Needed - Choice option for download or Microsoft Store option

[JMMK]

Many ArtRage users prefer a download version (I think).
Therefore, a choice for the users in “Download” or “Microsoft Store”) would be very welcome.
I am already buyer of ArtRage Pro - 4 - 5 and 6 and now also vitae
(on the PC - where I don’t want it because I suggested that I was getting a download link so I could install it on the laptop)
(My laptop refuses to be visible in the Store So I need the download method it is visable in devices but not in install on)

[Somerset]

I'm not sure that a download-version from the Microsoft Store would be a trustable solution. I purchased f.e. a movie on the store, that I also downloaded. The option exists, but it seems to mean nothing. As my Internet was down for about a weak recently, I couldn't watch the movie anyway. You may say, "Okay, a movie", but it was the same with a game ("Rise of the Tomb Raider") that I purchased from the MS Store too. I also had problems with getting plugins to work in Affinity Photo, that I purchsed on the Store too, while users who bought it on the Affinity Store didn't have that problem. This didn't have anything to do with the internet-connection. Another annoying thing is, that you can watch movies, you bought on the MS Store, only on Microsoft's verry limited player. In my opinion the MS Store really sucks.

[Stephen Lo Piano]

I'm not sure that a download-version from the Microsoft Store would be a trustable solution. I purchased f.e. a movie on the store, that I also downloaded. The option exists, but it seems to mean nothing. As my Internet was down for about a weak recently, I couldn't watch the movie anyway. You may say, "Okay, a movie", but it was the same with a game ("Rise of the Tomb Raider") that I purchased from the MS Store too. I also had problems with getting plugins to work in Affinity Photo, that I purchsed on the Store too, while users who bought it on the Affinity Store didn't have that problem. This didn't have anything to do with the internet-connection. Another annoying thing is, that you can watch movies, you bought on the MS Store, only on Microsoft's verry limited player. In my opinion the MS Store really sucks.

Not quite sure that Microsoft Store has a good back up system as buying directly from web site of software service. I purchased Art Rage Vitae at Microsoft Store yet their processing of the order lead to my being locked out of my account there.
I think the wrong button was pressed at first leading to some security issue where a portable phone number was necessary to send you a text message. Not quite certain how they install the programs here, I have also purchased Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher through the Microsoft store, reluctantly, since I could not make the purchase directly from their European web site due to the limitations of prepaid debit card being purchases within the U.S.A. where I am a citizen resident. Paypal has recently changed and no longer allows accounts for payments without having a portable phone where they can send you a text message security verification. Without a portable phone with text messaging service your out of luck with paypal. I liked the way Art Rage took payments and orders with past versions allowing you to pay through a service that accepted cash at a local Seven Eleven store. Quite honestly not everyone in the world has a portable phone with texting service, some people are keeping their lan lines.

The Microsoft Store also has a unique and covert way of hiding any directory files created from the installation of the software you purchase through them. Without a .exe file you cannot make any back ups in the event of something going wrong requiring re-installation of the software program. Have no idea how you might possibly make a back up copy of the program, cannot find any files anywhere yet programs run without being connected to the internet. They must be hidden deeply somewhere in a directory or somewhere else like the registry. I was successfully able to use Art Rage on Linux operating systems with version 5 and 6, Fedora Design Suite, Mint, and AV Linux. With this version cannot figure a way to use the program on Linux through WINE application, cannot locate any files for WINE to run on Linux. In case you think these Windows programs are cloud type applications, they run without being online, from my experience with Art Rage Vitae and Affinity Designer, and Publisher. Yes things are changing and not for the better and continuation of choice and freedom for computer users, yet I would not blame the problem on Art Rage. They are at the mercy of operating systems for compliance and adaptability if they want their product to run on that operating system.

[Somerset]

...I have also purchased Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher through the Microsoft store, reluctantly, since I could not make the purchase directly from their European web site due to the limitations of prepaid debit card being purchases...
I purchased Affinity Photo and Publisher from the MS Store - also because I have no credit card (because I don't want to have one). I like both apps but not the MS Store, and so I decided to get a Paypal account only to be able to buy also Affinity Designer directly from the Affinity Store. The next bigger update (version 2, I think) I will buy also Photo and Publisher at Affinity Store if possible.


The Microsoft Store also has a unique and covert way of hiding any directory files created from the installation of the software you purchase through them...

