So I have started my new job today, and the first thing they have me learn is Harmony. I have extensive experience with all sorts of animation, compositing, and 3d animation software, and my first experience with Harmony are not exactly… good.
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Importing bitmap images at the exact resolution without Harmony re-interpreting them is proving to be fraught with issues. As far as I could tell, this is because of the fact that Harmony works primarily as a vector-based app - however, it is very, VERY frustrating to say the least.
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no graph editor to change animation curves? I do not mean that aberration “set ease for Multiple Parameters”. Who ever came up with that?
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no guides? No way to setup your own safe areas?
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And the interface so far tends to get in the way of things quite a lot. Perhaps I am spoiled, but here are a couple of things I am encountering:
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I cannot drag my mouse over the checkmarks, locks, etc. to quickly turn off/on items. One by one, or first select a group. A bit cumbersome.
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as far as I can tell I need to open a separate properties window for each layer?
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Can the interface be zoomed or enlarged in any way?
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timeline interface: can it be zoomed, enlarged in any way? (not zooming in/out frames)
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can I move the timeline into its own window?
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can windows like the x-sheet be pinned to be on top of the other windows?
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buttons and icons are quite confusing at times - any way to add text labels?
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in imported images dialog I switch to “create single layer named” and start typing a name - does not work - strange, word is highlighted.
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all those tiny input fields are difficult and awkward to control at the high resolution I am working at (2x2560*1440 screens)
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I work on a dual screen setup. xsheet and network windows do not move to the front when I switch to the main Harmony window. I am forced to hide other open apps or switch each of Harmony’s windows separately to the front.
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a lot of the program’s interface feels neurotic: one the one hand it uses animation terminology, on the other hand loads of developer tech speak is introduced in the dialogs. It feels a bit disjointed, and seems more complex than it should have been. I mean, I understand everything, but I shudder at the thought how any of my animator friends without a technical background would ever learn this.
Anyway, I do not mean to complain here. It is a very capable app, and I love the network (reminds me of Nuke, etc). It’s just that the interface could have been so much better in my opinion.
Of course, I do not have a lot of experience yet (just a couple of days), and it feels a bit archaic and old-fashioned in places. Not well thought-out, or at least, as if the interface in many places was designed by a programmer, instead of a good UX designer. The x-sheet works fine, for example. The timeline - well, good enough. Missing graph editor: inexcusable in my opinion.
Ah, well, back to work. Learning a new app is always interesting 