CompuServe Thread

Bug-fix version A-Studio

12 messages in this thread
#190803From: Jeffrey LererSep 14, 1995 8:06 AM
Just received what I assume to be the Anim-Studio bug fix upgrade. However, the packaging order and cd-rom state that it is EXCHANGE AA Studio R1. Since it states R1, can you confirm that this is the bugfix version, since it seems odd that it would not be renamed something like R1c1. Anyway, before I go off on this bug-fix, I had better wait till you all confirm that it is the bugfix —* j
#190866From: dave aguilarSep 14, 1995 3:19 PM
>> the packaging order and cd-rom state that it is EXCHANGE AA Studio R1. Since it states R1, can you confirm that this is the bugfix version, since it seems << there are a couple of quick ways we can tell if you have the c1 update or not. if you have a CDROM of the program, does it have our hero on the CDROM or is the CDROM blank? also, on the disks or CDROM is a number of format: YYYYY-xxxxxx-0100 or YYYY-xxxxxx-0101. if the number has the 0101, then you have c1. -dave
#190959From: Jeffrey LererSep 15, 1995 7:07 AM
Well, it is 0101. It seems as if the most principal issues for my application were not resolved. I work at video output resolution, therefore animators who require full-screen graphics intended for video output are going to have a difficult time of it. Even at 640×480 the software collapses. Just starting a new 1 frame piece at 640×480 I observed the following: A) Program is unable to keep up with even moderate brush movement. But what it does, instead of just lagging, is complete the gestures with straight lines. B) Surround bounding box takes an absurd amount of time to execute a move or manipulation. So for the most rudimentary and most often used animation tasks, the program is unusable. Mind you, these were performed with only one nearly blank frame. So, I tried loading a TGA stream at 752×480 (similar to the res that most of us 3-DS folks work at. SNorezzzzzville. Then, trying to execute the simple everyday all day plinky ta plinkiteee activity that I dearly love – FORGET ABOUT IT! Okay, so I seeeeeez, must be something wrong with my configure, so i deleted and installed on totally different system that is a scorcher on all apps Windows or DOS. Same dissapointment. Then later last night I was at an other location where they were having the same problems. For your info, the systems i installed on were: Dx66 EISA SCSI 32MG RAM and 16MG RAM on controller with 120mg Swap DISK and after uninstalling reinstalled on P90 PCI 64MG RAM 250MG Swap DISK. Dave, just watching the software load and unload and wondering what kind of problems it is having handling memory. It is my opinion that at video output res the program is non-functional. I have not experienced any of these problems with Painter, Elastic Reality or WinFX. Sincerely sorry that my findings are such, but it is what it is. Jeffrey
#191060From: dave aguilarSep 15, 1995 9:23 PM
>> that at video output res the program is non-functional. I have not experienced any of these problems with Painter, Elastic Reality or WinFX. Sincerely sorry that my findings are such, but it is what it is. Jeffrey << heck, Jeffrey, no apology necessary. the program will not satisfy everyone's tasks. Windows 3.x isn't the fastest operating system either. Win95 version shipping soon promises much faster processing also. but i agree, at 640×480 there are several applications which require more power at the code level. -dave
#191117From: Jeffrey LererSep 16, 1995 10:00 AM
Dave <<the program will not satisfy everyone's tasks>> Everyone working in video output res requirement are then left out in the cold. I don't get it! The programs I mentioned handle video streams or single frame very well. Seems like Anim-Studio has essential code problems at the core. The limitations I have observed are fatal. Remembering the words back at the Nov. R4/Anim-Studio roll-out seminar: This was supposed to be the companion for 3-DS we were all waiting for. HEY!!! Maybe the boyzzzzzzz from Ani-Pro can dig into their Meistercode Pouch and take ANi-Pro up to 24bit. It's got all the features. Or — dig way back down into anim-studio and start from scratch, going to school on how those other programs are handling memory and queues. I'm bummed. Jeffrey
#191175From: Doug SlemmerSep 16, 1995 7:11 PM
