iClone

Pros

iClone5's powerful engine allows for real-time animation, and motion capturing, which sets it apart from other 3D software as you can literally watch your animations while you create them.

Cons

Too bad it's not yet available for Mac.

Summary

I love iClone. I can create my video just with their standard characters, and I can even find more content resources in their Marketplace. It save lots of time than creating every single character by myself. This is so easy to use and made my projects look far superior than anything I have created in previous versions of iClone. The most important thing is that iClone is much cheaper than other 3D animation softwares.

Pros

I found using the visual effects library and customization tools a godsend. With the newsroom and broadcast graphics effects, I can save a lot for studio costs. These are easy to use and make my company more efficient and professional as we make animations for our website and our clients everyday.

Cons

If this can run on Mac, that would be much appreciated.

Summary

This program will help you work on your project with minimum cost and time.

Pros

This software has some brillant features that take the pain out of aniamtion by applying tons of templates based on my theme. All of the features are easy to use and run smoothly. That's so convenient and efficient. I can create character with these pre-made templates for instant animation. I just checked their website, they even has content libary and marketplace where you may find tons of motion, prop, scene, accessory, effect and material templates that can be used in this application.

Cons

Although the motion animation is doning great, I expect to have facial animation function for the detailed facial expression.

Summary

I don't usually leave coments for what I bought but this one was worthy of taking the time to review. However, I have been experiencing this for several weeks and I believe I should let everyone know how great the product is. iClone can speed up creating 3D animation just with a few budgets. Also, it's so much fun that you can control the characters to touch the iprops which may interact with the characters. I have dreamed to be a Animator since I was a little child. Now i did it! Awesome!

Pros

Easy to use interface.

Cons

Agree with others that you have to buy plugins to gain fuctionality, but that can be said about other apps as well such as Maya, 3d Studio Max, Cinema 4D etc.
Video "tutorials" could be better. Personally I like written step by step tutorials.
There is a down side that the base program doesn't come with a lot of props, but that said if one has 3DXchange you can import 3DWarehouse models. I don't see a lack of props a major issue however as I make my own.

Summary

Iclone is a nice animation app. I had no issues porting to Windows 8, and it runs comfortably on both my pc and netbook.
I don't see reallusion being much different from a lot of software houses that supply a program that still requires 3rd part plugins or additional plugins to run. I know this sucks, but it appears to be normal business practice for specialty programs.

Pros

Great 3D animation software if used in Windows XP.

Cons

Terrible software if used in Windows 7 x64. Also, the software is just the first purchase. iClone 5 is nothing unless you buy several $100 of content fro Reallusion. It is a big money scam...and iClone 5 is the bait.

Summary

REALLUSION CHEATS CUSTOMERS BY SELLING OUTDATED SOFTWARE BASED ON OLD TECHNOLOGY!

I purchased and used iClone 4 and later iClone 5 (current version). iClone is excellent software for creating animated characters in 3D. THAT IS, iClone is great if you are still using Windows XP!

The code for both versions of iClone was written for Windows XP. Both versions, including iClone 5, require old XP technology in order to work properly. For instance, iClone 5 requires DirectX 9, which is XP's version. Windows 7 uses DirectX 11. So, iClone forces you to install XP components--if not, iClone won't work in a Windows 7 PC! Well, sometimes installing XP components in Windows 7 works OK--but not great-- and sometimes it just screws up your Windows 7 PC...and the latter result is what happened to me!

Reallusion is infamous for not properly updating the core code of their software to work with modern operating systems. Reallusion creates new versions by just adding some new features to the old version. They don't update the 'guts' of their software. They just put lipstick on their old software and call it a new version.

For example, Reallusion did not update iClone to be compatible with Windows 7 64-bit until around July 2012--OVER TWO YEARS AFTER THE RELEASE OF WINDOWS 7 x64! And it was just a lousy patch job that only works 'just OK', if you not mind a lot of minor bugs. They did not create a true new version of iClone 5 for Windows 7, especially not for 64-bits.

