Please bring back perpetual licenses

[Anonymous]

I realize this request may fall on deaf ears but I got to get this off my chest.

I was a long time user of 3DS Max, in fact I started with version 1 of 3d Studio, prior to that I was using Animator. 

So, I've been a long time customer, right up until the subscription plan started, and I've been forced to use my very old copy of 3DS Max 2011 since then, which doesn't really work since the graphic drivers don't support the higher resolution displays of today.   Anyway, I'm sure there's many low budget individual users like me, that enjoy tinkering around within Max and making interesting images and animations.  But for me this is no longer possible with the current monthly subscription plan.  I'm not looking to stay current with the bleeding edge of the latest and greatest offerings from Autodesk, but to shell out nearly $300/month to upgrade to something more recent that what I'm currently using doesn't make sense with my finances.  Autodesk, I would love to pay just a one time fee for something that will not disappear after 12 months or whatever the expiration date may be.  Is this at all possible?   

Anyway, I still believe pound for pound 3DS Max is still the best software ever created, and I hope someday to get back on the great ride it once provided for me. 

Michael Gilbert

[jfjacques]

it's awful software, your better bet is to use blender, rhino, or anything else if you like modelling 

[Anonymous]

I spent a great deal of time learning the tools within 3ds Max.  I understand that blender, rhino, and perhaps others are economically a better choice.  I'd just hate to lose that knowledge base and retrain with another package.  When 3ds Max was first introduced there weren't other alternatives at that price point.  I doubt there's a single person on this planet that's fully efficient with all of the features that's within this software.  Which is why I'm pleading for a perpetual license at any level desired, Max 2015, Max 2016, Max 2018, etc.  This way you can take all the time you need to explore the many different features, without having to renew your license each and every year without even touching some of the features.  Well, in my mind I think this is a good idea.  I would be excited to pay $3200, or whatever the cost is for the current version of max as a flat fee.  This would allow me to learn the tools at my own pace.  I currently have 3DS Max 2011, and I still don't know all of the features within it, and I would be happy with continuing to use it if the graphic drivers worked on my newer system.  

There's got to be a way...

[Anonymous]

Agreed! I have purchased 3DS Max for every company I've worked for, and 3 seats for one company alone for different groups. In all I've probably purchased 12 seats of 3DS Max, being conservative. Along with every seat, I also had AutoCAD purchased. I bout 3D Studio release 4 before 3D Studio Max release 1 was sold, and purchased that once it was available. Finally in 2014 I decided to bite the bullet and purchase both 3DS Max and AutoCAD so I could do some legal side work. I spent well over $1200 for Dreamscape for 3DS Max 2014 and also Final Render which wasn't cheap. It fits 99% of the jobs I did. I rented 3DS Max this year and lost $2000 on a job because I had to rent what I already owned. 3DS Max 2014 was fine for me. And at one time I had 2015 as I purchased the subscription for one year. In November 2018 I downloaded a trial version of 3DS Max 2019 and all of my purchased software disappeared along with my serial numbers and any trace I owned it. Lucky for me I saved y serial numbers. Not 2015, but at least 2014. I should have my software back. It is theft. It is greed against those who sold your products and purchased many seats over the years, and dedicated our lives to continually learning. We shall see...

[Anonymous]

Agreed, I have been a 3ds max user for 20 years. I will start training on blender.

Its a shame what they did to the small studios and freelancers.

[Anonymous]

That's just it, the small (1 man) studios like mine can't keep up with the
monthly/yearly fees. My client base is small but for the most part I
enjoyed building new things for experimental sake. I can't tell you the
hours I spent on particle systems alone. It was fun and exciting to
discover the possibilities. 3DS Max today is something you just can't
tinker with anymore. It's an expensive tool you never own.