Happy New Year and Why I Won't Use 3D Coat Software.

First, Happy New Year to everyone! It's 11. That's right, 11, not 2011. I reject Jesus Christ, God and the Anno Domini dating system employed by Christians, since I would rather not honor any fictional religious myths when I say the year.

Also, the year 2000 marked a time when everyone celebrated the new millenium a year early, meaning we are officially now on a zero through nine dating system. This was actually part of the 'Year Zero' campaign by Alan Dechert in 1999, and something I fully support. Alan Dechert's campaign was to treat the year 2000 as the Year Zero. This would dismiss religious references in our dating system and also change the numbering so that any new year ending in zero would be considered the first year in a new decade, century or millenium rather than the last year of the prior decade. The year 2000 was actually the last year of the 90's on a 1-10 counting system, but changing from 0-9 shifts the zero to the beginning. So, in getting the millenium wrong, we now have it right. ;)

By the way, it's perfectly legal to write the year in a format such as Year 11, 11, Y11 on any government form, according to Dechert. The Christian dating system (Anno Domini) came about via usage, and reverting back to a secular and more sensible dating system can be done in the same manner.

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In other news, it actually SNOWED here in Stevenson Ranch on 1-2-11! This is unprecedented...well, not since 1987. My girlfriend and I actually went and played in the snow like a couple of kids...not something you see every day in Los Angeles County.

As many of you know, I am a 3D artist. I was looking for a good re-topology tool to get Z-Brush models into a nice low-rez model with good topology or to make details behave better in Z-Brush. I tried out Topogun and looked into 3D Coat. Boy, what a shock when I read through the site at 3D Coat. Here's what they had in the 'Our Voice' section. These are their words, unchanged, off their site. (Note that they aren't native English-speakers).

Making such powerful tool for Artists as 3D-Coat we realize that it could be used for creating beautiful works of art that would inspire people and bring them joy, or works that would produce evil, for example, rouse dissolute thoughts breaking families, popularize hatred and disgrace people. We are Christians. Jesus Christ said, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!” (Luke 17,1-2) God concerns hatred to a murder and lust as adultery. We're highly worried about level of morality in our society when depravity often becomes a norm of life. That's why as the program creators we ask you to consider respect to us and our principles with which, we suppose, may agree not only Christians but also everyone who are worried about society's moral state. Frankly speaking it is from within, out of our heart proceed evil thoughts and sexual immorality. And often we can not control all this stuff with ourselves. We found that Christ really helps us if we are honest and give Him our heart.

As 3D-Coat creators we ask you not to use the program for making pictures which would increase vices, especially pictures that would provoke dissolute thoughts. We all have responsibility before God and before mankind for everything we're doing. Do we make this world better?

We can not (and don't want!) control your activity. That is a request and not a legal demand. We completely realize that many people may dislike the request placed on the official web site and that it may cause less selling. However, our conscience demand is more important for us than our income.

Respectfully yours, Pilgway staff.

What the motherfucking fuck? These guys are talking to 3D TECHNICAL ARTISTS. Do they realize how few fundy Christians exist in this industry, and how many progressive theists and non-theists there are? Apparently, they had Christ right in their End User License Agreement, with restrictions about how you could use their software! This is asinine beyond belief. That's not all, here's what they allegedly wrote to a customer whose art wasn't sufficiently respecting of their space fairy (from their site, posted by the offended party):

Hi Lee Perry-Smith,

thanks for your kind words about 3D-Coat,
...
I just want to tell you that our team consist of people who are christians and it is written under download button such restrictions on the use of 3D-Coat:

The 3D-Coat software should not be used in the production of any lewd or obscene materials, as well as any products which propagandize hatred against people. We understand that we are not able to monitor everything created with 3D Coat, but we remind you about your responsibility before God.

As well it is written in our license.

I saw your gallery and it is my pesonal opinion that it has obscene materials. Frankly speaking I do not judge you but I am sad. Really we do not want 3DC to be used in the production of such materials. God saved me from my corruption and I know that He may save you as well if you wants.

