We released today the version 2.0.1 of Slide Effect.
It is a maintenance release with some bug fixes.
Changes in details:
Here we are: after several months of hard work and countless beta versions, the first official version of Slide Effect 2 is now available!
Download it from here. Try it and give us feedback on our forums.
Help online is not yet available, but should come next week. New effects/transitions/backgrounds/filters will be released now in a regular basis.
Here is the rule:
Something important to know: a Slide Effect 2 license will be valid for any future version of the software: there is not anymore “one year of free upgrade policy” limitation: As soon as you purchase Slide Effect 2, you will have a perpetual license for the software and all future upgrades.
Yes, after a loooonnnng development time (first announcement of Slide Effect 2 was in early 2015), after numerous delays, the light seems to appear at end of the tunnel! Please read carefully: Lots of new on Slide-effect.com!
Version 2 of Slide Effect is closely linked to the website (to download or publish effects, transitions or backgrounds), so it was necessary to update the site in the same time as the software. The site was therefore redone from top to bottom to be able to live up to our ambitions. It should still change a little the first few weeks, but the main features are there.
It looks now modern, displays correctly on all devices and is available in English and French.
Version 2 of Slide Effect software is now available in beta on the download page. Try it, play with it and give me your impressions, criticisms, suggestions, I am waiting for!
Please note that older presentations made with Slide Effect 1 are not compatible with version 2. I know it’s sad, but it was very complicated to keep compatibility between files. That said, if you are sad, take a look at the next paragraph!
You may notice that there is (so far) less available effects than on version 1: this is expected. Since the effects can be downloaded separately, new effects will appear very quickly and regularly.
It is currently not possible to buy the Standard or Professional version of Slide Effect 2 because I want to polish the software a little bit more before putting it on sale, be patient please!
Online help is not yet written, but I’m going to start it as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please ask them on the forum.
Last but not least: Slide Effect 1 is now free for everyone. Download it here and use the following key:
fXsiRD-aFYrSm-rqT5Yq-U0LQaQ
I won’t release any new updates to Slide Effect 1, I will focus on version 2.
Note that people who have purchased licenses in recent months will obviously get a discount or a free license for version 2. Everything is not decided yet, but, please, let down your pitchforks, I will try to do the best for everyone, knowing that the version 2 license will provide access to all future updates, not just for one year as before.
It’s a long time since I did not write any news regarding Slide Effect 2, so let me give you some insight about the progress I made these last several months.
In brief: Slide Effect 2 is taking shape, but it takes longer than expected.
Here are some of the new features you will see in Slide Effect 2:
You can now insert and edit fully formated texts inside any text box. Slide Effect 2 also supports word wrap and does not automatically resize the text area like in the past. You have now full control of your texts.
You can now set any object on the slide (text, image, movie, …) as an hyperlink to open a website on click. You can also set an object as a link to another page in the presentation, this way you can create fully interactive presentation with table of content, shortcuts or interactive buttons.
There are two new object you can add on slides: Countdows (2D or 3D). These are special texts displaying a dynamic countdown on any slide. Other dynamic items may be added in the future.
Slide Effect 2 will be tightly integrated with Internet. You will be able to download new background, effects or transition directly in the software in a few clicks. You will be able to browse, comment and search inside the list of available medias for Slide Effect.
Everybody will be able to create or modify any background, effect or transition and share it with the community.
As you may see, everything is taking shape and looks promising. I know I should give more news, but stay sure I am still fully committed to Slide Effect. I just finished to add all needed features to the code, and I need now to finish the new website, then it will be ready.
I should release the open beta in the beginning of the summer, and, in the same time, change the site with the new version. I’ll keep you informed.
Stay tuned!
It is time to give you some news about ongoing work here, at Slide Effect headquarters (well, my office on my basement in fact). I published some months ago a roadmap regarding Slide Effect new versions and, as you may see, it was just plainly wrong and I changed my plans about 10 times since this roadmap. That’s joy of indy software development, I guess.
As you may have see, instead of adding features to Slide Effect 1, I decided to change some core features and start Slide Effect 2.
I work on Slide Effect 2 since a lot of time now, and even if nothing is visible, I did a hell lot of work these last several months. So here is some highlights of this new version coming soon.
The first thing you will notice is a change in the skin of the software. I created a new flat look that doen’t look like in 1995 anymore. I also changed a lot of interface details to make it more intuitive and more efficient for day to day tasks.
As Slide Effect 2 won’t be compatible with Slide Effect 1, I also removed features that was not very useful (some background effects), not very nice or not working correctly.
One big thing I removed in the Professional edition is the Powerpoint Import/Export. I know it is a useful feature, but it was not working well and as it needs Powerpoint installed on the same machine, it leads to a lot of bugs. I may re-introduce it later in a better way (no need to install Powerpoint, better import/export procedure).
The player has been also completely rewritten and now use OpenGL instead of DirectX. It means a Mac OSX is now possible… But I will take the time to have a slick Windows version before working on the Mac version.
One of the worst thing of Slide Effect 1 was the fact all effects/transitions/background effects were directly integrated in the software. It means I was the only person able to add or modify effects on the software. This was a huge mistake, as I am sure there are plenty of people better than me to create outstanding effects.
That’s why the core feature of Slide Effect 2 is the ability to create and share your own effects/transitions/backgrounds. The Professional edition will feature an editor to create your own effects! Experienced users will be able to modify or create any effect in the software, then share it on our website with other users.
To make this possible, I will also rework completely the website to be able to check if new effects, transitions or filters are available, possibly give them a rate and install it on Slide Effect in one click.
