md_germany

I'm seeing Publisher V2 as a disappointment, too. Maybe it wouldn't have been, hadn't there been this Hyping by Affinity. The changes would have made for a nice update... It seems to me that it is an Upgrade not because of the improvements they made but because Affinity needed a justification to charge some money without switching to a subscription based system.

That is a fair assumption 2.0 is not the end of the 2 development cycle

In a way that is true but Serif has an unusual way of releasing upgrades. Version 1 came out over 3 years ago and since then there have been a lot of improvements and new features and all for free. So comparing version 2 with version 1.9 (or whatever the previous build was) is a bit unfair. At some point they have to get revenue so they release a new version and if people want it they have to pay for it. Presumably new free features will keep coming and people will decide to upgrade or not.

Exactly !
The Drop down menu is annoying. Clicking an icon was faster! Everything looks like a badly done app wish a fishy framework and takes more screen space : v1 : v2: Scrolling and resizing the window to get to the other settings? That's a UI/UX design that comes from Web apps, Chrome... yuck yuck yuck. v1: v2:  
 

I like the UI, but like @Mithferion said, they make more sense as monochromatic because of the color choices.

My biggest gripe... those gaps shudder:


It's a shame they haven't added the ability to default floating window to fit document size when un-docked. In Photoshop, it had to be enabled in preferences and wasn't a default, but basically as you zoomed in/out, the window size also followed. This always eats up so much of my time as I tend to make heavy use of the New View option for multiple previews... fixing it involves panning&resizing multiple times until the gaps are at least... minimal gapping... I make full use of my screen real estate where ever possible. That's why.

Disheartening to hear separated mode is out. Being able to freely position a bunch of images and stack or work across them is something I've been able to since I started all the way back on ... Photoshop 3.0 IRIX. 😜 These tabbed views on the other hand are the first thing I tend to get rid off in paint programs. Too rigid and fickle with the document snapping - especially on an ultra widescreen monitor.
 

Interesting.  Not sure how the Windows version might have changed, but on the Mac version, they no longer have the separated view, but instead gave the option to "float" individual documents into separate windows, leaving the main Affinity Photo window intact.
For those of us who normally work with the single window and keep things docked this is a nice option to have, as we can split off individual images to move them to a second or third monitor, among other things.  This addresses a concern that has been brought up a few times.
However, the separated mode was definitely a perfectly valid way of working that many users would understandably have preferred, and this new solution seems to have replaced that with something that would be far less than satisfactory for those users who preferred that way of working.  It looks like they fixed and issue with the docked mode but eliminated separated mode completely, which was almost certainly a bad idea.

Great software overall. Thank you for the amazing one-shot pricing. That said...
Separated mode is a basic, and for a lot of people, essential feature. If I had known this was dropped from V2 it would have made me hesitate a long time before buying as quickly as I did. I'm kind of feeling like there should have been a conspicuous warning somewhere that it was not included in V2, nobody expects features to go backwards in new versions.
Way back in the day, the fact that Mac could run Adobe with just floating toolbars, and no awkward "application window" around them, was a godsend for designers. Those of us who used Windows instead/as well had to contend with the primitive OS requirements of Microsoft which signalled clearly that Windows was not an ideal design/graphics environment. 
Removing the separated mode option is just stunning to me, and signals a return to an awkward, older sort of unpolished era in graphics software.
Even tablets are moving towards floating app windows, and ultimately floating file windows. The ability to provide this will affect whether Affinity is seen as a clunky older software, or a forward-looking app that intends to compete in the future.
Crossing my fingers in hope this huge shortcoming will be addressed in the next update. Seriously, this app window things is just really awkward and annoying, like something that's just always getting in your way as you try to work.

I agree, separated mode was better experience for those of us who prefer it. You can still split out tools but not context bar/toolbar and windows open inside main window as tabs by default. (At least in Photo 2)
Please bring back Separated mode!

