Manga Studio / Clip Studio Paint updates available

Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows that I'm an unabashed fan of Celsys' Clip Studio Paint, known outside Japan as Manga Studio.

This week both Celsys and western distributor Smith Micro published updates to the software. This brings the English language downloadable Clip Studio Paint to 1.4.1 and Manga Studio to 5.0.6.

The new features aren't earth-shattering, but there is a nifty new contour paint that makes it a little easier to simulate rounded surfaces. And the EX versions allow you to export your creations directly to EPUB for electronic readers.

To celebrate the new updates, both Celsys and Smith Micro are offering deep discounts through July 14. The Pro version which normally retails for $50 is only $15 and EX is $84.  To buy via Celsys visit http://www.clipstudio.net/en/purchase or to purchase via Smith Micro visit http://my.smithmicro.com/manga-studio-comic-illustration-software.html

The updates require a valid serial number and are available here from Smith Micro http://my.smithmicro.com/manga-studio-comic-illustration-software-updates.html and here from Celsys http://www.clipstudio.net/en/dl

For such a low entry price, there's really no excuse not to try this great application on your Surface Pro 3 or other Windows device. It is ideally suited to show off the power of the platform and form factor and I've often mentioned to Microsoft that it should be standard issue on every penabled tablet and convertible laptop sold.

Below is the complete change log:

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Manga Studio 5.0.6 / CLIP STUDIO PAINT 1.4.1 Release Notes
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Manga Studio 5.0.6 / CLIP STUDIO PAINT 1.4.1 Corrections
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[Improvements]
-[Contour line paint] tool has been added. You can make smooth gradient by clicking an area between two-color lines.
-[Next canvas]･[Previous canvas] has been added to [Window] menu.
-[Duotone (Threshold)] and [Duotone (Tone)] have been added to [Expression color] to [Export] of [Export settings] dialogue, which is displayed when executing [File] menu >> [Export]. According to this improvement, the previous [Duotone] has been deleted.
-[Specify by resolution] has been added to [Output size] of [Export settings] dialogue, which is displayed when executing [File] menu >> [Export].
-[Object list] has been added to [Tool Property] palette･[Sub Tool Detail] palette when selecting 3D material. You can switch display/hide  and lock to 3D material in 3D layer. Also, you can select 3D materials and parts to edit from [Object list].
-You can edit by parts when importing 3D item material including pose parts and 3D material in LWS format. You can move and rotate parts with [Tool Property] or drag operation.
-Shape of mouse cursor changes on editable parts and manipulator when editing 3D layers.
-It becomes faster to import 3D materials.
-Settings for camera [Roll] and [Perspective] have been added to [Tool Property] when selecting 3D background materials.
-[For commercial issue] has been added to [Preset] of [New] dialogue. This is available by selecting [Comic] or [Show all settings] in  [Use of work].
-You can operate Tab-Mate Controller by values set with [Preferences] dialogue >> [Canvas] if tipping a stick slightly when rotating or scaling canvas with Tab-Mate Controller. It gets back to normal by tipping a tick to the maximum.
-[PRO/EX] [Text list] has been added to [Tool Property] for editing text. You can enter external characters and signs from [Text list].
-[EX] Setting items of [Page range] have been changed in [File] Menu >> [Export] >> [Batch export]. You can export separating cover page and main text.
-[EX] [Export in Kindle format] has been added to [File] menu. Work made with CLIP STUDIO PAINT can be exported in Kindle format.
-[EX] [Output range] has been added to [Export settings] dialogue, which is displayed when executing [File] menu >> [Export].
-[EX] EPUB data can be exported. It is exported from [File] menu >> [Binding export] >> [Export EPUB data].
-[EX] [Gap with default border] has been added to [Folio] in [New] dialogue. You can adjust position of folio by setting gap between folio and default border.
-[EX] [Change basic page settings] has been added to [Story] menu. Settings such as canvas size and resolution can be changed all together to a particular page.
-[EX] Items set with [Story] menu >> [Change basic work settings] have been added. In addition to existing settings, you can set [Manga draft settings]. [Story Information] and [Folio].
-[EX] [Resolution] can be selected from several options recommended by printing place if selecting printing place from [Fanzine printing shop] in [New] dialogue.
-[EX] Resolution for exporting can be set for each expression color with [File] menu >> [Binding export] >> [Export fanzine printing data].
-[PRO/EX] [Layer with settings beyond basic expression color] has been added to [Target layer to show] in [Search Layer] palette. You can search layer with colors exceeding [Basic expression color] in canvas.
-[EX] Menu is displayed if right-clicking on [Page Manager] window on [Show binding list].
-Multiple body shape materials can be allocated in canvas.
-Width of palette dock can be fixed.

