Is PSP or PS worth getting

[Alynn]

Currently I am using IDraw for my graphics, and it gets the job done... But with only 256 colors to work with and its impossible to tone up and or down the color depth... Would it be worth shelling out the money for one of these programs? I'm not the worlds greatest computer artist, but with AGS its mostly perspective drawing which I'm fairly good at...

So anyway... is it worth it?

[BOYD1981]

you can get trial versions of PSP, although PSP8 is a bit shit, i dunno about PS trials though, some people might even recommend Gimp or Pixia, but i'm not one of them...

[Miez]

Photoshop is very much worth having, but it's insanely expensive (the new version costing over $1000).

PSP is very good as well, and a lot cheaper (only $100).

Gimp is free, but an "acquired taste". I don't like it.

[RickJ]

You can get Photoshop Elements for about $100 and it does nealy everything the $1000 one does.  You can also get Gimp at gimp.org.  It's very good, open source , and costs nothing.  

[cpage]

http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=5644

that has info on both plus some alternitives

[Paranoia]

yeah PSP8 is crap compared to psp7, its easy enough to get cracks for the trial versions, but thats at your own risk

[Evil]

Photoshop 3 is great. Most people dont even realize it. Its pc and mac compatable too. I've even found it at sellouts for like $20. It might be free somewhere, I'm not sure. And if you dont use your clock you can always set it back a few years for the trial version ...

[cornjob]

Hmm, I'm still using PSP6, so I'm curious... can somebody explain what went wrong between 7 and 8?

[Darth Mandarb]

I've used Photoshop for years and just love it!

But RickJ is right.

If you are just looking for something to make game graphics with I'd go with Photoshop Elements.  Since you don't have the 1000 dollar version you'll never notice what's missing and you'll (more than likely) never want for something that Elements can't do!

So if you have 100 bux I'd say go for it.

BTW ... I've seen it at Best Buy for like $79.99.  So shop around for the best deal!

dm

[Gilbert]

US$80 is still A LOT for me, I won't buy it!

[Alynn]

Well I appreciate the replies... Well... this is a hobby... and with all my hobbies they are either free are damn near close to free...

BTW I tired getting GIMP but I couldn't get it to dl from the site (nor the runtime you need to DL for windows)... anyone know of an alternate site for it?

[Gilbert]

Did you mean the original window$ version dl page:
http://www.gimp.org/~tml/gimp/win32/downloads.html
or the installer page:
http://www2.arnes.si/~sopjsimo/gimp/
? I personally recommend download ing the installers, they're easier to handle.

[Punch]

I noticed something interesting the other day. A lot of scanners come with Photoshop Elements, being a sligtly cut down version of Photoshop. I'm not sure the exact changes. Anyway, scanners are pretty cheap now. Sometimes you can get a scanner with PSElements cheaper than it would be to just buy the software. And you get a scanner thrown into the deal!

I dunno, but it might be something worth looking into.

- Punch

[Alynn]

Did you mean the original window$ version dl page:
http://www.gimp.org/~tml/gimp/win32/downloads.html
or the installer page:
http://www2.arnes.si/~sopjsimo/gimp/
? I personally recommend download ing the installers, they're easier to handle.

The installers... They kept timing out for like 3 hours yesterday... eventually I gave up.

EDIT: I just tried again... they are dling now

[AGA]

Nah, Elements is really cheap, Punch, like 10% the price of Photoshop.

[Alynn]

Wow... Gimp is gonna take some work to learn to use, at least with any amount of proficiency...

BTW, if you want to see an example of what I have done using iDraw please check out: http://www.agsforums.com/yabb/index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=9487&start=0 in the Critics part of the Forum.

I am usually super critical of my own stuff (I hate just about everything I do) so I like to get others opinions...

Thanks ya'll for your resposes

[TheYak]

And if you're looking for a fairly inexpensive tablet, the Graphire 2 goes for around 100 and comes with PS Elements & Painter Classic (Not sure of what other tablets might bundle).

[Las Naranjas]

Considering some of the scanners that come with Elements cost Au$100, which is roughly or less the price of Elements, the scanner option does look good, especially since you get a scanner.

[taryuu]

i still use psp7 for pixelling but psp8 has some great features built in for phot editing.  

crack it and see for yourself.

[shbaz]

My biggest problem with free graphics editors is that they are always hard to use. That's why they're free.

Blender (blender3d.org) is a free 3d tool that is just as powerful as many costing $800+.. but it's interface is totally different from anything else. So first you have to spend a few years using it. Gimp is pretty much the same story.. Why can't they just put everything in one window?

[DGMacphee]

Of course it's worth getting PSP -- have a look at this kick-arse picture of M0ds I drew:



And then I added LESN FLAERSE!1!!



I think these pics say it all...

[Miez]

That's it - thanks for making it so obvious DG - I'm switching to PSP; that lensflaer is sooo 1337!!!