Is Reallusion wrong?

Well, iClone is not a $17.99 software but a $179.99 software. At that price, I think the customer can expect a version that was actually rewritten for Window 7 and DirectX 11...rather than an XP software patched to work OK with Windows 7...assuming IF you successfully install XP components in Windows 7! FOR $200, I think the consumer has the right to expect a new version that is actually a NEW version written for the latest Windows!

What happens now that Windows 8 is released? Ha, ha! Another lame patch job?

UNFORTUNATELY, patching old technology is common practice for Reallusion! Their other software suffers from the same problem. WidgetCast is a great example.

I bought WidgetCast too. It is a wonderful product that allows you to output iClone animation to an Adobe AIR App. About 7 months ago, WidgetCast stopped outputting anything. Real Illusion tech support told me that the latest version of Java broke WidgetCast.

Yes, WidgetCast requires JavaScript to work. Well, I was told to uninstall the latest version of Java and reinstall an OLD version of Java. Ha, ha! The OLD version of Java is a huge security risk, that is why a new version was released (even Oracle's java website issues that security warning).

IMAGINE THIS: Instead of updating WidgetCast to work with the latest 'safe' Java technology, Reallusion 'fixes' the problem by telling customers to install the old 'unsafe' versions of Java. Is that right? But that situation perfectly proves that Reallusion dumps old technology on its customers.

WHY does Reallusion fail to properly update its software? Sheer corporate greed!

WidgetCast was last updated in 2010. But Reallusion continues to aggressively market and sell that badly outdated software. Wow, what a way to maximum profits by avoiding the cost of NEW software development and creating REAL updates.

THE REALITY IS that Reallusion once created great software and developed an excellent reputation. But now this company is using that old good reputation to get away with selling very expensive software based on outdated technology.

IN CONCLUSION, this company's name tells the truth about their software--REAL ILLUSION--but, sadly, their dirty magic trick comes at the expense of their customers!

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Pros

Easy to master and very quick to use. You can start animating the same day you purchase it.

Cons

I wish the mocap feature could already do facial animations. I read its coming.

Pros

iClone 5 will produce amazing animation.

Cons

iClone will produce amazing animation if you are willing to spend over $1000 to buy a fully functional iClone. See Summary for explanation.

Summary

Everything that Reallusion claims about what iClone can do is true. It is true IF you spend another $1000 or more buying all the various plug-ins and content 'packs' that allow iClone to do amazing things.

For $199, the 'stock' iClone does not do very much. The software itself is just bait...to trap you into buying much more stuff to realize its real potential.

I checked iClone out very thoroughly. In order to get the full functionality of this software, you must spend at least another $1000 to $1200.

If you stay with the base software costing $200, you won't find it very amazing nor very useful.

LASTLY, I used iClone in Windows XP. So, I can't saw whether or not it works OK in Windows 7. It seems to be an issue with other reviewers.

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Pros

iClone basically makes it easy to create a short film or video game within the comfort of your own home or studio.

Cons

Internet connection required for online activation

Summary

It appears you may have been misinformed. You certainly can and should install DirectX 9.0c alongside DirectX 11 on your Windows 7 PC.

Many, many applications, and most of todays games require DirectX 9.0c, which is why you were prompted to install it. Doing so will not uninstall your version of DirectX 11, and both versions can reside on the same PC without any problems.

Updated on Aug 26, 2012

I have no problem to run iClone5 on Windows 7

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Pros

The product has a somewhat intuitive interface that allows you to access a great number of tools. Numerous online tutorials assist you in learning the program.

Cons

(1) While the interface is intuitive, I did find it challenging and perplexing at times. I found the online tutorials more of a demonstration of what can be done, rather than an actual tutorial of "do this" and "get this". (2)A large amount of computer memory is needed to smoothly move around the program. (3) Expensive.

Summary

The program is great for those who have extra money to invest, plus the time to learn all the tools. A limited amount of creativity is needed, as most of the design options have already been provided. I would consider the purchase of it if the previously mentioned cons could be dealt with.