Hi everyone and welcome to Filter Forge forums!

After more than 3 years in stealth mode, we're now officially open! Join the beta at www.filterforge.com/download/ and let us know what you think -- praise, bug reports, questions, critique -- any feedback is most welcome.

Feel free to post!

I agree, Filter Forge looks great!

When do you expect to send Beta Tester aproval emails?
I'm ready to jump into it.

Quote
room217 wrote: Kind of reminds me of Darktree. Any chance of a max plug?

Randy -- currently we don't have plans to make a Max/Maya plugin. Yes, our node-based approach is similar to DarkTree, but the internals are quite different. DarkTree shaders are three-dimensional and can be procedurally applied to 3D-geometry, and Filter Forge filters are "pseudo-3D" -- we do calculate the height/normal map for surface filters, but everything before that point is 2D.

This may sound like a limitation, but it also gives us some advantages over DarkTree -- we can do blurs, sharpen, high pass and other bitmap-based operations which DarkTree currently can't do. It is quite a task to do a procedural blur in infinite 3D space on three-dimensional pixels. I believe this complexity is the reason why DarkTree doesn't do it.

Plus, Filter Forge can output seamless tiled bitmaps, which also doesn't map very well to the 3D space.

Actually, Filter Forge and DarkTree aren't competitors. I can wholeheartedly recommend DarkTree to anyone who needs 3D procedurals -- it is a really great package, but if you need to use blurs/sharpens/high pass or output seamless bitmaps, welcome to Filter Forge

Quote
Kraellin wrote: i noticed in a couple of places throughout the site that it says the current user-made filters can be downloaded for free

Craig -- the filters aren't downloaded through the site -- you do that directly in Filter Forge. To download, click the "Download More Filters..." button on the main screen.

Actually, since we've deployed the beta installer just yesterday, all filters are included within the installer, and currently there are no new filters in the Library -- but, after looking at the number of the beta applications, I'm sure new filters will start appearing very soon

From the screenshots and the description this sounds like the tool I've been waiting for for years. Bravo! I really can't wait to get my fingers on this.

Looking forward to putting this throught its paces

Thank you for the swift reaction Vladimir! I have downloaded it and created my first filters with it.

Here's my first impressions:

- FilterForge feels very smooth - the processing and the response times are very good. Also it seems to be very stable, I didn't come across any technical problems yet.

- The interface is very intuitive and works just like I expected it

- I like the filter submission system very much - I hope that this will strive.

- The variety of available modules is good, though I missed a few "basics":
-- Displacement Map
-- Basic Noise
-- Rotate (at least in steps of 90 degrees)

Quote
Quasimondo wrote: - The interface is very intuitive and works just like I expected it

We've made about 70 executable prototypes and countless Photoshop mockups to get it right -- I'm glad to hear you like the result.

Quote
- I like the filter submission system very much - I hope that this will strive.

Yes, the filters are error-checked before submission, plus the wizard uses the same login/password you use on this forum, so you don't have to register separately.

Quote
- The variety of available modules is good, though I missed a few "basics": -- Displacement Map -- Basic Noise -- Rotate (at least in steps of 90 degrees)

Actually, the displacement and bump maps are the same -- you may substitute one with another. For basic noise, you might want to try Perlin with Details set to 0 which will limit it to one octave. And as for the rotation, that's a long long story, and I believe I've even documented why we didn't include it -- but I'll look into it later.

Oh - I just noticed that the offset module can work like a Displacementmap filter, that's excellent!

great job

the filters at the page are grate

but i cant understand this tool well i hope an tutorial is in coming xD

greez

First off, cheers. This is absolutely awesome.
Very excited to get started using the Forge.

Perhaps an area could also be created in the forums where we can post tutorials (for other beta testers now, and then for actual users later once the product rolls out); or at least make them sticky once someone has the opportunity to post one.

- Rock on!

Gill, Wagner, bemused0, CFandM -- thank you

Regarding the tutorials and tips -- you can post them right here, and we can always move them into a separate forum area if needed.

A very nice piece of kit and I have found it very intuitive. I think the development team has done a great job so far ...looking forward to the updates.

-neil

welcome to the factory, ariock. join in. lots of room here yet