that create a problem for the print.

be well,
DLC

[RetroDesign3D]

My understanding is that they had to re-write most if not all of S3D (reasons unknown to me) so I get why it took so long, , and I can tell some things are working better under the hood, but some things are a bit frustrating

#1. I want to be grandfathered into having two seats in my License. I mean why take away from those who actually waited YEARS then paid for the upgrade? I had it on a travel laptop that I could use anywhere while on the road for profile adjustments , or just anywhere at the home base too.. and one in the desktop machine dedicated in the printer space. Now I cannot have it on the laptop.. I have been PUNISHED for my loyalty.. red in the face on this and wont recommend s3d until / unless corrected.

#2. Scripting engine boasts power and such, but they havent bothered to put out any documents for it! what?!

#3. All the basic features you would of expected to have been added before boasting the most powerful, easy to use, and with the most "control" of any other slicer in your ad.

#4. While better than pre v5, the support could be more responsive in the message board. I have seen my #2 a few times around here and the only comment I saw was "they are working on docs for scripting variables" that was a long time ago.. docs are typically released WITH software, a variable list could be released with very little effort at all.

[TomOH]

The whole version 5 is a bad joke. Usability down the drain, all that seems to have happened is replacing the icons, making the UI more kids friendly and removal of useful functionality. Unbelievable that tis POS is being sold as an improvement.

[RoboDLC]

My understanding is that they had to re-write most if not all of S3D (reasons unknown to me) so I get why it took so long, , and I can tell some things are working better under the hood, but some things are a bit frustrating

#1. I want to be grandfathered into having two seats in my License. I mean why take away from those who actually waited YEARS then paid for the upgrade? I had it on a travel laptop that I could use anywhere while on the road for profile adjustments , or just anywhere at the home base too.. and one in the desktop machine dedicated in the printer space. Now I cannot have it on the laptop.. I have been PUNISHED for my loyalty.. red in the face on this and wont recommend s3d until / unless corrected.

#2. Scripting engine boasts power and such, but they havent bothered to put out any documents for it! what?!

#3. All the basic features you would of expected to have been added before boasting the most powerful, easy to use, and with the most "control" of any other slicer in your ad.

#4. While better than pre v5, the support could be more responsive in the message board. I have seen my #2 a few times around here and the only comment I saw was "they are working on docs for scripting variables" that was a long time ago.. docs are typically released WITH software, a variable list could be released with very little effort at all.

Yeah,

They moved stuff around, took out some things that were useful, I can't see that they really added anything of merit. And not one single thing that anyone else asked for has been added. Not one.
Kind of like taking a photo album, removing some pictures, photo-shopping the rest and releasing it as something new. Disappointing.

Kinda sad really.
DLC

[TomOH]

I am sure that this pathetic excuse of an upgrade will break them for good. How can somebody sell such a pile of crap as an "upgrade"??

[RoboDLC]

I am sure that this pathetic excuse of an upgrade will break them for good. How can somebody sell such a pile of crap as an "upgrade"??

Keep things in perspective. S3D is not a pile of crap. It is actually a very good slicer. Whatever has changed under the covers to enable future enhancements, it did not deliver on providing anything new. So with nothing new, it is not an upgrade for the customer, it is just refactored code with no value added. Taking away a critical feature like “two seats” for a license was incredibly stupid. That made it a “downgrade”.

S3D people: rescind that decision and apologize and you may save the company (if your next drop includes something that is actually new). I have been in the software industry for twenty years, you “did” just about every “don’t” in the book with release 5. No smiling child or cute puppy will save you here.

Be well,
DLC

[SimpleScott]

Keep things in perspective. S3D is not a pile of crap. It is actually a very good slicer. Whatever has changed under the covers to enable future enhancements, it did not deliver on providing anything new. So with nothing new, it is not an upgrade for the customer, it is just refactored code with no value added. Taking away a critical feature like “two seats” for a license was incredibly stupid. That made it a “downgrade”.

Very well stated. Prior to 2022, I sold a lot of seats for s3d because I recommended it to everyone over Cura and Slice3r. And it still has merit. BUT... The long silence, the interminable delay of v5, the failure to extend free upgrades to people who bought v4 while being told "v5 is imminent, so you'll get a free upgrade (which turned out to be false), and the practical downgrade of licensing terms have all combined to sour my view of S3D both as a product and a company.

As a result, I transitioned to PrusaSlicer. It is being aggressively (and transparently) improved, and has the benefit of being open source. It would take a pretty big miracle to bring me back to S3D, as I just no longer trust the company after their behavior the last couple years.