Digital Workshop

I am going to get shot down for this no doubt, but I have to say that the current features offered in this 05 upgrade, I feel, do not truly justify a full upgrade cost....I know you are going to slag me off and say don't buy it, but for the first time since I have upgraded my way from version 3 of ILM I feel kinda ripped off by DW.

Anyway....Abuse away, just an opinion.

Hi David,
There are a few things I would like as well, but DW have to go with the flow and add features that the average user and potential customer will find useful.
I would love to have a drawing API, but the average user would have no use for one.
DW have to respond to market forces when they decide who to cater for.
cheers
Paul

There will always be some people who love an upgrade and others who don't.

When a new release becomes available, whether it be Opus or something else, I apply the following steps before I make a decision regarding whether the new release represents value and provides benefits to me.

1. Does my existing version meet all of my current or foreseeable needs? If it does, I will gain nothing from an upgrade and need go no further.

2. Does my existing version meet most of my current or foreseeable needs?
2.1 If it does, I have to decide whether the new features are a value-for-money upgrade.
2.2 If doesn't, it seems to me that there is little value for me in purchasing an upgrade.

Only I can make this decision for me. Only you can make that decision for you.

I use many applications that are considered "old" but everyone of them does what I need in a way that I can work with. Some of these programs are more than 10 years old. Antiquated by current standards!

I carefully examined the feature list from 05 and found very, very limited appeal for me in the way I currently use or am likely to use Opus.

On a cost-value analysis, I cannot justify the cost of the upgrade.

This is not to say that there are not some great things on 05. There are, but they are not for me. I know that some users will find that they cannot live without the features now included in 05 because these are likely to extend the work that they do.

I look forward to reading the posts regarding 05.

That's disappointing David, especially that you feel ripped off - though I'm slightly confused as to why you've been ripped off if you're not spending anything

I think the program still represents phenomenal value and many of our customers are making significant profits from the product. In version 05, the DVD publishing functionality alone opens up thousands of pounds worth of business opportunities - we already have several customers desperate for their download links so they can try to regain business for DVD projects they've recently lost or had to pass on.

We've tried to steer away from too much feature-bloat in the core engine and instead we're using the inbuilt script templates and component functions to add functionality which you can choose to use or not. In addition to calendar and calculator components we have bubble sort and a simple find dialogue plus skeleton publications for databases which will speed that up no end.

I accept that a lot of our productivity enhancements won't be of interest to casual users but if you've got a lot of work to do its invaluable and once you;ve used the new QuickBuild functions for sound effects you'll wonder why we didn't do it many versions ago.

The upgrade price will be repaid by a three or four hours work depending on your hourly rate and I believe most users will find they save that in the first month! Obviously if you're not using Opus for business purposes then it can be more difficult to justify the upgrade price. Those customers might want to look out for some more hobbyist products we're releasing sooner as they're much cheaper and upgrades will be available to existing users.

What would you have liked to see? What would represent good value?

Thanks for the feedback.

Paul Harris

Ripped off is a bit harsh and I don't mean Opus as a whole either as I do and have always felt that it is a marvellous product, What I was trying to convey and it seems badly is that the features such as DVD publishing should at least be part of 04 and because they were omitted in 04 are now something we have to pay extra for. Not all of us make a living from this product, some actually use it in a work environment for no profit and have to raise justifications for purchasing yet another update to gain basic functionality as publishing to a DVD instead of a CD.

I agree that not all features are worth using and to be honest the number of features are fairly limited for the extra 80 odd pounds....

I love your product and always will, but I just despair when I have to pay even more for yet another upgrade with relatively minor enhancements that really should be added to 04.....

Anyone reading this, please also read that this is a damm superb product and my issues are nothing to do with the quality of the product or the first class support and service from digital Workshop.

I'm just happy that the "minor" improvements are happening.

I can't wait for my evolution copy...

BTW - what time today is it going to be available?

I think you have misunderstood. Version 05 offers DVD-Video publishing. This is very different to simply making a slideshow for vCD or data DVD and usually requires a completely separate program. This means you can produce DVD's which will play on domestic DVD players with menu front ends.

Obviously there's plenty of other stuff in the upgrade as well as I suggested.

