AFTER EFFECTS WISH LIST (Prior to Sept 09)

1.) image sequences are restricted to 30.000 images.

1.) the "countdown" text plugin is very unflexible because a.) the number is also limited to 30.000, indepedently of the slider value you are setting.
and b.) the automatic comma sh*it drives me nuts. give us more room please.
yes, there may be expressions, but i´m not interested in those in this particular case!

fix this precompose nightmare.

fix 64 bit adress for mac

fix this 3 GB RAM stuff

fix Open GL crap

fix this Standard/Advanced 3D stuff. Shadow resolution set to 4000 makes my machine cry and standard 3D makes my client whine!

this is driving me nuts, it´s driving me nuts and causes bad health to me.

FIX IT!
FIX IT!
FIX IT!

just one FIX!

CAN YOU HEAR ME?

- How about a continuous zoom tool?

Check out Imagineer's zoom tool -- very sweet. Hold down Z and move the mouse up and down. The point of zoom is where the magnifying zoom is and it smoothly zooms in continuous values (not this 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 1 business). Ahhh, OpenGL!

-I'd love a 2D physics engine -- like Phun (http://www.phun.at/)

I have always liked After Effects for its abilities with text. Though this means you try more text effects with it and run into its limits faster. Maybe some extra options/animators/selectors. Also, i noticed i can't link/pickwhip the evaluated expression for 'amount' in an Expression Selector (using textIndex etc) to another Expression Selector.

-Extruding would be nice (for text or objects in general)
-Extrapolation or as someone mentioned.. using loopout every time is quite disturing
-I'd like to see some features I can use with my tablet (I got it for photoshop, though I use AE even more than I use photoshop).
-Workflow when working with multiple people on one project? Now can't really work parallel. Maybe it's impossible.. but something like better file organization (like fonts/effects used etc)

Also i've noticed that many things that are accessible in Extendscript when making a script (like.. mask point positions/tangent stuff, and may seem weird.. but functions as well) are not accessible in After Effects. Calling functions in other properties would be nice.. The function would then be like.. an attribute to that propertie. (maybe i script too much :D)

the possibility to expand all of the effects parameters in the effect controls window at once. just like when expanding all layer properties or all subfolders with strg+klick (little arrow).

AND

whenever you switch away from the effect control window the fx parameters always collapse (close) when you come back into the window to tweak parameters. it´s a bit annoying for my opinion.

thanks

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Will someone create a paint effect that is useful for 2D ANIMATION! That means onion skinning, strokes appearing in a timely manner, and a single layer mask for all strokes. Possibly even a frame by frame 'exposure time' que interface when you toggle frames. Frame blending options, ect. I have been using puppet!

-Healing Brush on Paint layer

- True Dynamic Linkig inbetween all adobe apps.
This "edit original" thingie does not work for me properly.
Its annoying that you for example edit an PSD graphic in PS, save it and nothing changes in AE.

- How about the possibility to change character properties projectwide for all comps at once? just like when working with CSS in HTML, templates or assets.
you know customers be customers and they always change their mind.

- Layers with true tranparency handles in the comp window. because you always klick into the wrong layer because all have this square around it. if you command+click a layer in the Canvas of PS you immediately are seleceting the right layer.

- customizeable layer size, custom shortcuts (no redefinery script thingie), intl. keyboard support (refers to keystrokes) e.g. lets find the tilde key on an german keyboard??
Preview thumbnails (scrubbing clips) in the project window (no, not flowchart view please)

- hell yeah! 64 bits anyone? are we in 2008?

Ken, I agree. AE has long needed basic looping functions. The fact that newcomers have to dive into expressions for such a basic feature is terrible.

-- I think this has been mentioned before, but AE needs an entirely new 3D navigation system. This "2D workspace window looking into a 3D world" mechanic is obnoxious.

How about a button to add a loopOut(type = cycle) (and the rest) to the interface?. It seems this can only be accessed as an expression.
I have just started to use AE after a number of years with Combustion and this seems like a serious omission to basic animation tools. Everything else is way cool though.