Adobe's Next Upgrades - Photoshop 8, Illustrator 11, InDesign 3.0

[Ambrose Chapel]

http://news.com.com/2100-1046-5062279.html

"Over the last several days, we have spoken with six Photoshop certified trainers regarding timing of the Photoshop 8.0...release," Munster wrote. "All six of the trainers we have spoken with expect shipment between November and December. We believe the product will ship late in Adobe's (fourth quarter)."

mmm...photoshop...

[MacFan25]

I wonder if the prices will change any. Probably not...but we can always hope. :D

[vniow]

Oh goody goody yay!

[Mudbug]

I've been looking for the pre-order button since I saw the story - if they're planning on releasing in October (not announcing but releasing) then they're probably going to announce it for order soon. It'd be cool if they'd bundle it with the G5 as a pkg. deal, maybe with Acrobat Pro and InDesign as well. And what they hey, throw in Illustrator too - make it the Mac Design Pro shopper's delight!

[Powerbook G5]

And throw in one of those new 30" displays that Apple is supposed to be releasing, too! :D

[arn]

An analyst report made waves today with speculation that Adobe would release a new version of Photoshop "and other key applications" by the end of the year.

According to the report, November/December is the expected shipment time for Photoshop 8.

Early beta screenshots of Photoshop 8 appeared on Mac websites in early July. Those images were quickly removed at Adobe's request, however.

Early reports and screenshots of Adobe Illustrator 11 have also made the rounds.

One reader notes that McGraw-Hill is publishing a book entitled "How to Do Everything with Illustrator 11" which is due to be published on October 9, 2003 -- providing one possible timeframe for release.

In the meanwhile, upcoming PowerMac G5 owners should be satisfied with Photoshop 7 with a previous report claiming that Adobe will soon be releasing a Photoshop plug-in to take advantage of the PowerPC 970 (G5).

In related news, Microsoft-Watch reports that Adobe is currently in beta testing InDesign 3.0, detailing a number of improvements. InDesign 3.0 is expected this Fall

[Mac Kiwi]

The usual PS authors started writing books on 8 about 2 - 3 months ago.



After effects should be released around the same time as well I think {ver6}

[MrMacMan]

Yeah photoshop development is going good so far, I expect it to be coming soon, if not early.

It really is gonna kick, almost worth for the price of it.

;)

[coumerelli]

Originally posted by MrMacman
Yeah photoshop development is going good so far, I expect it to be coming soon, if not early.

It really is gonna kick, almost worth for the price of it.

;)

I haven't heard much...what are supposed to be some of the new features? :confused:

[mymemory]

What else can you add to Photoshop?

[fpnc]

I guess it's possible that there will be an 8.0 release fairly soon, but the upgrade cycle seems a little quick to me (what happened to 7.5 or even 7.1?). Of course, the real "kicker" for the Mac market will be if the 8.0 release is the only way to get __full__ G5 support or improved support as time goes on (since logically, support for the 7.0 code base will pretty much end with the release of 8.0). I know that they plan on offering a G5 plug-in or patch for PS7, but it could be that the timing of this release has more to do with the G5 than any actual feature delivery. It would be a nice marketing ploy (i.e. more upgrade dollars) for Adobe to try and ride the wave of G5 excitement with a new "major" version of PS.

[nanosound]

I wonder if they'll be releasing new versions of GoLive and LiveMotion. Rumors are Livemotion is dead.

[ultrafiel]

Livemotion should die, Flash beats it hands down. Photoshop 8 includes new features such as a color replacement brush (why you can't just use a brush with the color mode on I don't know). Also you can use non-square pixels for tv and video or whatnot. The file browser has more options and you can apply actions to folders in that, also there is a filter gallery mini-app, like the liquify tool, that you can see what any filter will do before you apply it. It has a preview and you can add multiple filters see the changes, take some off, see what happens, and then when you are happy you apply. There is a new image adjustment for color filters (ie, what the photo would look like with a blue filter, or other colors), and also a shadow/highlight image adjustment. These are the only things I can remember at the moment, as I only got to play with it for a few minutes. As far as I've heard Illustrator 11 has a focus of being much faster, which would be great. Also, Photoshop will by OS X only, and I think the other two, although I'm not sure. Anyway, with Adobe's traditional 18 month updates, Illustrator and InDesign should be out soon, with Photoshop a little later.

