Serif DrawPlus X4 released!

[MEB]

I´ve been following the development of Serif Drawplus with interest. The program is getting better and better with every new version. I even bought Drawplus X3 but only have used it once.

I think it isn´t good enought to compete with Xara Xtreme yet, at least not for me. Redraw is a lot slower than Xara in complex drawings, the mentioned problem with the contour tool (that´s somewhat hidden in the application menus), creating brushes from vector shapes is very limited (you can´t create a vector brush composed by several objects with transparency applied - this would be super!), the artistic text tool is limited compared to what Xara does (you can´t apply a stroke color to a word in a sentence for example - you must convert it to "curves" first) as well as the block text tool and it´s overall less flexible than Xara (when stacking objects using clippings,effects, transparency, grouping everything at the same time).

It does have however some strengths:
- Transparency gradients are similar to what Xara offer (except for blending modes that seems one of the big news in the new Drawplus X4)
- It has a gradient mesh tool (easier than Illustrator)
- The raster based brushes are great (althought i would prefer more flexibility creating vector brushes - see above)
- It deals with PDF´s rather well (import and export)
- Moving multiple objects between layers is much easier and quick than in Xara

Overal my main problem was the missing blending modes (that´s finally added), the slow redraw, and the lack of flexibility stacking objects/effects as described above. But it´s getting there. I will have to try this new one. Maybe some of those problems are fixed/improved. Incredibly there´s still no trial as always. A plain stupid decision that complicates the access to the program. Buying and returning the software isn´t a decent solution. I shouldn´t have bought version X3 and never returned it back and now is collecting dust in a shelf.

Anyway i´m obvious waiting to get my hand on Xara Xtreme PRO 6. Hopefully it will add much needed new/improved vector tools. If they make the upgrade as good as the one they released for WebDesigner 6 but in terms of new/improved functions regarding vector tools of course then the new version will blast!