[Changes of specification]
-In addition to canvas size, binding (Cropped border) size has been displayed in the title bar of [Canvas] window.
-Selection Border has been displayed only in editing [Canvas] window.
Tool shift is canceled if pressing another key twice when executing too shift.
-Category of [Tool Property] in [Text] tool has been changed to a simpler classification.
-When referring to multiple layers including layers inside frame border folder with [Auto Select] and [Fill] tool, frame border is not be referred if disabling mask of frame border folder, which is not directly referred.
-CLIP STUDIO PAINT file format (extension:lip) and page management file (extension:cmc) credibility for saving has been improved.
-Command name of [File] menu >> [Export (Single Layer)] has been changed to [Export].
-[Light Source] of [Tool Property] on selecting 3D layer becomes turned on  simultaneously when importing each file of LWS, LWO and OBJ.
-[Search and replacement] has been added to the menu displayed with right-click of [Story editor].
-[EX] When exporting data from [File] menu >> [Binding export], message to confirm is displayed if there is data in the save destination, which has been exported before.
-[EX] Operation of canvas size has been changed when changing [Binding (Cropped border) size] from [Story] menu >> [Change basic work settings]･[Change basic page settings]. Prevent an involuntary change of canvas size.
-[EX] If there is not enough free space in the disk to save, [Story] menu >> [Combine Pages] is not be executed.
-[EX] Settings of [Folio] and [Blind folio] are not succeeded from another use for [Printing of fanzine] when switching [Use of work] in [New] dialogue.
-[EX] [Set story information] has been deleted from [Story] menu. Setting items of [Set story information] has been moved to [Story] menu >> [Change basic work settings].
-[EX] Default value of [Number of pages] has become [8] in [Multiple pages] in [New] dialogue.
-[EX] [Story] >> [Batch process] >> [Batch export] has been moved to [File] Menu >> [Export].
-[EX] Values set in [New] dialogue or [Change basic work settings] dialogue have been reflected in [Export] dialogue if selecting [File] menu >> [Export] >> [Batch export].
-[EX] Default value of [Edge] of [Folio] in [New] dialogue has becomes 0.3mm. 0.3mm edge is automatically be created when selecting [Printing of fanzine] in [Use of work].
-[EX] [Story] menu >> [Change basic work settings] has not been executed when opening pages of work.
-[EX] [Story] >> [Batch process] >> [Batch import]･[Continuous scan] has been moved to [File] Menu >> [Export].
-[EX] [Cover page] and [Folio] are not be used for fanzine printing data if they are turned off in [New] dialogue or [Change basic work settings] dialogue.
-[EX] Position of blind folio has been changed to get along cropped border frame when adjusting crop mark of spread pages.
-[EX] Message is displayed in [Confirm] of [Show binding list] if resolution of work set in [New] dialogue is different from one of actual page.
-[EX] Settings of canvas and cover page such as resolution and basic expression color are not succeeded when switching [Comic] and [Printing of fanzine] in [Use of work] in [New] dialogue.
-[EX] [Folio] layout in [New] dialogue and [Story Information] has been changed.
-[EX] Font and size of [Blind folio] does not conflict with settings of [Folio]. It is drawn in 6pt with a particular font.
-[EX] [Binding export] has been added [File] menu. [3D Preview for Binding] and [Export fanzine printing data] in [Story] menu >> [Binding process] have been moved to [Binding export].
-[EX] [Use of work] in [New] dialogue prioritizes two rows of layout display when [Use of work] in [New] dialogue is [Comic]･[Printing of fanzine]･[Show all settings].
-[Mac] Color view on CLIP STUDIO PAINT has been changed not to be affected by the color profile settings of display. 