[Mac Kiwi]

New non destructive adjustment layers for filters is enough for me to pay for an upgrade {PS8}



Wonder if we "finally" get 16 bit layer functionality,and the tools to work in 16 bit mode as well.

[bikertwin]

A faster Illustrator would be great.

So with an 18-month release cycle, would Photoshop Elements 3 be out by Christmas, or are we talking next year?

[cb911]

non-square pixels!!? sweet!! :D

i'm guessing that PS 8 will only have a few new features, mainly re-written for the G5's.

would a late Q4 release be in line with their preivous releases? or is this 'early' for them, hinting that it's only for 64-bit optimisations?

[whitegold]

Hello, don't normally post here because I'm a PC guy, and don't feel the need to troll.

But anyway, Photoshop is great. I use it daily as a web designer. Each version of Photoshop brings new features, new options.

5 - 5.5 bought greater web features and Imageready
6 improved on those and added effects
7 mostly improved performance, particularly in the appallingly sluggish imageready

(possibly wrong on some of these. I have a memory like a... um... one of those things... what was I talking about?)

I'll be keen to see what 8 has to offer me, and non-destructive filters seem like a godsend to me, with a few other things that will probably turn out to be more useful than I thought.

Now all I need is a modicum of actual talent and I'll be happy!

Oh! And a shout-out to the other dude in Brisbane, Australia!

Matt

[whitegold]

And as a quick note, things I'd like to see in Photoshop 8 or 9. Or 10.

Font Embedding Ever use a font on a PSD on one computer and have to take take it home, work on it later, etc? Fun, huh?

Effect Alpha Bug Fixed If you haven't encountered this, open effects on a layer, give it a drop shadow, then a black stroke. Decrease the opacity on the stroke. What do you get.. fading out? Yep, and then it goes white/grey. NOT the plan. Might be just me.

Effect Editing Ever want to make the drop shadow on an object not be as deep here, deeper there? Or a bevel to be thicker at the bottom than the top? Well, I have. I know these effects can be manually created, but I'm useless AND lazy.

Text to Path This still can't be done in photoshop 7, and don't say it can be done in illustrator and imported, that's not the point. I actually THINK this might be in Photoshop 8, but I'm not sure.

Imageready Imports If you save a file in imageready with mouseover states, then save as (for page 2, etc), open it in photoshop, strip out the guides, strip out the slices, change the page, etc, when you take it back INTO imageready it tries to turn it back into the earlier file. It removes layers, etc. This is because the Mouseover state it was looking for no longer exists, so it tries to find the "normal" state again. There seems to be no way to strip this stuff out. "Clear States" would be nice.

Faster Updating from Imageready to Photoshop I hate waiting.

Um... Those are the main things.

Matt

[mum]

Originally posted by whitegold
Text to Path This still can't be done in photoshop 7, and don't say it can be done in illustrator and imported, that's not the point. I actually THINK this might be in Photoshop 8, but I'm not sure.

Text layer selected, go to Layer->Type->Create work path. Is that what you mean? You can also convert it to a shape layer from that same menu.

[mvc]

I just want photoshop to be FASTER. I have Photoshop 7 under OSX, and I also have a copy of Photoshop 5.5 kicking around. Photoshop 5.5 loads, opens files and redraws the same files faster, even under OSX & classic, and definitely under OS9. I am not talking about 200mb files, this is even on a 1mb file. I have a Dual 450 with 512mb ram.

I bought the Dual 450 secondhand a coupla years ago expecting the new version of Photoshop (Version 7) to use the Dual Processors etc and go much faster than 5.5.

But its runs like a bloated slug.

Why? IS it Carbon like I suspect, because the same accusations can be leveled at the Macromedia MX suite vs their older versions running on the same machine.

Tell me it will all go away when they move to Cocoa?

And tell me the Panther Finder is Cocoa not Carbon.

[whitegold]

No, I am referring to the ability to write text along a path, a circle, a spiral, a curve.

Some of this can be faked with the "text warp" system, but it's not the same thing.

Ever tried to make text spiral in, getting smaller and smaller in Photoshop? Like it's going down a drain or something? Best off giving up. It's a hard job. Illustrator can do it, but I barely use illustrator, and the text isn't editable afterwards. And to have a program the cost of Illustrator just for such simple jobs is not really very helpful.

