someone posted on the AFX CS3 forum about wishlists so i thought about it for a couple of minutets and began...
as far as the UI goes see my thoughts an ae8 at http://blogs.creativecow.net/node/145 and a bit of rethinking on the UI
an expressions panel/editor/viewer - being able to create/edit expressions with code completion much like in many programming environments. a viewer that shows expressions and the connections/relationships to other objects (much like the flowchart)
improved graph editor/animation controls - having the ability to manipulate x/y/z postions in the graph editor just as you can x,y,z rotation(as the are separate parameters) . adding the ability in the graph editor to manipulate curves as you do with the loop expressions ( as you can in Mayas graph editor)
extrude(text, shapes layers, etc)
import 3d models like PS CS3 can
a flowchart that operators actually want to use
more accurate motion tracking - matchmoving with the ability to apply tracking data to masks on a per verticy level (3d tracking would be great but i wont go that far with this list)(and while we're at a real wishlist...maybe this is an opportunity for a plugin developer, but using tracking/optical flow to matchmove images so that you can take a still of a clean plate, line it up and let the tracker match pos,scale,rotation, and optionally warp the images to match based on optical analysis
the ability edit all parameters stored in a keyfame- much like how 3d position data is stored in a single keyframe so there is no way in the interface to then manipulate the individual channels, adding this ability would allow you to edit mask keyframes on a per vertice level for example, mesh warp on a per vertice level, any effect or parameter that has its data inaccessable from the UI b/c it is saved in to 1 keyframe
updated import dialog due to the fact the AE uses the OS based dialogs, its not entirley adobes falut, but when you have mulitple image sequenced in a folder, AFX does not have the ability to show or recognize them as such and notify the user during an import, thereby making it easy for the operator to miss sequences
all effects toggle just as there is one for motion blur for the comp. this is for preview purposes
layer quick sets enables the operator to set the current selected layers as a quickpick, with mulitple stores so that you can work wth several layers selected, then switch to a different layer set, and back w/o having to select the indivual layers. and then the next step would be states much like Statesmen by redefinery http://redefinery.com/ae/view.php?item=rd_Statesman
