So is there a 'real' reason for Nicholas' switch from sculpt tools to Ptex?

Apparently, there’s a rumor that has gone around on the idea that Pixelogic (Zbrush) has ordered the discontinuing of all sculpt-related development in Blender (perhaps in a bid to literally and permanently own the digital sculpting market).

Is there any truth to this, someone on this forum suggested this, or is there another reason why sculpt tool development isn’t considered a priority?

I think the idea zBrush can order the Blender Foundation to stop sculpting development is pretty far-fetched. The method used in the sculpting code of Blender isn’t using their patented “pixols” and it’s not like Ton listens to other software companies about what he should & shouldn’t do with Blender.

Link?

Also, I wouldn’t put too much stock in anything that gets said on BA, especially on the top 2 boards. ESPECIALLY when it comes to sculpting, which people seem to be especially picky about. (also, if you are THAT serious about sculpting, just buy zbrush. I assure you it’s quite worth it)

EDIT: The switch probably happened when people realized how awful trying to texture in Blender is.

EDIT: I got everything completely wrong. Disregard

No, there is no truth to this. Blender’s sculpting is completely different from ZB’s. Additionally, ZB holds no patent on the idea of 3D sculpting. They would go after Mudbox, 3DCoat, and the sculpt tools in every other 3D package long before Blender even if that were the case, since they know that they can squeeze licensing fees out of those organizations.

On top of that, there are no software patents in the Netherlands, so Ton couldn’t possibly care less about such claims. Joe Alter has implied as much over his beef with how Blender’s (or anyone else’s, really) hair tools work. I know it’s kind of your “thing”, Ace, but let’s not spread such potentially malicious FUD around without a single shred of proof.

EDIT: I didn’t realize that Nicholas was a Pixologic employee. That changes things. While Pixologic cannot prohibit sculpt development in Blender, they can certainly prohibit their employees from working on a similar project. The chance of utilizing proprietary methods or technologies is just too high, even if it’s accidental. I don’t see any issue with this. It’s the same situation as when Mike Farnsworth had to stop working on Cycles when he was hired by Solid Angle. They didn’t tell him that he couldn’t work on it any longer, but when you’re employed it’s generally a good idea to actively try not to do anything that might anger you employer.

Maybe we should have this thread moved. WHAT! WE DON’T HAVE A CONSPIRACY THEORIES FORUM!!! What happened to the good old days when everyone would come to Blenderartists.org to share their theories about how their government is made up of aliens.

I didn’t know that he switched from Makerbot to Pixologic, that explains just about everything then.

I think Psy-Fi at least has been getting pretty good at working with the Dyntopo code and may be one who’s up to fix the Multires modifier issues as well, one can hope.

I know it’s kind of your “thing”, Ace, but let’s not spread such potentially malicious FUD around without a single shred of proof.

Only that the guy who gave me the rumor via the PM system is one of the forum’s most well known artists (you can probably guess who by now).

Whoops, no I got my developers mixed up in my head. Sorry, Nicholas is indeed not working for Pixologic.

Since he isn’t working for them they cannot force him or anyone else to stop working on the sculpting tools in Blender. They have a patent on 2.5D sculpting which they are enforcing heavily but since Blender does not use that we are well within our lines even if the Netherlands would share the same patent laws as the US.