On a nother note, I use windows, and have actually found that while 6 was quite sluggish, particularly Imageready, which was loaded with new features, Photoshop 7 was noticably faster in all respects. Hopefully 8 continues to optimise operation, both for the latest 64-bit chips and for our fading current systems. (My own is an Athlon 1.1. Getting old now, but still rock solid.)

[Ambrose Chapel]

thinksecret.com's article was pulled, but you can read their story here:

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,3973,804807,00.asp

[Mac Kiwi]

Originally posted by whitegold
And as a quick note, things I'd like to see in Photoshop 8 or 9. Or 10.

Font Embedding Ever use a font on a PSD on one computer and have to take take it home, work on it later, etc? Fun, huh?

Effect Alpha Bug Fixed If you haven't encountered this, open effects on a layer, give it a drop shadow, then a black stroke. Decrease the opacity on the stroke. What do you get.. fading out? Yep, and then it goes white/grey. NOT the plan. Might be just me.

Effect Editing Ever want to make the drop shadow on an object not be as deep here, deeper there? Or a bevel to be thicker at the bottom than the top? Well, I have. I know these effects can be manually created, but I'm useless AND lazy.

Text to Path This still can't be done in photoshop 7, and don't say it can be done in illustrator and imported, that's not the point. I actually THINK this might be in Photoshop 8, but I'm not sure.

Imageready Imports If you save a file in imageready with mouseover states, then save as (for page 2, etc), open it in photoshop, strip out the guides, strip out the slices, change the page, etc, when you take it back INTO imageready it tries to turn it back into the earlier file. It removes layers, etc. This is because the Mouseover state it was looking for no longer exists, so it tries to find the "normal" state again. There seems to be no way to strip this stuff out. "Clear States" would be nice.

Faster Updating from Imageready to Photoshop I hate waiting.

Um... Those are the main things.

Matt






Disconnect the drop shadow ,Layer style > create layer,or if its embossed etc it will be >create layers.To create some depth to your shadow,Edit transform > perspective,or skew.


Another nice quick way to create a drop shadow is load your layers transparency,make a new layer and fill with very dark blue {dont use black}then move that layer under your original and nudge to the left or right the distance that you want and then blur.Its also a good idea to save the selection first as a channel or use a layer mask.



Text to path....hmm paths are not my forte but what about a clipping path.Ok now I know what you mean it can buts its messy,you load your layers transparency once again {the text} and in the paths palette you click on the circle with the 2 node type handles,it makes your selection into a path,to go back again click the little empty circle,the full circle fills your path,and the other strokes it. {think its that way around}



As for IR try making a new snapshot of the new state the file is in then whack the old snapshot and save the file,should be ok on reopening as thats the snapshot or history state it will read from.

[tazznb]

I hope all this goes well; we just ordered some G5s about a week or two ago, and with the new photoshop coming should be good.

We are no longer supporting Quark (Yaayyyyyy!!) I hope EVERYONE drops Quark, and Motorolla and let them become less than a memory.

For Adobe to start with a much inferior product, and overtake them as completely as they did (with all the staunch support they used to have) is plain unacceptable.

Motorolla...... I won't even speak on them.

I don't know which of these sorry ass companies I despise more.:mad:

[mvc]

Originally posted by Mac Kiwi
Another nice quick way to create a drop shadow is load your layers transparency,make a new layer and fill with very dark blue {dont use black}then move that layer under your original and nudge to the left or right the distance that you want and then blur..


Why dark blue? Dark blue shadows work for Monet and Disney but in real life I would have thought a good rich black would be better (In CMYK thats 40% Cyan, 30% Magenta, 30% Yellow, 100% Black).

Once you do all your blurring/offsetting etc then set the shadow layer to be say 30% transparency on multiply or perhaps darken - thats closer to the truth I would have thought. :confused:

[Mac Kiwi]

I agree :)


Only thing is with no Quark Indesign has no real competition and Indesign will get much dearer to buy. jmo

[tazznb]

Originally posted by Mac Kiwi
I agree :)


Only thing is with no Quark Indesign has no real competition and Indesign will get much dearer to buy. jmo

What you said is quite true. If Quark disappears indesign may become as shoddy as quark with no competition.

Well, not as shoddy, but not as good as can be. No one has the ability to top quark, and Moto with late product launches, and poor quality in some areas; Ex. Photoshop has no competition, and keeps getting better.