That is really annoying. I found the installations of both apps some time ago, but I have forgotten where. I couldn't do anything with it. I'm not sure, but I think it was possibly under C:\Program Files\Windows Apps. Possibly hidden folders. As I tried it some minutes ago, I couldn't open the Windows Apps Folder.

Except that at first it was impossible to get the free G'MIC-Plugin running in the MS Store-version of Affinity Photo (while it worked in the version from the Affinity Store verry well - even in the Demo-version), I haven't had bigger problems with these apps. Even if I'm offline.Thanks god!

I fully agree with you that the things don't really get better. Nothing to say against the technical progress, but the commercial overkill sucks. Ubiquitous advertising, data trade, patronising... For example, the games may be much more realistic and impressing today. But where are the days when we just bought a CD or DVD, installed it on our pc and started playing - without annoying Steam or UPlay or something that slows our computers down when it updates and assails us with advertisng. And these god damn Ingame Sales... Sometimes I think, even if the games were simpler and not so impressing in graphics in the past, it was much more fun anyway. Today it is only a wheeling and dealing. Hope this trend will not take too much place even in productive software. The last time I often thought about to get back a little more to anlogue painting,

[Stephen Lo Piano]

These affinity products are really good stuff, and inexpensive. I hope in the future we see these programs on disc for sale in local retail stores where software is sold such as Staples and Best Buy. Would be nice to have a disc back up .exe file for installing the program when problems occur. Sometimes these discs are so helpful, especially with programs that have problems where no default settings can be returned to and you have sluggish performance due to some flaw or even worse disaster.

The Affinity Designer program is an excellent vector based drawing program with an extension to use bit map painting that is not as good as Art Rage yet basic functioning. The vector side of this program has great features.

Getting back to Art Rage Vitae, my personal opinion of the program that I recently purchased at the Microsoft Store is very good. After a test run noticed some brush application improvements, a few new features. I could easily stay with Art Rage 6 since I use Linux a lot (Fedora Design Suite and Mint) and the WINE application works successfully for running Art Rage on these two operating systems. Could not figure out a way to run Art Rage 6 on Debian yet that's okay since WINE on Debian is different, still AV and Mint are based on deb packages. Although I just started yesterday playing around with Vitae, due to Microsoft Store handling Vitae I currently see no way of running this version on Linux operating systems like Fedora Design Suite or Mint without access to program execution or set up file such as .exe, .msi, or .zip.

When I have the money to do so I like buying latest versions of digital painting software to support the software so that when it is good useful stuff you reduce the probability of it being taken off the market or end of life by buying the software or donating towards free and open-source software.

[Somerset]

So ArtRage Vitae really is the new version of ArtRage? It is a little confusing as the ArtRage-website still shows up with ArtRage 6 as the latest release and ArtRage Vitae for iOS and Android. And I got an e-mail that offers an upgrade discount for 39,50 $. The Microsoft Store offers ArtRage Vitae for the same price, but the offer will run out in 50 days. What does this mean? Does the upgrade discount also end in 50 days? I think the offer on the MS Store isn't the upgrade discount because how should the store know that I'm already ArtRage-User? But I will have to buy it on the store anyway. How can I tell the store that I'm an upgrading user if I buy later than in 50 days? Verry confusing! Awkward marketing, I would say.

Yes I love the Affinity-apps too. Especially Publisher is amazing. But Photo and Designer are also great. There are only a few limitations (f.e. no autotracing in Designer, and you can't save curves in Photo) and some bugs, but I really enjoy working with all of them and they have some astounding festures. Hope that they will make their way on the market and don't change to the damn abo-model like Adobe and others.

I planed to test if ArtRage runs on Ubuntu Studio since meanwhile years I think, but I didn't have the time. Hope I will do it the next time.

[AndyRage]

We'll be updating the ArtRage homepage with ArtRage Vitae at the end of this month (August). We'll be doing the official launch then.

[Stephen Lo Piano]

These affinity products are really good stuff, and inexpensive. I hope in the future we see these programs on disc for sale in local retail stores where software is sold such as Staples and Best Buy. Would be nice to have a disc back up .exe file for installing the program when problems occur. Sometimes these discs are so helpful, especially with programs that have problems where no default settings can be returned to and you have sluggish performance due to some flaw or even worse disaster.

The Affinity Designer program is an excellent vector based drawing program with an extension to use bit map painting that is not as good as Art Rage yet basic functioning. The vector side of this program has great features.

