Initial thoughts on ASP 6
Posted: Mon Jun 01, 2009 9:40 am
Its been a long time coming and there some cool new features, some which are going to take more time in figuring out how to optimize them in production.
Changes to prevent layer creation other than on Frame 0 is welcomed - the ghosted 'vector' is an instant reminder you're not on 0.
The need for a NLE is debatable but the mition tracking tools very useful.
The improved gradients I need to test to test at 4K more but it looks infinitely better.
There are disappointments: For me, three issues remain unresolved.
Changes to Ease-i/ease-out are more complicated but code examples at the time were written as were the offers to re-write the function in a pseudo open-source contribution.
Don't get me wrong, ASP 6 is a great program which will find prime use in the series work I do - its the program of choice we teach the local animators in Thaland and here: The 30-day trial is brilliant news for this program introduction, one which will help combat software piracy.
And I'll b queuing up to buy the new release once available.
I just find it very frustrating minor changes and bug fixes never made the new version, to make the program even more of a killer application.
Rhoel
BTW, Mike: I have lost your email - its on the Thai studio machine. SM switchboard blocked my person to person call re layer clipping.
Changes to prevent layer creation other than on Frame 0 is welcomed - the ghosted 'vector' is an instant reminder you're not on 0.
The need for a NLE is debatable but the mition tracking tools very useful.
The improved gradients I need to test to test at 4K more but it looks infinitely better.
There are disappointments: For me, three issues remain unresolved.
- Batch Export: This still renders output to the same directory as the source file: That is a big no-no for many reasons. The original change requested was for a selectable render directory, with the scene renders to new sub-folders - so, render_directory/scene_name/png stream. At the very least, a one line code change to the existing code would have solved the mixing of source and output files - a new ender_folder in the source directory called render_date-time (where the date-time is year-month-day-hour-minute). This would h\prevent any duplicate folder name issues.
- Ease-in - east-out: This change was requested in 5.3. There is an ectopic or phantom position in the maths block which seriously affects the animation look. There has been considerable explanation why this phantom position affects the look: For this to still broken in a major release pisses me off greatly.
. - Image layer clipping: this was discussed at length - calling the render broken ruffled feathers at SM and probably with Mike as well. There was an excuse over 'sweet points etc', but the "yes but" was not a solution. layer clipping affects the preview window and final render. Its a major bug and the fact output is being degrade has not been properly investigated it utterly beyond me. Its not a "sweet point" issue, it's about rendering 100% from 100%-1 pixel images: That means every image file is being rescaled or degraded: period.
Changes to Ease-i/ease-out are more complicated but code examples at the time were written as were the offers to re-write the function in a pseudo open-source contribution.
Don't get me wrong, ASP 6 is a great program which will find prime use in the series work I do - its the program of choice we teach the local animators in Thaland and here: The 30-day trial is brilliant news for this program introduction, one which will help combat software piracy.
And I'll b queuing up to buy the new release once available.
I just find it very frustrating minor changes and bug fixes never made the new version, to make the program even more of a killer application.
Rhoel
BTW, Mike: I have lost your email - its on the Thai studio machine. SM switchboard blocked my person to person call re layer clipping.