V5 disappointments

[RoboDLC]

No direct support for Octoprint.
No direct support for Duet.
Manual networking does not work, can't customize communication.
Lost ability to custom build support pattern.
My upgrade is only for one seat, V4 has two seats. It is not cool to take something away.
Still doesn't have tree supports.
Says there are custom support shapes, for the life of me I can't find where you can do that.
Still can't define special extrusion rate for layer one, only height and width.
Still no instruction manual or help for custom scripting parameters and coding. STILL!!! Do we have to do another string search?
Neat new scripting abilities. Too bad they don't tell us what they are or how to use them.
Guides are still V4, nothing new.
Quick start guide on Help menu does nothing.

There are a bunch of cool new things, that everyone else already has (in many cases), but because there is no documentation about how to use them, they are more frustrating than useful. I will have to see if I can still use the clunky post-processing networking scripts.
If anyone has decoded how to use some of the new features effectively, I'm all "ears".

I am disappointed, I expected better after waiting three years. Still, faster and easier to use then any of the others, but behind the times WRT networking support. I will give it a whirl, I have 14 days to get a refund.

<UPDATE>
Pros
V5 is a LOT more accurate about how long a print will take. I _seem_ to be getting fewer nits on a print, but I'll have to try side-by-side to confirm that.
Cons
You can no longer load up the build plate with parts and choose only the part that you want to print.
You can no longer have several instances of S3D running at the same time to different printers and projects. They interfere with each other.
V5 remembers the same folder location for both gcode you save and files you import. They used to be separate.

<Update 2>
You can still load up the build plate and pick the parts you want to build, but you have to edit the process settings to do it.

I am still not feeling the love. This feels like it was not tested well and rushed out the door, three years late.



DLC

[zemlin]

I was also expecting to see a LOT more after all this time - and yes, some of what they list as new features seem to be very well hidden from the user.

[Dr_MaRV]

Thanks for your posts, this is saving me from buying S3D v5. I've buyed v4 two years ago, shortly before it came quiet around S3D and users thought it's just a letterbox company.
Now, with two yeas delay S3D v5 is out and I ask, what did they done all the time? The new features are not unique and still implemented for years and moth in other slicers e.g. Cura. Cura is free to use, not $199 or $69 as upgrade.
I started over with Cura 1,5 years ago and now I'm really used to it. They can keep their S3D v5, I stay on Cura.
Best example how to destroy a former good software within short time and scare away his customers.

[wirlybird]

I am also a little disappointed. Some nice new features but they also broke a bunch of stuff that worked ok.

[ptegler]

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

[Idefix]

Says there are custom support shapes, for the life of me I can't find where you can do that.

Only place I found is: import custom support stl as model -> right click on the model -> change model type -> custom support
So yes, you can use custom supports but that means you need to draw it up externally, import and then define as support in S3D.


Overall looking at the features and what I got for my 59 USD upgrade fee: massively underwhelmed.......feels like a minor update only - but happy to be convinced otherwise. @S3D, a roadmap update might help generate some confidence for your user base (assuming there is more to come in V5.....)

[wachovius]

Dissapointed as well ... none of the new features is worth to upgrade price with reduced number of licenses ... after 2 days of testing I return my license and stick with V4 (and other slicers who offer significant improvements and are definitely faster adding new stuff).

[wirlybird]

Says there are custom support shapes, for the life of me I can't find where you can do that.

Only place I found is: import custom support stl as model -> right click on the model -> change model type -> custom support
So yes, you can use custom supports but that means you need to draw it up externally, import and then define as support in S3D.


Overall looking at the features and what I got for my 59 USD upgrade fee: massively underwhelmed.......feels like a minor update only - but happy to be convinced otherwise. @S3D, a roadmap update might help generate some confidence for your user base (assuming there is more to come in V5.....)

I think the custom support thing is a waste. Why not add tree supports?
If I build supports into my model then I don't need to fuss with them in the slicer, they are already good to go.

I am underwhelmed also. As in the past they broke a number of things that worked fine.
There are some good additions but I'd look at most of them as something you'd get in an update rather than a long waited upgrade.

However, since I use S3D for most of my production printers I will be happy to see V5 be stable and produce good prints. And hope this opens the door for new features that matter.

[nexy33]

2 SEAT TO 1 SEAT after all this time when i bought i was told v5 was on the horizon bought it just to see ill be sticking with prusa as v2.6 will have organic supports nearly 5 years late how many were in the team that wrote it 1 working a 2 day week ?

[RoboDLC]

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

But not flow.

DLC