Just because your hourly rate is accounted for internally doesn't mean the productivity enhancements aren't valuable I've no doubt the QuickBuild functions will more than justify the £85 within a month or two - or you can take advantage of our money-back guarantee and downgrade again

Take a look at the product when its actually available and hopefully you'll be convinced. Also please feel free to post suggestions in the Wishlist so we can take them into account when planning the next upgrade.

Paul

Can DW please produce a few video to demo the new features in 5.0...
Could "showcase" the new features therein.... Quickbuild, what's that!

BTW, where can I get a job for 85 quid in three hours...
My resume follows...

I was fortunate enough to get a Preview edition of OPUS 05 (probably because I can "break" almost anything I touch).

It was LOVE at first sight. I was able to intuitively figure out every new feature I came across -- Layering, Multiple Object Defaults, QuickBuilds, DVD Video. These are fantastic improvements to an already GREAT product. I couldn't resist the urge, and immediately started using 05 on a live project. It worked solid as a rock (which was not the case with the earliest beta versions of OPUS 01).

I would have a very hard time going "back" to 04.5 after using 05. It is better, without being a lot harder to learn. If you are currently using OPUS 04.5, you will immediately be even more productive using 05.

Please tell me a professional developer who doesn't get "new" software every couple of years? This field is changing at "break neck speed." DW has done a wonderful job of answering not only our requests, but also they've looked into the future, and have given us the next generation tool to develop interactive multimedia presentations and training.

Thank You Digital Workshop. You've done an extraordinary thing with your new OPUS 05. Congratulations!

Hi everyone,

Paul can you gives us details on items like flash export, has this been improved in any way, also what new additions can we expect from the scripting engine, any new functions.

When can we expect a full product description and feature outline on the digital workshop home page soon. I suspect that the PDF feature list is only a taster?

I believe that Opus is a great product, I produce a lot of very advance publications with Opus using databases, scripting and many other features so I look forward to the new release and Opus has always provided value for money when compared with Macromedia/Adobe Director.


Joe

As for me......

Gimme Gimme Gimme

The DVD creation and and QTVR rollover call back functions are worth the upgrade price alone.

As an evolution customer - I am delighted with the new feature set announced in 05
I would also like to see some of the recent wishlist items made available in the not to distant future.

Keep the features coming


Pete

Pleas: better sound controlling in Opus.
when you want to embed "ogg" sound files you have to use "sound action" ; which dos not have already "sound controls" : play , stop , pause , forward , rewind …


It would be a great thing to have better sound controlling in Opus.

Video object dos not have already "sound controls"; you have to "make it your self", you may use video actions; but this option is a time consumptive if you have "hundreds" of files in your project!

see :

viewtopic.php?t=341

viewtopic.php?t=596

Thanks !

Yes, there are no sound controls; and yes, there is still no ability to create custom Macro commands (although there appear to be alternatives that will serve that need to some extent). I haven't ever made a DVD for a client; in fact, I used to turn down DVD projects (back when DVD was unstable & a relatively small installed base) -- but I know I should be prepared for the this as increasing numbers of clients want the capability.

So even though at this moment only the nifty new transitions & transparency-capable borders might be of significant interest to me, I know the product is probably stable, solidly worth the upgrade, and will end up buying it in the near future. I'll probably find much more to recommend it once I start messing around with the tools (hmm ... hiding a whole layer of menu items so I can work on the graphics??? hey ....).

As far as where 3 hours of work can bill 85 pounds ... most places.

I have read the mails with interest and I will be upgrading to 5 in the next few days. I know that some of the new bits I will probably never use but I don't like being in the situation,as I have been, of wanting a tool and it not being there. I agree it is expensive but then what is expensive if it gets you extra business. It does not affect me but has anyone ever been in a situation where a client has asked for something which has required you to upgrade anyway.

Unlike most of you I do not use the programme for profit but as a training/creation tool for people with learning disabilities, Opus gives me a wider spread of facilites that I can use to extend their interactive presentation activities whilst being relatively accessable in use.

Whilst much of stuff that is prepared at the lowest level. one of the groups has been working on a quiz a using the supplied templates and this has been looked at by a national agency who are intested in the final outcome. At present it contains 65 questions and they are going for a hundred from where smaller units will be prepared. Now with DVD authoring it is more than worth the upgrade, but I dont have to earn a living from this so I understand the reluctance of some to move up.

Anyway I think the support from DW and the information that the members of this forum throw around is worth more than the programme anyway- keep it coming.

LH