I attempted to do a 30 sec simples line drawing schematic animation for a client over the last two weeks using AS– It's a complete DOG- Some really great ideas and features- but only if you have a few months to complete your project as you wait for the program- I have the c1 update and it's hard to tell between crashes there's any difference. Here's a short list of complaints- 1. Every time I attempt to select with the selection box it goes one pixel down and one pixel right farther then I choose? 2. Even the simplest task, such as the one just mentioned on a one frame animation takes 10 times longer then any other program I use- 3. Ever tried using the Grid? I can have the cursor directly over a grid point and it still jumps to some other point, usually above or to the left- Memory requirements are ridiculous- I'm running on a Pentium with 32 megs, if you preform a time operation such as filling the same area on 60 frames, after about 15% done it begins to page to the disk! Go get lunch,heck go home and sleep come back tomorrow! Why doesn't it update the frame and then clear the memory for usage by the next? 4. CRASH ! I use it both at home and at the office- Home P90 with Win 95- Office p100 Win3.1- both crash on a regular bases. On the wish list side of things for future releases (besides speed)- it would be nice to have mor control over the action path- You can adjust the movement path with mutiple points- seemingly keyframes- but you can's adjust all the other actions at these same points- Also the creation of sequential targas is really slow- (have a mentioned how slow this program is already) Next time I will either work in Pro or fake 2D in 3d Studio- Either oneof those would be a hell of a lot less painful then this last project was with Animator Studio
#191221From: dave aguilarSep 17, 1995 2:53 AM
not knowing what your system configuration is, it's hard to gage what the cause of the problems are. c1 is very stable… and being a person who installs and configures the program on system, i find that more than 75% of the problems result from folks trying to install the program without adequate resources or configuration for this application a quick example… you mention in 4. that AAS crashes in Win95 and also Win3.1… AAS has no business being loaded on Win95. and don't get me started on Win95 problem. <g> suffice it to say, the advice i offer to folks about "wait a while" applies as much to OS's as it does to applications which run on OS's. admitedly, Win3.1 is not capable (with its own limitations) to handle certain file sizes… and most programs folks try to compared AAS with do not do the same things… there is very little if anything which maintains a 24-bit lossless codec for zero degredation AVI editing. apples and oranges. when folks say "it doesn't behave like program X or program Y"… it usually tells me they have haven't studied the program enough to see the differences. how many "paint over time" current Windows applications are there which use keyframed filter inks. not too many. i won't say you're wrong, Doug… that isn't my goal. i will simply say that it's not a black and white analysis, the task qualifies the adequacy of the applies program and environment, and for many applications it kicks. if you're looking to handle larger frame counts and higher resolutions… the Win95 version (shipping very soon and free to Win3.1 registered users) will improve performance dramatically. >> On the wish list side of things for future releases (besides speed)- it would << these have been forwarded to the right people. thanks. -dave
#191220From: dave aguilarSep 17, 1995 2:53 AM
>> waiting for. HEY!!! Maybe the boyzzzzzzz from Ani-Pro can dig into their Meistercode Pouch and take ANi-Pro up to 24bit. It's got all the features. Or << personally, i would love to see a 24-bit version of Animator Pro come out… even if it meant just version 1.4 (everything as it is now but with 24-bit support). hard to say what will happpen, but there are few who would argue that AniPro's speed and ability to handle 4000-frame animations continues to make it a pixelmonster. i don't think "or"… i think "and". -dave
#191227From: Jeffrey LererSep 17, 1995 6:48 AM
Well, Dave, Ani-Pro taken to optional bit-depth (even 16 but 24 would be sublime) would give us the 2-D added power to interface with 3-DS and/or simply have greater .PAL freedom when needed. Naturally, that would have meant that Ani-Pro users would all upgrade and newcomers would be more than thrilled. From an overview, based on the packaging of Anim-Studio, it's lack of performance, failure to incorporate many of the indespensible features of Ani-Pro and it's failure to even run with moderate stability, there is a huge gap ready to be filled. There are teams upon teams of animators out here waiting for the next move… and we don't want to spend 10G on hi-end vector (I don't even like the look, too refined). So, while you are thinking "and" rather than "or" you might give a thought to "what". 🙂 Jeffrey, getting by one frame at a time
#191355From: dave aguilarSep 18, 1995 2:44 AM
>> (I don't even like the look, too refined). So, while you are thinking "and" rather than "or" you might give a thought to "what". 🙂 Jeffrey, getting by one frame at a time << what? (how was that?) <gg> -dave
#191382From: Jeffrey LererSep 18, 1995 8:23 AM
<<what? (how was that?) <gg>>> MAKE IT REAL… COMPARED TO WHAT (;-| jeffrey
#191421From: dave aguilarSep 18, 1995 12:50 PM
the Win95 version will ship shortly. lt me think about "what" when it gets to you. 😉 -dave