[bikertwin]

Now that Apple has killed Premiere by coming out with the unbeatable Final Cut, does anyone think Photoshop or Illustrator is next in their line of sight?

If you look at the new DVD Studio Pro 2, it reuses some of the graphics engine from Keynote. This functionality sounds similar to what Adobe is doing with their new DVD authoring program (the name escapes me at the moment), and Adobe touts this as Photoshop code reuse.

So is the core graphics engine used in Keynote & DVDSP2 going to be used for a Photoshop killer app? Maybe a greatly enhanced iPhoto3 first?

It's funny how everyone said Keynote was the first salvo against Office. Maybe so, but maybe it was also the first salvo against Photoshop.

Is Adobe worried? Should Adobe be worried?

[PRIME CHUCK]

I have used photoshop 8 beta (code named Dark Matter as of this use) and it does seem to support the tools in 16 bit mode. There are a few interesting new tools that I have yet to play with. Overall, the look and feel hasnt changed much from PS7. But I will say this, even for a beta, it does seem quicker.

[Foocha]

My biggest wish for Photoshop 8 is that it's a real OS X app - compatible with multiple user accounts. Right now, if you switch user accounts, you can have trouble. Oh, and let's get rid of that Vise installer and have a real OS X installer this time.

The fact that it's not OS9 compatible is promising in this regard.

[jayscheuerle]

Originally posted by mvc
Why dark blue? Dark blue shadows work for Monet and Disney but in real life I would have thought a good rich black would be better (In CMYK thats 40% Cyan, 30% Magenta, 30% Yellow, 100% Black).

Once you do all your blurring/offsetting etc then set the shadow layer to be say 30% transparency on multiply or perhaps darken - thats closer to the truth I would have thought. :confused:

Because shadows aren't black!

If you're outside, the ambient light from the blue sky gives shadows a bluish tinge. At sunrise or sunset, you get greater contrast because the light source is now warmer and the reflected fill light is often shifted towards the purple now.

Outside shows the extremes, but the same type of effects are seen anywhere. Just a touch of blue will make the shadows have more life, you don't have to overdue it. It doesn't even have to be consciously noticeable.

Depending on your environment, shadows can be yellow or red or green or whatever color. Just look around! - j

[jamilecrire]

So I now have to plunk down $129 per app again (except Acrobat which is now Pro and more expensive for the same features). I just got PS 7, Acrobat 5, Illustrator 10 and InDesign 2.

The only one that wouldn't really upset me is InDesign because it's been around forever it seems like.

Oh well, raiding the savings account again.

[Mac Kiwi]

Originally posted by PRIME CHUCK
I have used photoshop 8 beta (code named Dark Matter as of this use) and it does seem to support the tools in 16 bit mode. There are a few interesting new tools that I have yet to play with. Overall, the look and feel hasnt changed much from PS7. But I will say this, even for a beta, it does seem quicker.


Thats what I like to hear,the meat and potatoes stuff :) ,not like the frills around the edge if you know what I mean.


Interesting new tools?....ooh no doubt for retouch,ya I know you cant say,a friend also has the beta but he never says a word,which is understandable.



As for Apple Adobe I think no OS9 compatibility would be at Apples behest as no OS 9 means all the hold outs {myself included} are screwed,and hey look G5s have arrived lets convert plays right into their hands.I do however hope {as close as Adobe and Apple are} that Apple dont poke Adobe just a bit hard one day,they have probably cost Adobe quite a bit of cash lately,but then again Indesign has probably offset that as well.



I hope Indesign could be bundled with the G5s,it was with G4s was it not?

[Mac Kiwi]

Originally posted by jamilecrire
So I now have to plunk down $129 per app again (except Acrobat which is now Pro and more expensive for the same features). I just got PS 7, Acrobat 5, Illustrator 10 and InDesign 2.

The only one that wouldn't really upset me is InDesign because it's been around forever it seems like.

Oh well, raiding the savings account again.



They have a cutoff date for when you get a free upgrade to the next version if you bought after a certain time,sorry I cant remember when it is,call Adobe you might be in luck if you bought your soft really recently :)

[robotrenegade]

about time!

[whitegold]

Regarding Apple and future applications being a photoshop killer, I see this as fairly unlikely.

