Message 34/41
Date: 14-Aug-03 @ 12:27 PM -
RE: reason beware
installed the update... again, after a few minutes ONLY when clicking on outputs it locked up the whole pc and I had to hard boot it.
opened it again after re-boot, STOPPED it playing, opened IE and went to this site, went to re-activate the already open help file and it locked the machine again to a hard-boot
I have some criticisms regardless of that lock-up:
1. the OUTPUT sockets etc seem to do nothing visualy... you REALLY need a proper display to show a connection has been made as currently it's mumbo-jumbo
2. I cant see ANY way to make the sequencer follow the song
3. the control area below the sequencer shows VELOCITY... anything else?... how would you edit controllers?
4. snap on the sequencer... cant find any key combination that allows fine adjustments of the midi note, only seems to snap to the default grid (1/4, 16ths etc) so how would you slip notes along a bit or back a bit?
I feel you have a potentialy great product, CPU use is negligable (IF the CPU-USE display is accurate)... Dancetech would plug it, IF it was more logical in layout
however, the constant locking-up of the test PC isnt good... and before you come back with complaints about my test pc... it runs EVERY OTHER PROGRAMME fine.
The correct drivers ARE assigned in the control-panel, but still it locks the PC... even when DREAMER is NOT running (XP PRO), trying to switch to the already open help file before an IE window was fully loaded locked the whole PC... You might say... "Well dont switch screens while IE is loading... ok, that's something to say, but it shouldnt lock up totaly a win xp pro box.. NOTHING I've ever encountered locks a win xp computer - and that's with using a miriad of programmes, music & otherwise, across 5 XP MACHINES on our network running for over a year.
I'd like to see more clarity in the programme, Using patching doesnt show what's happening, you just seem to end up with a flashing output socket but there's no proper visual cue to show what's happening
i also think the test demo file which opens is too big, and it's appaling music which will definately make the s/w look bad because the music it emits is truly terrible.
I think it should open with a decent bit of techno or whatever with just ONE drumbox, ONE synth & ONE sampler - one of each basic item.. clear and easy to follow.
does that all sound fair to you?
btw... other softs like PROJECT5 etc also need time to get to know, so these criticism's arent getting at DREAMER... BUT I've been doing this for years, and every programme I try, I can always get the basic's working & figured out without a manual if it's any good... I never found a proggy I couldnt 'work' basicaly within an hour, all down apart from the more 'in-depth' bits... but this evaluation time-out is a BIG block to that.
In my case I can never get anywhere with DREAMER before it kills my test PC... so it's impossible to learn.. I ALWAYS get a dead pc within 3 or 4 minutes of booting DREAMER, so I'm getting nowhere with it fast!