Like Bluemidget, I too have Drawplus X3. I also have Serifs excellent value publisher workhorse PagePlus X5. Very satisfied with both products.

Serif offer simple starter versions, based on limited features from earlier editions of their software range, for free. (These are not time restricted trials).

Take a look here http://www.serif.com/FreeDownloads/

Have fun.

Geoff.

I use DrawPlus X3 and DrawPlus before that Serif software is excellent and I find DrawPlus to be one of the few software programs I would describe as fun to use.



Now if Serif and RL got together to make DrawPlus the graphics editor of choice for Animator WOW ......

Head took 5 mins to make in DrawPlus x3

I Make My Mates Do The CanCan For The Amusement Of Killer Robots:D

I've used Drawplus for some years now...and it will produce what the demo shows. There is a learning curve, but it is very similar to The CTA user interface. The Serif company is top notch in providing support also.

For those of you who want to Give a Drawplus exported SWF file a try, I have uploaded a file for you to test with...

The download link will expire 30 April, 2011.

SKYPE ID: rc.650

http://city.reallusion.com/store/ModuleExpand.aspx?id=GS634545170497417354&mdid=18866

http://city.reallusion.com/ContentTag.aspx?tagname=Cricky&AuthorID=20081020688550191201#]Reallusion Store Content

" If I had Alzheimer's (Old Timers), would I know it? "

Looks good to me!

I don't think after the huge investment Reallusion has made in its product line, they are going to officially recommend we use a second-rate graphics editor from another vendor--not to mention, officially selling it. That would be like selling junker cars on your Porsche lot!

The demo video suggests to me that the app is designed for efficiency in preparing designs for CTA. The feature list is very exciting, and the special rate for CTA users sounds like an incredible deal.

However, I'm sure you're right when you say this application quickly needs to be upgraded to integrate tightly with the CTA character creation process.

General Picture - animating now to life itself(tm)
Member of Content Wizards

I have Xara DP6 Pro, Photoshop CS4/5 and Flash Professional. I have found that the easiest way to do vector characters has been with Anime Pro 7. The bone rigging system works great and there is no need to break anything up in order to animate it. I do find CTA easier to use, but very difficult to design custom characters... still have no idea how to create my own out of photographs. I get the vector part just not the photograph part using real people and clothes. Gotta be an easier way...

Rick Owens

2 questions...  If we already have a suite of graphics apps, there's no real incentive to get this app, right?  No direct pipeline, since it's still uses SWFs and regular images for props, etc...

And two, what's the licensing for this app, as restrictive as CTA's license?

Want a good complimentary app for use with CTA, a sprite character builder or importer outside of building individual pieces, and tediously importing and re-positioning meticulously...

Empower your CrazyTalk Animator creations with Drawplus X4's professional draw and paint capabilities. DrawPlus X4 from Serif is not only a fully-featured graphics tool, but also a proven content design pipeline for CrazyTalk Animator. It brings data compatibility and ease-of-use to CrazyTalk Animator designers, as it saves time and effort on full scale Adobe Flash and Photoshop projects. With DrawPlus X4, now you can combine the power of image paint, vector draw and animated Flash content (SWF) in one complete toolbox.

http://www.reallusion.com/crazytalk/animator/animator_drawplus.aspx
http://www.reallusion.com/crazytalk/Animator/help/animator/DrawPlus/Default.html
http://www.reallusion.com/crazytalk/animator/animator_drawplus_video.aspx

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Visconti
Forum Moderator

Reallusion, Inc.
https://forum.reallusion.com