Relationships between Apple and Adobe haven't been like they used to be lately, but there's no real rancor there either.

Adobe know that Apple users are a major market for their software, probably more so than just about any other software company, especially Photoshop and Illustrator.

Apple similarly know that Adobe Apps, again esp. Photoshop and Illustrator, are a key app in their lineup. They don't use it in their benchmarks for fun. If they lose Adobe's support, they lose a massive slice of an already tight market.

Designers by nature are quite fanatical, I've noticed. The pairing of Photoshop on Apple is an established standard. Anything that shifts that balance will NOT be to the wishes of these designers.

Apple's iPhotoshop (hypothetical and stupid software title) would be met with disinterest by even the most hardened Apple zealot who relies on a complex and polished package like Photoshop.

And such a release WOULD anger Adobe. The next version of Photoshop would be XP (or Longhorn or whatever) only, ala Premier.

Apple would then be forcing its users to abandon its own platform, or completely re-learn a major design tool. This is NOT a decision Apple want it's users having to make. This is not a decision Apple will allow to become even a question. Apple will stop at iPhoto. A respectable piece of software, though not as innovative as Apple want to suggest. (ACDSee has been doing most of it for years. On Mac and PC.)

At very most some Apple program such as iPhoto might take on some "Photoshop Elements"... er... elements. Basic digital editing for the consumer, digital camera crowd.

But they don't want to upset the balance in the professional Photoshop crowd.

Just my two cents. I'm usually wrong about most things.

:D

Later!
Matt

[killmoms]

Hopefully the updated versions of Photoshop and Illustrator will make it into a "new" Mac Video Collection software package. I really want the new After Effects 6.0, but I'll gladly wait if Photoshop and Illustrator are going to be updated for it as well. Now that Premiere is PC only, the total price might come down some too (since it's one less piece of software for the Mac users, not that I really mind—Final Cut Pro is awesome).

The non-square pixels sounds hot to me, considering I was having to stretch things for aspect ratio correctness in Photoshop 7.

--Matt

[jelloshotsrule]

Originally posted by Mac Kiwi
After effects should be released around the same time as well I think {ver6}

after effects 6 is already out, no? as of siggraph...

[Insatiable]

If AI 11 doesn't feature multiple-page documents, I'm switching to FreeHand. I've waited long enough...

[twinturbo]

Yah, should Adobe pull Photoshop cause Apple decided to come out with some sort of photoshop equiv, guess what-end of Apple for me. While I love my mac, there's nothing like using an application that's the industry standard, and then being forced to use something else that will only be for mac people. I think the issue with Premiere was different. There wasn't anything on the mac platform that was considered a professional editor unless you sprung for a really expensive AVID. FCP changes all that. Adobe really didn't care. So Apple had to do something about that. But when it comes to image editing, I'd rather Apple stay away and let Adobe, who's software is the industry standard, compete with their competition in the marketplace.

Lately I've noticed that if the competition is Apple, developers simply pull their apps from the platform instead of competing. Where Macromedia or someone else to come out with a Photoshop-killer, then you'd see Adobe compete hard. But if Apple were to come out with something, forget it. Adobe on Longhorn XP only, and like I said before, at that point you can just kiss the Apple platform in the professional design market goodbye. Cause I don't think that people are wanting to totally rely on Apple for everything. Adobe makes some good apps, and I think where they're strong, there's no real need to compete (DVDSP is another exception cause again, there was nothing out there, it started a new market, so for Adobe to not bring over Encore DVD makes perfect sense, but they shouldn't feel threated by Apple-they just got beat to the punch)

[Mr. Anderson]

I look forward to the G5 optimized Adobe apps (at least I'm hopeful that's what they'll be ;) )

As for a Photoshop killer? Nah, wouldn't be smart, there's plenty for Apple to work on as it is. A whole new package aimed at pro users? It would be quite some time before it would be wildly accepted and bug free for the most part.

And who here's using Keynote? ;)

D

[bikertwin]

Originally posted by Mr. Anderson
As for a Photoshop killer? Nah, wouldn't be smart, there's plenty for Apple to work on as it is. A whole new package aimed at pro users? It would be quite some time before it would be wildly accepted and bug free for the most part.

And who here's using Keynote? ;)

D

Well since I'm clearly in the minority here I'll make one more point and slowly fade away..... (Note: I have no inside information. This is 100% pure unadulterated speculation.)

