Wild FX pro feature requests

[MotoGraph]

Every tool available to us in the creative process has unique strengths and limitations, and Wild FX Pro is no exception. What is already good can be improved, and what has yet to be made robust can be strengthened.

As a producer of motion graphics, I thrive on feedback from my clients. Having an open dialog about ways to improve the work I provide for them makes them happy, and keeps them coming back (which makes me happy).

With that in mind, this is the place for the Wild FX Pro "Wish I coulds" and "Wouldn't it be cool if it dids".

In fairness to the folks at Wildform, if you have a complaint, send it to info@wildform.com instead of posting here.

[MotoGraph]

Okay, so I'll start.

I am using Wild FX Pro exclusively as a text animation system for video output, so 32-bit avi export is a godsend, and Flash export (and the limitations imposed upon it by Flash) are superfluous (and merely an annoyance to me). Any enhancements which will make the program a friskier CG/Text animation module will be welcome, even if at some point the feature set needs to be split into Flash and Video versions to allow for further development.

Most of my wishlist involves additional customization of effect parameters. Everything which can be adjusted should be user configurable. Swish has a fairly serviceable interface, and their flexibility is huge. Best I can tell, getting an oversampled 32-bit avi or mov file out of it is not doable. Anyhow, here we go:

1. A reverse function for each of the effects which can support it.
Most of the effects currently are of the "text enter to standstill" variety. Adding a "text exit from standstill" function would nearly double the number of available effects (I'm assuming some effects would simply not be reversible, like the Matrix effects).

2. Motion ease-in and -out adjustments.

3. Independent height and width settings for fonts. A separate radio button/check box could lock the aspect ratio at the desired settings, and a second one could override the squash and stretch and use the font's default aspect.

4. Option for Auto-numbering of files on avi export.

5. Transparency with strokes and gradient fills (I assume this limitation is due to how Flash handles transparency).

6. A real text layout window like a CG program.

7. Multiple fonts/colors/sizes within a line or group of lines.

If I've asked for something here which the program already does, I'll happily stand corrected. Oh, and I'm not pushy-- I just want all this stuff yesterday, and of course I'd pay more for an upgrade which included this kind of additional capability. These features (and lots more I haven't thought of yet) could help elevate Wild FX Pro into real Pro status, and would fill a need which is not being handled with any other (reasonably-priced) toolset, AFAIK.

Thanks for a great program, guys! Let's make it better together!

[Jonathan_B]

Hi.
Thanks for your input.
Regarding #5, you can already output transparent video files with strokes and fills on the fonts.
jb
www.wildform.com

[MotoGraph]

Jonathan,

I should have been more specific in my request.

Best I can tell, when a stroke is added to the glyphs, fade-in and -out are no longer available in the effect. Is this correct?

[MotoGraph]

More specific yet!

I'm referring to the gradual reveal of each individual glyph within the effect, and not the fade-in and -out functions available on the tabbed Video page.

My head hurts. Time for a nap...

[Jonathan_B]

I'm still not sure what you are referring to.
If you can provide the exact effect and settings that you say have issues I will check it out.
jb

[MotoGraph]

Okay, here's a f'rinstance.

Take the Fade In effect in the Custom folder. Type in some text, assign a fill color, leave the stroke OFF, and view the effect. The text appears gradually, with each glyph individually ramping up from 0% to 100% opacity, which gives the text the appearance of gradually rolling in.

Now, add a stroke to the effect, and preview it again. Each glyph now turns on at 100% opacity from the moment it appears, turning the Fade In effect into a standard typewriter effect (only without the blinking cursor).

Any effect which uses the recursive, semi-transparent "motion blur" (which makes many of the best effects in the program so usable) is also knee-capped once a stroke is applied to the text. Now all the blurs are replaced with multiple, opaque duplicates of the glyph, stacked like construction paper cut-outs. Not the same effect at all.

Make sense now?

[Jonathan_B]

Hi.
I'll check it out.
Thanks for your input.
jb