[Corrections]
-When executing [File] menu >> [Export] >> [Batch export], spread pages would not be exported in a correct size if changing export size in [Specify resolution] and setting [Process when scaling] to [Comic]. The issue has been corrected.
-When executing [File] menu >> [Export], the value would not change correctly if clicking the up/down button with the slider of [Export settings] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-Settings would not be saved if setting [Expression color] to [Duotone(Threshold)] and [Duotone(Tone)] from [File] menu >> [Print Settings]. The issue has been corrected.
-Binarization of a page, which [Expression color] is set [Monochrome], would be reduced in threshold if exporting data with [Export fanzine printing data] from [File] menu. The issue has been corrected.
-Canvas size after page 2 would not be correct if changing resolution from [Story] menu >> [Batch process]. The issue has been corrected.
-Another side of spread pages would not be included in selection if selecting multiple pages with [Shift] key with click while setting spread pages to start page from [Page Manager] window. The issue has been corrected.
-Layers might not be selected when opening pages if adding cover page to a work without cover page from [Story] menu >> [Change basic work settings]. The issue has been corrected.
-Layout of spread pages would be incorrect if adding cover page to a work without cover page from [Story] menu >> [Change basic work settings]. The issue has been corrected.
-It might be exported in wrong canvas size if executing [File] menu >> [Export (Layered)] after executing [Edit] menu >> [Change Canvas Size]. The issue has been corrected.
-Clipping might not be applied correctly when reverting [Combine mode] to [Normal] after setting clipping to a layer folder with [Combine mode] to [Transparent]. The issue has been corrected.
-It might not be applied correctly if using layer effect to a layer folder with [Combine mode] to [Transparent]. The issue has been corrected.
-A part of line might not be deleted and remain, if executing [Edit] menu >> [Undo] after drawing lines when setting multiple [Affected by] of [Brush Size] or pen pressure graph is complicated. The issue has been corrected.
-Drawing contents might be rough depending on [Combine mode] of tool if drawing with a tool set with [Border of watercolor]. The issue has been corrected.
-Editing layer might be switched when clicking [Layer view] icon in [Layer] palette. The issue has been corrected.
-Content of frame, which is supposed to be void, would be displayed if executing [Edit] menu >> [Cut] and [Edit] menu >> [Paste] to frame border folder where all layers are locked. The issue has been corrected.
-Slider of [Center X] would not displayed in [Tool Property] palette even after setting it to be displayed again if setting not to display [Center X] and [Center Y] in [Tool Property] palette in [Special ruler] category in [Sub Tool Detail] palette. The issue has been corrected.
-Application might be closed when using [Eyedropper] tool with all layers hidden if [Reference] of [Eyedropper] tool is set [Image]. The issue has been corrected.
-You could not obtain color correctly even though paper layer is a subject if [Reference] of [Eyedropper] tool is set [Top layer]. The issue has been corrected.
-A part of image outside canvas would be filled if setting [Content of process] to [Thin width] in [Filter] menu >> [Correct drawing line] >> [Correct line width] and executing with [Leave a line of 1 pixel] on. The issue has been corrected.
-You could set material name only with space in [Material property] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-Pull-down menu of [Font list] might not be scrolled when editing text. The issue has been corrected.
-Image within frame would be displayed with lack of a part of it if executing [Edit] menu >> [Copy] to frame protruding from canvas and executing [Edit] menu >> [Pates] in a larger canvas. The issue has been corrected.
-Pages would remain opened if pages cannot be spread because canvas size and resolution does not match. The issue has been corrected.
-obj file, which is created with a particular application, could not be imported. The issue has been corrected.
-[Adsorption transfer] did not work correctly to 3D character material, which was set with motion shell. The issue has been corrected.
-Application might be closed if selecting files, which cannot be imported, when setting icons such as Selection Launcher. The issue has been corrected.
-Void palette dock might be created when reverting to the old version after updating. The issue has been corrected.
-Palette dock would not be displayed in correct size when starting application or importing workspace. The issue has been corrected.
-[Selection Border] of command bar would be disabled if canceling quick mask. The issue has been corrected.
-Number of lines of tone and font size would not reflected correctly if making a copy of layer folder including tone layer and text layer and pasting it to another canvas with different resolution. The issue has been corrected.
-Template might not be allocated in a correct position when adding pages if using default border shifting to left or right. The issue has been corrected.
-Settings of [Edge] in folio would not reflected correctly to new canvas. The issue has been corrected.
-Display might not work correctly when reducing opacity of layer folder if combine mode of layer folder is [Through]. The issue has been corrected.
-Settings would not reflected at the beginning of entering text even if [Italic] is set with [Tool Property] in [Text] tool. The issue has been corrected.
-Settings would not be reflected when executing [File] menu >> [Binding export] >> [3D Preview for Binding]･[Export fanzine printing data] even if changing setting of folio in [Set story information]. The issue has been corrected.
-You might not be able to obtain color of layer for clipping with [Eyedropper] tool after moving the position of layer mask of clipping source. The issue has been corrected.
-There might be a case that Tab-Mate Controller stick would not response. The issue has been corrected.
-There might be a case that work would have different resolution between cover page and main text even if setting [Unit] to [px] in [New] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-[Cover page (back)] and [Back cover page (back)] would be exported in [Paper color] set for [Cover page] when executing [File] menu >> [Binding export] >> [3D Preview for Binding]. The issue has been corrected.
-[Undo] would not work when changing angle of symmetrical ruler or moving guide with [Object] tool. The issue has been corrected.
-Folio for two pages and blind folio would be exported in divided page when exporting spread pages separately. The issue has been corrected.
-Command in [Page Manager] menu >> [Binding process] could not be executed if closing [Story Manager] window while opening [Story editor]. The issue has been corrected.
-Preview settings of reducing color might not be reflected if setting preview of reducing color to [Expression color] in [Layer Property] palette and saving file. The issue has been corrected.
-Color of border line might not be displayed correctly when opening file next time if setting preview of reducing color to border of frame folder with [Expression color] in [Layer Property] and saving file. The issue has been corrected.
-File would be imported with preview of reducing color when opening it next time if reducing [Expression color] in [Layer Property] palette to border of frame folder and saving file. The issue has been corrected.
-Layer in frame folder might disappear when pasting in canvas if executing [Edit] menu >> [Cut] to frame folder. The issue has been corrected.
-Shape of cursor would be changed to [Circle] if changing brush size with right-click in [Modifier Key Settings] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-Opacity of tone layer would be reflected to layer set with clipping if referring to tone layer and executing [Clip at Layer Below]. The issue has been corrected.
-Error message would be displayed and comment would not be reflected to log if executing [Story] menu >> [Group work] >> [Reflect change on group work data] without selecting [Reflected file]. The issue has been corrected.
-Edge of folio in page that cover page is set might not be applied correctly if canceling setting of cover page of work, which is set as cover page. The issue has been corrected.
-Template set for cover page might not be applied correctly when applying preset registered in [New] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-Edge of folio would not be applied correctly even if creating work that [Folio]･[Blind folio] is set off and [Edge] is set on in [New] dialogue, and setting [Folio] on in [Set story information] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-[Win] Software might stop operation for a while executing drag and drop of material in [Material] palette and tool in [Tool] palette in pen operation on Windows8. The issue has been corrected.
-[Mac] [File] menu >> [Import] >> [Create New from Clipboard] would not work if saving screen shot in clipboard with Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite. The issue has been corrected.
-Change might not be saved when changing the order of text on [Story editor]. The issue has been corrected.
-Some text created on [Story editor] might not be imported correctly. The issue has been corrected.
-Some text might not scroll automatically and might be hidden if entering text on [Story editor]. The issue has been corrected.
-Operation might be invalid if executing [All replacement] in [Story] >> [Edit text] >> [Search and replacement] under a particular condition on [Story editor]. The issue has been corrected.
-Folio and exported file number would not match if executing [Story] >> [Batch process] >> [Batch export] when setting cover page to spread. The issue has been corrected.
-All pages would be exported in the same resolution as the start page even though resolution is different page by page in [Story] menu >> [Batch process] >> [Batch export]. The issue has been corrected.
-Page might be exported again even if content is not changed when executing [Story] >> [Binding process] >> [3D Preview for Binding] and [Export fanzine printing data]. The issue has been corrected.
-Canvas size, which [Basic expression color] is gray, would be changed upon exporting in [Export fanzine printing data]. The issue has been corrected.
-Position information of [New] dialogue would not be saved. The issue has been corrected.
-There might be a case that [Specify back width] value is not updated correctly when updating [Preset] in [New] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-Inappropriate message would be displayed if turning [Check whether to export fanzine printing data] on and [Manga draft settings] off when selecting [Show all settings] in [Use of work] of [New] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-Inappropriate message would be displayed if executing [3D Preview for Binding] to work not set with [Bleed width]. The issue has been corrected.
-3D drawing figure and pose material would be allocated in an unusual position if pasting them with [Paste material]. The issue has been corrected.
-Mask would be set [Posterization] if pasting standard tone materials from [Material] palette to canvas that [Basic expression color] is set [Monochrome]. The issue has been corrected.
-Application might be closed if duplicating [Layer Folder] to its own folder. The issue has been corrected.
-Some items of [Tool Property] palette might not be displayed correctly under a particular environment if turning on [Show category] in [Sub Tool Detail] palette. The issue has been corrected.
-Display of [Page Manager] window and [Show binding list] might be corrupted if exporting fanzine printing data while opening pages. The issue has been corrected.
-Folio might be misaligned if switching [Cover page layout] from [Spread] to [Single page]. The issue has been corrected.
-[Win] Software might be forcibly terminated while operating touch and pen in a particular tablet PC environment. The issue has been corrected.
-[Win] Process might remain even after quitting CLIP STUDIO PAINT when inputting with touch keyboard with Windows8. The issue has been corrected.
-[Win] [Settings of font list] dialogue might disappear in particular circumstances. The issue has been corrected.
-[Win] Application might be closed if switching active application with stylus pen when setting [Using tablet service] to [Wintab] in [Tablet] category of [Preferences] dialogue. The issue has been corrected.
-[Win] The issue that menu would not be selected with key operation when accelerator keys in menu overlap.
-[Mac] Dialogue might not be displayed if enabling [Individual operation space by display] with Mac OS X 10.9 or later versions. The issue has been corrected.
-[Mac] Menu might not be displayed correctly with Mac OS X 10.10 The issue has been corrected.
-[Mac] Invalid characters might be entered if confirming with pressing [Delete] key in Japanese with Mac OS X 10.10. The issue has been corrected.
-[Mac] [-] of ten key would not be displayed correctly when setting it to shortcut key. The issue has been corrected.
-[Mac] Operation to maximize might not executed correctly in window allocated between multiple displays. The issue has been corrected.
-[Mac] Window would not be displayed correctly if moving it when using multiple displays. The issue has been corrected.
-[Mac] It might take time until it is ready to enter when changing folder tag of [Material ] palette while opening works with multiple pages. The issue has been corrected.