Apple's timing couldn't be better to further my point, though. According to MacMinute.com, Apple just released a "Pro Application Support 1.1 Update" for all their pro applications: Final Cut Pro, Cinema Tools, Compressor, LiveType, Soundtrack, and DVD Studio Pro (well, OK, it doesn't include Keynote--dang, there goes my theory).

Anyway, Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro and Compressor and LiveType and Soundtrack are not applications. They are an architecture. Take a close look at them (especially DVDSP and LiveType and Soundtrack): they have all the same widgets and layouts and doodads (you know, those technical terms). GUI things that aren't quite the same as the Aqua GUI doodads (tabs, scrollbars, buttons). They have similar layout tools, toolbars, and other widgets. Dialog boxes, too.

It's an architecture, and it's something Apple will continue to build on in the same way they've built upon the iApps: leveraging functionality from one tool in another, same look and feel, etc.

I just think an Illustrator and/or Photoshop replacement are the logical conclusion. Not this year, but maybe 2004 or 2005.

Apple's goal is clearly to differentiate OS X apps (consumer and pro) from Windows apps, and Adobe has no interest in doing that.

<end of speculation>

[Mac Kiwi]

Oh ok cool,I must be slipping,last thing I remember was seeing a pre release info at Adobe.The thing I like about 6 standard is that finally it has masking brushes :)



Ya Apple could not make a decent Photoshop not with all of Adobes patents etc,plus no Mac support hello dark side.Speaking of patents I think Adobe actually has the patent for tabbed palettes,imagine if they enforced that on everyone and not just tried to on Macromedia,imagine no tabbed palettes in anything except Adobe.....arrgh



MVC - That was for a PS drop shadow,like the layer styles ones.I almost always use a gradient of foreground to transparent for my shadows.Or another trick I use is you make a selection in the shape of your shadow,feather by 3 depending on image size then com j to a new layer,add a layer mask and use about 20 - 40 grey depending on the light conditions you are trying to match and apply a gradient of foreground to transparent on the mask,then zoom way in and apply curves and just slightly pull down the middle curves nodule until the color shifts,makes nice shadows,as does using the lightness slider in the hue and sat adjustment layers.

[cb911]

Apple is really pushing ahead with it's software side of business. i think this is reason for any software company to be worried, or at least put in a decent amount of effort to make their apps top notch.

[twinturbo]

But that's just the problem. Developers like Adobe aren't going to try to make their applications top notch-they're simply going to leave the market. Apple may want to differentiate themselves from the PC market, but frankly, if they try too hard by making all their own apps and kicking all the developers off their platform, they're going to differentiate themselves into oblivion. Believe me, 99% of the people I know are more loyal to their Adobe apps than they are to Apple. That's what we make money with-the applications that give us the ability to make the coolest stuff around. And minus DVD authoring and Editing (where FCP and DVDSP are way in the lead cause they were the first ones there and have had some great time to mature), Adobe apps are king. Apple better respect this relationship, cause I don't think they're going to want to find themselves without any important developers, and everything is going to have to be in-house, from office applications to image editing, etc.

[Mac Kiwi]

Ya I agree with that.Apple have strong user support,I am a big fan but no PS would send me to Windows,Adobe have very real power and I hope Apple dont under estimate that,although I dont think they will.



When PS 5.5 was released I was rapt with that upgrade I loved it,but then when 6 came many many people draged their heels before upgrading,and I think that put paid to Adobe doing an incredibly good upgrade of PS again.



I am quite surprised MS have not tried to get Adobe to be honest.

[whitegold]

5.5 was so quickly taken up because it added a lot of web design features.

So in that respect it became a "must have" for a major section of people who were already using photoshop in collaboration with other software for "webbifying". (Such as Fireworks.)

This was Adobe catching up with what it's users were actually DOING. Unfortunately there really isn't a whole lot of stuff they can actually add that would get that large a segment.

Put simply there really hasn't been a NEED to upgrade since 5.5. I know people who still use that, though I'll admit they aren't very good.

Here's an interesting thought. Am I the only one that would love some sort of 3D engine?!

I can do a bit of 3DS Max work when I need to, but how cool would it be to be able to make objects with the solidity of true 3D Objects directly in Photoshop. Yes, you can fake it, but it's you never quite get that depth. And yes, I know there's a 3D filter, but it's not great. "Crap" would probably be a better description.

