This plug-in from Future Fantastic is a difficult one to review. To begin with it is definately High end as in expensive. What it does is to produce Flares,Glows and other assorted effects and it does it very well. However, there are a few down points. The interface, while touted as being improved from prior versions is confusing and learning to navigate it is a daunting task. The on line manual should be printed out and studied before attempting to use the program or you will become lost and frustrated. While covering the basics, the manual is in no way comprehensive and leaves finding out the details to the user--without much help. Plan on spending considerable time with this program if you want to "roll your own" effects rather than use the presets which come with it, which are very impressive but---the idea of the program is to create your own, not use someone elses. I have found that even though there is support for masks built in allowing you to apply effects to the inside or outside of selected areas including text, the learning curve to reach comfort with this program is steep. It is not a crash free program either. Just be prepared for it to suddenly "go south" on you usually at a most inopertune time. In short, while an impressive piece of software it left me a little cold. Occasionally long rendering times for effects also were a bit of an annoyance. For restoration I would say keep your money. If you do web/special effect work perhaps look at this one but be aware that you are going to spend a chunk of change and a lot of time learning to run it . I guess I would rate it unteresting but not vital. for more info see; www.futurefantastic.com Also see examples below for a small sample of what it does. Tom

I can see how a person might be attracted to it. It looks really cool. There is no way to know that it is extremely difficult to handle. It's too bad it's so expensive and hard to use because it really seems like it has potential for artistic works.
DJ

Dj, The potential of this filter is perhaps beyond my limited ability to capitalize on and for that reason I was a bit reluctant to write about it. It has a steep learning curve, some of the rendering of effects is slow and it does show some instability as in crashing. Not often but occasionally. I am not slamming it as the effects I have been able to produce are very, very good. It's just---do you need that type of thing enough to justify the steep price of it and once you get it, you must register it to get the code to unlock it. As the "key" comes from England, there can be a delay in getting it. Tom

Interesting points you bring up Tom. I doubt I would ever get it even though I can appreciate what it does. I tend to go for more user friendly plug-ins myself. But with out someone pointing out these draw backs how would you ever know? I love these threads you are doing. Very informative. Thanks
DJ