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Problems confirmed with Manga Studio 5.0.6 / CLIP STUDIO PAINT 1.4.1
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We have confirmed that problem occurs in the following issues and we will make improvement in the next version.
We appreciate your patience for the time being. 

-A part equivalent to lwo file is not displayed correctly when importing lwo file allocating one lwo file in several locations. Operation is applied to all parts with the same lwo file when switching display and moving.
-Color page is always be exported with RGB without profile setting when exporting fanzine printing data. Select normal export function when printing image applied with profile.
-There is a case that you cannot record in [Auto Action] palette depending on command and operation.
-It may not be displayed in correct color depending on profile when executing item of [View] menu >> [Color profile].
-You cannot change font to another one halfway when setting mixing font to text. If you switch to another font, select entered text and change font.
-You cannot operate file correctly if changing folder name for save and file name when editing data under page management.
-Page file and work file made with MangaStudio3.0 or older versions cannot be imported.
-There may be difference between colors of mesh and texture when importing 3D material made with data in Rokkaku Daioh format (extension: 6kt,6kh) and turning off light source.

Surface Pro 3: What Runs, What Doesn't

EDITOR'S NOTE: I can't believe I haven't updated this post since September 2014. Spring 2015 brings the regular round of 3d application updates!

Many of you have asked, so I have noted where programs support multitouch gestures.

Adobe

• Illustrator 18.0.0 x64 (CC 2014) - runs (intermittent pen with N-Trig Wintab R16, R17)
• Illustrator CC 17.1.0 x64 - runs (intermittent pen with N-Trig Wintab driver 14-17)
• Illustrator CS5 - runs
• Photoshop 15 (CC 2014) - runs, no Wintab driver required
• Photoshop 14.2.1 x64, CS6 Extended 13.0 x64, CS5 x64 - runs (requires N-Trig Wintab driver 14 or higher)
• Premiere Pro 8.0.0 (169) Build aka CC 2014.0, 7.2.2 (33) - runs
• After Effects 13.0.0.214 (CC 2014), 12.2.1.5 - runs
• Flash Professional 14.0.0.110 (CC 2014), CC 13.1.0.226 - runs

 Allegorithmic

• Substance Painter 0.7.1, 0.5.0 - runs (UI does not scale)
• Substance Designer 4.3.1 - runs (UI does not scale)

Ambient Design

• ArtRage 4.0.6, 4.0.5 - runs

Autodesk

• 3DS Max 2016, 2015 SP1 - runs (supports multi-touch)
• Sketchbook Pro 7, 6.2.5 - runs (recommended)
• Maya 2016, 2015 SP2 - runs (2016 supports multi-touch)
• Maya LT 2016 - runs, supports multi-touch
• Mudbox 2016, 2015 SP1 - runs (2016 supports multi-touch), (no multi-touch in 2015)
• Mudbox 2015- no pen or touch, works with mouse or touchpad
• Softimage 2015 - runs

ZSky

• AZDrawing 1.13 - runs

Blender

• Blender 2.71, 2.70 - runs

 Corel

• CorelDraw X7  17.4.0.887 - RealTimeStylus support added, all prior versions - no pressure
• Painter 15 14.1.0.1105 - runs
• Painter X3 12.0.1.920 - runs
• Photo-Paint X7 17.0.0.491 - no pressure

 Foundry Luxology

• Modo 801 SP4, SP3, SP2, SP1, 801 - runs

Fire Alpaca

• FireAlpaca 1.0.51 - runs

GIMP

• GIMP 2.8.10 - runs

Hansol Huh

• Sketchtime - runs, software not pressure sensitive

KDE

• Krita 2.8.3 x64 - runs

Krogh Mortensen Animation

• Plastic Animation Paper 4.0 - runs (can't configure pen buttons)

 Maxon

• Cinema 4D R15.057 - runs

Microsoft

• Fresh Paint - runs

MyPaint

• MyPaint 1.0.0 - runs

Nevercenter

• Silo 2.3 - runs

 Newtek

• Chronosculpt 1.0.1 x64 - runs
• Lightwave 3D 11.6.3 x64 - runs

PGN Inc.

• openCanvas 6.0.02 (64bit) - runs

Pilgway

• 3D-Coat 4.1.04A - runs (DX64 only)

Pixologic

• Sculptris - runs
• ZBrush 4R6 - runs

Project Dogwaffle

• Howler 9 4.00.9.2 - runs

Serif

• DrawPlus X6 13.0.2.24 x64 - runs

ideF

• Houdini FX 14.0.291 - does not run. Program loads, but objects do not display. Touch not supported.

Silicon Benders

• Sketchable - runs

61 Solutions

• Mischief 1.12 - runs

Smith Micro (Celsys)

• Manga Studio 5.0.4 (Clip Studio Paint 1.3.1) - runs

Systemax

• Paint Tool SAI 1.2.0 - runs

Taron.de

• Verve Painter v0.99u.11 -runs

Toon Boom

• Toon Boom Animate Pro 3 PLE - runs

 Triple Squid Software

• Moment of Inspiration (MoI3D) 3.0 beta (June 27, March 24, 2014) - runs

 TVPaint Developpement

• TVPaint 10.5.7 x64 - runs

 Unity Technologies

• Unity 5.0.0f4 - runs
• Unity 4.60b9, 4.5 - runs (requires mouse or touchpad, no pen or touch response)

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Penny Arcade's Gabe: 'Finally got the Surface Pro 3 I was excited for'

Penny Arcade artist Gabe (aka Mike Krahulik) has had an up and down relationship with the Surface Pro line. 

He was one of the first artists to publicly embrace the early models for art creation: http://surfaceproartist.com/blog/2013/3/3/penny-arcade-artist-gives-surface-pro-a-thumbs-up?rq=penny%20arcade but he also balked at many of the limitations introduced by Microsoft's switch from Wacom to N-Trig tech in the Surface Pro 3: http://surfaceproartist.com/blog/2014/7/7/penny-arcades-gabe-bails-on-the-surface-pro-3?rq=penny%20arcade

Yesterday, Gabe updated his blog yet again and the results are more positive.

"Microsoft has been working on various ways of fixing some of (my) issues and since I wrote that post they have managed to fix a lot of them..This weekend I feel like I finally got the real Surface 3 I was excited for.."

Krahulik writes that the combination of firmware fixes, Surface Hub app and Manga Studio finally allow him to create useable art such as the image above. The new post is definitely worth a read, especially if you're worried about the Surface Pro 3's suitability.

