Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Questions and answers about 3Dconnexion devices on Windows.

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hri
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Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:12 pm

Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Post by hri »

Since 10 Years, 80% of my Job is 3D Application oriented - mainly Maya and frequently Z-brush. I was always fascinated by Maya's simple Alt + mouse buttons navigation. I am still wondering why other applications have complicated Navigation button combinations. I even would prefer such a navigation for 2D applications as Photoshop etc.

In my mind Space Moses were the only thing which could be better than button + mouse combinations. I first saw such a thing in BMW's FIZ in Munich during a Internship. I didn't used it, but i saw how intuitive and easy the guy navigated through the scene. I was mesmerized!

But i always thought those things are only for engineering kind of software.

Recently i heard from a friend, that there are space mouses which should work with every 3D application. I was surprised that i never heard of it for so many Years. As i work mainly for Advertising, i am resistant against it and i really never came across the 3D Conixion Devices.

Currently i am switching to Modo and i thought about Navigation improvement - i didn't want to face navigation differences.

I must admit - i didn't red a lot about the 3D Conexion Devices, but everything i red was great. I couldn't imagine there could be a problem with them. I was sure i didn't want the basic Space Navigator because i needed something stable, which can't slide arrowed as i navigate and off course the additional customizable buttons..

I ordered a Space Muse Pro. I was so exited es it came on 21 January.
It looks great, the finish is great and mainly the first "test drive" was fantastic. So smooth and intuitive. I needed just an hour of navigating and i was already super comfortable with it.

Unfortunately 4 days later i have some serious drawbacks.

First hours, first very, very big Disappointment: Zbrush is not supported!? Why this? Is there any explainable Reason for that? As i mentioned above - i didn't red a lot about the devices, otherwise i would know about this Problem.

This First one i could live with, hopping soon someone would make up his mind.

But here we go with the LIST of problems i have in Maya. Problems, which i can not ignore because they are destroying my workflow completely. I am actually faster with the mouse.

1. Navigation should work in every Maya's editor window which includes 2D Editors as UV Texture Editor, Hypergraph, Hypershader etc.. In those cases i have to use my mouse again - no good..
2. Rotation button remapping disappearance - i red about this problem in other thread, but there is still no proper solution.
3. Strange Navigation on Groops - navigation pivot is somewhere out of bounding box (there are no empty sets out of the actual geometry) pivot is also not updating in those cases.

Now i am desperate. On one side i have something, which have a great potential - in my mind, but the reality is different.

My only hope is to here good things about Modo, as i want to switch completely.

Otherwise i have to sell the device.

Or you guys can convince me to keep it?

Is there a realistic expectation, that the above described Problems will be extinguished soon.

I am grateful for any advice.
oseyding
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Re: Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Post by oseyding »

Hi hri,
thanks for your input.

I assume you working on windows right?

For sure we trying to integrate the navigation with our devices in every software, but this isn't that easy. In most cases we need the support from the developer.
When I mean is in many many cases the developer of the software has to do a big part for the integration or deliver us an api that we can use. In most times the best way
to ask for an integration if the developer from the software. Not every developer is interested in implementing the 3D mouse navigation in his application. But as more request
they get, as more they think about it.

To your Maya problem.
1. I will forward this to our Maya developer.
2. We currently investigating in that problem. To fix this shouldn't take too long.
3. Thats new to me. Does it happen with specific files or with all you are working with?

Looking forward to your answer.
hri
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:12 pm

Re: Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Post by hri »

hi!..
thanks for replaying..

as i mentioned above, i am working almost only in Maya.. Some solution, somewhere in the future is no use for me.. for now i can not use the device in Maya / too slow workflow.. i really gave it a chance but as i went back to just mouse i realize i am much, much faster..

I am really frustrated now, because i trusted the description on your page and red just few forums with some good experiences..

Now i found out, there are much more disappointed Maya and Max users than i could imagine for such a (potentially) good device..

I am aware that proper plug-in development could be very difficult with so many different software, but it should not be impossible. And you should not sell a device for € 350 and write plug in for Maya, when it is not really well working. I am not happy spending so much just for flying thru the scene fun.

My only hope is to here something good about the Modo plug-in. I want to switch to Modo and if the Space mouse Pro is better in Modo i will keep it. Unfortunately i still do not know this software. Dose someone have enough experience wit that combination?
Valen Wagner
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Location: Redmond, WA

Re: Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Post by Valen Wagner »

I am also a Maya user. I also use 3ds max, AutoCAD, and Inventor. Overall I cannot live without my SpacePilot Pro. However the bugs in the Maya driver have always been frustrating. I don't recall a time when the Maya driver worked bug-free. I will continue to use my SpacePilot Pro in Maya, even though it is not fully functional, because it is still better than not having one at all. But I continue to hope for the day when 3DConnexion will release a driver that just works in Maya. I know its possible.
SpacePilotPro, SpaceExplorer USB ( Driver 3.17.4 )
Windows 7 64 bit, Core i7, 12GB Ram
Nvidia Quadro FX 3700
3ds Max 2014, Maya 2014, Inventor 2013, AutoCAD 2013, Photoshop CS5
Lesiu
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Re: Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Post by Lesiu »

Hri, I don't have Maya, but I tried SpaceMouse Pro with 3ds max and it works well. However it is useless with Modo.
SpaceMouse Pro
bikeraqp
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Re: Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Post by bikeraqp »

Ohhh i really want to buy one. but it seems so expensive for me im in the University and i work when i can doing CAD. maybe one of you guys wants to sell one :)
UtaSH
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Re: Space Mouse Pro - Is it a Disappointment?!?

Post by UtaSH »

Hello bikeraqp,

you might want to check the conditions in our educational shop.
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