You will be able to design your own:
Backgrounds: Plain color, image or movie backgrounds (old complex backgrounds are removed on Slide Effect 2).
Transitions: You will be able to create never seen before transitions with a lot of new features.
Effects: You will be able to create start/end/anim effects for any object on the slide.
Filters: Filters are something new introduced in SE2. It is an effect applied to all the slide.
Audio features were a bit limited in Slide Effect 1. Now Slide Effect 2 is able to play several audio tracks in the same time, it is also possible to record a talkover for any slide on the presentation (you don’t have to record the talkover for the full presentation in one step).
You can also set volumes for each tracks on every slides. You can also “pause” a track for a bunch of slides and “unpause” it later.
Video import will let you choose the start and end time of importation and will crop the movie to the interesting part. No need to use an external video editor like before.
The video export has been also reworked and is a lot easier to use. You will also be able to create 4k movie for your brand new TV set.
Every tabs of Slide Effect have been reworked. You will be able to share or download new backgrounds in a few mouse clicks.
You will also be able to preview any effect directly on the software without previewing the presentation (for instance, transitions are played when you mouse over the transition thumbnail).
Filters have been added and are a good way to give your presentation a unique look (like an old movie).
Slide Effect 2 will feature a Standard and a Professional version, as usual. But the trial version will be changed to a free version with less restriction to make it usable (no slide limitation anymore) for anybody looking for an efficient free software.
No, SE2 will be released as a regular upgrade of SE1. If you are within your “1 year of free upgrades”, you will be able to update for free.
I really want to deliver a rock solid software, so the release is not for now. All core features are now integrated, but I have still some work to polish the software.
I also have to work on the website to create all the sharing and community tools, it takes a lot of time and I am alone at this task.
So I decided I won’t give a fixed release date, because it is important to have a solid ground to make SE2 as successful as possible.
However, I will release the first open beta version in a few weeks to collect feedback and bug reports from everybody interested in SE2. So keep checking the news and the forum if you are interested in SE2.
I will try to publish more news of my work in the future.
Thanks a lot to every customers for your support, your feedback and your patience!
I am actually working on the new major release of Slide Effect (1.13) that will feature a brand new player.
As this player will have a lot more features than the actual (and probably some bugs too!), I need some new beta testers to work with me, giving me error reports and improvement suggestions (and also to whip me so I work harder).
So, if you are a customer of Slide Effect (Standard or Pro, it doesn’t matter), if you have some free time and if you want to help me enhance this product, drop me a mail at alain@slide-effect.com!
No technical knowledge is required, but, as the new version will provide an effect editor based on LUA language, it would be nice if I have some testers who knows how to code in lua.
Thanks!
We released today the version 1.12.5 of Slide Effect Presentation Software (Professional and Standard Editions).
It is a maintenance release with just a few small bug fixes.
In details:
Trial, Standard and Pro editions have been updated and are available for all registered customers (using “Product Updates” page). Existing users who want to upgrade to the Professional edition can check the upgrade page.
Things are going to take shape and version 1.13.0 is heavily on the works. I guess it is a good time to speak a little bit of what will come in the future versions of Slide Effect…
This release will mainly introduce a new player for the presentations. I had to rewrite from scratch all the player part of Slide Effect because the old player was too limited for further enhancements (It was based on old, windows only technology). It is a big change, but it will add a lot of new features and possibilities for further releases.
This new player will enhance the output quality (anti-aliasing), will render presentation to movies a lot faster than previously and will be able to handle more effects.
The big enhancement of 1.13 will be on effects and transitions: The effect system will change and you will be able to add several effects on the same time on any object. For example you can say you want an object to fade in and zoom and rotate as a start transition, then blink, rotate and jump as an animation.
To make this possible, I changed the Properties editor as you can show in this early screenshot:
I added tabs to categorize properties. In the effect tab, you can add or remove any available effects. You can also preview the selected effect directly in the property tab (using an animated GIF).
Effects are not anymore bundled in the program and you will be able to download additional effects from our website.
The Professional Edition will feature an effect editor.
Everybody will be able to create or modify its own effect and even submit created effects to us and make it available for all other users.
The transitions will basically use the same editor and will also be editable, but it is not ready yet.
This release will probably feature an HTML5 export to be able to publish static presentations on the Internet. It may also be released also for Mac OSX (hopefully, but it may come in 1.15). The background part will be reworked to allow more flexibility and new effects.
It should add the possibility to add hyperlinks and buttons to navigate inside the presentation.
– Mac OSX version.
– Audio rework.
– New effects
– New transitions
– New backgrounds
– … more to come…
Well, basically that’s what planned for 2015. As usual, it is only an estimation and timeframe or features may change depending of customer feedback and development progress.. But I hope it gives you a clear overview of where Slide Effect is going for 2015.
Feel free to post feedback, suggestions or questions: I am always happy to hear from you!
We released today the version 1.12.4 of Slide Effect Presentation Software (Professional and Standard Editions).
It is a maintenance release with just a few small bug fixes.
In details:
Trial, Standard and Pro editions have been updated and are available for all registered customers (using “Product Updates” page). Existing users who want to upgrade to the Professional edition can check the upgrade page.
We released today the version 1.12.3 of Slide Effect Presentation Software (Professional and Standard Editions).
It is a maintenance release with just a few small bug fixes.
In details:
Trial, Standard and Pro editions have been updated and are available for all registered customers (using “Product Updates” page). Existing users who want to upgrade to the Professional edition can check the upgrade page.