Huion GT-220: 2048 Levels of Happiness (despite a few kinks)

Huion’s new 21.5-inch Interactive IPS Pen Display, the GT-220, is close to a dream come true.

This is the third pen display I’ve tested after Yiynova’s MVP-22U (v2) and Monoprice’s Interactive Pen Display (which is functionally the same as Huion’s earlier model, the GT-190).

My issues with the Monoprice are well documented but mainly had to do with its inferior TFT display. The Yiynova is a much better device, but aesthetic and build quality issues leave a lot to be desired.

The GT-220 is attractive, thin, very well constructed, has excellent viewing angles and most importantly a fantastic 2048 level pressure range. In fact, I was so giddy after unboxing my GT-220, hooking it up, installing drivers and testing with Manga Studio that I was tempted to post my review immediately.

If all you use is Manga Studio or Clip Studio Paint, you can stop reading right here and just break out your credit card. (See the convenient Amazon link below. Seriously, this blog needs your support).

But I know you read my reviews for my blunt assessments of the products I test. And as much as I love the GT-220, it’s definitely not without its flaws.

Counter-clockwise from upper left, the Huion GT-220 ships with an HDMI cable, two USB pen charging cables, an HDMI to VGA adapter, a USB cable, two rechargeable pens with cradle, installation discs with instructions for Mac and PC, power supply, power cord and VGA cable. I would trade one pen and USB charging cable for a DVI cable.

Eight replacement nibs and an extractor ring are tucked inside the pen stand. The pens have a nice rubberized finish and two buttons.

Connections are located on the underside of the GT-220. From left: VGA, DVI and HDMI outputs, the power connector and the USB port.

Because of their unfortunate placement, the cabling is easily tangled with the VESA stand. As the monitor angle is adjusted, you have to be careful to clear the cables so the stand can lie flat on your work surface.

Also located along the lower right edge are the monitor adjustment and power buttons.

You'll have to hold your hand flat against your desktop to access the buttons. It's unfortunate they weren't moved to another edge. Of course, except for power, you won't need to access the display settings very often.

With its slim design, the lower edge of the GT-220 screen is only 1.5-inches from the bottom of the monitor. This means you'll have to either place the monitor right at the edge of your desk or prop your palm against desk edge in order to draw along the bottom of the frame.

The GT-220 comes with a very welcome screen protector that dramatically improves the drawing experience while also reducing glare and fingerprints. The protector can be easily removed or adjusted, but it's only held in place by four pieces of double-sided tape. It's an unsightly and low-tech solution. It will be interesting to see if the adhesive loses its tack over time.

The specs say the GT-220 tilts 70-degrees from almost fully upright to nearly flat. But my unit (above) seemed to have nearly 85-degrees of movement.  It's very difficult to adjust the angle without first jiggling cables out of the way. Otherwise, the monitor stand will wobble as you apply pressure on the screen.

Having already experienced the setup of the Monoprice and Huion W58 pen tablet, I was prepared for what to expect from the installation experience. But even so, it didn't go 100% smoothly.

It's essential when installing Huion drivers to install them before connecting the monitor via USB. In my case, since I already had the GT-190 version installed, I decided to give them a whirl just to see what would happen.

When I plugged in the USB, the pen was immediately recognized and I could run the driver's control panel and even calibrate. But when I tried using Manga Studio, the pen was off by several inches. I guess that the GT-190 driver is tuned to its 1440x900 resolution and doesn't understand the 1920x1080 GT-220.

I uninstalled the older driver and rather than use the installation discs, headed for the Huion website and downloaded the latest version I could find there.

Once installed, the driver creates a desktop icon called Pen Display and a system tray item. When the USB is plugged in, double clicking the system tray icon opens the driver's control panel.

The PenDisplay control panel looks just like the panel from other recent Huion devices. Require Admin must be selected first in order to calibrate the GT-220.

The calibration tool only has five points, concentrated in the center of the display. This hasn't been an issue on either the Monoprice or Yiynova, but on the GT-220, I'm noticing more edge parallax than I'm accustomed. Hopefully future driver updates will increase the calibration points which would help reduce the cursor drift from the display center to the upper left corner.

But after all is said and done, the pressure range in Manga Studio is phenomenal. It's hard to make out in this image, but my lightest strokes begin in the very upper left corner of the canvas.

After running the calibration tool and adjusting pen sensitivity, drawing is wonderful. The screen protector has a satiny finish much better suited to the pen's hard plastic nibs than bare glass.

Edge parallax is a bit of a problem, especially in the upper left corner of the display. In Manga Studio, I found myself relying on the Display Application Menu icon located just above the New Canvas tab rather than going up to the file menu. The cursor and the pen tip are perfectly aligned just below the command bar, but at the menu bar, there's about a quarter-inch offset. I can deal with it, but it does require a pause to concentrate to target the menu items.

UPDATE 8/25/14 After working with the GT-220 for several more days, I've become more aware of the device's parallax issues. Besides the cursor drift problems I cite above, the pen display also has a significant gap between the glass and the screen. This separation is more pronounced as you view your work from an angle. In Manga Studio, there is never less than an 1/8-inch gap between the cursor and the pen tip, so inking precisely requires more concentration than I'm accustomed to on Windows tablets. Huion tells me that they're working on improving this via a driver update.

Moving on to Photoshop CC 2014, it took some Googling to learn that the software now requires a  PSUserConfig.txt file entry in order to work with any Wintab tablet.

Create a text file named PSUserConfig.txt and place it in the Users/UserName/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CC 2014/Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 Settings. The contents of the text file should read:

# Use WinTab
UseSystemStylus 0

I still couldn't get pen pressure to work until I discovered that Huion just published an updated driver here: http://huion-tablet.tumblr.com/post/95172457923/huion-new-driver-updated-20140818-pressure

No matter what I tried I couldn't get pressure sensitivity in Sketchbook Pro 7. This experience bodes ill for all tablet users as software migrates to RealTimeStylus or Microsoft's INK API. Device manufacturers are going to probably need to issue new drivers for older devices or software developers are going to need to come up with better backward compatibility.

I also tested with Krita Desktop and Paint Tool SAI 1.2 and both worked fine. Corel Painter 2015 recognized pen pressure, but as on other tablets I've tried (including the Surface Pro 3), some brushes have their initial activation pressure set so high many strokes are not recognized.

