FX Panel on steroids - My suggestions for the magic panel

[HappyDoom]

When you're also working with / coming from PS, it can be frustrating to work in Affinity without certain features in the fx panel.
The basics might be covered, but there's so much more you could add and fix.
So here are my wishes and suggestions for the fx panel (all apps).
Sorry for my English btw.. Just read it with some thick german accent and it'll make all sense.

 

Short version:
 

Just copy most from PS.

 

 

Long version:
 

- A cancel button
Whenever you're trying out several effects but come to the conclusion, that it wouldn't work out, you've to reset them all manually or go the steps back in your protocol. A simple cancel button would be a big time saver.

- Resetting effects to default
As soon you change any effect in the panel, there's no way to reset them to default. A simple reset button, maybe above "scale with object" would be nice.

- Effects as layers
Often it's handy to create new layers out of effects, like drop shadows e.g.. Also it helps seeing all effects in a dropdown, so you could turn on/off all single effects without going into the fx panel. Leading to the next point.

- Turn off all effects for one layer
As it says, would be usefull to turn off all effects at once for a single layer. The kinda new feature to turn off all effects at once is great, but being able to turn off single effects layers in the panel gives you a nice and quick control.

- Fill opacity
In adition of the fill opacity in the fx panel, I'd like to have it also in the layer panels top, just under the layers general opacity. Would be a nice quick access.

- Pattern overlay
Patterns within the fx panel would be nice and it's kinda an obvious wish. It's just more easy that way to give several layers the very exact pattern with it's tweaked properties by copying that fx. Also a propper patterns panel in general would be handy. I know, there are assets and styles, but asside from adding, deleting, there are no functions. A patterns panel could add some functions like, idk... changing sizes, colors with one click or something.

- Bevel / Emboss profiles
Would be cool to be able to save your own profiles in addition to the presets. (and that's actually a general wish wherever possible)

- 3D shadows
Correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I know, you can only control the lightsources, but not the shadows, like their opacity. Would be a better control over the outcome to add the shadow behaviours as well.

- Color Overlay noise in %
I wish you could see the color overlay noise in % as well, just like in the color panel. Sometimes you wanna go with exactly the same ammount, so you don't wanna guess. Actually, make that wherever you can give color a noise, in all apps.

- Gradient Overlay

1) You click on color, swatches, gradients but where are they?
It would be nice to be able to grab gradients from your swatches, also to export them.

2) This one is actually more general. I wish you could get rid of the first and last gradient anchor (keeper?) as well. When you wanna make a gradient from one color to transparent, let's say blue to transparent, and if the last anchor was for example black, the gradient wouldn't be a clean blue to transparent, even if you set the last anchor to 0%. So you have to change the last anchor to the exact same color like your first. I hope you get what I mean. It's just a little more work than needed. When you could get rid of a 2nd anchor or the first, you'd just have one and there wouldn't be any dirty transition to transparent.

3) Reflected and diamond gradient styles would be helpful. Often I just want to mirror a gradient and always have to do it manually. Can be annoying the more colors you have and to mirror them precisely. Then there's also the mesh gradient, but yeah... probably a bigger construction site.

 

...

So, that's that. Realisticly, people who really think about switching from PS to Affinity, especially for work with long time experience in PS (like myself), won't be too pleased by the current status. Often there are just some more annoying steps to do the work or it's even simply not possible. So an fx panel on a PS level would make things easier, faster and fill my cold black heart with warmth and pleasure. 🤘

I'm sure there's more to add and fix, but feel free to add anything.
 

(V2.5.3., Win11)