Maybe that's just me. Probably is. Oh well!

Matt

[twinturbo]

Yeah, I'd love that, and something like a nice 3d transform tool also. The "perspective" tool is absolutely terrible, and never does a good job. Something like what Kia's powertools had for 3-D layer transforms would be spectacular.

[Mac Kiwi]

Ya 3d engine would be great....



There are some new plugins out now that do some reasonable light effects,with the ability to set your illumination angle,and they are getting better,still notcieable though as 2 gradients of foreground to transparent backed up against each other as a light beam though,but not to bad.



A more intuitive transform filter would be really nice as well,I am so sick of copy,flip horizontal,copy flip vertical,transform perspective myself.I only used the 3d filter once,that was all it took :)



I also use an app called Bodypaint 3D which for unwrapping and painting meshes and models etc in 3d space,but its kind of similar to PS,probably not to close to wear Adobe legal though :)
http://www.maxon.net/usa/index.html



I think its inevitable that PS will have some kind of 3d engine one day,they had Atmosphere or something like that whih did low end 3d.

[leicaman]

Originally posted by whitegold
Put simply there really hasn't been a NEED to upgrade since 5.5. I know people who still use that, though I'll admit they aren't very good.Matt

Put simply, you haven't looked seriously at Photoshop 7. It is clearly superior and has features that make it much better than 5.5. Scripting support alone is worth the upgrade. And it's not that hard to create scripts that go way beyond what you can do with Actions. One example is being able to distinguish between horizontal and veritcal pictures. Impossible with actions.

Having been a Photoshop user every single day at work since '92, I can safely claim to know Photoshop pretty well (though I learn new things all the time to this day!) and I can agree that 6 was a ho-hum upgrade. But 7 is clearly worth it, and 8 will be too. (The RAW support alone will be worth it if you didn't buy it for 7).

[hjanssen]

Is Adobe going to abandon the development of these applications for OS 9.x.x I have heard and read that the next major release of Photoshop will be cocoa only - for OS X Jaguar 10.2 and above? If this is true wouldn't it make sense that they would do it for Illustrator and InDesign as well?

h

[Foocha]

Yes and no.

Yes - according to reports Adobe will not be supporting OS 9 in future apps.

No - the new apps will not be Cocoa. They're unlikely to ever re-write Photoshop in Cocoa. Carbon is a better alternative for them, since it does not involve a complete re-write.

Whilst Carbon does allow backwards compatibility to OS 9 with the Carbon frameworks, it does not necessarily follow that a Carbon app will work with OS 9.

[leicaman]

Originally posted by Foocha
Whilst Carbon does allow backwards compatibility to OS 9 with the Carbon frameworks, it does not necessarily follow that a Carbon app will work with OS 9.

People are still making the mistake thinking Carbon is not OS X native. It is. 100 percent native. It is not in any way emulation.

That being said, it doesn't have access to services like a Cocoa App. Many applications are a mixture of Cocoa and Carbon. If Photoshop makes the transition to Cocoa (which would be nice) then it will be through a long process.

OS 9 support is expensive. And nobody's hodling a gun to users heads forcing them to buy the OS X only verson. Anyone who wants Phtoshop 8 just has to upgrade their harware - which is likely needed anyway becuause it's going to require more horsepower I suspect anyway. But I don't know for sure.:D

[Foocha]

I suspect that Adobe's decision about no longer supporting OS 9 has nothing to do with guns-to-heads. It's a combination of saving money an taking full advantage of what OS X has to offer.

[Changola]

I have seen the future (in Beta form) and it is a suite of applications that may or may not be sold indepndantly... I don't know the answer to that one...

Illustrator 11 has Dimensions built into it :-) I will get it just for that!! I did not play with it long enough to see what other goodies were added...

InDesign has a lot of new interface features: docking menus, new measurement palette a la QXP, but on top :-), a flattening preview window to see what
will be rasterized when using transparency, supposedly it uses the same pen tool as Photoshop and Illustrator so it feels and acts the same.
It also seemed faster than 2.0...

Photoshop had a palette that acted like the timeline in imageready in that each picture(layer) in the palette was like a frame in the timeline, turning on
or off the relevant layers when selected... It also has more color correction features that I did not get to play with all that much..

All in all, it looks very very tasty :-)