games slower in browser

[voodoo-wizard]

Sorry if this is old news, but I just discovered it now by accident.

I've been in the process of making a flash RPG for the longest time now - and I always had an issue with it running very slowly in the browser (a lot slower than in a flash window).

Anyway, there's an easy fix for this. If you set the window mode to transparent ( <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> ) it'll run at the same speed it does when ran purely in flash.

This of course works with all flash movies, not just games.

[leight]

wow kool. i didnt know that
is this in the html that you write this? I'm no pro at web coding (although basic html is easy) but where exactly would you put something like this?

maby you could post up a txt file or just write it on here with a short example if thats possible.

u legend

[token 3]

here you go

<OBJECT classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
 codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,0,0"
 WIDTH="560" HEIGHT="400" id="game" ALIGN="">
 <PARAM NAME=movie VALUE="game.swf"> 
 <PARAM NAME=quality VALUE=high> 
 <PARAM NAME="wmode" value="Transparent">
<EMBED src="game.swf" quality=high bgcolor=#FFFFFF  WIDTH="560" HEIGHT="400" NAME="game" ALIGN=""
 TYPE="application/x-shockwave-flash" PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></EMBED>
</OBJECT>

Transparancy doesn't work with all browsers though!

[mbenney]

is this really true?
[m]

[RobotGames]

According to my searches within this forum, ActionScript.org, and Google: No, this does not improve browser performance in any way. In fact, some sites say that it actually impedes performance.

My tests over the last few minutes also show no improvement in speed.


I sincerely wish there was some kind of fix for this issue. Flash 7/2004 doesn't seem to help either.

[voodoo-wizard]

well, I dunno about other people but it's certainly worked for me. I'm using flash player: 7.0.14.0, internet explorer: 6.0.2800

sorry I can't show you my RPG but I whipped up a little example (from the swf I discovered it on).

http://kyomo.co.uk/transTest/notTransparent.html

http://kyomo.co.uk/transTest/transparent.html

Here, the transparent version runs faster and smoother for me than the notTransparent version. I'd be interested to know if this is the same for anyone else?
As you can see the swf remains the same, only the html code changes.

[DELETED_jtnw]

The transparent one actually ran slower for me.

[d3s_inc]

i would have to agree with voodoo-wizard
on this one...

Engine without the transparent thing
http://www.d3s.net/phil/3d_texture.html

with
http://www.d3s.net/phil/3d_texture_trans.html

[DELETED_jtnw]

Hey Phil,
In the transparent one, the rotation doesn't seem to work.

But it looks faster because the non-transparent one gets about 25 when still, where the transparent one gets about 30!

PS I see you got the texturing to work, it looks very nice!

[d3s_inc]

(don't want to steal thread but, yes got texture to work, slow thought, need to see how i can speed it up)

Hmm.. rotation works for me.... but the FPS are at 31 for me, solid

[sspskater]

Its been provin that it doesnt go any faster, but now im starting to wonder 30 fps non and 31 fps trans, hmmm....

[d3s_inc]

I see no sense in it.. but.... hmm... maybe it depeneds on different version of Flash, Flash Player, combination, etc...

[DancingOctopus]

Flash seems to just drop the frame rate when running Flash player 7 in the browser.

I often use the CPU usage meter in the win2k task manager to measure how well a game is running..

In your examples, d3s, the non-transparent version runs at a lower fps, but uses less CPU time. Where as the transparent version runs at what would appear to be the correct fps, but uses more CPU time.

Is this a ploy from macromedia to make the new flash player appear to be faster when it's really not? I'd say yes.

(I'm using the very latest flash player [which I downloaded {which took forever, wtf?} last night] and IE 5 (:[:{:)}(]/)

[d3s_inc]

hmm... it seems we (you) have uncovered their MASTER PLAN!!
I SAY A BOYCOTT!!

haha.. wow, this is rather shocking...

[DancingOctopus]

What's interesting is that transparency mode affects this seemingly inbuilt FPS cap. Someone needs to take this to Macromedia and get the "what's up."