Getting back to Art Rage Vitae, my personal opinion of the program that I recently purchased at the Microsoft Store is very good. After a test run noticed some brush application improvements, a few new features. I could easily stay with Art Rage 6 since I use Linux a lot (Fedora Design Suite and Mint) and the WINE application works successfully for running Art Rage on these two operating systems. Could not figure out a way to run Art Rage 6 on Debian yet that's okay since WINE on Debian is different, still AV and Mint are based on deb packages. Although I just started yesterday playing around with Vitae, due to Microsoft Store handling Vitae I currently see no way of running this version on Linux operating systems like Fedora Design Suite or Mint without access to program execution or set up file such as .exe, .msi, or .zip.

When I have the money to do so I like buying latest versions of digital painting software to support the software so that when it is good useful stuff you reduce the probability of it being taken off the market or end of life by buying the software or donating towards free and open-source software.

Let me correct something I wrote earlier here. On second close walk through Vitae I cannot find anything different from Art Rage 6, going through it quickly from memory I thought there was differences. So if you do not like Microsoft Store stay with version 6, that will also run on Linux. This does not change my mind about the program, still damn good, one of the best digital painting programs out there.

[Somerset]

OK, thank you both for making it a little clearer. But as I'm afraid that even ArtRage (Vitae) 8 and following will only be purchasable on the MS and Apple Store, what about the upgrade price? Will this offer end after the time limit the store announces? And if not, how can I tell the store that I am already an ArtRage-user? This is still not clear to me. And I don't want to buy it for the full price by accident. The customer service of the store wasn't really helpfull for me in the past.

[J. Baker]

Bingo! I've had issues in the past when the internet was down with an the app, movie, etc. will not run. I no longer purchase apps that are tied to the internet. I don't care if it's better than what I'm currently using or better than an alternative app. Online protected apps have a huge downfall when your internet goes down or is running super slow, in the instance of downloading and installing the app again.

[AndyRage]

Bingo! I've had issues in the past when the internet was down with an the app, movie, etc. will not run. I no longer purchase apps that are tied to the internet. I don't care if it's better than what I'm currently using or better than an alternative app. Online protected apps have a huge downfall when your internet goes down or is running super slow, in the instance of downloading and installing the app again.

ArtRage Vitae doesn't require you to be logged in or even have an Internet connection to run. It just needs it to initially be purchased. Once ArtRage Vitae is installed it doesn't require an internet connection (unless you want to do collaborative painting, that is. :) )

[DarkOwnt]

ArtRage Vitae doesn't require you to be logged in or even have an Internet connection to run. It just needs it to initially be purchased. Once ArtRage Vitae is installed it doesn't require an internet connection (unless you want to do collaborative painting, that is. :) )

Thank you for that. I think most people were worried about how the store affects operation of the program.

It's nice to know that it doesn't affect ArtRage at all when offline.

[runningbull]

some security issue where a portable phone number was necessary to send you a text message. Not quite certain how they install the programs here, I have also purchased Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher through the Microsoft store, reluctantly, since I could not make the purchase directly from their European web site due to the limitations of prepaid debit card being purchases within the U.S.A. where I am a citizen resident. Paypal has recently changed and no longer allows accounts for payments without having a portable phone where they can send you a text message security verification.

"security" is just another way of saying "hand over your personal information because it's only for your own good"

Facebook & google earn their money because they can sell access to it's users based upon their profiles. Microsoft & paypal and all these other behemoths are only trying to get a piece of Facebook & google's action. If George Orwell used time travel to rewrite the news of today as a serialized novel published back in the 1970's - he'd be derided for being too far-fetched and cynical.

[runningbull]

Let me correct something I wrote earlier here. On second close walk through Vitae I cannot find anything different from Art Rage 6, going through it quickly from memory I thought there was differences. So if you do not like Microsoft Store stay with version 6, that will also run on Linux. This does not change my mind about the program, still damn good, one of the best digital painting programs out there.

Perhaps the upgrade of Artrage to 'version 7' aka 'Vitae' is the simultaneous editing of an image with a friend. Seems kind of like a gimmick - I've never done that before with real media. Actually, I've had an instructor alter a charcoal of mine, without asking. I was soooo pissed. Even with a musical setting, you play with others live. But doing so over the interweb is just wrong, with the time lag.

But I'm very encouraged by your Linux success. Please let us know if you ever get Artrage 7 to work on Linux.