I've decided to stop using V2 until further updates. V2 is overall slower and clunkier. It doesn't have the same smoothness that I am used to and it reminds me of Indesign and Illustrator. When I quit Illustrator a few years back, one of the main reasons was my hand pain. Affinity brought a clear relief - better selection, better snapping, smarter interface that requires less hand travel and less clicks. Also, the interface had better contrast and my eyes didn't have to move as much. For someone with poor eyesight (even with glasses, my eyes get tired easily), Affinity was truly of great help. I could work for longer hours and with less eye strain.
These are UI design aspects that are very important. I am not sure how much the Serif design team is aware of how good V1 was from the perspective of direct human interaction with the tool, because they seem to have foregone most of the principles which made it so great. I am not a picky user, I routinely switch between fundamentally different programs and I adapt easily. So, to add to the initial post, some of my issues are as following:
Export... and New... are a significant downgrade from V1. Less intuitive, more clicks. Spread Setup... button was great, it didn't need to go. Now I need to right click on the spread, then click.  The Document Setup... in Publisher 2 added a bunch of new radio buttons and selections...which means more clicks, more time. The new Lock icon is very difficult to see and interpret. I usually get it wrong, so more clicks for me. I never get it wrong in V1. The little icons in front of the layer name have no use and they crowd the interface, making the panel harder on the eyes. The new stroke options icons (inside, outside etc.) are harder on the eyes. Typing in Publisher 2 has a slight lag, which both annoying, and tiring for the eyes. Maybe I am wrong, and the new changes are actually great. Someone on this forum said that the new design follows some new trend in UI design. To me, that's irrelevant. Good design is not judged be its novelty. New is not always better. 

Hey everyone!
I'm sorry, but after having bought the universal license and done some testing, I deleted V2 Designer, Publisher and Photo from my iPad.
Publisher would have been great to work on files due to using Designer and Photo tools via Studio link (I'm not even doing layout stuff!) and I'd have used Designer for its export persona if I don't need editing the file later on or port .svg to V1 (quite limited, but with knife and shape builder in V2 at least somewhat interesting).
In its current state, however, the suite is a massive downgrade from V1 and even with the knife tool, shape builder and the quick menu being great tools that do work wonders on workflow efficiency, it's still much slower and quite risky to work with:
- No V1 file compatibility
- Online activation required
as well as the following issues:
- Only starts up to my files section if there are files already
- Can't double tap layers to expand and collapse
- Button lower left has to be disabled each time when opening a file
- Bars left and right show last icon only by scrolling even though there is room for displaying them (iPad mini 5)
- Frequent crashes (about 5-7 times per hour) by just using the knife, boolean operations or the shape builder
- Shape outline sporadically creating blobs at start of vertex loop when shape was created by shape builder
- Grouping layers (very basic) takes two taps instead of one, yet I got massive UI for sorting layers (probably rarely needed in general; personally, I never need it)
- Couldn't find vector warp on iPad
I can't remember alpha or beta testing any software that included such a number of huge workflow impairing issues that were regressions from a previous version. And this is a release. Frequent crashes and missing V1 compatibility are the worst ones.
Sad. Not going for a refund, though. Hope it gets better (worthwhile). You did a great job with V1 after all.
Not really going to discuss here any further. For the time being, I'll keep using V1 and be productive.
Best wishes,
Shu
[EDIT:
Two months later, testing again, some issues are solved, others appeared. Current issues:
- No V1 file compatibility
- Online activation required
- Only starts up to my files section if there are files already
- Button lower left has to be disabled each time when opening a file (changed now, but should probably be a per app setting rather than per document)
- Bars left and right show last icon only by scrolling even though there is room for displaying them (iPad mini 5)
- There is a new feature, using a tool by swiping on an icon, yet I need to scroll on the tool bar to get to certain tools. How does that work out? Badly.
- 3D filter still only shows one light source when adding further ones.
- It's great that Designer now has Duplicate when touch & holding by accessing the quick menu, but getting rid of the small menu bar completely isn't optimal either, since when you only need copy or paste (or duplicate in Photo), you now have much more screen travel than before on a funcion that's used quite frequently, making it incredibly exhausting. I'd suggest reinstantiating the old menu, including duplicate for Designer and invoking the new one by other means (maybe touch & hold, then swipe up).]

Hello,
I have always worked (since Quark) in „Float View to Window” and have the Context Toolbar below. That works fine in 1.…
But in version 2 the application framework always remains and the Toolbar and Context Toolbar always stick on top.
Furthermore Studio Presets cannot be taken over from version 1.
 
i hope i can work like this again soon

Hello,
I have always worked (since Quark) in „Float View to Window” and have the Context Toolbar below. That works fine in 1.…
But in version 2 the application framework always remains and the Toolbar and Context Toolbar always stick on top.
Furthermore Studio Presets cannot be taken over from version 1.
 
i hope i can work like this again soon

Unfortunately, Toolbar & Context Toolbar can no longer be separated in V2.
("… how much further we could push the boundaries of what's possible with creative technology, we’re absolutely thrilled …").

