3D Artist Subscriber Survey
For the Period Ending 3rd Quarter 1996
Reproduced from 3D Artist issue #27
This is compiled survey info for 3D Artist subscribers who were current as of 30 Sept. 1996, including data collected during all of 1994 through the third quarter of 1996. Where useful, we also subtally info received during the last six months of the compilation (which neatly coincides with significant developments including 3D Studio Max r1 and LightWave 3D v5).
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An astonishing number fill out 3D Artist's long survey form with its tiny type: 83.4% of people who subscribe using a subscription form with a survey--55.7% of all subscribers for the period!
Rate your 3D experience
Very experienced ......... 23.5%
Moderately experienced ... 47.0
>> Experienced users.............. 70.5%
Novice ................... 25.0
Not a user ............... 00.9
>> The remaining 3.6% didn't respond.
3D platforms you use
PC ....................... 82.9%
Mac and/or PowerMac ...... 21.1
Windows NT ............... 15.2
Amiga .................... 12.9
SGI ...................... 09.5
>> Other numbers were negligible.
As a 3D user, are you a...
Freelance professional ... 35.1%
Employed professional .... 23.3
>> Professional user total ....... 58.4%
Enthusiast/home user ..... 19.2
All other categories* .... 17.1
*educator, student, developer, sales, other
Software popularity
Program ___________ Total _ Last 6 mos.
3D Studio DOS ...... 55.7% .. 52.6%
AutoCAD ............ 30.5
Animator Pro ....... 30.2
3D Studio Max ...... 05.1 ... 23.5
Vistapro ........... 22.5 ... 21.6
trueSpace .......... 18.5 ... 19.6
Animation Master ... 14.7 ... 16.9
LightWave 3D ....... 12.5 ... 15.9
Ray Dream .......... 07.0 ... 14.6
Imagine ............ 13.8 ... 12.8
POV-Ray ............ 13.1
Bryce .............. 05.7 ... 12.2
Strata Studio Pro .. 06.9 ... 11.1
>> Everything else was under 8%, including Animator Studio, Softimage, and Topas.
Do you use service bureaus?
Video .... 15.4%
Slides ... 16.5
Prints ... 25.0
Other .... 04.3
>>Answered 1+ categories: 36.3%
Other questions
Purchase 3D models ... 38.4%
Do VRML .............. 11.7
(This is a relatively new question.)
Newsstand Readers
We have not yet systematically surveyed newsstand readers, who outnumber subscribers. Anecdotally, by comparison, this audience appears to be slightly less experienced, and somewhat more likely to be using non-Autodesk products.
Renewal Survey Info
Renewing subscribers are asked all the above, plus an even longer and more tedious set of questions ( thanks! ).
Have you made purchases in the last 12 months based at least in part on info from ads and/or articles you saw in 3D Artist about
3D animation packages .............. 33.6%
Add-on products (plug-ins, etc.) ... 37.3
Hardware (digitizer, video, etc.) .. 23.4
Books or other publications ........ 37.9
Have you recommended a 3D product purchase in the last 12 months
To your company ... 37.0%
To a friend ....... 41.6
Online ............ 10.7
At a user group ... 09.3
Video hardware: Do you own and use
Truevision Targa board ... 16.9%
Single-frame recorder .... 13.8
DPS PAR board ............ 15.4
How many people read your copy of 3D Artist?
1.9 people including the subscriber
Hardware tallies
These percentages are of those who answered the questions (NOT of total)
- RAM: 34.2% had 64Mb+
50% had 64Mb+ in subtally for last 6 mos.
- Monitor size: 74.4% have 17" & up
30.1% have 20" & up
- Computers used for 3D graphics:
70.8% use 2+
21.2% use 4+ machines
- Do network rendering: 41.6%
27.0% plan to
Are these serious users, or what!
Note to subscribers: If, after subscribing, you send a survey form, include your name and address, and cross out the subscription order area (otherwise we may interpret the card as a new order!).
Audit: The actual survey forms used for these tallies are available for on-the-spot inspection and sample tallying (but not copying) by appropriate 3D advertiser reps. Just give some warning about your arrival so as not to overly disrupt the office.
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Revised: 17 Dec 98
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