Isotropix could have discontinued Clarisse

Isotropix could have discontinued Clarisse

Tuesday, April twenty fifth, 2023 | Posted by Jim Thacker

 
The way forward for format, lighting and rendering software program Clarisse and its Angie renderer are unsure, with developer Isotropix limiting entry to its website and eradicating official social media accounts.

Person feedback on the Isotropix Discord server recommend that gross sales of latest licences have ended, and that whereas present licences will stay legitimate indefinitely, the software program will solely obtain bugixes any further.

A set dressing, look growth and rendering device used at main VFX amenities
Combining options of standard renderers, compositors and DCC instruments, Clarisse is designed to allow artists to develop heavy manufacturing scenes whereas interacting frequently with the ultimate picture.

First launched in 2012, the software program carved out a distinct segment in high-end visible results, and has been used at a variety of main amenities, together with ILM and DNEG.

The final main model, Clarisse 5.0, was launched in 2021, though the software program has continued to obtain updates since then, with Clarisse 5.0 SP11b launched earlier this month.

Clarisse 5.5, a parallel construct of the software program that features Angie, Isotropix’s much-anticipated hybrid CPU/GPU renderer, was launched in late 2021, though Angie has not but left early entry.

Product web site now in login mode, and social media channels suspended
Final week, Isotropix put its website into login-only mode, with present hyperlinks to its on-line retailer, product documentation and discussion board now returning 404 errors.

The corporate’s Twitter and Facebook accounts have been eliminated, as have all the posts from its LinkedIn profile.

On the time of writing, the Isotropix YouTube channel remains to be obtainable, though the movies exhibiting Angie and upcoming options have been eliminated.

Not being offered or actively developed, though bugfixes will proceed?
In response to a remark on this Reddit thread, Isotropix has been calling customers to say that growth of Clarisse and Angie has ended.

“From what they mentioned to us, they may shift in direction of one other alternative and that the present line of software program is just not going to obtain any new options with [the] exception of bugfixes.”

“After 31 October, all license[s] will change into like a lifetime subscription (however free) and they’ll present [tools] emigrate [existing licences to other] {hardware}.”

The remark solely reveals the Redditor’s person title, however judging from posts on the Isotropix Discord server, they’re a pipeline developer at a French VFX facility that makes use of Clarisse.

On Discord, different artists say that they’ve acquired related calls to say that gross sales of latest licences of Clarisse have already ended and that development of the software has stopped, other than bugfixes.

Current upkeep contracts will not be extended after 31 October 2023.

Curiously, different comments on Discord recommend that Isotropix itself is just not closing down, and has not been purchased by one other firm.

We’ve contacted Isotropix to ask whether or not the Discord posts are correct, and if it may well present any extra details about its future plans, and can replace if we hear again.

 
Visit the Isotropix Discord server
(The posts about the way forward for Clarisse are within the casual-chat channel)

Tags: Angie, animation, Clarisse, Clarisse 5.0, Clarisse 5.5, Clarisse iFX, growth stopped, discontinued, Isotropix, lighting, look growth, lookdev, upkeep contract, rendering, shot format, suspended, vfx, visible results