Designer 1.6 Beta – when?

[Alfred]

I've only been a member here for a little over a year, so I don't know. I just assumed that the 1.X updates are released yearly since I got my hands on 1.5 last year, and now 1.6 will be launching soon.

 

Affinity Designer was launched in early October 2014, which is less than 2½ years ago, but we're already nearly at version 1.6. And there's no guarantee that the updates will go all the way to 1.9 before 2.0 is launched.

[Bri-Toon]

Point made, Alfred.

[Dave Harris]

Affinity Designer was launched in early October 2014, which is less than 2½ years ago, but we're already nearly at version 1.6. And there's no guarantee that the updates will go all the way to 1.9 before 2.0 is launched.

 

The version may need go beyond 1.9. It isn't really a number, so 1.10 comes after 1.9 and is different to 1.1.

[Alfred]

The version may need go beyond 1.9.

 

On the other hand, you guys need to eat! ;)

[Oval]

It isn't really a number, so 1.10 comes after 1.9

 

or 1.A (ffinity)

[VIPStephan]

or 1.A (ffinity)

I see what you did there. ;-)

[Oval]

I see what you did there. ;-)

You mean the use of the catimal system? ;-)

[G.M.1986]

With the 1.6 version will it get the animation/prototyping persona, in another discussion one of the staff member said that it already exist and that you disabled it to enhance it and flesh it out. And he told us that it will come with the 1.6 version is it still true? If not when it's gonna happen?

Keep up the good work

 

G

[KipV]

On the other hand, you guys need to eat! ;)

 

I don't have any problem with doing a paid update at this point either. 1.0 was missing a number of important features so all these free updates made sense but now that 1.5 is quite good I don't see why there needs to be another long line of free updates without putting a paid release in there somewhere. It's much more important to me that Serif can expand their staff and product line then for me to keep getting updates at no charge. Maybe just roll a couple of updates into one (like 1.6 and 1.7) and then call it 2 and make it paid. I know one of the staff since getting more employees is not a matter of where they are financially but I also got a newsletter saying just about the opposite of that. It said that they rely on the customers to advertise the product since all the money was getting put into developing it and there were not funds left to go into other areas.

[Hokusai]

G.M.1986,

 

Could you provide a link to the thread that you mentioned in your post? I can't seem to find it. I read this thread https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/37280-where-are-they-now/?p=185046 where MEB says " Currently there's no plans to implement animation tools in Affinity Designer/Photo." but if something has changed, I would love to read about it. 

Thanks,
Hokusai
 

[Bri-Toon]

I too am interested to visit that link. I also recall MEB saying that maybe a animation persona or better yet, a new program would work more appropriately, but there wasn't any confirmation in that discussion that animation will be added.

[anon1]

With the 1.6 version will it get the animation/prototyping persona, in another discussion one of the staff member said that it already exist and that you disabled it to enhance it and flesh it out. And he told us that it will come with the 1.6 version is it still true? If not when it's gonna happen?

 

Keep up the good work

 

G

guess you refer to this one 

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/27626-affinity-designer-customer-beta-152-beta-4/?p=140183

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/27626-affinity-designer-customer-beta-152-beta-4/?p=138656

 

more prototyping than animation 

 

probably 1.6 

[G.M.1986]

I was talking about this thread:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/25175-craft-by-invision-app/

and yeah when I said animation it was more like micro-animations in a prototyping tool.



 

[G.M.1986]

guess you refer to this one 

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/27626-affinity-designer-customer-beta-152-beta-4/?p=140183

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/27626-affinity-designer-customer-beta-152-beta-4/?p=138656

 

more prototyping than animation 

 

probably 1.6 

I was talking about this thread:

 

https://affinity.ser...y-invision-app/

 

and yeah when I said animation it was more like micro-animations in a prototyping tool.

[Hokusai]

G.M.1986,

 

Thanks for the link.

 

Hokusai

[Mithferion]

On the other hand, you guys need to eat! ;)

 

I agree. I'm on my way to purchase two more Licenses (Photo and Designer) for Windows, but I don't mind paying for a future update soon. :P

[Bri-Toon]

I agree. I'm on my way to purchase two more Licenses (Photo and Designer) for Windows, but I don't mind paying for a future update soon. :P

 

And what paid update might you be talking about that is coming soon? All updates up until version 2 is free. As long as you already paid for those two programs, you're good.

