I'm actually glad Cakewalk did not ditch SD3

Adding Addictive Drums to the package seems like a death knell for SD3, but I hope not.  I find that owning AD has made SD3 a little more useful to me. Many of the things that frustrated me about SD3 are mostly addressed with AD, but being a person who has to work with a wide range of music genres, AD's limitations become apparent quickly. Sometimes you just need to add a quick 808 kick, even if it's just to layer with your acoustic kick. I know find that between AD, SD3, my old hardware HR-16 and some synth drum reinforcement from Raprure and Z3ta+2, my drum needs seem complete.

Yeah, I really like the SD kits and the Electronic Drums expansion pack is a real help.

Living Room Rocker
 
  If you have noticed, X3 also includes a lot of old plug-ins (soft synths) with bugs that will never be addressed.

This is true. But in no way stops them from being useful. I still use all of them!
 
I use SD3 for quick stuff. Just load and go type stuff. And I got a Midi Pack from Platinum Samples that give new life to SD3!! They sound really good!!

I still have the add on packs for session drummer and I will use Session drummer from time to time. I have not had a lot of time to work with X3 or addictive drums. I am looking forward to spending some time with the upgrade and putting the new version through its paces.
 
With just the little bit of time I worked with Addictive drums I can already tell that it will be a great asset. I will also use SD from time to time. I am glad that the bakers kept SD as well.

SvenArne
+1
 
I use Session Drummer for electronic drums all the time!

Is an electronic kit included in the regular SD3 which comes free to X3 studio? 

dubdisciple
The 808 and 909 samples in SD3 are actually quite good but not as heavily processed as the 808 and 909 sounds in a lot of programs..  I recall Brandon or Seth saying they were the original samples from the 808 and 909 during one of their videos, but I doubt that since i don't believe neither of those machines used samples. 

The TR-909 used samples for the hi-hats and cymbals

dubdisciple

Living Room Rocker
On the inclusion of third party plugs... So, it seems a bit pointless to be included...  I would much prefer if the Baker rolled their own home grown plugs like SD3 instead of throwing in these attention grabbing third party stuff.  Then maybe these (CW) plugs would get more attention in R&D.

 
I'm mixed on this.  I think the Bakers (or the powers that be) have taken the combo approach.  There seems to be at least one in-house plugin in every release.  This one includes the Tape emulator.  Not as flashy as a drum program but useful and not as likely to be nitpicked apart  by endless third party comparisons.  I think it's easier for the bakers to put effort into console plugins alongside of developing a DAW than to try and outXLN XLN and other more specialized plugin developers. One of XLN's strengths is the meticulous sampling methods  that would be hard for a broader scoped company like Cakewalk to duplicate.  Maybe if they snatch up a specialized developer like Renee again they can create new useful instruments in-house. 

Well, let's talk SD3 for example.  Sure, CW can't invest in high quality sample themselves, but can partner with the likes of Steven Slate and/or Platinum Samples for quality sounds.  Yet, they can do the development in improving SD3.  So, in the same line, CW can expand it's R&D to build better plugs.  [*read more below before reacting to that idea]  Even better, spend that time and energy in perfecting, for instance, SONAR so that it meets more customer expectations or needs, not to mention perfecting existing features and such (which I would prefer).
 
Let's say, CW forgoes the instruments and plugs and instead focuses on SONAR as it is.  They put a good part of revenue, R & D and testing to bring their feature set to a higher standard (instead of "good enough to release" and work out the bugs as we go on) as to stand toe to toe with its competitors (or above for that matter).  For instance, X3's new comping is awesome.  However, PT and others did it this way for quite some time.  So nothing new there just finally we can do it too.  Maybe then we have a "solid" product.  *In doing so, I believe CW can grow its customer base and revenue just by making SONAR work better.  Also, CW can then add those flashy features and plugs, but keep it as something they can control...  That is, not left to a third party that may or may not continue to develop the plugs alongside SONAR (let's see where SoftTube goes).
 
Thinking back, the partnership between rgc:audio and CW was actually a sad result.  CW is now less capable of developing their own instruments, as you mentioned, and there is no more rgc:audio to make great instruments.  So, we as customers lost a little there or maybe more than a little.  
 
I acknowledge that you are mixed on the approach by CW, but don't we all want a solid DAW and that DAW to be the one we've been using and investing in all these year after year?
 
Anyhow, forgive me for the rambling.  I enjoy a good conversation on "important" issues, so thanks for humoring me.
 
Kind regards,
 
Living Room Rocker

I like these kind of rambling threads.... 
 
I do think CW should focus on the core more than plugins, so have no problem whatsoever with their 3rd party partnerships.   And in X3 that's given us a greatly improved comp workfow, ARA, VST3 and track colors.   Not too shabby IMHO.
 
At the same time, dub has a good point in that Z3ta+2 was done without RGC and is a great upgrade IMO.   So maybe instrument development isn't completely out of the question for CW, just slower than in past years.