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There are plenty of things that Fireworks did perfectly years ago - that in 2021 I’m still scratching around hoping for a proper alternative to use. Affinity Designer is close - and does some things better than Fireworks, but is still missing some essential functionality that would make us able to forget the F word for good. I understand importing Fireworks PNGs isn’t possible... and I’d still like the states / animated gif ability that Fireworks had... and export preview to adjust quality/ file size optimisation... but the free distortion tool is something that should really be part of the vector and pixel tools and is most important to me. Fireworks also had a plugin / extension ability that allowed other developers to create useful tools and functionality - maybe this should be introduced to Affinity Designer so that there is another way for additional features to be introduced.

How frustrating is this? I would consider a free-transform tool a basic tool. One should be able to distort things easily and it should be in Designer first, as the vector app. And it seems this question was asked in 2018, so time would not seem to be a valid excuse. Neither should the idea that Affinity isn't a replacement for Adobe. It is!

It is difficult times here in the UK for everyone however a lot of companies and individuals have been hit by Covid badly. So we need to give them the benefit of the doubt.

I still manage to do an vector job on it. I come from 3D software, years of drama with Autodesk killing software so I'm used to learning new ways to do stuff. So the workarounds are a big faff but are there for something so affordable too.

But yeah that's a good amount of money to add some extra tools, but then I don't know how business of that level works with designing software and what kind of money it needs. 

I also find the silence puzzling I have asked several questions on their youtube channel with no answer. I am missing the free transform tool badly, the custom shapes presets (on the ipad) and proper mirror tools. The symbols are erratic and crash a lot. (And a lot of extra steps). I want to stay away from Adobe as much as I can and support indy companies. I own Photo and Designer and never really looked back but yeah it is missing serious tools. 

I would be more than happy to chip in to a kickstarter!!!!! 

An other workaround tip, I just realised as I was looking for a free transform/perspective transform that seems to not exist, if you an isometric grid/2:1 grid etc and have snap on it will shear perfectly to that perspective. 

Welcome to the Serif Affinity Forums, Andrey.
There are Rotation and Shear controls in the Transform Studio. You can only specify horizontal shear, so if you want vertical shear you have to apply a separate ‘Rotate’ operation to the object. The required amount of rotation is the negative of the amount of shear (so, for example, if shearing an object which has been rotated by 10°, for 22.5° of vertical shear you would set the Shear value to 22.5° and subtract 22.5 from the Rotation value to give you -12.5°).

It is interesting that Affinity abandoned the idea of listening own audience. A lot of huge companies loses a touch with real customers and there are few projects that took the lesson and started to listen and implement what professional users wants. It is free knowledge for affinity. I remember when Adobe overslept with SKETCH and they made a Adobe XD. They created a place where people could give them ideas and we could vote for new implementations. With their budget and all of that feedback, they quickly made something that is valid alternative for UX/UI designers.
Affinity, think about it. If you are short on money open a KICKSTARTER or whatever, I would be happy to support you for a next generation of affinity or a clear roadmap. If you would really support your programs I bet there would be more PROs who would throw a extra coin on your products. If not, personally I think you are already outdated and in my opinion you’re becoming a very good entrance level casual software. I still manage to use it professionally (and it is love/hate relationship), but I know that I have to avoid a lot of ways to design stuff just because I know it is impossible to make it in affinity. I wish it wouldn’t be a thing. I already bought more then one set of your programs for my team and I'm willing to buy more, but please... Listen, Implement, be honest and communicate plans, be more transparent - as every new inventive "startup" should be, to give people ownership and to create a trust and hope for a change.