No more Autodesk Visualization Award?

[Kevin Thorp]

Posted by a teacher in the general forum:

"Autodesk will retire both the Visualization Award and the Inventor Award in order to introduce the Excellence in Design Award (with expanded software options)."

Can anyone confirm this? I wonder what it means? Will there be one contest and teams can use whatever Autodesk product they want (Inventor, 3ds Max, Maya) to create their entries?

I hope we find out some details before the Kickoff.

[Chris is me]

It's on Bill's Blog. No idea what it means for animation.

[Koko Ed]

I know it's complete blasphemy to my fellow animators but I truly hopes this brings legitimacy to the use of the program.
I always felt the animation competition was completely separate from what the team was doing and thus was hardly relevant to FIRST. Hopefully they will do something that actually ties into what goes on with the design process and presentation about what the team is actually doing. I truly hope that's what FIRST has in mind.

[J93Wagner]

Originally Posted by Kevin342

"...Excellence in Design Award (with expanded software options)."

I believe that this means using AutoCAD and related 3d Modeling software to show how effective the software can be...

I really can't guess more than that, but I starting to get excited for the new portions of the 2010 game manual that will come out.

DISCLAIMER: This is only an opinion, please don't go spouting anything I say off as a sort of fact.

[Rob Colatutto]

I am guessing they mean to allow submissions of CAD models from Pro/Engineer and Solidworks to be eligible for the new award.

[/edit] see this post http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=78929 [/edit]

[MasterRobot]

I'm not sure about Solidworks or ProEngineer because it seems that Autodesk is pulling out all the stops in allowing most of their engineering software to be available for FIRST. I believe that because we're now allowed so much more Autodesk software, we may be limited to what is on FirstBase

As for visualization, it seems quite sad, but it seems that there will still be something for animations (not necessarily the people who do CAD) to do. Why would Autodesk give Maya and 3ds Max when they wont be useful? I guess they are only 6 month licences...but to use the software only for Safety Animation would be a waste. Hopefully Autodesk has another animation contest (besides CAD) that can let animations continue to produce animations.

[Kevin Thorp]

Maybe Autodesk will post a design challenge and allow teams to use whatever Autodesk software they want (3ds Max, Maya, Inventor, Autocad, Revit, etc.) to create their entry. I assume all these programs will be available free to FRC teams.

If you have a strong animation team you'll use Max or Maya. If you have a strong CAD group you'll use Inventor or Autocad. Or (and I'll bet this is what Autodesk is hoping for) the sub teams will work together on a project, the way professional engineering & marketing groups work together.

It might be a good idea to learn a little more about how CAD & visualization software can work together. Or more importantly, how the CAD & visualization sub-teams can work together.

But I'm just guessing here. Autodesk will be posting more "hints" as we get closer to the Kickoff.

[Lil' Lavery]

This isn't the first time this has happened...

[Dancin103]

Well this is interesting. I would love to see the details and hear the reasoning behind this one. It sounds as though they are trying to emphasize more on the "Inventor" portion of the old Autodesk awards and do away with the actual animation of it all, or maybe they will make it geared towards still 3D modeling and animation of your robot. If any of what I just said makes sense.

Cass

[Andrew Schreiber]

Or maybe we should wait for details before flying off the handle? Yes BB said there would be a restructuring but that was all. Wait until the Awards section comes out and THEN make a call for the reasoning.

[Ted Boardman]

>>Or maybe we should wait for details before flying off the handle? Yes BB said there would be a restructuring but that was all. Wait until the Awards section comes out and THEN make a call for the reasoning.<<

Hi All,

Andrew has the right idea here. There are changes coming, but nothing is cast in stone yet, so it would be premature to speculate too much.

You will be able to compete with Inventor, Max, or Maya.

Now, having said that, please don't hound me for details, but stay tuned to www.autodesk.com/first for announcements.

Thanks for your patience.

P.S. I will be trying to monitor this site this year to help with 3ds Max related topics. I don't use Maya or Inventor, though.

Later
Ted

[inventor_phild]

Hi All,

Just adding onto Ted's posting. I will also be monitoring the site this year and will provide help on Inventor related topics.

Phil

[Madison]

My team's experience has been that the Autodesk Visualization Award provides a fantastic, creative outlet for team members that are uninterested in or intimidated by more technical work.

I hope that, whatever changes come, some consideration is given to the success that the program has had in the past by engaging students' creative goals and technology simultaneously.

I love CAD work, but it's not for everyone and I'd hate to see that, by eliminating the awards recognizing these unique skills, y'all ascribe higher value to one over the other.

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Lil' Lavery

This isn't the first time this has happened...

Well, at least the wording is a little different this time around. To retire an award shows a respect for the historic aspects of it with regard to previous competitions. That's always nice.

[ChrisH]

Autodesk will retire both the Visualization Award and the Inventor Award in order to introduce the Excellence in Design Award (with expanded software options).

It sounds to me like they are putting more emphasis on CAE (Computer Aided Engioneering) than what we have seen as classical animation. It is very possible to animate your robot designs using Inventor. I used the capability a couple of times to show robot concepts.

It sounds like this new competition is focused more on designing the robot you want and figuring out how to make it work before you start building.