Anyone interested in Filter Forge Filters for texturing extrusions?

hi everyone I have some ideas for some filter forge filters that will be usable to apply textures to extrusions. Developing these filters will take me some time and a fair bit of work so I really want to judge what kind of interest there would be in them.

Let's hear it!

It sounds a good idea but a lot of work Francis, I would be interested but it would not be worth your while if you don't get a good response, so I hope you do. Textures for extrusions you gotta want them guys :D

Stygg

You are exactly right Stygg :) I realize that Filter Forge is not a cheap plugin by any means and there are issues at the moment that necessitate locking the effects. But I do know that FF is interested in fixing those issues once the new version 4 is out of beta. And they have an open beta which could give anyone wanting to try FF a chance for an extended free trial. Beta Stage 2 has been going for months and they have said there is a 3rd beta Stage yet to go. Add to this that you can upload filters to the library now from the beta version and they have a reward program for finding bugs means a lot more opportunities for earning a free copy!

The filters I am experimenting with are based on a displacement technique and how you set up the lighting in xara and the colour of your extrusion will have an effect on how the texture looks.

Texture on extrusions that sounds very interesting generally. Frances do you mean similiar techniques like you posted rustygear.jpg in XaraXone gears topic?

Hi csehz,

Yes it would be similar. The rusty gear I did for the Xara Xone was done completely in Xara with layers of fractal plasma fill and clouds transparency. The filter forge filters I have in mind would produce a texture layer with displacement based on the extrusion it's self.

For example a filter might be done to add a layer of rust or patina to an extrusion with controls for colour, amount of coverage, roughness etc. Currently the FF filters have to be locked so the ability to adjust the extrusion in 3D space will be lost once the filter is applied.

I am hoping that the new FF4 that is still in Beta will be released soon and when that is done I've been told that the FF developers will be looking at fixing the errors that occur so the effects won't need to be locked. At that time I'll need to re- test my filters. I also have some personal matters right now that have to come first before filter development, and Filter Forge is not cheap, and you will need to have a copy of at least the basic version to use these filters, so I am trying to find out what kind of interest there is for these filters.

Sounds like a good idea to me Frances. I have a long way to go before I really understand how to really make Filter Forge filters. I made one for my Drop Caps but something happened to it and now it is no longer the same and I have no idea how to get it back to the way it was. One question I have is locking the filter. I expect the lock button to look depressed or not, but, I see no change and my Xara program keeps hollering at me and reverts back to the image with no filter applied. Anyway it's driving me bonkers.

Frances thanks the answer, yes that sounds really promising