Urgent - Transformation tool blurs

[burgzaza]

Hi, I just notice an issue with my Artrage 5, that persists after a computer restart. I had a crash saving a file yesterday night, maybe that has damaged something.

So the problem is that when I use the transform tool, just to move around a layer, it blurs it. Just a little, but it's a real problem for me, because I use that tool a lot. And it blurs more and more each time the layer is moved, even on a straight horizontal/vertical way. I attached an example image.

Please help ! I use Artrage everyday on several years old personal and professional projects, and I'm in a panic right now. I'm doing very precise details all the time and this is making it impossible. I haven't tried to reinstall Artrage yet, because I don't want to lose all my settings, brushes etc... but I can do that if you think it's the way to fix this problem.

[burgzaza]

( I just tried to do the same thing with Artrage 4 ( yes I still have it installed ), and there is no problem there, so it's definitely on AR5 ! )

[burgzaza]

So on Artrage 4, all duplicates of the layer stay the exact same after multiple use of the transform tool to move them, that's what's not doing AR5 anymore since today, after a crash during a save.

I've backed this folder AppData\Roaming\Ambient Design\ArtRage\Content in hope my settings, brushes etc will be working again, I will try to reinstall AR5, I don't see any other solution.

[burgzaza]

Uh. Well good thing I tried one last time before reinstalling, because it fixed itself. Apparently. Weird ! No more transformation/move blur ! I don't understand, but to be frank if it keeps working it's fine for me. I'll warn you if this happen again !

[burgzaza]

D'oh! it came back ! But I finally understood : the Transform tool has two modes : Linear and Free. The Linear mode allows to move ( and to resize, but that is not important here ) a layer without changing it at all. The Free mode allows to move ( and to resize with more freedom, even with perspective, but not important here either ), but blurs the layer instantly.
I checked, and it is the same in Artrage 4.



But that is baffling me a little, I find it strange that I notice this only now, after years and years of practice with AR4 and 5...
I'd like to know if it's a normal behavior of the tool, or if I have a weird bug somewhere in my computer, somehow.

can someone check and see if it acts the same for them ? Thank you !

[markw]

Hello burgzaza,
Interesting…
I too have used AR for many years now as my painting app of choice but have never encountered this blurring.
Out of curiosity if you could post some exact steps to follow, that will always result in blurring, (or provide a test file) it would be interesting to see if I or anyone else can reproduce the problem.

[burgzaza]

Hello burgzaza,
Interesting…
I too have used AR for many years now as my painting app of choice but have never encountered this blurring.
Out of curiosity if you could post some exact steps to follow, that will always result in blurring, (or provide a test file) it would be interesting to see if I or anyone else can reproduce the problem.

I'd be happy to also provide a test file, how is it obtained ?
To test it yourself, it's very quick : open AR5 and create a new project, it can be whatever, but let's say 500x500. Pick the ink pen and use it at 5% size, make a short vertical line ( it makes it easier to see the effect ), duplicate the layer, and select the Transform tool, in the tool option panel that open after you clic in the image with it, select the "Free" tab ( default will be Linear ), then move the layer to the right side a little, and finish the transformation. Duplicate this new layer, and do the same, you'll notice the blur effect ( if it happens at all for you ) with about 5 or 6 repetitions.

[burgzaza]

Hi Markw by the way ( sorry I can't edit my posts apparently ! )

[markw]

Well, I have to say I find myself astonished that I too have never noticed this before!
I don’t use the Transform tool’s Free mode a lot (especially now that we have the Warp tool in AR5) but even so, I’m still astonished I’ve never noticed this!
Definitely a bug.
I made a short video of it happening here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nlnlwmittc68uma/Free%20Transform%20Blurring.mp4?dl=0
I made a paint stroke, duplicated the Layer, put the new layer’s stroke next to the original stroke. And then started translating it about the canvas, first in Linear Mode, which works fine and then in Free Mode where the problem lies as can clearly be seen.

[burgzaza]

Thanks for having tested it Markw, the video will probably help the devs!
Might be a bug, but maybe not : it's like it anticipates the image to be deformed. You can see that the drag of the images doesn't work the same as the linear mode, it doesn't "stick to pixels".
Good thing the linear mode works perfectly ! I agree the warp tool made it less useful, but I still use the free mode sometimes, the perspective option can be really nice.

I'm relieved that this doesn't come from a bug in my computer, see ya ^^

[MattRage]

Thanks for pointing this out. It could be that the Free Transform mode isn't respecting the whole pixel placement option in Advanced Preferences due to its nature. I'll look in to that!