By looking at the recents ads and moves from Adobe, and reading about the near-turmoil about Affinity v2 in the web, I believe that many things will change in design and communication in the next few years.
Affinity v2 might be just a step more that what it is now, but it will be a solid, viable replacement to the Adobe design suite for whomever is not forced into that ecosystem (by slow decisions, installed software, compatibility with the archives and other tools, cost of retraining). Many passionate amateurs, part-time professionals, and even independent professionals will finally switch.
To the usual objection about how irreplaceable Adobe is, I could oppose a list of affirmed professionals and publishing houses using different tools. Sometimes real classics, like CorelDRAW or Quark XPress. A minority, maybe, but a consistent one, and not even a niche. In any case, professionals for which the tool is not the focus, as much as this is their work. For which any viable and comfortable tool can do the work.
Adobe is clearly targeting to a younger audience, less likely to be moved to use deep and complex tools. They are pushing toward artificial intelligence, pre-made actions, and a much simplified graphic style. InDesign has entered maintenance mode since years, and is in any case, with page layout and print slowly becoming nearly-residual, reserved to a limited number of users. The more complex tools are going to become something reserved to a narrow circle of old-style creatives, a bit like engraving and calligraphy.
Not having expected competition, Adobe looks like having been caught with their defense lowered. They are again mad at trying to destroy any competition, even spending immense fortunes to purchase them (as they did with Macromedia and Aldus). On the other side, Serif has gone through the hell of being purchased by bigger companies, and have been lucky enough to be able to buy themselves back. They will grow considerably during the next years, but they will probably do all they can to avoid being purchased again.
So, we will have an incumbent (Adobe) that will still profit of the current position in big institutions and less-informed professionals. They will change their business model again, by trying to have their subscription subsidized by schools and public institutions. They will get the younger "new professionals", at least with Photoshop and maybe a simplified Premiere. They will continue to profit from the digital document protection system (assuming Amazon will not definitely eat their market share).
And we will have Serif, that will continue to appeal to independent professionals and shops, and continue to develop and perfect the traditional arts. Maybe they will also slowly slip into the schools and universities (something that seems to be already happening). Adobe and Serif will progressively move toward the opposite sides of the design and communication worlds.
Paolo
 
 

Yes, a separate storage location (with an auto-import option on first run)
I'm starting to tread on marketing toes here but {whispers} yes

Your next purchase (which will be an update to our software) is in no way restricted by any previous purchases, so yes. It's a whole new purchase if you choose, or not if you don't want to 

Yes. Because V2 will be optional upgrades (purchases), they are independent installs parallel to your V1 suite and so will not affect your existing applications. You can have both installed or just one 

Yes when V2 arrives they will be optional and require a new purchase if you want to own a license.

Yes, you will have to pay for the next major version somehow, I think they made that public a long time ago. (And it's fine as long as they don't go subscription, I'm more than happy to pay, their prices are a steal anyway compared to that other company).

(Edit: Oh I see Patrick was faster with an official answer.)

By the way, I got 5 or 6 years of free updates in the V1.0 versions, I do not mind if I have to pay full price again. I like the Affinity suit so much and I am relying on it. For me it is far more important that Affinity's future is secured.
 

Something big is coming

If you consider that the max. possible total ink coverage (TIC) would be 400% (4 channels á 100%) usually your expected limit of 340% doesn't get exceeded or even reached  – unless your manual colour definitions or image editing literally force it.
For instance a pure RGB black (0 0 0) gets converted in Affinity to a TIC below 300% (e.g. 75c 71m 65y 80k = 291%, varying with the used CMYK profile for document or export). When working in RGB you can't create a colour value darker than 0 0 0.
This list mentions the TIC for a few standard profiles: https://www.colormanagement.org/en/isoprofile.html
With other words: unless you manually create extremely dark colours (or image areas in cmyk) a TIC above 340% may hardly occur – the black for registration & crop marks excepted (they need 400% TIC to get printed without rasterization).

You can simulate a TIC measurement by using the Colour Picker Tool with the Colour Panel set to CMYK and calculating their sum.
If you don't use swatches that are set to overprint or objects with blend mode Multiply the default knock-out process on export will reduce the TIC of overlapping objects anyway.

His English is better than my Swedish 

what if they are right and you are wrong? 😮 will you have anything to say then ?