As of this writing I haven't tried hooking the GT-220 up to a Surface Pro. I'm reluctant to do so with the Surface Pro 3 because I have too much software on it that requires the N-Trig Wintab driver. Installing the Huion drivers will overwrite any Wintab driver on the system. So if you want to use the pen display with a tablet pc, software has to have an easy way to switch between RealTimeStylus (TabletPC) and Wintab. Very few applications handle this as elegantly as Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint.

As I wrote at the outset, the Huion GT-220 isn't perfect and depending on your software preference may not be useable at the moment. But if you're a Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint user, it's a great asset despite its few kinks.

I know I'll certainly be very happy with it until someone comes along with a multi-touch capable pen display, a combination only available currently in the highest end Wacom Cintiqs, the 22HD Touch and the 24HD Touch, which retail for $2499 and $2999 respectively. (For a minimum $1600 savings, I can live without mult-touch gestures.)

At the dawn of Windows 8, before I started the quest for knowledge that led to the creation of this blog, I dreamed of finding a penabled all-in-one from one of the major OEMs like Dell or HP. I still can't understand why that hasn't happened.

Perhaps it will be up to Microsoft to make this dream device. I can't help but fantasize about a 22+-inch Surface Pro all-in-one with a Huion digitizer.  Now that would be real dream machine.

In the meantime, the $899 Huion Interactive IPS Pen Display GT-220 will turn any pc into the next best thing.

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Huion Pen Monitor 21.5 Inches Pen Display Tablet Monitor with IPS Panel HD Resolution - GT-220

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Surface Pro 2: What Runs, What Doesn't

So you're dying to max out your credit card on a new Surface Pro 2 but are worried your favorite won't run. Or you've got the Microsoft wonder tablet but don't want to plunk down a bunch of cash on a graphics app that will blow up your new machine. 

Fear not. You've come to the right place. "What Run, What Doesn't V1" was the raison d'etre for this blog and we're proud to present the Surface Pro 2/Windows 8.1 version. Rather than update the original, we'll keep that one in place for anyone who chooses not to update to Windows 8.1. (Don't know why any of you would do that, but we know there are paranoid folks out there who fear change). 

Important note: the list below contains only versions I've personally tested on my Surface Pro 2. It's very likely that older versions listed in the original feature will still operate, but we won't be able to re-test those older apps for Windows 8.1 compatibility.

Recommendations are based on UI suitability to pen and touch navigation. 

The list below will grow as we install more software. Since most graphics apps limit the number of installations, we're have to be somewhat deliberate in how much we migrate at a time. 

As always, if you've got a specific tool you'd like us to test, please let us know in the comments section below. 

Adobe

• Photoshop CC - runs, requires Wacom feel driver, recommend UI scaling hack
• Illustrator CC - runs, requires Wacom feel driver, recommend UI scaling hack

Allegorithmic

• Substance Painter 0.3.0 (beta) - runs

Ambient Design

• ArtRage 4.0.6 - runs, recommended

Autodesk 

• 3DS Max 2015, 2014 - runs, mouse strongly recommended
• Maya 2015, 2014  - runs, mouse strongly recommended
• Maya LT 2014 - runs
• Mudbox 2015 SP1 - runs, multi-touch rotation unresponsive. Requires May 21, 2014 Intel HD graphics driver or higher.
• Mudbox 2015*, 2014.5, 2014** - runs, *requires Intel HD display driver update, **crashes on several primitive objects
• Mudbox 2013, 2012  - incompatible, require discrete graphics
• Mudbox 2011 x64 - runs
• Sketchbook Pro 6.2.5, 6.2.4, 6.2.3  - runs, recommended
• Softimage 2015, 2014  - runs, three-button mouse required

Blender

• Blender 2.7, 2.69 - runs, mouse recommended

Celsys

• Clip Studio Paint 1.2.8 (Japanese)  - runs
• Clip Studio Paint 1.3.1, 1.2.7 (English) - runs, recommended 

Corel

• Corel Painter X3 - runs

DAZ

• DAZ Studio 4.6 - runs

eFrontier

• Shade 3D Professional 14 - runs 

Foundry/Luxology

• Modo 801 SP1, 801, 701 SP5 - runs

Inkscape

• Inkscape 0.48.4 - runs

The Krita Foundation

• Krita Desktop 2.8.1.1 - runs

Nevercenter

• Silo 2.3, 2.2 - runs

Pixarra

• TwistedBrush Pro Studio 20.06 - runs

Pixologic

• Sculptris Alpha 6 - runs, recommended
• ZBrush 4R6 - runs, not recommended due to small UI

plasq

• Comic Life 3.0b1 - runs

Serif

• DrawPlus X6 - runs

61 Solutions

• Mischief 1.11, 1.10, 1.09 - runs, no multi-touch support

Smith Micro

• Manga Studio 5.0.4, 5.0.3 - runs, recommended 

Systemax

• Paint Tool SAI 2 (beta), 1.1 - runs, pressure sensitivity works, but there is limited touch rejection. Very easy to leave stray marks. No touch pan, rotate or zoom.

tetraface

• Metasequoia 4.1.2 (64-bit) - runs

Trimble

• SketchUp Make 14.0.4900 - runs

Triple Squid Software Design

• Moments of Inspiration (MoI3D) 3.0 beta, 2.0 - runs, recommended

TVPaint Developpement 

• TVPaint Animation 10 Pro - runs

Unity Pro 4.3.0b6 - runs, requires mouse

Web Technology Corp.

• Comipo! 1.81.00 - runs

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Surface Pro 3: One week later...

I’m late to the Surface Pro 3 review party and it seems every other tech journalist or blogger has already written thousands of words on the subject.

But with the exception of Penny Arcade’s Gabe (Mike Krahulik), none of the early reviews have focused on what we all really want to know: the suitability of the device for painting, drawing and sculpting.

The second magnet which angles the type cover significantly improves the typing experience on the Surface Pro 3. Unfortunately, it also makes it difficult to swipe from the bottom of the screen or access icons in the taskbar.

