Abekas/Resolution/ASDG
5 messages in this thread
Bailey, I don't know about PhotoShop, but I do know that for certain things,
HRQFX3 beats the socks off PhotoStyler. Among other things, it has full Alpha
support which is usable for masking and effects keying, etc. It has a separate
Draw mode whose objects (including kerned text, with fonts convertible from
PostScript Type 1 or TrueType formats — it uses FastFont [.FF1] fonts directly
— font conversion utility included) render with true anti-aliasing onto the
Paint layer when you exit Draw mode.
Its emboss, soft shadow, and glow effects are just plain gorgeous. But most
importantly, it does true vertical blurring (like VBLUR.IXP) — use Blur
filter, Horizontal set to 0 and Vertical set to 1, with Effects Transparency
set to 177. This virtually eliminates interlace flicker on horizontal lines.
Earlier versions also had a Queue mode (this seems to have vanished in
Version 3, but will probably be back in Version 4) which enables you to set up
a series of effects and other processing that would then be performed on a
SEQUENCE of numbered .TGA or .TIF files!
We use HRQFX for most of our title screens, thanks to its effects, its
anti-aliased text, and its vertical blurring. We can bat out really nifty
looking text screens in a matter of minutes, complete with metallic, wood,
marble, etc. effects (you can fill Draw objects with a bitmap!). It's a simple
matter to make letters look like they're carved into marble, burned into wood,
or beveled and molded out of brass or gold. When used with the 3DS
World-Building Toolkit CD-ROM (for its library of .TGA maps), its power is
awe-inspiring.
Its gradiant capabilities are second only to Fractal Designs Painter 2.0,
and then only using Painter's "Apply Lighting" feature, which isn't really a
gradiant fill.
Marion,
HRQFX sounds neat, but what I am really looking for is an edorsment from
someone who as also used photoshop. Photoshop is significantly cheaper, and it
has the print media folks pretty much sold on it. The main thing that draws me
to HRQFX is that it runs on the Targa+ so I can see what my colors will look
like in NTSC. It is also a drawback that it doesn't run under windows, because
someday I will have a fast 1024×768 or 1280×1024 24bit board with Windows
drivers and good hw acceleration in 24bit mode (like the MGA, the new
MediaVision board, or the SuperMatch Thunder II).
Right now I'm limping along with WinRix. I got it for $79.95, but it doesn't
do a whole lot and doesn't even do some of the things it is supposed to do. I
also limp around in Corel-PhotPaint and have use AniPro in a pinch. Also,
Piclab (free) has pulled me out of some tight spots. Amazingly, 3DS itself is a
useful but limited image processing program. One of the ways I do text is to
import an image into Corel Draw, put text on it, then save it out at a very
high resolution. Then I set up a video post entry with just the image and
vblur and get an anti-aliased (scaling the image down from a high resolution
effectively anti-aliases it) and vblured image. If this sounds like a kludge,
it is, but it works. I'll have to keep doing these things until I am ready to
spring for $550 for Photoshop or $850 for HRQFX.
BTW, what was going through Ron Scott's head when he dropped queueing from
v3.0? I've been dying for an image process program that could run in batch
mode and do more than piclab.
Bailey
Bailey,
HiResQFX is being modified to return batch processing functions, and
remove the hardware lock. A Windows version is also due shortly.
Kevin Krell – Computer Support Associates
Kevin,
I'm glad HRQFX is getting the batch batch processing again. I really don't
mind the dongles, at least not on "industrial capital" class programs like
3DS. I figure they help keep the price of the software down, while
reducing unfair competitive advantages for unscrupulous people.
A windows version that ran on both a hi-res 24bit framebuffer and the
Targa+ at the same time would be awesome. I wonder if this is what Ron is
working on?
Bailey
Bailey,
>>>> I really don't mind the dongles, at least not on "industrial capital"
class programs like 3DS. I figure they help keep the price of the software
down, while reducing unfair competitive advantages for unscrupulous people.
<<<<
I agree with you 1000 per cent! People that copy software steal from us
all.
I'm probably one of the few dealers "in my area", that has a "legally
Registered" copy of PKZIP sitting out in plain site. I keep the Tutorial &
Command Reference Manual close to our demo unit on the shelf. It gives me
a way to open a conversation related to Software Piracy. You'd be
surprised at the number of comments by people who didn't know they were
actually suppose to register the program and Pay the Developer for all his
hard work!! Gimme-A-Break!
Also All of you you haven't registerd may contact PKWARE Inc. at 9025 N.
Deerwood Drive, Brown Deer, Wisconsin 53223. Phone (414) 354-8699, Fax is
(414) 354-8559 their BBS is (414) 354-8670. They may be reached on
CompuServe by typing "GO PKWARE" and their CompuServe ID is 75300,730. Now
I don't work for them but it couldn't hurt to tell them I gave ya this
information.
Gotta support Wisconsin Small Business. <BG>
I'd be interested in the HRQFX with the Batch processing. I've got all the
Dealer application stuff sitting in my files. I had heard some negative
comments about how the latest version wasn't all it should have been and
this was one of the items mentioned. I have enough other 24bit Paint
manipulation packages to keep me happy right now but would be interested in
a "Beefer" HRQFX.
Keep Em' Fly N'
James M. Murphy