[Mithferion]

And what paid update might you be talking about that is coming soon? All updates up until version 2 is free. As long as you already paid for those two programs, you're good.

 

I'm just trying to engourage the Devs. ;)

[lenogre]

I really don't need exotic tools like animation. Today, I always need Illustrator for many tasks because these tools don't exist yet in AD.

New tools :

- gradient with shapes

- deformers

- simplify curves

- offset curves

 

Some tools/functions must be improved :

- point center : add it for symmetry and scale - add a button Reset for point center. Often, I'm looking for it.

 

- magnetism : sometimes yes, sometimes no. Why all curves/shapes are not magnetics ? It's make me crazy.

 

- add arrows like AI : all cotations for my drawings are still done in AI.

 

- reshape a part of a curve with rotate or scale is almost impossible : Draw a cat (AD love cats !). Oh oh, the head is too small. Ok, select points of the head and…, and there is no bounding box or interactive scale tool for this. You must type values in the Transform menu. Not user friendly.

Oh, can you rotate a little the head of the cat ? OK, select points and…, and we can't do that ! It's impossible. Rotation is greyed. It's a nightmare. Keep cool man, you can do that in Illustrator in few clicks.

My AI CS5 is still the best friend of AD for this specific tasks.

 

After saying that, I must confess : Using AD is so good in another ways, I don't want to return with Adobe.

[Bri-Toon]

I think your post makes sense. Designer is surely a great program; my favorite, but it's not quite there yet in topping Illustrator. I, myself, don't use Designer or Illustrator the same ways you mentioned, but there are many key features that make up easy vector designing workflows, so I can understand this. Affinity is still fairly new, and I can see that there are dozens of features being implemented and features still on the roadmap. Tackling so much takes time, but I am sure it will get there eventually. I am very confident.

 

And gradient with shape? That's new to me.

[retrograde]

Yep, hopefully some of those scale and rotating of selected nodes features will be showing up soon. 

 

Given their track record, I am confident that Affinity will come up with some smart solutions to these feature requests. Can't wait!

[Hokusai]

Affinity is still fairly new, and I can see that there are dozens of features being implemented and features still on the roadmap. Tackling so much takes time, but I am sure it will get there eventually. I am very confident.

bleduc,

 

I think this is a very good point and something important to think about. There are many people who complain about things that are missing from Designer and while there are things missing, I think that people need to have faith in the developer's vision of the future. I too am confident that the developers will get there in time. For me there is a very important thing that people need to do before starting to use Affinity's products. I think when people start using Affinity products they need to think about is: When you take the trial, do you like the way that Affinity solves problems, because that give us a look into things to come. If you don't, then stick with what you are using. If you do then you need to be patient because adding new things takes time. I think people also have to give the developers time to add more features (even features that some would consider basic still take time to be written and debugged). The Affinity team has made great strides in a short amount of time and I am confident in the direction that they are taking the program. I applaud their effort and look forward to what they will add to the program in the future. 

 

Hokusai

[Bri-Toon]

Exactly. It's about being different. Adding the necessary features isn't the same as adding them a certain way. If Designer added the Gradient Tool to function like Illustrator's, it would be a large fall back. It's about finding the easiest methods and not just adding features because they need to be added, and to find the right approach will take time and patience.

[Mithferion]

And gradient with shape? That's new to me.

 

Maybe the Mesh Gradient? Uhmm.

[retrograde]

Maybe the Mesh Gradient? Uhmm.

I remember when illustrator came out with the gradient mesh feature. I was pretty excited about it and did quite a lot of work with it since it was the only way at that time to achieve some of those soft transitions in shading that were the holy grail for my type of work.  Over time however as the technology improved other ways to achieve these effects began to appear and eventually replaced my need for the gradient mesh tool. I haven't picked up that tool for years now.

 

Looking back at those pieces I did is sort of cringe worthy now. The pieces look okay, especially given what the alternatives were but WOW what a ton of work and a not very friendly or flexible workflow (all those criss-crossing vector lines). Don't even think about changing your mind or colour for that matter...

 

With Designer now if you want similar effects, just jump into pixel persona and start painting away with all of the great brushes we have, or stay in draw persona and whip up some gradients with transparencies or blurs, much much faster, much more flexible and forgiving and of course much more fun!

 

My 2cents (2p) ;-)