So I’ll dispense with the basics: 

• The screen is bigger, but not so big to be less portable.
• The 3:2 aspect ratio feels much less cramped in landscape mode and more natural to hold in portrait mode.
• The display resolution of 2160x1440 is crisp and beautiful.
• The SP3 is about 30% thinner than the previous Surface Pros.
• While not the lightest tablet for its size, the SP3 no longer feels like a brick.
• The device runs silently most of the time, but 3d applications can force the fans into overdrive.
• Heat is not unbearable, but seems to be concentrated in the upper right corner (in landscape mode). You won’t feel the heat at all if you’re just browsing or doing simple office tasks.
• The pen really is impressively accurate and handwriting on the screen is as good an experience as it’s ever been.
• Battery life is very good. I’ve been able to go the entire day on a single charge. As I write this, I’ve been going for over three hours and am at 60%.
• The redesigned power adapter is much easier to attach. No more fiddling with the finicky magnet!
• The pen is a significant upgrade over the original Surface Pro stylus. 
• The touchpad on the new type cover is larger and significantly improved.
• The new magnet at the top of the type cover, which angles the keyboard slightly for typing, is a huge improvement (I’m typing this post on the SP3 right now).
• While the type cover is angled, it lines up with the very bottom of the display and makes it impossible to swipe up from the bottom and difficult to unhide the taskbar or select taskbar icons.
• The Windows home button has been moved and is now on the center right of the screen (in landscape mode). Some users have complained that it’s too easy to hit it accidentally.
• The variable kickstand is genius. 
• The speakers are louder.
• The wifi is upgraded.
• Overall performance seems to be on-par with the similarly spec’d Surface Pro 2. My test unit has 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
• Because I’ve been using a pre-production machine, there have been a handful of quirks (like disabled wifi after waking) that Microsoft is promising to fix by ship date.

So bottom line, the Surface Pro 3 is a huge improvement over its predecessors and addresses nearly all the issues anyone has had with prior incarnations. 

The variable kickstand is one of the most welcome changes to the Surface Pro 3 design, especially the lowest angle which is ideal for drawing: no more need for a separate stand.

That’s all well and good you say, but what’s it like for drawing?

When pen pressure is available, drawing with the Surface Pro 3 is a pleasure. Initial activation force is a little higher than I’d prefer so it can be difficult to make very light marks. Sometimes light strokes will skip. In software where you can edit your pen pressure curve (as in Manga Studio/Clip Studio Paint), you can adjust for this and get much better results.

These tests demonstrate the pressure range I was able to achieve in Clip Studio Paint 1.3.1 with a 200px Frenden brush on a 10"x10" image at 300 dpi. I adjusted the slope of the pen pressure curve to have a much slower acceleration. The default linear curve requires too much initial force, which makes it nearly impossible for me to register light marks.

The pen pressure settings in Clip Studio Paint.

Microsoft is promising to deliver a control panel applet shortly after launch that will enable pressure curve and tip sensitivity settings. I’ve asked them to consider adding visual meters to the tip adjustments so that it’s easier to see the amount of force being applied. Button configuration will also be possible and they are considering adding a marking or radial menu similar to Wacom’s.

Although the pen nib is much preferred over the hard tip on the current Surface Pro pen, it is still a bit too hard for my taste. It feels a little too slippery on the glass. Microsoft has heard our concerns and will be offering tip replacements including softer options. Unfortunately, there is no precise date when these will be available.

The N-Trig digitizer on the Surface Pro 3 is compatible with a variety of pens already on the market. I’ve only tested the Sony Active Pen, but other manufacturers like Motion already offer a compatible pen with replacement tips.

As touted by Microsoft, the digitizer is free of the edge inaccuracies that have plagued many of the Wacom devices I've tested. Calibration was perfect out of the box and when I tried to run the calibration tool, I threw it off slightly so I simply reverted back to the default settings.

Palm rejection is a little bit hit and miss at the moment, although Microsoft is taking steps to improve it. It’s not an issue in software like Manga Studio and Sketchable that give you the option to disable touch drawing without disabling gestures (brilliant!), but it can be an issue in other software.

The operating system will disable touch when the pen tip comes within a certain distance of the screen. But if you tilt your pen, it’s possible that your hand will leave stray marks in software like Fresh Paint.

To correct for this, Microsoft will be adding a second level of palm detection that will use the digitizer’s image sensor to evaluate the shape of the object coming into contact with the screen. The assumption being that you’re unlikely to want to draw with your palm (ham-fisted shading?) vs. a fingertip.

A major knock against prior N-Trig incarnations is what some call vectoring: random stray lines that shoot off in the middle of a drawing. This doesn’t occur often, but I have experienced it. Microsoft believes it has a solution which will be implemented in a Day One firmware update.

One of the areas where I’ve noticed that performance doesn’t seem to be quite up to prior generations’ is when I’m attempting to pan, zoom and rotate with my fingers while drawing. I’ve discovered that this is due to the pen position. If I hold the tip too close to the screen while I’m touching, the gesture is disabled. This feels like a brief stutter, but being more aware of the pen placement will correct this.

At least in Manga Studio the pinch to zoom gesture is sometimes confused with the rotation gesture. 

A by-product of the active capacitive technology used by N-Trig is hover lag. This is the delay between the on-screen cursor position and the pen tip. If you move your pen very quickly over the display, the cursor will lag behind like a shadow. 

In the Penny Arcade review, Krahulik described this as a performance issue, but I believe it’s more of an optical illusion. You can be confident that the pen will tap wherever your tip is located; there’s no need to wait that extra millisecond for the cursor to catch up. If you find the visual lag very disturbing, you can try reducing the pointer to a one-pixel dot. 

Parallax, the separation between the tip and the actual drawing surface, is greatly reduced compared to the original Surface Pro models. This is because the N-Trig technology requires only one digitizer layer. In Wacom systems, there is a capacitive (touch) layer and an active (pen) layer.

The real stumbling block for artists considering the Surface Pro 3 is N-Trig’s spotty Wintab compatibility. This issue isn’t unique to the SP3, it also plagues other devices like the Sony Flip 15A and Acer Aspire R7-572. Simply put, it looks like this driver was only tested with Photoshop CC, where it works flawlessly.

Every other wintab program I’ve tried (see What Runs, What Doesn’t) simply doesn’t see the tablet service. 

Like many Wintab programs, ZBrush 4R6 runs and is very responsive; however, pen pressure is absent.

ZBrush displays an error message that the service is not running upon launch. However, the program will proceed to launch and will work except pen pressure is not recognized. Mudbox doesn’t recognize the pen or touch, although it can be controlled with the touchpad or a mouse. Most other programs work as expected except that brushes draw at 100% pressure.

(The pen pressure works in 3D-Coat,, the ZBrush and Mudbox competitor,  but that program’s OpenGL version has display issues. The DirectX version runs okay. I haven’t had time to confirm whether other OpenGL applications have similar problems.)