What is your opinion of Clip Studio Paint?

Have you had success with Clip Studio Paint in Linux?

[jebbasha]

I'm not sure that a download-version from the Microsoft Store would be a trustable solution. I purchased f.e. a movie on the store, that I also downloaded.

[a_dt]

"So ArtRage Vitae really is the new version of ArtRage? It is a little confusing as the ArtRage-website still shows up with ArtRage 6 as the latest release and ArtRage Vitae for iOS and Android. And I got an e-mail that offers an upgrade discount for 39,50 $."

I had AR 2.5, 4, 5 and 6.... I never got an email! I see all this just now.
Please @Hannah, @Mark or whoever here is knowledgeable, I have many questions especially after reading through this thread..

1) Is there a way to purchase AR7 for a lower price for those who had AR previously? I don't see any. I did not get an email!
2) Is it true that there is no way to download AR7? That you can only install it???? I have 2 to 3 laptops/tablets on which I use AR5&6 right now.... -===> please make it downloadable!!!

[markw]

"So ArtRage Vitae really is the new version of ArtRage? It is a little confusing as the ArtRage-website still shows up with ArtRage 6 as the latest release and ArtRage Vitae for iOS and Android. And I got an e-mail that offers an upgrade discount for 39,50 $."

I had AR 2.5, 4, 5 and 6.... I never got an email! I see all this just now.
Please @Hannah, @Mark or whoever here is knowledgeable, I have many questions especially after reading through this thread..

1) Is there a way to purchase AR7 for a lower price for those who had AR previously? I don't see any. I did not get an email!
2) Is it true that there is no way to download AR7? That you can only install it???? I have 2 to 3 laptops/tablets on which I use AR5&6 right now.... -===> please make it downloadable!!!
Hello a_dt
ARV was announced here on the forums at the beginning of August but it is very strange that you didn’t receive any email notification:confused:
In total I had three emails about the launch of ARV over August and September.
Although sadly the horse has bolted now, as it were, I wonder is the email address linked to your ArtRage Store account correct and up to date? Or could the emails have been diverted to a SPAM folder?

But to your two main questions;
1: I don’t think that currently there is:confused:
But I’m just a user of AR like yourself, you could try contacting Ambient Design for clarification about your situation via their support page; https://www.artrage.com/get-support/
Or by email: [email protected]

2: Correct, there are no standalone installers for ARV (or AR7 if you will) that can be purchased and downloaded.
ARV is only available through the Mac App Store or the Microsoft Store.
Apps bought through either store are tied to the store account they were bought with not the computer used.
To put ARV on your other devices you will need to log into your store account with the devise you wish to install the app on. Then go to your list of purchased apps and install from there.
The total number of devices you can install on is defined in the store’s Terms & Conditions.

[a_dt]

Hello a_dt

In total I had three emails about the launch of ARV over August and September.
Although sadly the horse has bolted now, as it were, I wonder is the email address linked to your ArtRage Store account correct and up to date? Or could the emails have been diverted to a SPAM folder?

Email had not been changed since I purchased the first AR, and it is the one I log in into my account still where I see the page with the versions I purchased.... and it is a gmail address, not in the spam, not even in the "all mail" folder, ... nothing, NOT ONE of them arrived!!

I have another email for the forum here, but those are directed to the gmail account, both accounts still working, (I got your response via email), nothing from AR in the spam.... (I watch the spam folders all the time)....
will write to support....

LAST QUESTION: if I buy AR7, will I be able to use 6 still as was the case with all other versions (in the past it installed the new version as new software and DID NOT overwrite the older versions, which I like!), or will it overwrite AR6?

Thanks for your answer!
astrid

[Enug]

In short, yes! You will still be able to use AR6.:)

[nekomata]

1) Is there a way to purchase AR7 for a lower price for those who had AR previously? I don't see any. I did not get an email!

you were supposed to get e-mail notification several times, as there was a long discounted sale period from the August launch to October 1st (or around that);

your best bet if you are looking for a price reduction would be waiting for a black friday or a christmas sale.

[nekomata]

1) Is there a way to purchase AR7 for a lower price for those who had AR previously? I don't see any. I did not get an email

hi again,

I found a 50 % off promo for artrage vitae in my e-mail this morning, but it's promoted on artrage website as well right now, in case you haven't purchased an update yet. $40 until december 2nd.