May God bless and help you

LOL! What a bunch of batshit crazy lunatic Christers! Here was the poor guy's response to this insanity (from their own forums). You can almost see the shocked look on the guy's face! This is a potential customer, people. See how batnuts religion can make you? Read his response:

Perhaps somethings got lost in translation but I do not appreciate being preached too or spoken down to because of someone elses beliefs that have nothing to do with me or the software. I can hardly see how the work that I do is pornographic anyway. Are we not all human beings? are we born fully clothed?!

I gathered from this email of course I would not be able to negotiate further but would I even be allowed to buy a single copy? I guess I could because the system is automated but I would only be able to make 'pink fluffy bunnies' perhaps some 'special dinasours' and maybe some 'fruit'? but not the human form as that would be just blasphemous.

Anyway, again I apologize for any annoyance or hurt I may have caused Andrew but perhaps he should choose a bit more wisely who he puts in charge when he goes on vacation. Having your own staff spout any form of religion to customers is a very bad thing to do and will just give you a bad name.

How would you like it if I said no sorry you cant buy " " " " " software from me because you are religious. Total Nonsense!

BTW thanks Stanislav but I do not need any help Feel free to post my reply I sent back to you. Also I was wondering why I got a reply from a 3D Coat Senior Staff Member from his Gmail account? strange....

Bad for business IMHO

Regards

Lee

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Here's my response to them via email:

Hi there,

I’m a game-industry veteran of 20+ years and I was looking at your site, considering 3D Coat vs. Topogun for re-topology. But, then I noticed your rather overt Christian message which I find rather shocking. Why are you concerned about so-called ‘vice’ conveyed through mere images? Are you concerned about irreverence or blasphemy? While I don’t set out to create irreverent art, it’s messages like yours which I often find myself responding to with irreverence or blasphemy. I wouldn’t need to label myself an atheist if theists weren’t so vocal, right? ;)

I appreciate that you are Christian. I think it’s great that you feel confident about your religious views and naturally you have the right to express those views. However, I feel that having this message on a commercial site which is intended to appeal to 3D artists is going to be a huge turn-off and hurt your product, your income and ultimately, your religious cause. I presume you use some of the income you received to benefit your favorite Christian charities?

Most people in the fields related to 3D Coat are not going to be so vocally Christian, and these rather technical fields are over-represented by progressive theists and non-theists such as myself and many others in the field I know personally. I think it would be far superior a plan to simply omit your references to your particular brand of religion, and simply use your funds to better support whatever religion you hold. The Mormons calls this ‘bleeding the beast’. As an atheist, you can bet I wouldn’t put overt atheism even in the ‘Our Voice’ section of a commercial product that I was trying to sell, even if I think most people in technical fields will probably be sympathetic to my complaints about religion (or more accepting of atheism than your average person). In fact, the mere presence of atheists often offends theists...just read open your Bible to Psalms 14:1. To save time, I will quote it for you here:

1The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.

2The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

3They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

This slander against non-believers is in your holy book, or some variant (there are many versions of the Christian Holy Bible, as you’re probably aware).

It’s sad to say that your message discourages me from wanting to buy your software, if nothing else, because theists often directly trample upon the freedoms of other religions and the non-religious alike. In my view, expressing that much Christianity, verging on fundamentalism is a turn-off. In America, the more religious someone is, the more they tend to fall on the wrong side of almost every important issue; from choice to sex-education, birth-control and gay rights and even the teaching of evolution. It’s a constant battle for mind-share, but those who side with fundamentalist Christianity are becoming more and more marginalized. This is why I find it shocking that you would place such a thing on a commercial site.

I respectfully suggest that you re-think your strategy; remove all references to religion from your commercial site and move them to a personal site/blog where they’d be appropriate (and you wouldn’t have to mince words). Then, your product won’t be rejected before it’s even reviewed when people see your message, and you can spend the extra income supporting whatever Christian cause you like. Perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned from the Mormons here. ;)

Sincerely,

Dan Burke
Atheist and former Christian, game-industry veteran and 3D Artist

As you can see, I was polite even though my real feelings on the matter are not so reserved.

The Christnuts at Pilgway have made my decision to go with their competition's software (Topogun) quite easy. I wouldn't be surprised if the people at TopoGun are laughing themselves all the way to the bank.

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