All of this is (hopefully) a temporary situation. Adobe’s next Photoshop, due out in June, will no longer require Wintab. Corel is reportedly working on a Microsoft API version of Painter. Microsoft and N-Trig are scrambling to improve compatibility with other programs before the SP3 ship date. And third party developers such as Pixologic and Autodesk will obviously be pressured by users to make their products work. (Whether they do anything about it remains to be seen, although failing to respond may represent an opportunity for swift moving competitors.)

It’s unfortunate that the change in digitizer tech has resulted in so much uncertainty in the creative user base which had whole-heartedly embraced the Surface Pro. If you rely on any of the programs that don’t work at present, the best option may be to sit on the sidelines until the dust settles. And there will certainly be great discounts to be had on remaining inventories of the SP1 and 2.

If you’re an art hobbyist or a professional who works primarily in Photoshop or Manga Studio, the Surface Pro 3 may be the creative tablet of your dreams. But the N-Trig experience is just different enough that I recommend you try it for yourself before you buy. 

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Hang in there, true believers...

For a non-artist like me, coming up with images that are sufficiently complex to test out new hardware and software is always a challenge. That's why I like to ink over work by the artists that inspired me as a kid for these tests. I don't have to think too hard and can focus instead on the many points I'll need to touch upon in my future posts.

I'll have a lot to say about my experience testing the Surface Pro 3 so far in the coming days. So as Mary Jane Watson might say, "Hang in there, tiger!"

Surface Pro 3 hands-on impressions; will you buy one?

The Surface Pro 3 went on sale this morning and I dutifully pre-ordered a lower end unit. I was planning to buy the entry level i3 $799 model but the Microsoft Store reports that it won't be available until August 31.

So I bought the next size up, the $999 i5/128 GB. That device ships on June 20.

This purchase feels unusual for me because I usually buy the "sweet spot" model, just under the highest end version available.  But in the case of the Surface Pro 3, I'm just not sure that the premium is warranted for the added storage of the $1299 model or the Core i7 in the $1549 or (gasp) $1949 versions.

To be clear, I think the average consumer is going to love the Surface Pro 3 as it addresses nearly every concern I've had with the first two generations. For that theoretical individual, I'd recommend spending the extra $300 for the i5/256.

I got into New York just in time yesterday to attend the last hour of a tech pundit tweetup hosted by Mary Jo Foley. It was a thrill to meet her and my favorite Windows-centric journalists Paul Thurrott and Ed Bott.

Foley and Thurrott were showing off the Surface Pro 3 review units they were given (loaned?) by Microsoft following the morning press conference.

The new SP3 looks a lot like the Surface 2, with its silver vapor mag finish. It is significantly thinner and lighter than the SP2 and the 3:2 aspect ratio is much better balanced and easier to hold in portrait mode.

The 2160x1440 display is crisp and beautiful. Of course it will make software that doesn't handle UI scaling even harder to use. I wasn't able to see the new Photoshop, but it looks like Adobe software won't be an issue.

I'd expected the odd aspect ratio to be exactly like 8.5x11 paper, but it's a bit taller (equivalent to 8x12?). But it's still much preferable to 16:9 in portrait mode and feels less squashed in landscape.

The new pen is a significant improvement over the standard SP pen. I didn't compare them side by side, but it seemed larger and heftier, though not quite as heavy as the Wacom Bamboo Feel. It has two buttons and the large click tip that functions as a remote control to wake the SP3 directly into OneNote.

It's impossible to accurately evaluate the pen's performance or improvements over other N-Trig devices like the Sony Active Pen with the pre-installed software. OneNote was responsive and silky, Fresh Paint was too but my knuckles left the occasional stray marks. I don't fault N-Trig for that, based on my experience with Clip Studio Paint/Manga Studio, it's very possible for developers to deliver perfect palm rejection with N-Trig devices. I'm very curious to test if Adobe gets it right.

The new kickstand design is very interesting, offering no pre-set angles like the first two models. It seems very stable, though I imagine it will always want to slide to its lowest position if you rest your hand on the screen while drawing. Time will tell on that one.

So why did I end up ordering the lower end device?

Lack of backward compatibility with wintab software means I won't need as much storage to install older applications. Without discrete graphics, I won't be doing much 3d or gaming work. Until Pixologic and Autodesk update their applications, ZBrush and Mudbox are out of the question (both require wintab for pen pressure).

So if nothing else, the Surface Pro 3 will be a fine Manga Studio/Photoshop/comics reading tablet. But the limited pressure and software restrictions mean it's not the ultimate pro tool we were all hoping for/expecting. And it means there is still an opening for another manufacturer (Wacom, Samsung, Apple?) to  develop a device that addresses all the needs of the pickiest creative users.

Up to now, I've had no reservations recommending the Surface Pro to all graphics artists. Yes, 2048 pressure levels and tilt sensitivity are very nice and the screen could be larger, but the SP 1 and 2 offered great performance for the price. Now, the recommendation will have to be prefaced by "It depends..."

English language downloads of Manga Studio are back...as Clip Studio Paint

UPDATE 4/7/2014: Trial versions are now available for download from Smith Micro. http://www.contentparadise.com/productDetails.aspx?id=24231

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ORIGINAL POST

Just received the following email from Manga Studio Product Manager Fahim Niaz at Smith Micro:

Digital versions of Manga Studio 5 and 5 EX are back next week!

The digital download versions of Manga Studio will now include Clip Studio Paint branding. Manga Studio and Clip Studio Paint are the exact same applications. Clip Studio Paint will simply be the digital download version of Manga Studio. The Manga Studio website and branding will remain the same and we will continue to promote the Manga Studio brand for both the DVD and download versions.

Another great piece of news is that Smith Micro will be providing customer support to all English versions of Clip Studio Paint and Manga Studio! We will also be receiving updates sooner and will release updates for both Manga Studio and Clip Studio Paint at the same time.

With all that being said, we’re extremely excited to be able to once again offer digital download versions of this great product! 

It's good to see that Japanese developer Celsys and Smith Micro have reached an agreement to settle what has been one of the oddest episodes in consumer software sales that I've ever witnessed.

The lack of a download version of Manga Studio has no doubt dampened sales since Celsys decided to self-market the English language downloadable version of its popular art program Clip Studio Paint. It's unfortunate (mostly for those of us who have to write about the subject) that we will have to continue to refer to both product names, but that's a minimal inconvenience.

I asked Niaz whether the new arrangement with Celsys means that English-language users may eventually see the release of other products like Clip Studio Modeler, Coordinate or Action. His response was that those products were still in "discussion phases."